S/mileage Name Change Announcement

    Fans of Hello! Project and S/mileage may recall an announcement that a name change was to come with the arrival of the new third generation. For those in the know, this name change was the result of a trademark dispute over the use of the name. It seems that UP-FRONT was not too sharp on trademarking one of its central idol groups and their image had to suffer for it. This somewhat shocking news was followed by a call for submissions for said new name. Submissions were open to anyone who could properly fill out the form. I myself submitted a name (which I can barely recall) and apparently, according to the official statement, so did about 10,000 others. With all these wonderful name suggestions the powers that be at UP-FRONT and Hello! Project had to choose from, they were sure to come up with an amazing one right? Well, you can judge for yourself. The group that was once known as "S/mileage" is now to be known as "ANGERME". You read that right-"ANGERME". Now anyone with a smattering of English will automatically pronounce that as "anger me", while that is natural, it is not totally correct. Their new name is actually a portmanteau of sorts of the French words for "angel" (ange) and "tears" (larme). Why they are not called "ANGELME" is something that myself and half the internet is asking and it's pretty much anyone's guess. One can only assume the answer is lurking somewhere in a case of odd romanization of the original katakana. Also one can wonder at the irony of the name change moving from one referencing smiles to one referencing tears. Stranger still is the fact that this name change apparently came via suggestion of member Nakanishi Kana. This of course makes one wonder what the point of the submission contest was in the first place. Either way, the name change is official and there is no going back. The re-branded group's first major single, "Taiki Bansei/Otome no Gyakushuu", drops February 2nd of next year.

First Generation S/mileage - Supporting "Yume Miru 15"

S/mileage 2014 - Supporting "Mystery Night"

    S/mileage was an idol group originally formed of four members of Hello! Pro Eggs (now referred to as "Hello! Pro Kenshuusei"). Original members Wada Ayaka, Maeda Yuka, Fukuda Kanon and Ogawa Saki released four indie singles before their major label jump was announced. This major label move was not without its challenges however, the four girls were charged with amassing 10,000 "smiles" (i.e. pictures of fans smiling either submitted or collected). This was of course done with some semblance of ease and said smiles were submitted from not only Japan, but around the world. I myself did not participate (I will freely admit to not being a S/mileage fan in those early days) but I know of quite a few from the local scene alone who saw their smiles on that big canvas board they used to display them. Following the move to a major label, S/mileage saw the addition of five new members in what would be their second generation. Now, this nine-member S/mileage only truly existed on paper as Ogawa Saki took this moment to announce her sudden graduation. Maeda Yuka would soon follow as would one of the newest members (Kosuga Fuyuka) who left for health reasons. The remaining six members became the S/mileage that Hello! Project fans the world over have known for years. They went from Mano Erina's back dancers to tour headliners in a relatively short time. Their style ranged from both cutesy anthems to mature songs of romance and longing."Aa Susukino/Chikyuu wa Kyou mo Ai wo Hagukumu" marked their last release as "S/mileage" and they officially debuted the new nine-member line-up at Sayumi Michishige's graduation concert on November 26, 2014.

ANGERME Is:
● Wada Ayaka (和田彩花, leader)
● Fukuda Kanon (福田花音)
● Nakanishi Kana (中西香菜)
● Takeuchi Akari (竹内朱莉)
● Katsuta Rina (勝田里奈)
● Tamura Meimi (田村芽実)
● Murota Mizuki (室田瑞希)
● Aikawa Maho (相川茉穂)
● Sasaki Rikako (佐々木莉佳子)

Official Website: helloproject.com/angerme
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