A group that literally went under my radar (and something I clearly missed) Maccha’s (the original name) was formed actually back in 2011 during promotions for the Berikyuu single, “Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku” as a duo to kind of support and promote green tea (strange concept if you ask me). It was pretty slow and things went by until 2013 where they were chosen to sing the theme song for Oji Chama (a mascot during the SATO___ era). Beyond that, since Yurina graduated from H!P…it is assumed that they’re gone now but *shrugs*
Style of Music: Well with only one song to their name, Chacha Oukoku no Ojichama is very kiddy…
Discography
Album
Gotochi Character Image Song DVD (DVD release)
This is their song, Chacha Oukoku no Ojichama…interestingly enough the two dancers were NiCE GiRL Project KSS at the time (since then the company has been shut down).
Overall: Like I said, the group wasn’t VERY well known which is surprising considering it is two H!P girls doing a duet and such. I do find it interesting though that they’ve lasted 3-ish years together (of course before Berryz went on hiatus and changed it). For a group all about green tea, I would’ve loved to have seen them promote Green Tea Pocky~
L to R: Yumeno Kishimoto, Riko Yamagishi, Kisora Niinuma, Kiki Asakura, Ami Tanimoto, Risa Ogata
Now after Kobushi Factory started up we were slowing down on news and important things and what’s this ANOTHER group announced in the year and is also a rival group for Kobushi (and given a similar name as Tsubaki Factory). Another group that’s made of purely Kenshuusei, Tsubaki came in with not as much fanfare as their rival group, but hey more H!P girls woo!
Top Row L to R: Yumeno Kishimoto, Risa Ogata, Mao Akiyama, Riko Yamagishi, Ami Tanimoto, Mizuho Ono Bottom Row L to R: Kisora Niinuma, Kiki Asakura, Saori Onoda
So after a couple indies singles and mini-album, it was shockingly announced that the group would gain three new Kenshuusei members in Saori Onoda, Mizuho Ono, and Mao Akiyama and then a couple weeks later also announed that the group would finally major debut in the beginning of 2017.
L to R: Mizuho Ono, Riko Yamagishi, Kisora Niinuma, Kiki Asakura, Ami Tanimoto, Saori Onoda, Mao Akiyama, Yumeno Kishimoto
The 9-nin lineup would last for about 3 years until scandal struck the group when Risa Ogata had some private-ish blog entries leaking to which it ended up putting her into hiatus until the end of 2020 before it was fully announced that she would graduate to focus on a solo career instead under UFP. Leaving the group with 8 to release their sophomore album.
Top Row L to R: Yumeno Kishimoto, Mizuho Ono, Kiki Asakura, Ami Tanimoto, Saori Onoda, Mao Akiyama Bottom Row L to R: Riko Yamagishi, Marine Fukuda, Yuumi Kasai, Runo Yofuu, Shiori Yagi, Kisora Niinuma
With 2021 underway and post-Risa, the group had gotten chosen for new auditions and they bore 4 new members joining with Yuumi Kasai, Shiori Yagi, Marine Fukuda, and Kenshuusei member, Runo Yofuu. All 4 do seem to have strong qualities about them (Shiori with vocals, Marine with dancing, Yuumi being the middle-ground and then Runo whose become a huge vocal powerhouse at such a young age.
L to R: Mizuho Ono, Mao Akiyama, Ami Tanimoto, Runo Yofuu, Yuumi Kasai, Kisora Niinuma, Marine Fukuda, Saori Onoda, Shiori Yagi
When 2023 happened a big drop of members happened with Kiki Asakura, Yumeno Kishimoto, and Riko Yamagishi graduating during the year. Though it’s not quite over yet as this line-up remains for one more release before Kisora Niinuma graduates as well.
Style of Music: With only their indies release, it seems they’re going for the more EDM-ish sound H!P is currently under, but that’s alright with me! Since then, Tsubaki hasn’t had a striking obvious style as they change it up, but their music as a whole seems lighter than what any other group has been putting out.
Discography
Singles
Seishun Manmannaka! (indies)
Engeki Joshi-bu Musical “Thank You Very Berry” Original Soundtrack
Kedakaku Sakihokore! (indies)
Hitorijime / Watashi ga Obasan ga Nattemo (indies)
Hatsukoi Sunrise / Just Try! / Uruwashi no Camellia (Saori, Mizuho, and Mao’s debut single)
Shuukatsu Sensation / Waratte / Hana Moyou
Teion Yakedo / Shunrenka / I Need You ~Yozora no Kanransha~
Date no Hi wa Ni-do Kurai Shower Shite Dekaketai / Junjou cm / Konya Dake Ukaretakatta
Sankaime no Date Shinwa / Fuwari, Koi Tokei
Ishiki Takai Otome no Dilemma / Dakishimerarete Mitai
Dansha-ISM / Ima Nanji? (Risa’s final single)
Namida no Heroine Kouban Geki / Garakuta DIAMOND / Yakusoku Renraku Kinenbi (Yuumi, Shiori, Marine, and Runo’s debut single.
