Morning Musume auditions

Main article: Morning Musume

Morning Musume Audition
Genre	Music
Location(s)	Tokyo
Country	Japan
Inaugurated	1998
Attendance	5000 - 25,000
Organized by	Up-Front Agency (1998 - 2012 ) Up Front Promotion (2013 - )
Website
http://www.musume-audition.com (as of 2013 / 12th) http://www.up-front-promotion.co.jp (organizer's website)

This is a list of auditions held for the J-pop group Morning Musume.

Tsuika Audition (2nd Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Not specified
Total applicants: 5,000
Broadcast on ASAYAN in 1998
No training camp and theme song
Winners: Sayaka Ichii, Mari Yaguchi, and Kei Yasuda

2nd Tsuika Audition (3rd Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, minimum of 7th grade student
Total applicants: 11,000
Broadcast on ASAYAN in 1999
Training camp, theme song: "Summer Night Town" (Morning Musume's 2nd single)
Kumi Koda participated in this audition and sang Blue Zone by famous Japanese idol, singer, painter, seiyuu, model, actress, mother, jewelry designer, spokesperson, and inspirational speaker Kudo Shizuka.
Winner: Maki Goto

3rd Tsuika Audition (4th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, minimum of 7th grade student
Total applicants: 25,000
Broadcast on ASAYAN in 2000
Training camp, theme song: "Akai Nikkichō" (Akagumi 4's single)
Miki Fujimoto and Mai Satoda participated in this audition. Both would later join Hello! Project, with Fujimoto eventually joining Morning Musume as part of the 6th generation.
Winners: Rika Ishikawa, Ai Kago, Nozomi Tsuji, and Hitomi Yoshizawa

Love Audition 21 (5th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, minimum of 7th grade student
Total applicants: 25,827
Broadcast on muSix! in 2001
Training camp, theme song: "Love Namidairo" (Aya Matsuura's 3rd single)
Aiko Kayō, Reina Tanaka, Yukina Kinoshita and Erika Miyoshi participated in this audition. Tanaka was a finalist but was kicked out due to not meeting age requirements; she would later enter and pass the following year's audition, while Miyoshi won the 2003 Hello! Project audition and later joined v-u-den. Kayō was also a finalist, but was not chosen. She debuted as solo artist under Avex Trax label two years later.^[1]
Winners: Asami Konno, Risa Niigaki, Makoto Ogawa, and Ai Takahashi

Love Audition 2002 (6th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, 7th-12th grade
Application Song: "Do It! Now"
Total applicants: 12,417
Broadcast on muSix! in 2002
Training camp, theme song: "Do It! Now" (dance, Morning Musume's 15th single), "Akai Freesia" (voice training, Melon Kinenbi's 8th single)
Miuna Saito participated in this audition. She later joined Country Musume.
Winners: Miki Fujimoto, Eri Kamei, Sayumi Michishige, and Reina Tanaka

Lucky 7 Audition (7th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, minimum of 9th grade and under 20 years of age
Application Song theme: A capella
Total applicants: N/A
Training camp and theme song: "Dokusen'yoku" (dance, from Morning Musume's Ai no Dai 6 Kan album), "Haru no Uta" (voice training, from Morning Musume's Ai no Dai 6 Kan album)
Broadcast on Hello! Morning starting September, 2004. Audition result aired on January 9, 2005
Winner: None

Audition 2005 (7th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, minimum of 7th grade and under 22 years of age
Total applicants: 21,611
No training camp and theme song
Broadcast on Hello! Morning starting February 9, 2005. Audition result aired on May 1, 2005.
Finalists: Ai Suma, Risa Kubo, Koharu Kusumi, Keiko Inagaki and Airi Furukawa
Winner: Koharu Kusumi
Ai Suma later became a member of Hello! Project's Kansai-based group SI☆NA until its disbandment in April 2011. Airi Furukawa became a member of SKE48's second generation in March 2009.

Happy 8 Ki Audition (8th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, junior high or under 21 years of age
Total applicants: 6,883
Training camp and theme song: Ambitious! Yashinteki de Ii Jan (dance, Morning Musume's 30th single) and Aruiteru (voice training, Morning Musume's 31st single)
Broadcast on Hello! Morning starting September 2006. Audition result aired on December 10, 2006.
Finalists: Minami Okumura, Natsumi Hanada, Yuu Kikkawa, Aika Mitsui, Sumire Satou, and Masuda Ayami
Winner: Aika Mitsui
Kikkawa would later become a soloist. Kashiwagi later joined AKB48 Team B becoming the Captain, Sato also later joined Team B and Kitō joined Team KII of SKE48. Kawamura joined the 2nd Generation of Idoling!!! in 2008.

