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, was a Japanese
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring two or more women in music, female singers who generally vocal harmony, harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female p ...
associated with
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 ...
and produced by
Tsunku , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer, record producer, and songwriter. He was 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 Co ...
. Cute consisted of
Maimi Yajima is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project. Career Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids audi ...
, Saki Nakajima,
Airi Suzuki is a Japanese singer, actress, model, and radio personality associated with Up-Front Works. In 2002, she joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids and later debuted as the lead vocalist of the Japanese idol girl group Cute (Japan ...
,
Chisato Okai (born June 21, 1994, in Saitama, Japan) is a former Japanese pop singer, actress, model, and television personality. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became one of the main vocalists of the Japane ...
, and
Mai Hagiwara is a Japanese apparel designer and former singer and actress. At age 6, she auditioned for Hello! Project Kids in 2002 and later became part of Cute, a Japanese idol girl group associated with Hello! Project. Career 2002–2005: Hello! Pro ...
, who were all members of Hello! Project Kids prior to the group's formation. The original member line-up also consisted of fellow Hello! Project Kids members
Megumi Murakami is a Japanese choreographer and former singer and actress. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became the lead vocalist of the girl group Cute until her retirement in 2006. Career 2002–2005: Hello ...
and Erika Umeda, as well as
Kanna Arihara , known professionally as , is a Japanese talent, actress, and a former singer. Arihara began her career as a trainee of the umbrella idol group Hello! Project and later debuted as a member of Cute in 2006. After departing from the group in ...
(a member of
Hello Pro Egg (formerly known as until January 2012) is a pre-debut training group established by Japanese entertainment agency Up-Front Group within Hello! Project is a Japanese musical collective consisting of all female recording artists and gro ...
, Hello! Project's trainee group), prior to their departure. After releasing a string of independent hits, Cute made its
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
debut in 2007 with "
Sakura Chirari is the first major single from the Japanese pop group Cute, released on February 21, 2007 under the Zetima label. This single was the first debut single by a female idol group to enter the charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a ...
" and that year 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. Established in 1959, the Japan Record Awards are one of the oldest and most prestigious music awards in the count ...
for Best New Artist. In 2008, the group was nominated for the main Japan Record Award, the Grand Prix, its song being named one of the year's best songs. All of the group's
major-label single (music)">singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
debuted in the top 10 of the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
Weekly Singles Chart.


History


2002–2004: Formation and pre-debut activities

The group's members were initially selected during the audition for Hello! Project Kids in 2002. They made appearances on
Morning Musume , formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...
's variety show, ''
Hello! Morning was a weekly Japanese TV show featuring members of Morning Musume, and sometimes other Hello! Project members on TV Tokyo. It was also known by the shorter name of . On April 1, 2007, the show ended after seven years of broadcast. A new show fe ...
'',
Mini-Moni was a sub-unit of the Japanese idol girl groups Morning Musume and Coconuts Musume. It was formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2000 and associated with Hello! Project. The group was founded by Morning Musume members Mari Yaguchi, Nozomi Tsuji, and ...
's variety show, ''Hello Kids'', and acted as back-up dancers in several
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 ...
acts. Later that year,
Airi Suzuki is a Japanese singer, actress, model, and radio personality associated with Up-Front Works. In 2002, she joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids and later debuted as the lead vocalist of the Japanese idol girl group Cute (Japan ...
and
Mai Hagiwara is a Japanese apparel designer and former singer and actress. At age 6, she auditioned for Hello! Project Kids in 2002 and later became part of Cute, a Japanese idol girl group associated with Hello! Project. Career 2002–2005: Hello! Pro ...
appeared in '' Mini-Moni the Movie: Okashi na Daibōken!'', while the rest of the members appeared in the film ''
Koinu Dan no Monogatari , is a 2002 Japanese film directed by Shinichi Sawai, starring Hello! Project Kids, Morning Musume, and Maki Goto. The film was given a limited screening on December 14, 2002, where it was screened as a double-feature with ''Mini-Moni the Movie ...
''. In 2003, some Hello! Project Kids were placed in subgroups led by Morning Musume members: Suzuki was selected to be in Aa!, while Erika Umeda,
Maimi Yajima is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project. Career Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids audi ...
, and
Megumi Murakami is a Japanese choreographer and former singer and actress. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became the lead vocalist of the girl group Cute until her retirement in 2006. Career 2002–2005: Hello ...
were in the group called
ZYX The Zygii (, ''Zygoí'') or Zygians were described by Strabo as a nation to the north of Colchis. He wrote: ''And on the sea lies the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, or the Syndic territory. After this latter, one comes to the Achaei and the Zyg ...
. Both units were short-lived, and their activity virtually came to a stall with the creation of
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...
in January 2004. When introducing Berryz Kobo at
Nakano Sun Plaza , formerly Nakano Sun Plaza, was a Japanese concert hall and hotel complex located in Nakano, Tokyo. It opened in 1973 and closed in 2023. A 262-meter-tall skyscraper is scheduled to be completed on the site in 2028. Notable events Numerous mus ...
on January 14, Tsunku intended to rotate all Hello! Project Kids through it, thus allowing them more time for school activities. Meanwhile, they continued to make appearances in television and theatre projects, such as ''Little Hospital'', ''Promise Land: Clover no Daibōken'', and ''
Here's Love ''Here's Love'' is a musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson. An adaptation of the film '' Miracle on 34th Street'', the show is currently licensed under the film's name as ''Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical''. The musical, ...
''.


