In 2002, Hagiwara auditioned for Hello! Project Kids with the song "Te wo Nigitte Arukitai" by Maki Goto. Her audition tape was aired on Morning Musume's variety show Hello! Morning.[3][4] She was placed in the group with 14 other girls.[5][6][7][4] She made her first appearance as an angel in the 2002 film Mini Moni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken!;[8][9] she also was one of the featured artists in the movie's ending song as a member of 4Kids.[10] Later, in 2004, she participated in singing "All for One & One for All!", a collaboration single released by all Hello! Project artists under the name "H.P. All Stars."[11]
2005–2015: Cute, Kira Pika, and mainstream success
In 2004, Berryz Kobo was created with the intention of rotating all of the members of Hello! Project Kids to make time for school,[12] but the idea was later scrapped, and the remaining girls who were not chosen were rebranded under the name Cute on June 11, 2005.[13]
In addition to Cute's activities, Hagiwara briefly ventured into voice acting and played Hikaru Mizuki in the anime Kirarin Revolution from June to September 2007.[2] As part of the show, she became part of the in-show subgroup Kira Pika with Morning Musume's Koharu Kusumi[14][15] and released their only single, "Hana o Pūn / Futari wa NS" on August 1, 2007.[16] Hagiwara also released her character's version of the song "Koi no Mahō wa Habibi no Bi" for the soundtrack.[17] She made televised and concert appearances portraying Hikaru in real life[18] and appeared as a special guest during Kirarin Revolution's final concert at Nakano Sun Plaza on May 4, 2009.[19]
In 2009, Hagiwara, Saki Nakajima, and Erina Mano released the song "Kimi ga Iru Dake de" as Petit Moni V.[20] In 2012, Hagiwara released her first solo DVD single "Ike! Genki-kun." In 2013, Hagiwara became part of the subgroup Hi-Fin for the Satoumi Movement.[21][22] Hi-Fin released the song "Kaigan Seisō Danshi" on August 7, 2013 in a compilation album with other artists in the Satoumi Movement.[23]
2016–2017: Disbandment of Cute
In August 2016, Cute announced plans to disband in June 2017, citing interest in different career paths as their reason.[24][25] Hagiwara decided to retire from entertainment following the disbandment to study English abroad in New Zealand.[26][4] In 2018, Hagiwara produced the apparel brand With Mii.[27]
Personal life
Hagiwara's grandfather is Michiya Tanaka, the owner of the animation studio Tama Production [ja]. Her grandfather's older brother is manga artist and animator Eiji Tanaka [ja], the founder of Tama Production, and her grandfather's younger brother is animator Takashi Saijō [ja].[28]
On August 2, 2021, Hagiwara announced on her social media that she is married to a non-celebrity man.[29] On October 16, 2024, Hagiwara shared on her Instagram that she is expecting her first child, which is due around March next year.[30]
^Hagiwara, Mai. "一度は読んでみてほしい。老若男女の心に響くX'masストーリー絵本化計画!" [I want you to read this just once: a plan to adapt a Christmas story that resounds in the hearts of the old, young, male, and female into a picture book!]. Camp Fire (in Japanese). Retrieved November 30, 2024.
^"元℃-ute萩原舞が妊娠を発表、来年3月に出産予定「幸せな気持ちでいっぱい」" [Former Cute member Mai Hagiwara announces pregnancy, to be due in March of next year: "I'm full of happy feelings"]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved October 16, 2024.
^映画「王様ゲーム」 (in Japanese). Ōsama Game Project. Retrieved July 24, 2017.