, formerly , is a Japanese idol

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of wh ...

from the

musical collective Musical collective is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared.Liisa Ladouceur"Collegjthk ctive Souls" ''This Magazine'', November/December 2004. The concept is distinct from th ...

Hello! Project is a Japanese musical collective consisting of all female recording artists and groups under Up-Front Promotion, a subsidiary of Up-Front Group. The name was initially used as Michiyo Heike and Morning Musume's fan club name in 1999, but ha ...

, which originally consisted of four former Hello! Pro Egg (''Hello! Project'' trainees) members that left Egg in 2010 and became full-time members of ''Hello! Project''. In 2010, they won the

Japan Record Award is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Until 2005, the show aired on New Year's Eve, but has since aired every December 30 on Tokyo Broadcasting System, T ...

for Best New Artist. In 2011, five new girls were added to the group as part of the second generation, with two being former Egg members and three new girls. In 2014, three new members joined the group as third generation members. Since the formation of Angerme, there have been ten generations and twelve departures. As of November 2021, the total number of members of the group stands at ten members.

History

Smileage era

2009: Formation

On April 4, Japanese music producer

Tsunku , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer, record producer, and songwriter. He is the lead singer of the rock band Sharam Q. As a songwriter, Tsunku is the primary producer for Morning Musume and other Hello! Project acts, such as Coco ...

announced on his blog that a new girl group consisting of Hello! Pro Egg members would be formed. The members would consist of Ayaka Wada, Yuuka Maeda, and

Kanon Fukuda , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer and voice actress. She is a member of Metamuse and a former member of Hello! Project idol group Angerme and Shugo Chara Egg!. Biography Hello!Pro Egg Fukuda Kanon joined Hello!Project as a m ...

, all formerly of

Shugo Chara Egg! , also known as ''My Guardian Characters'', is a Japanese shōjo manga series created by the manga author duo, Peach-Pit. The story centers on elementary school girl Amu Hinamori, whose popular exterior, referred to as "cool and spicy" by her clas ...

, as well as fellow Egg Saki Ogawa. Ayaka was the designated group leader. A month later, on May 7, 2009, he revealed that the group would be called "Smileage". The name is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words

2010: Debut

After releasing three singles, Tsunku announced that the group would become a full-time group in the spring of 2010 and their debut was set for May 2010. A was embarked upon to collect 10,000 smiles from people, where fans were asked to send in photographs of themselves smiling, compiled into a big mosaic. The group made their official event debut in Nagoya on March 19, with their fourth single "Otona ni Narutte Muzukashii!!!", released March 14, their first release on the Up-Front Works label. The result of the campaign was announced during the joint Smileage and

Erina Mano is a Japanese idol singer and actress formerly associated with Hello! Project. She joined in 2006 as a member of Hello Pro Egg, as a trainee. In 2007, she became a member of the Hello! Project futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and its musical ...

concert on April 3. It was then announced that the group would be leaving from Hello! Pro Eggs. Their first major single, " Yume Miru Fifteen", was released on May 26. Their debut album, '' Warugaki 1'', was released on December 8, 2010. On December 30, Smileage received the

for Best New Artist.

2011–2014: The second generation

On May 29, 2011, Smileage revealed at their first-anniversary event that they would be holding auditions for new members to add to the four-member line-up and that some of the members would depart. The new members were announced on August 14. From Hello! Pro Egg, Akari Takeuchi and Rina Katsuta were added, and three other girls: Kana Nakanishi, Fuyuka Kosuga, and Meimi Tamura also joined. On August 24, it was announced that Saki Ogawa would be leaving Smileage on August 27 and, subsequently, from ''Hello! Project''. On September 9, one of Smileage's newest additions, Fuyuka Kosuga, was diagnosed with

anaemia Anemia or anaemia ( British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, ...