2005–2006: Formation and indies debut

Instead of rotating the members in
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...
as Tsunku originally had intended, the remaining Hello! Project Kids who were not selected for Berryz Kobo became a new group altogether in 2005. Tsunku found it difficult to call the girls who were not part of Berryz Kobo collectively because they did not have a consistent group name, so he decided to name them. He chose "Cute" because its English meaning fit the image for the group. Wanting to somehow express the girls' overflowing fervor (enthusiasm), he substituted for "C". The creation of Cute was officially announced on June 11, 2005, though its formation had been rumored for several months prior. On January 2, 2006, at the first performance of the ''Hello! Project Winter 2006: Wonderful Hearts Concert Tour'',
Kanna Arihara , known professionally as , is a Japanese talent, actress, and a former singer. Arihara began her career as a trainee of the umbrella idol group Hello! Project and later debuted as a member of Cute in 2006. After departing from the group in ...
, a
Hello! Pro Egg (formerly known as until January 2012) is a pre-debut training group established by Japanese entertainment agency Up-Front Group within Hello! Project is a Japanese musical collective consisting of all female recording artists and grou ...
member, was added to Cute. On May 6, 2006, Cute released their debut single, "Massara Blue Jeans." From May 2006 to July 2006, they released four
indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media *Independent media, media free of influence by government or corporate interests *Indie art, fine arts made by artists independent of commer ...
singles, "Oki na Ai de Motenashite", "Soku Dakishimete", and "Wakkyanai (Z)", all of which received limited distribution and were mostly sold at concerts. Despite this, their songs were featured in mainstream media, as "Oki na Ai de Motenashite" was used as the second ending theme to the anime ''
Kirarin Revolution is a Japanese manga series by An Nakahara. The series ran in the shōjo manga, ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Ciao (magazine), Ciao'' from March 2004 to June 2009, with side stories running in ''Pucchigumi'' in 2006. The manga has sold a cum ...
''. On October 31, 2006,
Megumi Murakami is a Japanese choreographer and former singer and actress. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became the lead vocalist of the girl group Cute until her retirement in 2006. Career 2002–2005: Hello ...
left the group to concentrate on her studies.


