W (duo)

{{Infobox musical artist  | name = W | image = W (Double You).jpg | alt = | caption = W, 2005 From left: Kago and Tsuji | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Tokyo, Japan | genre = J-pop | years_active = {{flatlist| * {{Start date|2004}}–2007 * 2019}} | label = Zetima | spinoff_of = {{flatlist| * Morning Musume}} | website =  | current_members = | past_members = * Ai Kago *Nozomi Tsuji }} '''W''' was a Japanese duo formed in 2004 by Up-Front Promotion and associated with Hello! Project. The members consisted of Nozomi Tsuji and Ai Kago, former 4th generation members of the idol girl group Morning Musume. Tsuji and Kago had previously achieved fame through being in the group and the sub-group Mini-Moni.

W's formation was announced at the same time as Tsuji and Kago's planned departure from Morning Musume. Prior to their official departure, they debuted with several cover versions of {{Transliteration|ja|kayōkyoku}} songs, including their debut single, "Koi no Vacance" (2004) and their first album, ''Duo U&U'' (2004). After leaving Morning Musume, W released their first original song, "Aa Ii na!" (2004), followed by "Robo Kiss" (2004). In 2005, W starred in their first musical, ''Mysterious Girl Detectives Cara & Mel: The Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin'' (2005). They reprised the roles of their characters with the release of "Miss Love Tantei" (2005).

In 2006, W's activities were halted after Kago was suspended for underage smoking. While there were plans for W to make a comeback in 2007, Kago's contract was terminated after more photos of her dating and smoking underage were reported in the media, leading to W's disbandment.

In 2019, W briefly reunited to make a concert appearance celebrating Hello! Project's 20th anniversary, and their previously cancelled releases, "Dō ni mo Tomaranai" (2019) and ''W3: Faithful'', were released in the same year.

==Name== Tsunku, Hello! Project's producer, had selected the name "W" because the origin of the name meant "two Us" and "gave off the feeling of two You's", symbolizing Tsuji and Kago's dual nature.<ref>{{cite web | author=Tsunku | author-link=Tsunku | url=http://www.tsunku.net/officialcommentdetail.php?@DB_ID@=16 | title=辻希美＆加護亜依の新ユニットに関してのお知らせ | language=ja | work=Tsunku.net | date=2004-03-06 | access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>

==History==

===2004: Formation and debut===

In 2004, W's formation was announced shortly after Nozomi Tsuji and Ai Kago's graduations from Morning Musume. Tsuji and Kago had previously worked together in one of Morning Musume's sub-units, Mini Moni, as a side project. Both members had been known as the "Twins" and had been some of Morning Musume's most popular members since joining the group at age 12.<ref name="guardian 2005-08-21">{{cite news | first=Chris | last=Campion | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/aug/21/popandrock3 | title=J-Pop's dream factory | work=The Guardian | date=2005-08-21 | access-date=2019-08-23}}</ref> W released their debut three-song EP, ''Koi no Vacance'', the title track being a cover version of The Peanuts' 1960 song. The EP was followed a few weeks later by their debut album as W, ''Duo U&U'', which contained covers of other Shōwa period female duo songs exclusively. One of the other groups covered by W on the first album was Pink Lady. Pink Lady were invited to perform with W on Japanese television as a one-time four-piece ensemble.

Kago and Tsuji performed their graduation concert (final performance as members of Morning Musume) in August 2004; a week later, their second single "Aa Ii na!" was released. Not only was it the duo's first release since they departed Morning Musume, it was also the first W single to feature an original composition by Hello! Project founder and producer Tsunku. A third single of original material, "Robo Kiss", followed three months later.

In December 2004, W joined their fellow Hello! Project members on the 2004 shuffle unit single "All for One and One for All", credited to the H.P. All Stars. W also began joining Morning Musume onstage at concerts during this period to perform Kago and Tsuji's final Morning Musume single, "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari" together with their former bandmates.

=== 2005: Rise to popularity === W's second album, 2005's ''2nd W'', released in March 2005, contained Shōwa period J-pop cover songs as well as original songs. Afterwards, they released "Ai no Imi o Oshiete!"

In the spring of 2005, W starred in their first stage musical, ''Cara & Mel: the Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin'', at Yokohama Blitz in Yokohama and Ikebukuro Sun Shine Theater in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, from March 18, 2005 to April 10, 2005. In September 2005 the duo released their 6th single "Miss Love Tantei". The video, which features Kago and Tsuji playing multiple roles, including a reprisal of their stage musical roles of Cara and Mel. In addition to their musical career, W continued to appear on Hello! Project's weekly TV show ''Hello! Morning,'' often in tandem with Morning Musume.