, after missing a concert due to illness. Due to her anaemia, she left the group and resumed her work as a ''Hello! Project'' Egg after her recovery. Starting September 18, a second Smile Campaign was held by the new members to determine their place as official members in the group. On October 16, at Smileage's " Tachiagirl" event, producer Tsunku announced all four sub-members had become full members. On October 25, it was announced that Yuuka Maeda would leave Smileage and, subsequently, from ''Hello! Project'' on December 31. On October 4, 2014, the group welcomed three new members: Mizuki Murota, Maho Aikawa and Rikako Sasaki. On December 17, 2014, it was announced that Smileage would change their name to Angerme, a name proposed by Kana Nakanishi which comes from a combination of the French words for angel (ange) and tear (larme).

Angerme Era

2015–2016: Re-brand and third, fourth, and fifth generation debut

On May 20, 2015, Kanon Fukuda announced that she would be leaving Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' in the fall to continue with her university studies. On November 11, 2015, Angerme released their twentieth single, "Desugita Kui wa Utarenai / Dondengaeshi / Watashi." At the release event for this single, the winner of the 2015 Angerme Shin Member Audition and a sole fourth generation member was announced with Moe Kamikokuryo revealed as the new member. This was the first time a ''Hello! Project'' group other than Morning Musume welcomed a sole generation member. Kanon Fukuda officially left the group on November 29. Less than a month after Fukuda's graduation, on December 20, 2015, during the Angerme Christmas Fanclub event, it was announced that Meimi Tamura would leave Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' in spring 2016. On May 30, 2016, Meimi Tamura graduated from Angerme. On July 16, 2016, a surprise announcement was made: Momona Kasahara, previously from Hello! Pro Kenshūsei, would join the group as the sole fifth generation member.

2017–2018: Sixth and seventh generation debut

On January 11, 2017, ''Hello! Project'' announced the hiatus of Maho Aikawa until further notice, due to being diagnosed with

panic disorder Panic disorder is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, sho ...

. On June 26, Musubu Funaki, who transferred from Country Girls and Ayano Kawamura as a former Hello! Pro Kenshūsei, joined Angerme as new 6th generation members. Musubu continued her activities as a full member of Country girls until June 30, where she then became a full member of Angerme, and held a concurrent position in Country Girls. The sixth generation began activities in the group at the Hello! Project 2017 SUMMER concert tour on July 15. On December 31, an announcement was posted to the ''Hello! Project'' website, stating that Maho Aikawa had decided to graduate from both Angerme and ''Hello! Project'', after having been on hiatus from activities for the past twelve months. The graduation was effective immediately, making Aikawa the first of the third generation to graduate. On April 5, 2018, Ayaka Wada made an announcement that she would graduate in one year, in spring 2019 at the end of a spring concert tour. On November 3, seventh generation members Layla Ise and Haruka Ōta joined the group.