2007–2008: Major-label debut, 58th Kohaku Uta Gassen and the Japan Record Awards

On February 21, 2007, Cute's first official single "
Sakura Chirari is the first major single from the Japanese pop group Cute, released on February 21, 2007 under the Zetima label. This single was the first debut single by a female idol group to enter the charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a ...
" was released. On the first day it ranked 3rd in the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
Daily Singles Chart. With their debut single, they became the youngest group (with the average age of 13) to rank in the top 10. On December 30, 2007, Cute received the
Japan Record Award is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Established in 1959, the Japan Record Awards are one of the oldest and most prestigious music awards in the count ...
for Best New Artist. Tsunku accepted the award for them due to the members' age and child labor laws, as the ceremony was broadcast late at night. At the end of the year, Cute performed at the
58th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen The , referred to from here on as "Kōhaku," aired on December 31, 2007, on NHK Hall in Japan. The music show on New Year's Eve is broadcast on both television and radio, and divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams ...
with
Morning Musume , formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...
and
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...
. At the end of 2008, Cute was nominated for the main
Japan Record Award is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Established in 1959, the Japan Record Awards are one of the oldest and most prestigious music awards in the count ...
, the Grand Prix, for the song " Edo no Temari Uta II", but lost to
Exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...
, instead earning the Gold Award, which is given to all main prize nominees. The song was originally written for veteran
enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form which adopts a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ''ryūkōka'' music, pop ...
singer
Hiroshi Itsuki is a Japanese singer and composer. As of 1987, he had sold 20 million singles and 4 million LP albums. Itsuki is usually regarded as an ''enka'' singer, but he has also released a cover version of Southern All Stars' J-pop song "Tsunami". Care ...
, who was planning to release it on his end-of-2008 album. Tsunku, however, heard the song, and had wanted Cute to sing it as "a modern fairytale." For Cute, the song was rearranged from enka into
boogie Boogie is a repetition (music), repetitive, swung note, swung note or shuffle rhythm,Burrows, Terry (1995). ''Play Country Guitar'', p.42. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. . groove (music), "groove" or pattern used in blues which was origina ...
and the lyrics were slightly modified. Cute released the song on July 30, 2008.


2009: Departure of Arihara and Umeda

On February 26, 2009, Hello! Project announced that
Kanna Arihara , known professionally as , is a Japanese talent, actress, and a former singer. Arihara began her career as a trainee of the umbrella idol group Hello! Project and later debuted as a member of Cute in 2006. After departing from the group in ...
was having difficulty performing on stage due to
hallux valgus A bunion, also known as hallux valgus, is a deformity of the MTP joint connecting the big toe to the foot. The big toe often bends towards the other toes and the joint becomes red and painful. The onset of bunions is typically gradual. Compli ...
, or bunion deformity, and would not be able to attend Hello! Project 10th Anniversary fan club event that week. She would also be absent from Hello! Project's activities, including activities in Cute, while receiving treatment. Finally, in July 2009, Hello! Project informed that Arihara had decided to retire from the entertainment industry. On the other hand, Excite.co.jp linked Arihara's sudden departure to being caught on a date with
Johnny's Jr. was a Japanese talent agency formed by Johnny Kitagawa in 1962, which managed groups of male Japanese idol, idols known as The company had a significant impact on pop culture with male idols and boy bands in Japan since the 1980s. Until 2019, ...
member
Ryosuke Hashimoto is a Japanese singer managed by the male idol talent agency Johnny and Associates. He is a member of the boyband A.B.C-Z. Career On September 8, 2004, having passed an audition for Johnny's Jr., Ryosuke Hashimoto became a Johnny's trainee. In ...
in September 2008, which affected her image. On August 1, 2009, Hello! Project posted Erika Umeda's official announcement that at the end of the upcoming Cute's 2009 fall concert tour she would be graduating from Cute and Hello! Project to begin a modeling career. Her graduation was held on October 25 in Osaka, at the last concert of the tour. The last single to feature her, " Everyday Zekkōchō!!" released on September 19, 2009, topped at number 1 in the
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
daily singles chart and at number 2 in Oricon Weekly to become Cute's highest-ranking single to date. After her departure, the official group member colors were changed in November 2009.


