Yoshizawa Hitomi

Yoshizawa Hitomi (吉澤ひとみ, born April 12, 1985) was a fourth generation member of Morning Musume. After the unexpected resignation of leader Yaguchi Mari on April 14, 2005, Yoshizawa became the leader of Morning Musume. Currently she is the captain of the Hello! Project futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P.

She graduated from Morning Musume on May 6, 2007, at the Saitama Super Arena performance at the end of the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Spring ~Sexy 8 Beat~. She will remain in Hello! Project and stated in a recent interview that she does not wish to take a break and wants to begin her next activities right away.

Yoshizawa is officially listed as a soloist, but has yet to release any works. Right now she is focusing on Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and Ongaku Gatas.

Profile

• Name: Yoshizawa Hitomi (吉澤ひとみ)
• Nickname: Yossy (also seen as: Yossie/Yossi/Yossui) (よっすぃ) Yocchan, Yoshiko, Kabutomushi
• Birth Date: April 12, 1985
• Birthplace: Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
• Blood type: O
• Height:163 cm
• Hobbies: Graffiti, e-mail
• Favorite color: Black
• Favorite flowers: Roses
• Favorite food: Udon, soba, tomatoes, bagels, hard-boiled eggs
• Disliked food: Celery
• Favorite season: Summer
• Specialty: Ball sports
• Hello! Project Groups:
  • Morning Musume (2000-2007)
  • Ongaku Gatas (2007-)
• Subgroups:
  • Petitmoni (2000-2003)
  • Morning Musume Sakura Gumi (2003-2004)
  • Hello! Project Akagumi (2005)
  • Wonderful Hearts (2006-2007)
  • Elder Club (2008-)
• Shuffle Groups:
  • 2000: Akagumi 4 (Second Generation)
  • 2001: 10nin Matsuri
  • 2002: Sexy 8
  • 2003: 11WATER
  • 2004: H.P. All Stars
• Other:
  • Venus Mousse (2002)
  • Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2003-)

History

Yoshizawa was selected from the third round of Morning Musume auditions on ASAYAN to join Morning Musume as a fourth generation member in 2000, along with Ishikawa Rika, Kago Ai, and Tsuji Nozomi. She made her debut on the single "Happy Summer Wedding," and first appeared on the fourth studio album, 4th Ikimasshoi!.

In July 2000, she replaced Ichii Sayaka in Petitmoni and went on to release three singles and one album with the group. Later, when the line-up was reshuffled with Ogawa Makoto and Ayaka replacing Goto Maki and Yasuda Kei, Yoshizawa became the new leader. However, unlike the other newly shuffled Tanpopo and Minimoni, the new line-up of Petitmoni never released a single. They had one original song, "WOW WOW WOW," but it was only released on the Pucchi Best 4 album and performed during concerts.

She was given the main vocals on Morning Musume's 13th single, "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~," which established her boyish character and gave a huge boost to her popularity.

Yoshizawa was placed in Morning Musume Sakura Gumi in January 2003 and released two singles as a part of the group before it went inactive.

She was an original member of the futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P. when it was formed in September 2003, and is currently the captain.

With Iida Kaori's graduation in January 2005, Yoshizawa became the subleader to leader Yaguchi Mari. However, when Yaguchi abruptly resigned from the group in April, Yoshizawa was bumped up to the leader position, backed up by Fujimoto Miki as subleader.

In April 2006, she was named an official supporter of the Japanese women's soccer league, Nadeshiko League.

On the heels of her graduation, it was announced that she would be taking over some of Tsuji Nozomi's shows for the play "Itsu no Hi ka Kimi Kaeru", following Tsuji's surprise announcement regarding her pregnancy and upcoming wedding.

On September 12, 2007, she released a single along with Gatas Brilhantes H.P. members, Narihajimeta Koi no Bell as a group called Ongaku Gatas. They have since released a second single, Yattarouze!, and their first album, 1st Goodsal.

