℃-ute

Infobox musical artist |
Name = ℃-ute


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Genre = Japanese pop
Origin = Japan
Years_active = 2005–present
Label = Zetima
Associated_acts = Hello! Project Kids, Aa!, ZYX, Berryz Koubou, 4KIDS, Buono!
URL = [http://www.helloproject.com Hello! Project.com]
Current_members = Maimi Yajima
Erika Umeda
Saki Nakajima
Airi Suzuki
Chisato Okai
Mai Hagiwara
Kanna Arihara
Past_members = Megumi Murakami

℃-ute is an all-female Japanese pop group within Hello! Project. The character "℃" (degree Celsius) is substituted for "C" in notation for the purpose of expressing ardor—the hyphen does not have any meaning in particular. The proper pronunciation for this group in Japanese is nihongo|"kyūto"|キュート with pitch accents on both "ū" and "o".

History

℃-ute was formed in the year 2005, consisting of seven girls from Hello! Project Kids who were not chosen to form the group Berryz Kobo. The group was officially announced on June 11, 2005, though its formation had been rumored for several months prior. Later, in January 2006, Kanna Arihara, a Hello Pro Egg, was added at the start of the Hello! Project Winter 2006 tour, as part of the Wonderful Hearts team. On October 31, 2006, Megumi Murakami left the group suddenly without any graduation ceremony.

Prior to the band's formation, some members worked with members of Morning Musume in such side projects as Aa! and ZYX, as well as the MiniMoni movie "".

Incidentally, the Aa!, Berryz Kobo, and ℃-ute chain are in alphabetical order (ABC), and ZYX itself is in reverse alphabetical order (XYZ).

On February 21 2007, ℃-ute's first official single "Sakura Chirari" was released. On the first day it ranked third on the Oricon charts, a feat not even accomplished by Morning Musume (who had ranked 6th on their debut single). [cite web| url= http://www.oricon.co.jp/ | title= Oricon home page, on January 22, 2007 | accessdate= 2007-01-22 | language= Japanese] With their debut single, they became the youngest group (with the average age of 13) to rank in the top 10. [cite web | url= http://www.mtvchinese.com/News/Regional/200703/09/07.html | title= MTV Chinese article|accessdate= 2007-03-09 | language= Chinese] Their latest single has debuted at #3 of the Oricon Weekly Charts.

On December 30 2007, ℃-ute was chosen as the Best New Artist Award with Japan Record Award.

Members

Present members

*
* – leader
*
*
*
*
* – joined January 02 2006 from Hello Pro Egg

Former members

* – unexpectedly retired on October 31, 2006 to continue schooling and lead a private life

Discography

The following CDs and DVD are released on the Zetima label.

Albums

Concerts

Others

Many DVDs were released to the official fan club and are only obtainable by mail order for a limited time.

Photobooks

Group

*"Berryz Kobo & ℃-ute in Hello! Project 2006 Summer" (Released September 21, 2006)
*"So cute!" – °C-ute first photobook (February 21, 2007)
*"Hajimattayo! Cutie Show" – ℃-ute debut solo concert live photobook (April 11, 2007)
*"Moving down through Japan! Travel Diary of ℃-ute in 2007 Summer" – photobook of Cutie Circuit 2007 ～MAGICAL CUTIE TOUR～ (October 4, 2007)

Individual

*"Maimi" – Maimi Yajima's first solo photobook (April 27, 2007)
*"Airi" – Airi Suzuki's first solo photobook (May 21, 2007)
*"CLEAR" – Airi Suzuki's second solo photobook (December 5, 2007)
*"Sou Sora" – Maimi Yajima's second solo photobook (January 17, 2008)

Radio Programs

* "Cutie Party" – FM-FUJI, Saturdays 23:00-23:30 JST (Yajima, Suzuki & Okai, since October 07 2006) as the opening portion of "Hello! Project Night"

Trivia

* In Episode 36 of Gintama All 3 members of the band, Suzuki Airi, Okai Chisato, and Hagiwara Mai appear at 14:40 when they start to do the same movements that the dojo does which is. "Dream Catcher"

Milestones

* Kōhaku Uta Gassen (紅白歌合戦, Kōhaku Uta Gassen?) youngest participant – 11 year old Mai Hagiwara (58th Kōhaku on December 31, 2007)

See also

* Hello! Project Kids
* Berryz Kobo
* Gatas Brilhantes H.P.

References

External links

* [http://www.helloproject.com/artist/17/ Official Hello! Project profile] ja icon
* [http://www.up-front-works.jp/discography/upfront/03/list.html ℃-ute discography at Up-Front Works] ja icon
* en icon
* en icon
* News Blog/Fansite: [http://hellocute.wordpress.com Hello!°C-ute] en icon
* [http://www.cute-web.blog.onet.pl Unofficial Polish fansite] pl icon