Ai Takahashi

Ai redirects here, if you are looking for the 4th generation member of Morning Musume with the same name, head to Ai Kago.

Ai Takahashi
Physical Appearence
Gender:	Female
Age:	29
Birthday:	September 14, 1986 Sakai, Japan
Zodiac sign:	Virgo
Professional Statistics
Clique:	Heroes
Occupation:	Singer Actress Model
Relationship Information
Relatives:	Knife (adoptive husband) Falcon (adoptive son) Flippy (adoptive son) Daizy (adoptive daughter)
Friends:	Risa Niigaki
Enemies:	TBA
Appearences and Voices
First appearance:	New Characters and Announcement
Latest appearance:	TBA
Voiced by:	Kate
Gallery

Ai Takahashi (legally Ai Abe) is a Japanese singer, actress and model managed by UP-FRONT CREATE. She is best known as the former leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project and as a former member of Minimoni. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 through the fifth generation auditions. In 2009, Takahashi became the leader of Hello! Project. However, on September 30, 2011, she passed her leadership of Morning Musume and Hello! Project to Risa Niigaki when she graduated. As of 2009, she was the longest-serving leader.

History

Early Life

Takahashi Ai was born on September 14, 1986 in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture.

During her childhood, she practiced ballet.

Takahashi Ai joined Morning Musume in 2001 as part of the group's fifth generation along with Makoto Ogawa, Asami Konno, and Risa Niigaki. Her debut with the group was on their 13th single "Mr.Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~ ".

In 2002, The first album was 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.

Soon after Takahashi entered into her first Hello! Project Shuffle Unit, Happy 7, as one of the group's lead singers

2003-2005

In 2003, Takahashi replaced Yaguchi Mari in the Morning Musume spinoff group Minimoni, first appearing in the group's movie; Minimoni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibōken! and its accompanying soundtrack.

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 singles, Hare Ame Nochi Suki♥ and Sakura Mankai, and the shuffle group 7AIR , an Rhythm & Blues inspired septet.

Takahashi's vocals became more prominent on the second and final Minimoni album, "Minimoni Songs 2," as well as on Morning Musume's singles from 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.

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 since retained on subsequent singles. 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 all of the members of v-u-den, Nozomi Tsuji, Matsuura Aya and Natsumi Abe, as well as Marcia and Kaoru Ebira of the Takarazuka Revue.

Soon thereafter, Takahashi released her first solo single, Yume Kara Samete.

Leadership Years (2007-2011)

Following then-leader Hitomi Yoshizawa;s graduation from Morning Musume on May 6, 2007, the current sub-leader, Miki Fujimoto 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.

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 played 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 Risa Niigaki had the second longest tenures of any member, with only Kaori Iida remaining in the group longer. She is also one of only four members to remain in the group for seven years or more, with the others being Kaori Iida, Hitomi Yoshizawa and Risa Niigaki.

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.

On February 16, 2009, Risa Niigaki and Takahashi tied with 1st Generation member Iida Kaori with 26 singles featured in.

Around December 2009, Ai Takahashi promoted the release of Final Fantasy XIII in Japan.

Takahashi joined the Inter FM FIVESTARS radio lineup by getting her own regular radio show.

Takahashi studed English through the use of the PSP game Talkman.

Takahashi dubbed the part of the main actress Kim Ah-joong (who plays Han Ji-soo) in the Korean Drama, Accidental Couple.

Takahashi Ai opened up an official Ameba blog.

At the beginning of 2011, it was announced that Takahashi would graduate in Autumn 2011, passing leadership of ppMorning Musume]] and Hello! Project to then sub-leader Risa Niigaki.

Here's a statement from Takahashi: "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 the 9th gen and having taken good care of them, I want to graduate." -Takahashi Ai.

It was announced that Takahashi Ai would 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 around April.

It was announced that Takahashi would be opening an official Ameba Shop.

On June 23, it was announced that she would 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 would 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 would release her last Photobook and DVD.

It was announced that Takahashi would be in a musical titled Dance of the Vampire. The musical took place from November 17 to December 24.