2010–2012: Expansion to iTunes and YouTube

On February 23, Cute released their 15th single, " Kiss Me Aishiteru". Cute's 16th single, " Momoiro Sparkling", debuted in 4th place of the Oricon daily singles chart for May 24. It spent two consecutive weeks in the Top 30 of the Oricon Weekly, ranking 6th and 17th. On June 18, 2011, the concert from ''Cute Concert Tour 2011 Haru: Chō! Chō Wonderful Tour'' was broadcast live on the group's
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel. The live stream attracted a large audience from all over the world. As it was reported in Cute's official blog by group leader
Maimi Yajima is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project. Career Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids audi ...
and confirmed by the
Up-Front Agency is a Japanese holding company for various entertainment companies. Its subsidiaries include the talent agency Up-Front Promotion and Up-Front Works, a music production and sales company that manages such record labels as Zetima, Piccolo Town, ...
management on
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, the broadcast had been watched by a total of 93,144 viewers. On February 8, the group's 7th album, titled ''
Dai Nana Shō 'Utsukushikutte Gomen ne' is the 7th album by the Japanese girl idol group Cute. It was released on February 8, 2012 in Japan on the record label Zetima. The album contains three previously released singles: " Momoiro Sparkling", " Sekaiichi Happy na Onna no Ko", and "Ama ...
'', came out. On April 8, Cute performed at the
idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...
festival Idol Yokochō Matsuri, giving the first non-
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 ...
joint concert in their entire career. The music news provider BARKS praised the "power performance" that was "overwhelming from beginning to end" and demonstrated the "number one" group's unity out of the whole Hello! Project. Cute's 18th single "
Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku is the 18th major single by the Japanese idol group Cute, was released in Japan on April 18, 2012. It is Cute's first ballad single. Background The abbreviated title for the song is "Kimi Chari". It was made so that it would not be necessary to ...
" ("You ride your bicycle, while I catch the train home") was released on April 18. The music video for the song was uploaded on Cute's official YouTube channel on March 12. With more than 40,000 copies sold within the first week and reaching number 3 of the Oricon weekly singles chart, the single became their highest-selling single to date, breaking the record of their 3rd major single " Tokaikko Junjō". On June 20, Cute released its second collaboration CD single with the fellow Hello! Project Kids group
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...
, named "
Chō Happy Song is the 2nd single by Berryz Kobo × Cute (pronounced ''Berikyū''), a collaboration unit between the Japanese idol groups Berryz Kobo and Cute. The single was first released for paid download on April 28, 2012; the CD single was released on June ...
" ("Superhappy Song.") The title tune is a mix of two previously published songs, Berryz Kobo's "Because Happiness" and Cute's "Shiawase no Tochū" ("On the Road to Happiness") from their 2012 albums. Both tracks were intentionally composed and produced by
Tsunku , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer, record producer, and songwriter. He was 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 Co ...
to form a new song when played simultaneously. The trick was originally scheduled to be announced at a summer Hello! Project concert, but was uncovered by fans in mid-April. The song became a hot topic on the Internet, and a set of the three tracks, "Because Happiness," "Shiawase no Tochū," and "Chō Happy Song," was hastily released as a digital download single on April 28. Also in June, it was announced that Cute's concert at the Yokosuka Arts Theater on June 30 would be broadcast live on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. On September 5, Cute released their 19th single, titled "
Aitai Aitai Aitai na is the 19th major single by the Japanese idol group Cute, set for release in Japan on September 5, 2012. Background The song "Aitai Aitai Aitai na" was premiered at the first concert of the Hello! Project 15th Anniversary Live 2012 Summer tour ...
". The song premiered at the first concert of the Hello! Project 15th Anniversary Live 2012 Summer tour, on July 21 at the Onyx Theater in
Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
.


2013–2015: Overseas events, Budokan concert, 10th anniversary

On April 3, it was announced that Cute would have their first solo overseas event, "Cutie Circuit ~Voyage a Paris~" on July 5 in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. In addition, they performed at
Nippon Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...
for the first time on September 9 and 10 (Cute's day) to commemorate their 200th performance. On January 26, 2014 at a release event, °Cute's 24th single titled " Kokoro no Sakebi o Uta ni Shitemita / Love Take It All", was announced to be released on March 5, in 5 editions. On February 24, it was announced that °Cute would be collaborating with Reebok to promote their product Your Reebok, where one could personally customize their Reebok, for March 2014. Both "Kokoro no Sakebi wo Uta ni Shitemita" and "Love take it all" were used for their collaboration "Your Reebok x °Cute." On March 5, it was announced that °C-ute's "Love take it all" would be the inauguration CM song for 2014 BS-TBS' Idol Campaign. They would also have a 6-episode TV show called °Cute no Challenge TV, every last Thursday of the month on BS-TBS. On April 15 it was announced that Berryz Kobo and °Cute were invited to attend the 15th Japan Expo in Paris as Guests of Honor. On May 3, it was announced by Yajima Maimi, during the last MC corner of °Cute Concert Tour 2014 Haru ~Cute no Honne~, that Cute will be performing at Budokan on September 10, "°C-ute no Hi". On July 16, °Cute released their 25th single "The Power / Kanashiki Heaven (Single Version)". On August 23 it was announced the °Cute had set two world records (the longest passing of an egg in a relay (1 hour and 30 minutes) and the most snacks eaten in a relay (1 hour). The records were achieved at a public recording of their TV-show with respectively 259 and 346 of their fans at Asakasa Blitz. On September 27, °Cute performed at the 2014 Aomori SHOCK ON open-air music festival alongside Berryz Kobo and other artists. On November 19, °Cute released their 26th single "I miss you / THE FUTURE". On November 20, °Cute performed alongside other artists at Tower Records' 35th anniversary event. On April 1, 2015 Cute released their 27th single triple-A side single "The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~ / Gamusha LIFE / Tsugi no Kado wo Magare" as part of their 10th anniversary commemoration. On June 11, °Cute performed their 10th anniversary concert at
Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
as part of their The Future Departure tour.


