Hello! Project Shuffle Units
From Wiki.theppn
In March of 2000, Tsunku divided the members of the then-16-member Hello! Project into three groups, which he called "shuffle units." Tsunku proposed a challenge to each group: they would each release a single on the same day and compete to see who could sell the most copies. It was a success, with Akagumi 4 winning the challenge with 507,850 singles sold. Since then, the shuffles have been an annual event usually occuring in the summer (the exception being H.P. All Stars in winter 2004) and have continued to mix up the ever-growing population of Hello! Project into new and interesting group combinations.
In 2003, perhaps because of flagging sales, all three shuffle unit singles were released on one CD instead of three. In late 2004, to celebrate Hello! Project's seventh anniversary, its members weren't split up but were instead combined into one super group. 2005 saw the return of three separate shuffle groups, but rather than drawing from all of Hello! Project, only 11 members were selected to participate.
The term "shuffle unit" (シャッフルユニット) comes from the idea of "shuffling" the girls around from one group to another. Shuffle units are temporary groups, usually releasing only one single before leaving the spotlight. The creation and destruction of these groups has become a yearly event for Hello! Project. While it looked like this would continue for some time, 2006 did not see any shuffle units.
Shuffle units may disappear relatively quickly after being formed, but many of their songs live on long after their respective group is gone. Former shuffle unit songs continue to be performed at concerts or covered on albums by various Hello! Project members and subgroups, often slightly modified to fit the new artist.
2000
Theme: colors (色)
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
あか組４ (Akagumi 4) |
赤い日記帳 (Akai Nikkichou) |
|
黄色５ (Kiiro 5) |
黄色いお空で BOOM BOOM BOOM (Kiiroi Osora de BOOM BOOM BOOM) |
|
青色７ (Aoiro 7) |
青いスポーツカーの男 (Aoi Sportscar no Otoko) |
These songs were released as three separate singles on 2000.03.08. The singles also featured a song called Hello! no Theme, each shuffle group performing their own version.
2001
Theme: summer fesitival (夏祭り)
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
三人祭 (3nin Matsuri) |
チュッ！夏パ～ティ (Chu! Natsu Party) |
|
７人祭 (7nin Matsuri) |
サマーれげぇ！レインボー (Summer Reggae! Rainbow) |
|
１０人祭 (10nin Matsuri) |
ダンシング！夏祭り (Dancing! Natsu Matsuri) |
These songs were released as three separate singles on 2001.07.04. The singles also featured a song called Hello! Mata Aou ne, each shuffle group performing their own version.
2002
Theme: happiness (幸せ)
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
ハッピー♥７ (Happy 7) |
幸せビーム！好き好きビーム！ (Shiawase Beam! Suki Suki Beam!) |
|
セクシー８ (Sexy 8) |
幸せですか？ (Shiawase Desu ka?) |
|
おどる♥１１ (Odoru 11) |
幸せきょうりゅう音頭 (Shiawase Kyouryuu Ondo) |
These songs were released as three separate singles on 2002.07.03. The singles also featured a song called Yoku Aru Oyako no Serenade, each shuffle group performing their own version.
2003
Theme: elements (人間に必要な 塩・空気・水)
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
GET UP!ラッパー (GET UP! Rapper) | |
|
壊れない愛がほしいの (Kowarenai Ai ga Hoshii no) | |
These songs were released as one single on 2003.07.09. This single also featured a fourth song called OH! BE MY FRIEND which was sung by all 23 shuffle group members.
2004
Theme: one super group
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
Ｈ．Ｐ．オールスターズ (H.P. All Stars) |
This song was released as a single on 2004.12.01. This single also featured two additional songs: Sankaku Kankei performed by Inaba Atsuko, Ohtani Masae, Shibata Ayumi, and Matsuura Aya, and Suki ni Naccha Ikenai Hito by Tanaka Reina, Murakami Megumi, and Suzuki Airi.
2005
Theme: sexy/elegant/pretty (セクシー／エレガント／プリティ)
| Group | Song |
|---|---|
|
セクシーオトナジャン (Sexy Otonajan) |
オンナ、哀しい、オトナ (Onna, Kanashii, Otona) |
|
エレジーズ (Elegies) |
印象派 ルノアールのように (Inshouha Renoir no You ni) |
|
プリプリピンク (Puripuri Pink) |
人知れず 胸を奏でる 夜の秋 (Hitoshirezu Mune wo Kanaderu Yoru no Aki) |
These songs were released as one single on 2005.06.22.
Cover list
Shuffle unit songs performed by other Hello! Project artists
| Song | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|
| (16nin version) | ||
| (20nin version) | ||
|
Berryz Koubou (Kumai Yurina, Natsuyaki Miyabi, and Tokunaga Chinami only) |
Yoku Aru Oyako no Serenade,
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
