Niigaki Risa

File:Niigaki Risa - Seishun Collection Promo.jpg

Niigaki Risa promoting "Seishun Collection" (2010)

Niigaki Risa (新垣里沙) is a Japanese pop singer and idol managed by Up-Front Agency and part of Hello! Project. She is a fifth generation member and the current sub-leader of Morning Musume.

Profile

• Name: Niigaki Risa (新垣里沙)
• Nicknames: Gaki-san (ガキさん), Omame-chan (お豆ちゃん), Mame (マメ), Niinii (ニイニイ)
• Birthday: October 20, 1988
• Birthplace: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
• Blood type: B
• Height: 154.4 cm
• Skills: Hangul, tidying up, sending phone emails without looking at the buttons, self-styled Disney connoisseur
• Hobbies: Going to Disneyland
• Motto: If you open it, close it! Where there's hills, there's valleys.
• Favorite food: Ray [i.e. stingray, mantaray] fillet, Mickey waffles, plain grilled conger eel, parfait
• Favorite words: Do what you can to be considerate every day.
• Favorite colors: Yellow-green, white
• Hello! Project groups:
  • Morning Musume (2001–)
  • Tanpopo (2002)
  • Happy 7 (2002)
  • Morning Musume Sakuragumi (2003–2004)
  • 7AIR (2003)
  • H.P. All Stars (2004)
  • Hello! Project Akagumi (2005)
  • Wonderful Hearts (2006–2009)
  • Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai (2007)
  • Athena & Robikerottsu (2007–2008)
  • ZYX-α (2009–)
• Other:
  • POCKY GIRLS (2002)
  • Metro Rabbits H.P. (2006)

History

Niigaki Risa was selected from Love Audition 21 to join Morning Musume as a fifth generation member on August 26, 2001, along with Takahashi Ai, Konno Asami, and Ogawa Makoto. She made her debut appearance on the single "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~," and first appeared on the fourth studio album, "4th Ikimasshoi!". In the same year she also participated in the summer shuffle unit, "Happy 7" along with fellow 5th generation members, Takahashi Ai and Ogawa Makoto.

Prior to joining Morning Musume, Niigaki was a finalist out of 1,000 entrants in the "Kiss Girl Audition" to become the new Tomy image girl, held by TV Tokyo's "Oha Star" program. She appeared in a commercial for Tomy Karaoke Machine Kiss-site. (Niigaki later starred in a commercial for the same company as a part of Morning Musume). Additionally, she did some work as a magazine model since spring 2000.

In September 2002, the fifth generation members were placed into the Morning Musume subgroups, so Niigaki was added to the Tanpopo roster along with Konno Asami and participated in one single, "BE HAPPY Koi no Yajirobee."

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

In March 2006, she became a member of the kickball team Metro Rabbits H.P.

At the beginning of 2007 Niigaki was placed into the special unit "Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai". The unit consisted of 1st generation members Iida Kaori, Abe Natsumi, 3rd generation member Goto Maki, Niigaki and 7th generation member Kusumi Koharu, was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the formation of Morning Musume.

Niigaki became Morning Musume's sub-leader on June 1, 2007, after Takahashi Ai became leader following Fujimoto Miki's resignation.

Niigaki replaced Tsuji Nozomi as the voice actress for the character of Athena in the anime Robby & Kerobby, due to Tsuji's maternity leave. In October of that year, Niigaki was then placed into the unit "Athena & Robikerottsu" along with 8th generation Morning Musume member Mitsui Aika and Nakajima Saki & Okai Chisato of °C-ute. The group released two songs before becoming inactive after to the ending of the anime.

In July 2008 Niigaki along with Takahashi Ai, starred as the 70's idol duo Pink Lady in a TV drama called Hitmaker Aku Yū Monogatari.

On August 6th - 25th of 2008 Morning Musume along with the Takarazuka Revue performed a stage play version of Cinderella, with Niigaki playing the part of the prince.

In 2009, the members of Hello! Project formed seven special units to participate in a cover album. Niigaki became the leader of ZYX-α.

Discography

DVDs

• [2007.06.13] Alo Hello! Niigaki Risa DVD
• [2009.01.21] Alo Hello! 2 Niigaki Risa DVD
• [2010.07.14] Alo Hello! 3 Niigaki Risa DVD

Photobooks

• [2004.10.07] Niigaki Risa (新垣里沙) amazon.co.jp
• [2006.06.25] Amanatsu (あま夏) amazon.co.jp
• [2007.05.27] Isshun (一瞬) amazon.co.jp
• [2008.04.25] Happy girl amazon.co.jp
• [2010.07.14] Alo Hello! Niigaki Risa Photobook -MAHALO- (アロハロ！新垣里沙写真集-MAHALO-) amazon.co.jp

• [2002.08.16] 5 (Takahashi Ai, Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, Niigaki Risa) amazon.co.jp

Works

Filmography

• [2002] Tokkaekko (とっかえっ娘。)
• [2003] Koinu Dan no Monogatari (子犬ダンの物語)