2016–2017: Final years and disbandment

In 2014, prompted by
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...
's announcement to go on hiatus, discussions about Cute's future began privately among the members. In February 2016, the members of Cute discussed this again with their management, citing interest in other career paths. All members had the option of continuing as Cute outside of the Hello! Project name or to stay as Cute but suspend group activities. In the end, they ultimately decided to disband. Cute's disbandment plans for 2017 were made public on August 19, 2016 on their official
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
account. On November 2, Cute released their 30th single, "Mugen Climax / Ai wa Maru de Seidenki / Singing (Ano Koro no Yō ni)." They held their final concert on June 12, 2017 at
Saitama Super Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama, Chūō-ku, Saitama (city), Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It opened preliminarily on May 5, 2000, and then was officially opened on September 1 of the same year. Its maximum capa ...
. Former members Megumi Murakami, Kanna Arihara, and Erika Umeda attended the concert, as well as other celebrities including Berryz Kobo (excluding
Risako Sugaya is a former Japanese singer and actress. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became one of the lead vocalists of the girl group Berryz Kobo from 2004 to 2015. Career 2002–2004: Hello! Project Kids, ...
), former Berryz Kobo member
Maiha Ishimura was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maasa Sudo, ...
,
Momoiro Clover Z is a Japanese idol girl group, commonly abbreviated as MCZ or . The four members of MCZ are known for energetic performances, incorporating elements of ballet, gymnastics, and action movies. MCZ is notable for being the first female group to ho ...
,
Rino Sashihara is a Japanese tarento, singer, producer and actress. She is best known as a former member of idol groups HKT48, AKB48 and STU48, and was the theater manager for HKT48 and STU48. She was also a member of AKB48's unit Not Yet and is the produc ...
,
Yuki Kashiwagi is a Japanese singer. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, NMB48 and NGT48. She auditioned for AKB48 on December 3, 2006, and was a member of AKB48's Team B. She was previously the captain of Team B before she was replaced ...
, and Nicole Fujita. The concert was broadcast on multiple channels and also in Hong Kong and Taiwan.


Members

*
Maimi Yajima is a Japanese singer and actress. She was a member and the leader of Cute, a girl idol group within Hello! Project. Career Yajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids audi ...
– leader * Saki Nakajima *
Airi Suzuki is a Japanese singer, actress, model, and radio personality associated with Up-Front Works. In 2002, she joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids and later debuted as the lead vocalist of the Japanese idol girl group Cute (Japan ...
*
Chisato Okai (born June 21, 1994, in Saitama, Japan) is a former Japanese pop singer, actress, model, and television personality. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became one of the main vocalists of the Japane ...
*
Mai Hagiwara is a Japanese apparel designer and former singer and actress. At age 6, she auditioned for Hello! Project Kids in 2002 and later became part of Cute, a Japanese idol girl group associated with Hello! Project. Career 2002–2005: Hello! Pro ...


