Looking back, the 1990s is often referred to as the ‘idol winter’. As mentioned in the first article of this series, it was during this time that the underground idols and live idols of the future, such as Tokyo Performance Doll, emerged, with their activities mainly based in live venues.

However, these girls also had major management and major labels behind them. In other words, the world was tough on ‘idols’ at that time. Of course, in the early 1990s, there were groups such as Coco (1989-1994), ribbon (1989-1994), and Qlair (1991-1994) who debuted under the guidance of major media. Although they were loved by their core fans while maintaining the classic idol image, they did not achieve widespread success. However, the fact that they remained popular in later years due to the appeal of their music suggests that they were part of a later generation of ‘music idols’—idols who are particularly supported by a fan base that values the quality and musicality of their songs, rather than just performance and visual appeal.

On the other hand, the musical activities of highly idol-like actresses and pin-up models filled the absence of full-time idols. Fumie Hosokawa and Akiko Hinagata, who were active in gravure modeling, gained local popularity as singers. Arisa Mizuki and Yuki Uchida debuted as singers alongside their acting careers, and the synergistic effect made them popular with the public. Among them, Ryoko Hirosue, who came into the limelight through a TV commercial (*her first commercial appearance at the age of 14 attracted a lot of attention and catapulted her to stardom), scored a big hit with her debut song ” Maji De Koi Suru 5byoumae ” (1997), which further boosted her popularity as an actress. Although she continued to progress as an actress, her career as an idol singer was temporary.

Needless to say, the formation of Morning Musume in 1997 changed all that. It was precisely because of this climate that Morning Musume’s unique presence suddenly emerged and acted as a counterpoint to the existing J-pop scene.

Morning Musume was originally born out of an audition for female rock singers on a TV show called ASAYAN (a variety show broadcast every Sunday on TV Tokyo from October 1, 1995, to March 24, 2002). Tetsuya Komuro (who started as a member of TM NETWORK in the 1980s and later produced Namie Amuro, a leading Japanese singer who developed her own style based on R&B and dance music) was one of the most influential producers at the time. In the mid-1990s, the word ‘producer’ was a key term in J-pop, and the audition was held under the banner of producing Sharam Q, a popular rock band from Osaka. The audition was eventually won by Michiyo Heike, but five of the finalists who lost out were hastily selected to become Morning Musume. While Heike went on to make her major label debut, the five members who had lost the competition took on tasks such as hand-selling CDs in preparation for their official debut. This struggle captured the hearts of viewers, who saw them as the success story of the underdogs. As a result, the group made their debut in 1998 with the nostalgic song “Morning Coffee.”

Morning Musume was produced by Sharam Q frontman Tsunku. The group’s name, likening a mix of unique personalities to an affordable morning set (or a breakfast combo in English), reflects their fresh and youthful aura. This concept follows the packaged feel of idol groups since Onyanko Club, and it was further enhanced by Tsunku’s deep knowledge of 1980s idols. Before the release of their second single, “Summer Night Town,” three more members joined the group, and the story of these arrivals and departures was presented in a documentary-style format on TV, further boosting their popularity. The system of continuing the group and their songs even when members changed was said to have been inspired by MENUDO (a Latin boy group that produced Ricky Martin and others). This model was later followed by many idol groups, allowing them to sustain popularity without becoming stagnant.

Morning Musume quickly took over the J-pop scene, leading to the formation of Hello! Project, a collective of female acts produced by Tsunku. Since then, the project has held frequent auditions and introduced groups such as Country Musume (1999-2014), Melon Kinenbi (1999-2010), and the classic group Taiyo & Ciscomoon (1999-2000).

Morning Musume also introduced intra-group units such as Tanpopo and Pucchimoni The project also produced solo singers like Aya Matsuura and Miki Fujimoto. Aya Matsuura, in particular, became a national solo idol, a position that had been vacant for some time, and at one point, she even surpassed Morning Musume in popularity. In this way, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hello! Project became a dominant force in the female idol market (although, up until a certain point, Hello! Project did not even refer to itself as an idol collective).

The overwhelming support for Hello! Project at the time was largely due to the sheer quality of the songs, most of which were produced by Tsunku himself. His diverse musical ideas were brought to life by skilled arrangers, resulting in a vibrant sound that seamlessly blended elements of Showa-era kayōkyoku, jazz-funk, disco, rock, punk, Bollywood, and more into an accessible pop experience. Among these, the tracks arranged by Dance☆Man—a former member of the funk band JADOES, which was mentored by Toshiki Kadomatsu (a singer-songwriter who debuted in 1981 with the album SEA BREEZE, known for his sophisticated city pop, AOR, R&B, and fusion sound)—played a crucial role in elevating Morning Musume to national idol status. Dance☆Man’s arrangements led to a series of massive hits, starting with the million-selling “LOVE Machine” (1999) and “Renai Revolution 21” (2000), both of which were filled with catchy, melodious kayōkyoku influences and broad mass appeal. Songs like “The☆Peace!” (2001), which incorporated references ranging from Toni Basil to The Jackson 5, showcased the playful creativity and intertextuality of Hello! Project’s music, attracting not just idol fans but also a broader audience of music lovers.A prime example of this distinctive musical style is Berryz Kobo’’s 2004 debut single “Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai”, which takes inspiration from JAY-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)”. This kind of musical diversity has remained a defining characteristic of Hello! Project, continuing to shape its core identity even today.

Hello! Project’s popularity, which even resonated with younger audiences, led to the emergence of new groups like Berryz Kobo and ℃-ute. However, by the mid-2000s, Hello! Project’s overwhelming momentum began to wane. This was due to a renewed recognition of the need for idols in the industry and the arrival of new competitors from diverse backgrounds. As mentioned in the previous article, while the mainstream boom thrived, the underground idol scene also flourished in its own unique way.

On a completely different front, the rise of Hello! Project also led to the natural emergence of extreme otaku. (Notably, fans of Hello! Project often distinguished themselves from other fandoms by proudly referring to themselves as “wotaku” rather than “otaku.”) Their presence shed light on the enjoyment of idols as a form of subcultural entertainment, laying the foundation for the otaku culture that would later support the underground idol scene. Although this was an era before social media, it coincided with the bustling activity of online message boards, leading to the formation of unique communities. In this sense, Morning Musume’s influence may have also played a role in shaping the etiquette and culture of idol fandom.

Writer：Koji Dejima
Japanese music writer. Editor-in-Chief of the Tower Records Japan magazine “bounce”.