Kyuukie Audition (9th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, Minimum of age 10 and under 17 years of age
Total applicants: 9,000+
Second Examination: Held at Hokkaido on 10/9 or Osaka on 10/11. The 2nd exam required questioning, PR, and singing an a cappella song.
Training camp and theme song: Get Up Rapper, Crazy About You (dance, 2003 H!P Shuffle, Minimoni's 10th single) and Aitai Lonely Christmas (voice training, Cute's 14th single)
Broadcast on Bijou Gaku starting December 16, 2010, ending 23 December 2010. Audition winners were announced January 2, 2011.
Finalists: Erina Ikuta, Riho Sayashi, Kanon Suzuki, Aina Otsuka, and Minami Mogi
Winners: ex-Egg Mizuki Fukumura, Erina Ikuta, Riho Sayashi and Kanon Suzuki
Aina Otsuka & Minami Mogi were added into Hello! Pro Kenshuusei in June 2011.

Genki Jirushi (10th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, Minimum of age 10 and under 17 years of age.
Total applicants: 6,000+
Training camp and theme song: Kare to Issho ni Omise ga Shitai (dance, A-side of Morning Musume's 47th single from Kono Chikyū no Heiwa o Honki de Negatterun Da yo! / Kare to Issho ni Omise ga Shitai!) and Jishin Motte Yume o Motte Tobitatsu Kara (voice training, graduation commemorative song of Ai Takahashi)
Broadcast on Hello Pro! Time from the September 9 to the September 22, 2011. Audition winners were announced September 29, 2011.
Finalists: Haruna Iikubo, Masaki Sato, Ayumi Ishida, Haruka Kudo, Meru Tashima, Hinako Oogami, Ayumi Miyagi, Miwa Satsuki, Fuuka Tanaka, and Sara Murakami
Winners: Haruna Iikubo, Masaki Satō, Ayumi Ishida and ex-Egg Haruka Kudō
Meru Tashima later successfully auditioned for the second generation of HKT48. Sara Murakami later joined a group called Gekidan Her Best as Sara Murose.

Suppin Utahime (11th Generation Audition)

Application requirements: Female, Minimum of age 10 and under 17 years of age.
Total applicants: 7,000+
Training camp and theme song: What's Up? Ai wa Dō na no yo~, One Two Three (dance, 13 Colorful Character) and Be Alive (voice training, 13 Colorful Character)
Broadcast on Hello! SATOYAMA Life starting August 30, 2012.
Finalists: Ayano Hamaura, Yumeno Kishimoto, Reina Ichioka, Haruka Ono, Sakura Oda, and Maria Makino
Winners: ex-Egg Sakura Oda
Reina Ichioka, Yumeno Kishimoto, Maria Makino and non-finalists Kaede Kaga and Sakurako Wada were added to Hello! Pro Kenshuusei in December 2012.

Mirai Shōjo (12th Generation Audition)

An official audition website was created in March 2013, calling for contestants age from 10 to 17 (as of 1 April 2013). Contestants are required to be free from any contractual relationship with any entertainment agency, and legal guardian's consent is required if contestant is under-age.

Total applicants: 6500+
Training camp and theme song: Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne (dance, Juice=Juice) and Kanashiki Amefuri (voice, ℃-ute)
Broadcast on Hello! SATOYAMA Life
Finalists: Danbara Ruru, Haga Akane, Funaki Musubu, Niinuma Kisora, Oura Hirona, Yamaki Risa, Yokokawa Yumei
Winner: None

(Golden) Audition! (12th Generation)

Audition Details

Application Requirements:
Female, Minimum of age 10 and maximum of 17 years of age by March 31, 2014.
Must not currently be under contract with any agencies.
Must have consent from legal guardian if under age.
Application Deadline: May 11, 2014
Total Applicants: TBA
Training Camp Choreographer: Yoshiko (Morning Musume's Choreographer)
Broadcast: TBA
Winner: Haruna Ogata, Miki Nonaka, ex-Egg Maria Makino and ex-Egg Akane Haga.

Shinseki Audition! (13th Generation)