On August 26, 2011, Takahashi and Risa Niigaki celebrated 10 years being in Morning Musume. Both of them were the first members in Morning Musume history to pass the 10 year mark.

On September 23, 2011, it was announced that Takahashi would be appointed Ambassador for her hometown Fukui. This occurred on September 26, 2011.

On September 30, 2011, Takahashi officially graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project. Takahashi's graduation song was Jishin Motte Yume Motte Tobitatsu Kara in the Morning Musume Concert Tour 2011 Aki Ai Believe ~Takahashi Ai Graduation Memory Special~.

On October 3, 2011, it was announced that Takahashi was a part of M-Line.

On October 11, 2011, it was announced that Takahashi would be a regular MC on the Ameba Studio show Joshi Chikara Café ~Aisukurissu~ hosted by Chris Matsumura. The show aired every Wednesday starting from October 12 at 10PM (JST).

On November 25, it was announced that Takahashi Ai would be part of the cast for a stage play titled La Patisserie. The play ran from March 3 to March 11 in Tokyo, March 20 and March 22 in Osaka and Ishikawa.

After Morning Musume

On May 6, Takahashi announced that she would be part of Taira no Kiyomori, debuting in June. She played Tsuneko, the wife of Kiyomori's eldest son.

Takahashi starred in a stage play titled High School Uta Gekidan☆Otoko-gumi. The play ran from September 12 to September 23.

On October 1, Takahashi was transfered to UP-FRONT CREATE along with other UP-FRONT PROMOTION members.

It was announced that Takahashi would be voicing a character in the hit anime Detective Conan. The episodes she voiced in were expected to be aired in early 2013.

On February 12, Hello! Project Fanclub News announced that Takahashi will star in a stageplay titled Moshimo Kokumin ga Shusho o Erandara along with Rika Ishikawa, S/mileage members Wada Ayaka and Fukuda Kanon, and Juice=Juice members Miyamoto Karin and Uemura Akari. There will be 11 showings and it will run from April 24th through the 30th.

On March 18, Takahashi appeared in the commercial “Ai to Kumao,” promoting the insect repellent “Mushuda.” This was her first time appearing solo on a commercial.

On May 10, Takahashi was modeled for Vanquish Venus fashion magazine.

Takahashi had a solo-live titled "Takahashi Ai Sparkling Live in Yuigahama" on July 21.

Takahashi participated in a musical called "Merrily We Roll Along" sometime around November.

On July 3, It was announced that Takahashi would be going to Thailand for the Japan Festa 2013 from August 31 to September 1. She held a free mini live and handshaking event.

On July 16, it was announced that she would be holding a birthday live on September 14 and 16. The title was called "Ai Takahashi Birthday Live 2013 ~HELLO♥27~" September 14 in Tokyo and September 16 in Osaka. Later, her Osaka performance was cancelled due to a typhoon.

On September 10, HMV announced that Takahashi would be releasing her first style book. It would include an interview about her Morning Musume days, as well as her idea of love. It would also include articles on how to find a outfit, hair tips, and makeup. It was released on October 18.

Takahashi became a regular in the new TV drama Jikken Keiji Totori 2, which started to air on October 12.

Takahashi had a main role in the movie Kara-age☆USA. Filming for the movie occurred in Usa city, Oita prefecture in late October to November. The movie was released in Summer 2014.

On December 20, it was announced that Takahashi was engaged to her boyfriend, Abe Koji, and they planned to get married on February 14, 2014. Their wedding ceremony was changed to take place some time after May

On March 17, Takahashi appeared in another commercial for “Mushuda,” titled "Live.".

Takahashi attended Hello Pro Kenshuusei Happyoukai 2015 ~Haru no Koukai Jitsuryoku Shindan Test~ as a judge.

In April it was announced that she had joined a girl group with fellow Morning Musume graduates Mari Yaguchi and Nozomi Tsuji called "Datsumo Musume", under the management of Datsumo Labo for the promotion of their hair removal services.

Appearance

Ai wears a yellow jacket over a red shirt, yellow trousers and yellow shoes. She has dark blonde hair.

Personality

To Be Added

Trivia

• She shares the same first name as Ai Kago.