Berryz Koubou Will Go On Indefinite Hiatus After 2015 Spring Tour.

It has been announced today at Hello! Project’s 2014 Summer Concert in Nakano Sun Plaza that Berryz Koubou will go on a indefinite hiatus after their Spring concert tour in 2015.

Here are some translated quotes about the matter:

Announcement Regarding Berryz Kobo

Thank you for your continued support of Berryz Kobo. Today at the Hello! Project concert at Nakano Sun Plaza the Berryz Kobo members announced the “Berryz Kobo Hiatus”.

The members, after thinking about their futures and much discussion with our staff, have decided that “As of Spring 2015, we will enter into an indefinite hiatus”. In regards to the exact date, we will announce more details as they become finalized.

Berryz Kobo has only made it this far with the support from all you fans. The members are very grateful for having come this far and feel a great sense of accomplishment. We are very grateful to you fans out there.

From here on, the September Budokan concert, the fall tour and new singles will still continue as scheduled. Please continue to cheer for us; the staff and girls are all truly thankful for everything you guys have done so far. Please continue to support Berryz Kobo.

– Up Front Promotion Representative Ohama Minoru

Regarding Berryz Kobo’s hiatus next spring

Thank you for always supporting Hello! Project and Berryz Kobo

Without further ado, I would like to make an announcement. Just now during the Hello! Project 2014 Summer concert KOREZO Berryz Kobo made the announcement that Spring of 2015 would be a good time for the Berryz Kobo members to enter into an indefinite hiatus.

As a producer, this is very sad news to me but the girls, who have been working together since they were very young, had a discussion about their futures and came to this conclusion. For me, I’ve seen the girls grow up through all the various works we have done together. Therefore, I think it is a great opportunity for all of the girls to take their next step in life.

These girls, who almost all debuted while in elementary school, were thrusted into this world with the pure desire of “wanting to sing”, “wanting to dance” or “wanting to wear cute outfits” and it is for that reason that I think they lasted this long as a group. And since that purity was nurtured through heartfelt support from fans, I am truly grateful to all you fans for raising them like this.

That is why I too want to see the girls leap forward and begin chasing a new dream.

Now, in regards to the schedule and all future activities, we will announce them as their decisions become finalized.

For now this is just an immediate announcement of the state of things.

Please continue to support us in this summer Hello! Project tour, the Berryz fall tour, and etc.

2014-08-02
Berryz Producer
Tsunku

As mentioned at the Hello! Project live performance、 we, Berryz Kobo, will enter an 「indefinite suspension of activity」in the spring of next year。

About 1 year ago, us members discussed about the future amongst ourselves。
All of us have now grown up、 and while we mutually respect one another、 after discussing our future, this is the conclusion that we came up with。
Berryz Kobo was the entirety of our youth。
To say something like “breakup” for something so important would make it feel like Berryz Kobo itself would disappear、 and for us as well as the fans, Berryz Kobo is something irreplacable. Rather than calling it a dissolution, we’re choosing to say that it’s an 「indefinite suspension of activity」。

In these 10 years、we’ve received a lot of cheers of moral support from all of the fans、 through live performances and events。
Being able to do everything we have done up to now, it’s thanks to all of you。

I’d like to thank you, so very much。
Since we’ll be continuing on from now on and rushing through to next spring、 Berryz Kobo is begging for your kind, continued support！

Berryz Kobo Sudo Maasa

Translations from Harowota and blog-project

This is indeed some really shocking news to hear from the Hello! Project world. I have never expected Berryz’s departure so soon. I know it’s titled as an “indefinite hiatus” but sadly, we all now that it means much more than that. I swear when I first heard the news at 7am in the morning I had a lot more thoughts about it and wanted to talk about it here early but now that I’m typing I don’t really know what to say. Everybody is exploding with opinions everywhere on the social media sites, I was thinking “would my thoughts even matter? Everybody else is pretty much saying everything else already.” But you know what, I talk about Hello! Project’s news and releases and this news right here is one the biggest news we ever got in a long time.

Let’s start from the beginning from when I woke up. Usually when I wake up early I just check the Hello! Project news from Hello! Online’s twitter on my phone (even though I don’t have a twitter anymore) and I go back to bed for a few more hours, but holy snap, the first thing I read was “Mano Erina’s thoughts about Berryz Koubou’s Hiatus” and I just let out a very confused “HAA!?”, I read some more tweets and it’s totally true! There’s no way that I go back to bed now after hearing this news. Our precious Berryz announce that they are leaving us.

In the back of my mind I could have swore I seen this coming, releasing a single about being an idol for 10 years, I did find it a bit suspicious. but just brushed the feeling away since I never thought Berryz Koubou would be leaving us anytime soon. But you know, they have been idols for 10 years, it’s smart for them now to start their own solo careers while they’re still young.

Being in the Hello! Project fandom, girls come and go with auditions and graduations. And since Hello! Project is becoming more like they use to be with constant auditions for new groups, Morning Musume and Hello! Pro Kenshuusei along with more frequent graduations and departures. Berryz Koubou was always the group that the line up always stayed the same after Maiha graduated back in 2005. Seeing a group this solid leaving Hello! Project after so many years is like taking out a very big piece of the puzzle. Hello! Project will be MoKiSuJ plus the new Country Musume. It’ll just be odd, and it’s going to a while to get use to.

I love Berryz Koubou. They were first group I came to really like in the current Hello! Project five years ago with their single “Seishun Bus Guide / Rival” and their Captain, Shimizu Saki, is my second most favourite member in this current Hello! Project. I’ve just gotten to really love her and she’s going to be leaving soon.

In the way that Berryz Koubou’s singles are heading lately, I’m sure we’ll get at least two more double-a side singles and maybe one more album from them before the beginning of their indefinite hiatus in 2015. I’ll continue to support them like I have been doing more of since the beginning of the year and buying at least four copies of their latest single (mostly for the trading cards, but I tend to get doubles with Berryz Koubou though). They have been releasing some really great songs that I really love so far this year, and I hope they continue to make amazing singles before their departure. We still at least have 7 months left with these girls so let’s enjoy it.

I would like the end at that note but I really can’t help but worry a little about C-ute. Will they follow in Berryz Koubou’s foot steps sooner or later? C-ute is quite popular and is currently the second most popular act in the Hello! Project right after Morning Musume ’14. I’m sure we don’t have to worry about them too much, but they started the idol business the same Berryz Koubou has and debuted only a few years later. Right now I don’t really want to talk about another older group leaving us even though I’m not hugest fan of C-ute but the thought does linger around now. So I’ll stop with my over thinking and end this 1450 word post.

It’s definitely some sad news to hear, but I really love Hello! Project and I will continue to support these girls the very best I can, and I hope when the time comes that Berryz Koubou will leave in a big bang with lots love and lots of fans. Do your best Berryz!