Trivia

• Yaguchi Mari came up with "Yossy," Abe Natsumi came up with "Yocchan," and Satoda Mai and Ayaka call her "Yoshiko." Fujimoto Miki is the only one to call her "Kabutomushi" (rhinoceros beatle), a nickname earned due to a silly game both played with each other during the Ribbon no Kishi stage musical.
• Graduated from Risshisha High School with a correspondence course.
• Her Morning Musume mentor was Yaguchi Mari.
• Is related to marathon runner Takahashi Naoko.
• Though well-known as the "tomboy" of the group, the other members have repeatedly pointed out that Yoshizawa is actually much more girlish and delicate than her public image.
• Although Tsunku initially pegged her as an "intelligent beauty" type during the fourth generation auditions, Yoshizawa's character was cemented after playing the boyishly handsome center role in "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~."
• She was almost named "Sayaka," but when she was born, she had such big eyes that her father named her "Hitomi" ("eyes").
• Extremely skilled in sports, especially volleyball, even receiving a recommendation in middle school.
• Very close friends with Satoda Mai and Ayaka, as well as with Ishikawa Rika, Yasuda Kei, Goto Maki, Fujimoto Miki, Ogawa Makoto, Kago Ai and Mitsui Aika.
• Her favorite part of her face are her multiple beauty spots.
• Her father was initially extremely opposed to her joining Morning Musume, so much so that he called a family meeting about it after she was selected to join the group. However, by the time her debut single, Happy Summer Wedding, came out, he was reportedly humming it around the house.
• She was in Morning Musume for 7 years and 1 month, putting her second only to Iida Kaori for having the longest tenure of any Morning Musume member.
• She said in a 2004 interview that the animal she is most like is a tiger.
• She thinks the sexiest part of her body is her upper lip.
• She once listed her hands and her voice as charm points.
• In early 2005, she stated she'd lost 5 kg (approximately 11 lbs) playing futsal.
• On the 22 October 2007 episode of Ongaku Gatas no Guts10☆Gatas, Yoshizawa said that the correct romanization of her nickname is Yossy and that Yossi and Yossie are incorrect.
• When asked what was the most important event of 2007, Takahashi Ai answered Yoshizawa's graduation, and said it was a very important moment for Morning Musume.
• Yoshizawa has had the most solo lines in one single out of all the Morning Musume members. She had 31 solo lines in Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~.
• She was close to becoming the Crap girl in the Mechaike Okajo Taiikusai Test, but the title ended up going to Kago Ai.

Works

Movies

• [2000] ピンチランナー (Pinch Runner)
• [2002] とっかえっ娘。 (Tokkaekko)
• [2003] 子犬ダンの物語 (Koinu Dan no Monogatari)

TV Dramas

• [2002] おれがあいつであいつがおれで (Ore ga Aitsu de Aitsu ga Ore de)
• [2002] はいからさんが通る (Haikara-san ga Tooru)
• [2004] もっと恋セヨ乙女 (Motto Koiseyo Otome)
• [2007] 新幹線ガール (Shinkansen Girl)

Theatre

• [2006] リッボンの騎士ザ・ミュージカル (Ribbon no Kishi: The Musical)
• [2007] 何日君再来 (Itsu no Hi ka Kimi Kaeru)
• [2007] 平成レボリューション ～バックトゥザ・白虎隊～ (Heisei Revolution ~Back to the Byakkotai~)
• [2007] オリビアを聴きながら (Olivia wo Kikinagara)

Radio

• [2000] プッチモニダイバー (Pucchimoni Diver)
• [2001-2002] ヘッチャラ平家★ヨロシクよっすぃ～ (Hecchara Heike * Yoroshiku Yossy)
• [2003-2004] いきなりイナバ★よろしくヨッスィー (Ikinari Inaba * Yoroshiku Yossy)
• [2007] 音楽ガッタスのGUTS10☆ガッタス (Ongaku Gatas no Guts10 * Gatas)

Photobooks

Yossy. 8teen Hello! Yossy

• [2001.10.06] よっすぃー。 (Yossy.) amazon.co.jp
• [2003.09.??] ポケットモーニング娘。〈Vol.1〉 (Pocket Morning Musume. (Volume. 1) (With Ishikawa Rika, Tsuji Nozomi, Kago Ai) amazon.co.jp
• [2004.03.20] 8teen amazon.co.jp
• [2007.04.20] Hello! ヨッスィー (Hello! Yossy) amazon.co.jp (Essay book)

External links

• Vamos-la! GATAS - Yoshizawa Hitomi Official Blog
• Japanese Wikipedia: 吉澤ひとみ
• English Wikipedia: Hitomi Yoshizawa
• Hello! Database entry
• IMDb entry
• Profile at Miracle Night
• Source for paragraph on post-graduation plans