TV Dramas

• [2002] Haikara-san ga Tooru (はいからさんが通る) (as Sumire)
• [2002] Ore ga Aitsu de Aitsu ga Ore de (おれがあいつであいつがおれで) (as Kawahara Keiko)
• [2002] Angel Hearts (エンジェールハーツ)
• [2008] Hitmaker Aku Yu Monogatari (ヒットメーカー 阿久悠物語) (as Kei)
• [2010] Hanbun Esper (半分エスパー) (as Super Bus Guide Niigaki)

TV Programs

• [2002–2004] Tintin TOWN! (ティンティンTOWN!)
• [2003] Soreyuke! Gorokkies (それゆけ!ゴロッキーズ)
• [2004] Futarigoto (二人ゴト) (4 episodes)
• [2004] Majokko Rika-chan no Magical v-u-den (魔女っ娘。梨華ちゃんのマジカル美勇伝)
• [2005] Musume DOKYU! (娘DOKYU!)

Anime

• [2007–2008] Robby to Kerobby (ロビーとケロビー) (as Athena) (37 episodes)

Radio

• [2002–2003] Tanpopo Henshubu OH-SO-RO! (タンポポ編集部 OH-SO-RO!)
• [2007–2008] GAKI KAME
• [2009–] FIVE STARS

Theater

• [2006] Ribbon no Kishi The Musical (リッボンの騎士ザ・ミュージカル) (as Nouveau)
• [2008] Cinderella the Musical (シンデレラ the ミュージカル) (as the Prince)
• [2010] Fashionable (ファッショナブル) (as Murata Miyuu)

Trivia

• Love Audition 21 audition songs:
  • Round 1: "Otome Pasta ni Kandou" (Tanpopo)
  • Round 2: "Chu! Natsu Party" (3nin Matsuri)
• Although born in Kagoshima, Niigaki moved at age 6 to Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. Her grandparents are from Okinawa.
• Morning Musume producer Tsunku said he chose Niigaki because she "shined during the final studio recording".
• Niigaki's original nickname, "Omame," was given to her by Yaguchi Mari shortly after Niigaki joined Morning Musume; mame means "bean," and it supposedly referred to Niigaki's small body and face. She was later given the nickname "Gaki-san" by Okamura Takashi during the Mechaike Bakajo Kimatsu Test; gaki means "kid" or "brat," making the nickname a pun on the fact that she was the youngest member of Morning Musume at the time. In the years since then, "Gaki-san" (usually pronounced "Gakksan") has become her most frequently used nickname among both the fans and the other members of the group, although some graduated members still call her "Mame-chan."
• Only Goto Maki calls her "Nii Nii".
• Has stated that she has excellent vision and that she can clearly see the faces of the audience in the very back row of a performance hall, as well as on the second and third floors.
• Her trademark "Mayuge Beam" ("Eyebrow Beam") move is derived from the "Sexy Beam" move from "Koi no Dance Site". Niigaki has said that her favorite part of her face are her eyebrows.
• Calls her grandmother "Baba-chan."
• Was a big fan of Morning Musume before joining the group, and even collected bromides and telephone cards.
• Named Abe Natsumi as the member she admired the most. Stated in Ongaku Senshi MUSIC FIGHTER that when she was young asked her mother to cut her hair like Abe's which made her looked like Gegege no Kitaro instead, leaving her traumatized.
• Is close friends with Takahashi Ai and Kamei Eri.
• She and Takahashi Ai hold several milestones within Morning Musume. They have the longest tenures in the group as both members and as leaders, and they have participated in the most number of Morning Musume singles, with thirty-one as of "Seishun Collection".
• She was the youngest member of Morning Musume to become sub-leader, at only 18.
• She is allergic to pollen.
• Her shoe size is 37.
• Has said that the song that gets her fired up at concerts is "HOW DO YOU LIKE JAPAN? ~Nihon wa Donna Kanji Dekka?~" and the song that fits her perfectly is "Shanimuni Paradise".
• These are her opinions of the characters of the other Morning Musume members:
  • Takahashi Ai: Sabaa! (Refreshing!)
  • Kamei Eri: PPP!! (Poke Poke Puu~)
  • Michishige Sayumi: Surprisingly quick!!!
  • Tanaka Reina: Hyper Hyper Girl.
  • Kusumi Koharu: Does things at her own pace.
  • Mitsui Aika: Intelligent.
  • Junjun: Crybaby.
  • Linlin: Interesting.
• These are the other members' opinions on Niigaki's character:
  • Takahashi: Reliable person.
  • Kamei: Sparkling!!
  • Michishige: Nice!!
  • Tanaka: Reliable.
  • Kusumi: Reliable.
  • Mitsui: Reliable.
  • Junjun: Hardworking.
  • Linlin: Green princess.

External Links

• Hello! Project Profile
• Official Blog: Nee Nee... Chotto Kiitee! na no da (ねぇねぇ｡｡｡ちょっと聞いてー! なのだ) | Translations
• Wikipedia Profiles: Japanese: 新垣里沙 | English: Risa Niigaki