Former members

* Erika Umeda (left on October 25, 2009) *
Kanna Arihara , known professionally as , is a Japanese talent, actress, and a former singer. Arihara began her career as a trainee of the umbrella idol group Hello! Project and later debuted as a member of Cute in 2006. After departing from the group in ...
(left in July 2009) *
Megumi Murakami is a Japanese choreographer and former singer and actress. She first gained recognition when she joined Hello! Project Kids and later became the lead vocalist of the girl group Cute until her retirement in 2006. Career 2002–2005: Hello ...
(left on November 1, 2006)


Artistry


Musical style and themes

Almost all the group's works are written and composed by
Tsunku , known professionally as , is a Japanese singer, record producer, and songwriter. He was 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 Co ...
, the group's producer. As of 2012, the group's image was considered bright and energetic. Cute's 16th and 17th singles (2011) were happy songs in a major key, but the 18th single "
Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku is the 18th major single by the Japanese idol group Cute, was released in Japan on April 18, 2012. It is Cute's first ballad single. Background The abbreviated title for the song is "Kimi Chari". It was made so that it would not be necessary to ...
" (April 2012) was quite unusual. It was a rock ballad about saying goodbye (it is time to go home; the song's young female protagonist must part with the boy she loves). Since then, the group's songs have generally been more mature.


Public image

''BARKS'' praised Cute's "power performance" at the festival Idol Yokochō Matsuri on April 8, 2012 as being "overwhelming from beginning to end" and having demonstrated the "number one unity" out of all Hello! Project acts. ''Kawaii Girl Japan'' states that Cute has not only been acclaimed as "the best performer in the Hello! Project," but is also recognized as "the best live performer" or simply "the best performer" by fans of other idol groups. Reviewing the group's performance at the
Nico Nico , known before 2012 as , is a Japanese video sharing service based in Tokyo, Japan. "Niconico" or "nikoniko" is the Japanese ideophone for smiling. As of 2021, Niconico is the 34th most-visited website in Japan, according to Alexa Internet. Th ...
Chōkaigi festival, held on April 28–29, 2012, the website is impressed by how Cute covered the entire stage, being both dynamic and delicate, and how the group kept the audience intrigued and captivated. Depending on the song, Cute members changed their facial expressions from happiness to sadness, easily commanding the audience's mood. Cute's fans are known as "Team Cute."


Controversies

The December 4, 2008 episode of the
TV Tokyo JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.Yorosen! was a late-night daily Japanese edutainment TV program featuring Hello! Project members as teacher and students. It aired on TV Tokyo from October 6, 2008, until March 27, 2009, on weekdays, with a running time of about 7 minutes. This show was ...
'', featuring Cute, included a part on
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
in a segment called "Great Men of the World." In it, a Cute member, acting as a "teacher" giving a comic history class to other members, called the dictator "Uncle Hitler," presented a drawing of him, impersonated him, and said that Hitler's speeches had a "soothing effect." The broadcast brought about heavy criticism on Internet message boards, protesting against Hitler being referred to as a "great man" and the contents of the comic lecture. TV Tokyo and the show's production company subsequently issued apologies. "The program's content was based on a mistaken interpretation of history and was inappropriate," TV Tokyo stated on its website.


In popular culture

A likeness of Okai, Hagiwara, and Suzuki appeared in episode 36 of ''
Gintama is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to September 2018, later in '' Jump Giga'' from December 2018 ...
''. The logo for Cute's band name also appeared in the same episode. All eight members of Cute appeared in episode 93 of ''Gintama''.


