Morning Musume Ladies

After seeing a few Idol Variety Shows of Morning Musume Group, which I found to be great, I have come up with the list of members (from 2000 - 2010) who has appealed the most and deserve a worthy mention.

About Morning Musume

Morning Musume (モーニング娘。, Mōningu Musume.) is one of the most successful Japanese girl group. They are what is known as an "idol group", although they have distanced themselves from the "idol" stereotype (unlike the idols, they can dance and sing well). Most of their songs are happy songs with upbeat music, but they have sad and angry songs too. The group can also be called Momusu (モー娘。, Mōmusu.). They are the most important group in the Hello! Project company. The group is managed by Tsunku, who writes all the lyrics and most of the music the songs, and even produces them. 

They hold the second highest overall single sales on the Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top-ten singles, having 64 of them. They were the best-selling female group in Japan for several years, but their sales dropped quite a lot later on, perhaps due to the loss of certain popular members, or because of decisions made by Tsunku or someone else at Hello! Project or their management company Up-Front Works. In the past couple of years, however, they have regained some of their popularity in Japan, and they have also gained more foreign fans.

Morning Musume Ladies - Top Members

Member Photo	Member Details
	Kimura Ayaka (木村絢香)  Known by the stage name Nagate Ayaka (長手絢香), is a Japanese singer and actress. She became part of Hello! Project in 1999 as a member of Coconuts Musume. She was the only remaining member in the group from 2004 until she left Hello! Project in 2008 to pursue a career in acting. She is currently an actress signed to Tristone Entertainment.
	Yoshizawa Hitomi (吉澤ひとみ)  She is a former Japanese pop singer and talent. She is a former member of Morning Musume as well as a former leader of the group. She was also a member of the duo HANGRY & ANGRY, the leader of the Hello! Project futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P. and the idol group derived from its lineup, Ongaku Gatas. Following legal troubles, she retired from the entertainment industry on September 28, 2018.
	Rika Ishikawa (石川 梨華)  Ishikawa Rika, born January 19, 1985), is a Japanese actress and model associated with Hello! Project and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the Japanese pop idol trio v-u-den until June 2008. She has performed as a solo singer, as a member of the Japanese pop idol group Ongaku Gatas, in the pop duo Hangry & Angry as Angry, and as a current member of Dream Morning Musume.
	Mari Yaguchi (矢口真里) Yaguchi Mari, born January 20, 1983) is a Japanese singer, actress, and television personality. She joined the girl group Morning Musume in 1998 as a second generation member and was the leader of subgroups within Hello! Project, such as Mini-Moni, Morning Musume Sakuragumi, and ZYX. After leaving Morning Musume in 2005, Yaguchi has continued to appear on television in dramas and variety shows.
	Kaori Iida (飯田 圭織) Iida Kaori, born August 8, 1981) is a Japanese pop singer and actress, associated with Hello! Project and best known as a founding member of the girl band Morning Musume. She has also recorded with the Morning Musume side project band Tanpopo and is currently a solo artist. During her time in the group, she was the tallest member (168 cm), earning her the nickname "Kaorin" & "Kao-tan". She is currently a member of Dream Morning Musume.
	Nakazawa Yuko (中澤裕子) She is a Japanese singer, actress, radio host and TV-personality under UP-FRONT CREATE. She is a former idol under Hello! Project as a founding member and first leader of Morning Musume. She was also a solo act during her time in the group and after her graduation. Later, she was also a part of the reunion groups Dream Morning Musume and Morning Musume 20th. As a soloist her CD sales exceed 350,000 copies in Japan alone. Nakazawa's highest selling single is "Karasu no Nyoubou".
	Fujimoto Miki (藤本美貴) She is a Japanese singer, idol and talent signed under J.P ROOM and Just Production. She is best known as a former member of Morning Musume. She originally joined Hello! Project as a solo artist, discovered during the fourth generation auditions for Morning Musume in 2000, and debuted as a solo artist in 2002. She was later added to the group along with the new sixth generation audition winners in 2003.
	Abe Natsumi (安倍なつみ)  She is a Japanese singer and actress. She is a former idol under Hello! Project as a founding member of Morning Musume. She was also a solo act during her time in the group and after her graduation. Later, she was also a part of the reunion groups Dream Morning Musume and Morning Musume 20th. In Morning Musume, she often took the lead in the songs. As a soloist her combined CD and DVD sales exceed 700,000 copies in Japan alone. Abe's highest selling single is "22sai no Watashi".
	Niigaki Risa (新垣里沙)  She is a Japanese actress and former idol. She is a former fifth generation member and leader of the pop group Morning Musume under Hello! Project. She was also a member of the group Tanpopo, the Morning Musume splinter group Morning Musume Sakura Gumi, the leader of Athena & Robikerottsu, as well a member of the shuffle units Happy 7, 7AIR, ZYX-α and H.P. All Stars. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 along with Takahashi Ai, Konno Asami and Ogawa Makoto. Niigaki was the sub-leader of Morning Musume from 2007 to 2011 while Takahashi was leader. After Takahashi graduated, Niigaki Risa inherited her titles as the leader of Morning Musume and also the leader of Hello! Project. On January 2, 2012, it was announced that Niigaki would graduate at the end of the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2012 Haru ~Ultra Smart~. She graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project on May 18 at Nippon Budokan alongside Mitsui Aika.
	Takahashi Ai (高橋愛)  She is a Japanese singer, actress and model managed by UP-FRONT CREATE. She is best known as a former leader and 5th generation member of Morning Musume and Hello! Project and as a former member of Minimoni. She first joined Morning Musume in 2001 through the 5th generation auditions. In 2007, Takahashi became the leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project, and in 2009, she became the longest-serving Morning Musume leader. When she graduated on September 30, 2011, she passed both leadership positions to fellow 5th generation member Niigaki Risa. Since her graduation from Hello! Project, Takahashi has focused on acting and modeling and has since become known as a fashion icon.