2019–present: Member graduations and new members

On June 18, Ayaka Wada graduated from Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' in the Hello Pro Premium Angerme Concert Tour 2019 Haru Final Wada Ayaka Sotsugyou Special Rinnetenshou ~Aru Toki Umareta Ai no Teishou~ at Nippon Budokan, becoming the longest-serving member and longest-serving leader of the group. With her graduation, there were no more first generation members in the group. Only eight days after Wada's graduation, on June 26, Rina Katsuta announced that she would graduate from Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' on September 25 at ''Hello! Project'' 2019 Summer in Pacifico Yokohama to pursue a career in fashion. It was decided that one new member, Rin Hashisako from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei, would join the group as the eighth generation member. She is the 3rd solo generation to debut in the group, as well as the first to debut after all original 1st generation members have graduated. She was introduced on stage during the ''Hello! Project'' 2019 Summer concert tour from July 13. Rina Katsuta officially left the group on September 25. Less than a week after Katsuta's graduation, on September 30, fellow second generation member and sub-leader Kana Nakanishi announced that she would graduate from both Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' on December 10, 2019, to study business administration and management. Similarly, to Katsuta, she had already made plans with the company to graduate earlier this year, but due to the graduations of Wada and Katsuta, she prolonged the announcement. With this announcement, Akari Takeuchi became the last remaining member who was active in the group prior to being re-branded to Angerme. On October 18, it was announced the Musubu Funaki would graduate from both Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' in March 2020. Kana Nakanishi officially left the group on December 10. On January 22, 2020, it was announced that Mizuki Murota would graduate from both Angerme and ''Hello! Project'' in March 2020. On February 28, it was announced that Haruka Ōta has been suspended from all activities for an indeterminate amount of time due to rule violations. On March 22, Mizuki Murota officially left the group. On April 21, it was announced that Musubu Funaki's graduation would be postponed indefinitely due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. On October 13, it was announced that Haruka Ōta had withdrawn from Angerme but would remain in Hello! Project. On November 2, it was revealed that 3 new members, Rin Kawana, Wakana Matsumoto and ex-Hello Pro Kenshuusei member Shion Tamenaga would join ANGERME as 9th Generation members. On December 9, Musubu Funaki officially left the group. On June 21, it was announced that Kasahara Momona will be leaving from the group and Hello! Project by the end of 2021 to move abroad to study singing and dancing. On June 23, the group released their 29th single, "Hakkiri Shiyou ze / Oyogenai Mermaid / Aisare Route A or B?", the first single to feature the 9th generation members. On July 12, ANGERME released the music video for promotional song "SHAKA SHAKA #2 LOVE Colorful Life Hen", which is an alternate version of "SHAKA SHAKA TO LOVE" with a new arrangement and new lyrics. The song is a tie-up for their second collaboration campaign with oral beauty care brand Ora2 promoting the Ora2 Me line of toothbrushes, running from July 12 to August 31. The song was later released digitally on September 1. On September 13, it was announced that Kasahara Momona's graduation concert was scheduled for November 15 at Nippon Budokan. On November 30, it was announced that Hirayama Yuki would join ANGERME as part of its 10th generation.

Members

Current members

* Akari Takeuchi (–present) * Rikako Sasaki (–present) * Moe Kamikokuryo (–present) * Ayano Kawamura (–present) * Layla Ise (–present) * Rin Hashisako (–present) * Rin Kawana (–present) * Shion Tamenaga (–present) * Wakana Matsumoto (–present) * Yuki Hirayama (–present)

Former members

* Momona Kasahara (–2021) * Musubu Funaki (2017–2020) * Haruka Ōta (2018–2020) * Mizuki Murota (2014–2020) * Kana Nakanishi (2011–2019) * Rina Katsuta (2011–2019) * Maho Aikawa (2014–2017) * Meimi Tamura (2011–2016) * Fuyuka Kosuga (2011) * Ayaka Wada (2009–2019) *

(2009–2015) * Yuuka Maeda (2009–2011) * Saki Ogawa (2009–2011)

Member timeline

As of December 2021
20200810AngermeENG

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Movies

* (2011) * ''Kaidan Shin-mimi Bukuro Igyou''(怪談新耳袋異形,Tales of Terror from Tokyo and All Over Japan,Igyou)(2012)

Awards

Japan Record Awards

The

s is a major music awards show held annually in Japan by the

Japan Composer's Association The Japan Composer's Association, or JACOMPA (日本作曲家協会 in Japanese) is an organization of Japanese composers, established in 1959. Among its members are some of Japan's most renowned composers of contemporary classical music. Presiden ...

. , - , rowspan=2 align="center", 2010 , rowspan=2, Smileage " Yume Miru 15" , New Artist Award , , - , Best New Artist ,

References

External links

Angerme profile
at Hello Project
smileageTV on USTREAM

Stickam JAPAN! official page
{{Authority control Japanese pop music groups Japanese dance music groups Japanese electropop groups Musical groups established in 2009 Japanese idol groups Hello! Project groups Pony Canyon artists 2009 establishments in Japan Japanese girl groups Child musical groups Musical groups from Tokyo