Takahashi Ai (高橋愛), born September 14, 1986) is a fifth generation member and previously the leader of Morning Musume as well as the leader of Hello! Project. She joined the group in August 2001 along with fellow fifth generation members Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, and Niigaki Risa. Graduated on 30 September 2011.









Name: Takahashi Ai (高橋愛)
Nickname: Ai-chan, Lovely, Takitty, Tettekete
Birth date: September 14, 1986 (25)
Sakai, Fukui Prefecture, Japan
Blood type: A
Height: 153 cm
Hobbies: Watching plays, ballet
Specialty: Flipping her eyelids, bridge
Favorite food: Sauce katsudon, omelette rice
Disliked food: Mont blanc, eggplant, pineapple, musubi, perilla leaves
Favorite color: Black, white, pink
Favorite word: "Tomodachi" (友達 - "Friend")
Autumn
Favorite flowers: Roses
Favorite song: Tsumetai Umi / Start in My Life by Kuraki Mai


Hello! Project Groups:

* Morning Musume (2001-)

Subgroups:

* Minimoni (2003-2004)
* Morning Musume Sakura Gumi (2003-2004)

Shuffle Groups:

* 2002: Happy 7
* 2003: 7AIR
* 2004: H.P. All Stars
* 2005: Elegies

Other:

* Pocky Girls (2002)
* Metro Rabbits H.P. (2006-)





History

2001

Takahashi Ai joined Morning Musume in 2001 as part of the group's fifth generation along with Ogawa Makoto, Konno Asami, and Niigaki Risa. Her debut with the group was on their single "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~". The first album she featured on was the group's fourth album, titled "4th Ikimasshoi!". It is currently their second highest selling album, with a total of 515,400 copies sold.





2002

In 2002, Takahashi entered into her first Hello! Project Shuffle Unit, Happy 7, as one of the lead singers on the group's single.



2003

In 2003, Takahashi replaced Yaguchi Mari in the Morning Musume spinoff group Mini Moni, first appearing in the group's movie; Mini Moni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken! and its accompanying soundtrack. Her best-known nickname amongst non-Japanese fans, "Takitty", was derived from the cat suit (complete with tail) which she wears in the movie. Later in 2003, she was part of the Morning Musume splinter group Morning Musume Sakura Gumi, which performed mainly slower numbers on the group's two EPs, "Hare Ame Nochi Suki" and "Sakura Mankai", and the shuffle group 7Air, an R&B-inspired septet.



2004

Takahashi's vocals became more prominent on the second and final Mini Moni album, "Mini Moni Songs 2", as well as on Morning Musume's singles from their Spring 2004 release "Roman ~My Dear Boy~" onward. She also had a duet with Tsunku on the cover version of Tsunku and Ayumi Hamasaki's duet "Love ~since 1999~" on his solo album Take1.






2005

In 2005, Morning Musume's first single release of the year, "The Manpower!!!", featured Takahashi in a prominent co-lead-vocal role, a role she has retained on subsequent singles since. In the summer of that year, she became part of the 2005 shuffle group Elegies.





2006

In 2006, Takahashi played the lead role, Sapphire, in the musical "Ribbon no Kishi The Musical" which was a collaboration work of Takarazuka Revue (a famous Japanese all-female musical group) and Hello! Project. The musical was based on Tezuka Osamu's manga and also starred the entirety of v-u-den, Tsuji Nozomi, Matsuura Aya and Abe Natsumi, as well as Marcia and Kaoru Ebira of the Takarazuka Revue. Soon thereafter, Takahashi released her first and only solo single to date, "Yume Kara Samete".




2007

Following then-leader Yoshizawa Hitomi graduation from Morning Musume on May 6, 2007, the current sub-leader, Fujimoto Miki ascended to the leader position, with Takahashi becoming the new sub-leader of the group. However, on June 1, 2007, after Fujimoto's resignation, Takahashi took over as the new leader. (Takahashi is also captain of the Hello! Project kickball team, Metro Rabbits H.P..)





2008

In 2008 Takahashi became a member of Hello Project's new unit High-King, a group created to promote Morning Musume's upcoming Cinderella the Musical, in which Takahashi will play the main character. It was announced in July 2008, that Takahashi and fellow Morning Musume member Niigaki Risa would play the 80s J-Pop duo Pink Lady in the TV Drama Hitmaker Aku Yuu Monogatari.

As of September 2008, she and Niigaki Risa have the second longest tenures of any member, with only Iida Kaori remaining in the group longer. She is also one of only four members to remain in the group for seven years or more (the others being Iida, Yoshizawa and Niigaki).



2009

In February 1, 2009, during the "Hello Pro Award '09 ~Elder Club Sotsugyo Kinen Special~" concert held at Yokohama Arena, Yuko Nakazawa passed on her leadership position in Hello! Project to Takahashi.



2010

She will join the Inter 'FM FIVESTARS' radio lineup by getting her own regular radio show. Ai is currently studying English through the use of the PSP game Talkman. She is going to dub a Korean Drama called Accidental Couple. Ai-chan will be dubbing the part of the main actress Kim Ah-joong who plays Han Ji-soo.

** Spoiler Alert!!! click to hide or show**

Ai has opened up an official Ameba blog
http://ameblo.jp/takahashiai-blog/


2011


Takahashi Ai will graduate in Autumn 2011, passing leadership of Morning Musume and Hello! Project to current Morning Musume sub-leader Niigaki Risa.

Here's a statement from Ai-chan herself: "Since Eri graduated, Tsunku told me to think about when I should graduate too. There is still a lot of time so, after having been the leader for 9th gen and having taken good care of them, I want to graduate." -Takahashi Ai.

It was annouced that Takahashi Ai will be the lead actress in a special Valentine Day’s drama titled Koi Choco - Bitter Sweet Angel (Chocolate Love – Bitter Sweet Angel).

Takahashi cut and dyed her hair blonde in around April.

It was announced that Takahashi will be opening her official Ameba Shop.

On June 23, it was announced that she will have a solo song on her last single with Morning Musume titled Jishin Motte Yume Motte Tobitatsu Kara.

On June 30, Morning Musume 2011 Autumn Concert Tour title was revealed to be "Morning Musume Concert Tour 2011 Aki Ai Believe ~Takahashi Ai Graduation Memory Special~". Takahashi will graduate from Morning Musume on the final day of the tour on September 30, at the Nippon Budokan.

On July 26, it was announced that Takahashi will release her last Photobook and DVD.

Takahashi will be in a musical titled Dance Of Vampire.The musical will take place from 11/27 until 12/24.





PHOTOBOOKS!








DVDs!