Discography


Singles


Indie singles

# "Massara Blue Jeans" # "Soku Dakishimete" # "Ōki na Ai de Motenashite" # " Wakkyanai (Z)"


Major singles

# "
Sakura Chirari is the first major single from the Japanese pop group Cute, released on February 21, 2007 under the Zetima label. This single was the first debut single by a female idol group to enter the charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a ...
" # " Meguru Koi no Kisetsu" # " Tokaikko Junjō" # " Lalala Shiawase no Uta" # " Namida no Iro" # " Edo no Temari Uta II" # " Forever Love" # "
Bye Bye Bye! "Bye Bye Bye!" is the eighth single by the Japanese idol group Cute. It was released on April 15, 2009, both as a normal CD and a limited edition CD + DVD package. Both editions contained a card with a serial number on it used in a draw, as a prom ...
" # " Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu" # " Everyday Zekkōchō!!" # " Shock!" # " Campus Life (Umarete Kite Yokatta)" # " Dance de Bakōn!" # " Aitai Lonely Christmas" # " Kiss Me Aishiteru" # " Momoiro Sparkling" # " Sekaiichi Happy na Onna no Ko" # "
Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku is the 18th major single by the Japanese idol group Cute, was released in Japan on April 18, 2012. It is Cute's first ballad single. Background The abbreviated title for the song is "Kimi Chari". It was made so that it would not be necessary to ...
" # "
Aitai Aitai Aitai na is the 19th major single by the Japanese idol group Cute, set for release in Japan on September 5, 2012. Background The song "Aitai Aitai Aitai na" was premiered at the first concert of the Hello! Project 15th Anniversary Live 2012 Summer tour ...
" # "
Kono Machi is a song by Japanese singer/songwriter Chisato Moritaka, from her 1990 studio album ''Kokon Tozai''. The lyrics were written by Moritaka and the music was composed by Hideo Saitō (musician, born 1958), Hideo Saitō. The "Home Version" of the so ...
" # "
Crazy Kanzen na Otona is the 21st major single by the Japanese female idol group Cute Cuteness is a type of attractiveness commonly associated with youth and appearance, as well as a scientific concept and analytical model in ethology, first introduced by Austria ...
" # " Kanashiki Amefuri / Adam to Eve no Dilemma" # " Tokai no Hitorigurashi / Aitte Motto Zanshin" # " Kokoro no Sakebi o Uta ni Shitemita / Love Take It All" # " The Power / Kanashiki Heaven (Single Version)" # "
I Miss You / The Future "I Miss You" / "The Future" is the 26th major double A-side single by the Japanese female idol group Cute Cuteness is a type of attractiveness commonly associated with youth and appearance, as well as a scientific concept and analytical model ...
" # "
The Middle Management (Josei Chūkan Kanrishoku) / Gamusha Life / Tsugi no Kado o Magare is the 27th single by the Japanese female idol group Cute, released in Japan on April 1, 2015. It debuted at number 1 in the daily Oricon singles chart and at number 3 in the weekly Oricon singles chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese mu ...
" # " Arigatō (Mugen no Yell) / Arashi o Okosunda Exciting Fight!" # " Naze Hito wa Arasou n' Darō? / Summer Wind / Jinsei wa Step!" # " Mugen Climax / Ai wa Maru de Seidenki / Singing (Ano Koro no Yō ni)" # " To Tomorrow / Final Squall / The Curtain Rises"


Albums


Studio albums

# '' Cutie Queen Vol. 1'' # '' 2 Mini: Ikiru to Iu Chikara'' # '' 3rd: Love Escalation!'' # '' 4 Akogare My Star'' # ''
Shocking 5 is Cute's 5th studio album. It was released on February 24, 2010 in two editions—a normal, CD-only edition (EPCE-5696), and a limited edition with an alternative cover, which came with a bonus DVD (EPCE-5694-5). Both editions contained a spe ...
'' # '' Chō Wonderful! 6'' # ''
Dai Nana Shō 'Utsukushikutte Gomen ne' is the 7th album by the Japanese girl idol group Cute. It was released on February 8, 2012 in Japan on the record label Zetima. The album contains three previously released singles: " Momoiro Sparkling", " Sekaiichi Happy na Onna no Ko", and "Ama ...
'' # ''
8 Queen of J-pop is the 8th studio album by Cute. It was released on September 4, 2013 in 3 editions: regular edition and 2 limited editions. Track listing CD #"Bagel ni Ham & Cheese" (ベーグルにハム&チーズ; "Ham & Cheese Bagel") #"Namida mo Denai Ka ...
'' # ''
°Cmaj9 is the ninth and final studio album by Cute. It was released on December 23, 2015, on the label Zetima is a Japanese holding company for various entertainment companies. Its subsidiaries include the talent agency Up-Front Promotion and Up- ...
''


Compilation albums

# '' Cute Nan Desu! Zen Single Atsumechaimashita! 1'' # '' 2 Cute Shinseinaru Best Album'' # '' Complete Single Collection''


Awards


See also

* Hello! Project Kids *
Berryz Kobo was a Japanese idol girl group formed by Up-Front Promotion in 2004 and associated with Hello! Project. The group's members consisted of Hello! Project Kids members Saki Shimizu, Momoko Tsugunaga, Miyabi Natsuyaki, Chinami Tokunaga, Maa ...


References


External links


Cute's official blog

Cute's official page
on the Hello! Project website {{DEFAULTSORT:C-Ute Musical groups established in 2005 Musical groups disestablished in 2017 Sony Music Entertainment Japan artists Japanese pop music groups Japanese girl groups Japanese idol groups Japanese musical quintets Hello! Project groups Musical groups from Tokyo Child musical groups