Adrenaline Dame / Yowasa ja nai yo, Koi wa / Idol Tenshoku Ondo
Machigai ja nai Naitari Shitai / Skip Skip Skip / Kimi to Boku no Kizuna feat. KIKI (Kiki and Yumeno’s final single)
Yuuki It’s my Life! / Mousou Dake Nara Freedom / Demo…Ii yo (Riko’s final single)
(performance at 33:00) Best place I could find it, but it is a full performance of 17sai…very green group if I say so myself!
Overall: As H!P’s newest group (as of this post once again), Tsubaki Factory seems to be pulled back from the attention that Kobushi Factory has and that’s fine, it gives them time to become better performers. While many fans felt that the group was lacking something as a 6-nin, adding the 2nd Gen was a pretty smart idea and definitely excited to see the 9 together.
Top Row L to R: Rio Fujii, Ayaka Hirose, Minami Nomura, Rena Ogawa Bottom Row L to R: Ayano Hamaura, Natsumi Taguchi, Sakurako Wada, Rei Inoue
At the beginning of 2015, there were small murmurs of a potential new unit to be announced (thanks to v-u-den’s Erika Miyoshi), and it became true with the (at the time, unannounced name) debut of a new unit comprising of only Kenshuusei! We thought they’d debut at the end of the month, but it was pushed back a couple months and we got a name, Kobushi Factory and we get our indie debut from them in March. After that, it was announced their next single would be their major label debut. They would be 8-nin for 2 years until Rio Fujii announced her graduation leaving the group as a 7-nin.
Top Row L to R: Ayaka Hirose, Sakurako Wada Bottom Row L to R: Rei Inoue, Ayano Hamaura, Minami Nomura
Though in an odd twist of fate, Fujii would be actually fired 2 months before her graduation, so she left the group pretty quickly with no last hurrah. Leaving the group as a 7-nin before the summer concerts began, but this lineup would be super short because at the end of the summer concerts and from being on hiatus the whole way through, Rena Ogawa announced that she’s leaving Kobushi as well! Then in November, even Natsumi Taguchi‘s would end up being fired as well…3 members lost in half a year’s time! However, they’d have two more years together before in 2020, the remaining members decided to call it quits with 3 doing different things, 1 retiring, and Rei Inoue remaining in the company.
Style of Music: From what we’ve heard so far, the group has a more rockin’ sound akin to Buono! It’ll be interesting where this will lead them in the future.
Discography
Singles
Nen ni wa Nen / Survivor (indies)
Dosukoi! Kenkyo ni Daitan / Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta / Nen ni wa Nen (Nen Iri Ver.)
Samba! Kobushi Janeiro / Bacchikoi Seishun! / Ora wa Ninkimono
Shalala! Yareru Hazu sa / Eejanaika Ninjanaika (Rio, Rena, and Natsumi’s final single)
Kore Kara da! / Ashita Tenki ni Naare
Kitto Watashi wa / Naseba Naru
Oh No Ounou / Haru Urara
Seishun no Hana / Start Line
Albums
Engeki Joshi-bu Musical “Week End Survivor” Official Soundtrack
Kobushi Sono Ichi
Kobushi Dai Ni Maku
This is their debut song Nen ni wa Nen (though it is the touched up version from their major debut single)
Overall: Honestly, this is probably a group I will heavily follow as many of my favorite Kenshuusei members are a part of this group, I was happy they’re more edgy than a lot of the other H!P groups currently and their vocals are really impressive so far (especially Rei, Minami, and Ayaka). Can’t wait to see what’s in store for them!
After the loss of their three members, Kobushi felt kind of lost despite keeping all the strong vocalists and I’m impressed they were able to do the acapella songs to make them stand out, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the disbandment felt sadder than normal.
Top Row L to R: Momoko Tsugunaga, Manaka Inaba, Risa Yamaki Bottom Row L to R: Chisaki Morito, Uta Shimomura, Mai Ozeki
Let’s begin at the beginning, the only real remaining member of Country Musume, Mai Satoda, had came out of nowhere and desired that the group to be revitalized and brought back from the unknown (even though we all knew CM was disbanded when the Elder Club graduation had happened). So from March to August, there were auditions held but for some reason bore no fruit from it. Surprisingly enough a couple months later, there was a surprise announcement of the creation of the group. Two Kenshuusei (Inaba and Yamaki) and 3 new girls came together. It was also announced that Momoko from Berryz Kobo would be their senpai for a while until she felt it was OK to let them go on their own. Initially, they were to debut as the 5 (w/o Momoko) for an indies single, but was scrapped and they waited til Berryz went on hiatus to begin their career with their first major label…howeverrrr…
L to R: Momoko Tsugunaga, Manaka Inaba, Chisaki Morito, Mai Ozeki, Risa Yamaki
After their first single, things started to become worrying after Uta Shimomura started to be missing in events and other things like promoting the single still. It turns out like Aina Otsuka from Juice=Juice, there was some contract issues and she basically said sayonara to the group in early June 2015 and that brings us to most of 2015 as a whole until November.
Top Row L to R: Momoko Tsugunaga, Manaka Inaba, Mai Ozeki, Risa Yamaki Bottom Row L to R: Nanami Yanagawa, Chisaki Morito, Musubu Funaki
Once a year had passed by since the group’s announcement and beginnings, the group celebrated their anniversary by announcing two new members: Nanami Yanagawa & Musubu Funaki (two KSS). Though after their first single together, member Manaka Inaba had announced she had to take a hiatus due to her asthma acting up, sadly in August, she announced she was graduating from the group to the struggles with her affliction.
L to R: Momoko Tsugunaga, Mai Ozeki, Musubu Funaki, Nanami Yanagawa, Chisaki Morito, Risa Yamaki
Which leaves us with the next iteration back to where it began as a 6-nin group (meaning “Itooshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobo” would return back to its original choreography. At least until June of 2017 when Momoko Tsugunaga will graduate out of the group.
L to R: Risa Yamaki, Nanami Yanagawa, Musubu Funaki, Chisaki Morito, Mai Ozeki
Though it seems the group would be pushed back even further due to Yamaki & Ozeki’s want to focus on school but somehow continue being in Country Girls. With that said, the 3 remaining members had been moved to other H!P groups with Country Girls being in the backburner with short bouts of activeness.
L to R: Mai Ozeki, Chisaki Morito, Musubu Funaki, Risa Yamaki
Though in 2019, it was announced the year previous that Nanami Yanagawa would be graduating early on in 2019 which left the group at four members. Though unfortunately this 4-nin would release a digital single before they made the announcement that the group would be disbanding at the end of 2019 which was not surprising at the least with Yamaki and Ozeki fully graduating and Funaki in the next year while Morito will stay with Morning Musume.
Style of Music: Seems like they’re going for the fun, cute side of H!P and plus we’ve seen them perform some older Country Musume ni Ishikawa songs as well so that’s pretty much set in stone currently.
Discography
Singles
Itooshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobo (Uta’s final single)
Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summertime
Boogie Woogie LOVE / Koi wa Magnet / Ranrarun ~Anata ni Muchuu~ (Nanami & Musubu’s debut single; Manaka’s final single)
Dou Datte Ii no / Namida no Request
Good Boy Bad Girl / Peanut Butter Jelly Love (Momoko’s final single)
Albums
Seasons (mini-album)
Country Girls Daizenshuu 1 (best album)
This is part of their debut single, Itooshikutte Gomen ne. You can really tell how fresh they wanted to make this group (especially being a revival unit and all). Also notice how much facetime Uta has…shame she’s gone!
Overall: When I first heard the group announcement, it was coming off the heels of the recent additions to Morning Musume and S/mileage so this was out of the blue, but exciting. I also worried because half the girls are brand new and unknown, two were KSS, and Momochi. When their first single was performed, I was excited for how catchy and bright the group was and Uta was heavily being shown off as the group’s ace.
Though, it’s quite unfortunate that Uta left the group leaving a HUGE hole where she used to be as the face & ace, but it seems like with the next single, Chisaki and Mai are going to step up their game (as if they weren’t pushed enough). Yamakki and Manakan to me feels like back girls at the moment as well as Momoko, but the latter is on purpose.
Though it seems that since Momoko’s graduation, the group went to the backburner with 3/5 of its members joined other groups kind of permanently which left Country Girls kind of inactive (adding that Yanamin graduated) I kind of wonder what the future of the group will be.
Well, that is until the news of the group’s disbandment. Kind of a cursed group if we tie them to Country Musume as a whole because they really couldn’t break out and when they did it was kind of pulled away quickly (pushing Uta as ace and then losing Manakan & Momochi as well). I mean near 3 years together and now it’s kind of being dropped kind of sucks, but what can ya do?
Iroppoi Twilight Game 