=== 2006-2007: Hiatus and disbandment === On January 11, 2006, the release of a new single, "Dō ni mo Tomaranai" on February 22, followed by their third full-length album, ''W3: Faithful'' on March 15, was announced. However, they were pushed back<ref name=Cancelled>{{cite web |url= http://www.helloproject.com/news/w_0602101350.html |title= W（ダブルユー）3月発売予定シングル・アルバム・シングルV発売中止のお知らせ |date= 2006-02-10 |publisher= Helloproject.com |language= ja |access-date= 2010-06-30 |archive-date= 2011-06-16 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110616040422/http://www.helloproject.com/news/w_0602101350.html |url-status= dead }}</ref> after photographs of Kago smoking underage were published in ''Friday'' in February 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060209p2a00m0et037000c.html|title= Mainichi Daily News|access-date= 2006-02-09|publisher= mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Hello! Project issued a press statement saying that Kago and W's activities had been suspended indefinitely.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.helloproject.com/newslist/kago_060210_060210047.html|title= Hello! Project -Official Site-|date= 2006-02-10|publisher= helloproject.com|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060513073757/http://www.helloproject.com/newslist/kago_060210_060210047.html|archive-date= 2006-05-13|url-status= dead}}</ref> Kago was ordered by her agency to stay "grounded" for a year at her family's residence in Nara to self-reflect and was not allowed to contact Tsuji.

In January 2007, Kago returned to Tokyo and did assorted clerical work at her agency's office while the company was making preparations for her comeback. Not long after, photographs of Kago smoking underage for a third time, as well as going on a "dirty weekend trip" to an {{Transliteration|ja|onsen}} with a 37-year-old man, began circulating in the media, completely tarnishing her reputation. Kago was dismissed from the company, and W disbanded as a result.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.helloproject.com/newslist/kago_0703261829.html|title= Some News Reports about Ai Kago|date= 2006-03-26|publisher= hellproject.com|language= ja|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070403210334/http://www.helloproject.com/newslist/kago_0703261829.html|archive-date= 2007-04-03}}</ref>

=== Post-W activities === Kago posted on her blog in 2014 that she and Tsuji were in contact again.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.asahi.com/and_w/interest/entertainment/CORI2038782.html | title=加護亜依、"盟友"辻希美の誕生日会に出席 | language=ja | work=Asahi Shimbun | date=2014-06-18 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618184009/http://www.asahi.com/and_w/interest/entertainment/CORI2038782.html | archive-date=2014-06-18}}</ref> In 2018, Tsuji and Kago were invited as guests at Hello! Project's 20th anniversary summer concert, leading to both their names trending on Twitter; they were scheduled to perform together, but Tsuji dropped out from maternity leave.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1773302 | title=「辻ちゃん」「加護ちゃん」連日トレンド入りで「Wをもう一度」辻希美＆加護亜依の伝説ユニットが話題に | language=ja | work=Model Press | date=2018-06-15 | access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref> In 2019, they were announced as performing guests at Hello! Project's spring concert and were releasing their previously cancelled works, "Do ni mo Tomaranai" and ''W3: Faithful'', on March 30 as digital releases; "Do ni mo Tomaranai" would be bundled as a double A-side single with "Choi Waru Devil."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2019/03/26/kiji/20190326s00041000376000c.html| title=辻希美＆加護亜依歓喜！「ダブルユー」復活に合わせて発売中止の楽曲13年後に配信 | language=ja | work=Sports Nippon | date=2019-03-26 | access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref> At Hello! Project's spring concert, the two performed together in front of a crowd of 5,000 people for the first time in 13 years.<ref name="oricon 2019-03-30">{{cite news | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2132625/full/| title=「W(ダブルユー)」13年ぶり復活加護亜依は感極まり涙辻希美も涙ぐむ | language=ja | work=Oricon | date=2019-03-30 | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref><ref name="sanspo 2019-03-31">{{cite news | url=https://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/20190331/geo19033105 | title=「Ｗ」が１３年ぶり復活！加護亜依、「ＩＷＩＳＨ」披露で堪えきれず涙 | language=ja | work=Sankei Sports | date=2019-03-31 | access-date=2020-03-30}}</ref>

== Discography ==

=== Albums ===

====Studio albums====

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Sales ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Certifications |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | JPN Oricon ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | JPN Hot {{efn|name=hot albums|The Billboard Japan Hot Albums did not exist until June 4, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/28807/2|title=新チャート"Hot Albums" 第1回を制したのはSuperfly『WHITE』！ μ'sは惜しくも2位に|trans-title=Superfly's ''White'' appears at #1 on the new "Hot Albums" Charts, followed by μ's at #2|language=ja|work=Billboard Japan|date=2015-06-04|access-date=2019-11-12}}</ref>}}<ref name="ep bbjp hot">Peak chart positions on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums: * ''W3: Faithful'': {{cite web | title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums (April 9, 2019) | url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2019&month=4&day=9 | language=ja | work=Billboard Japan | access-date=2020-03-23}} </ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Duo U&U'' | 2004 | *Released: June 2, 2004 *Label: Zetima *Formats: CD | 4 | {{n/a}} | * JPN: 85,017 | {{n/a}} |- ! scope="row"| ''2nd W'' | 2005 | *Released: March 2, 2005 *Label: Zetima *Formats: CD | 11 | {{n/a}} | * JPN: 27,534 | {{n/a}} |- ! scope="row"| ''Choi Waru Devil'' | 2019 | *Released: March 30, 2019 *Label: Zetima *Formats: Digital download | 4 | 21 | {{tba}} | {{n/a}} |- | colspan="7" style="font-size:90%;" | "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. |- |}

====Video albums==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title !rowspan="2"| Details !colspan="1"| Peak chart positions !rowspan="2"| Sales |- !width="30"|JPN |- ! scope="row"| ''W no Satsuei no Sekai vol. 1''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/564072/1/ | title=Wの映像の世界 Vol.1 | language=ja | work=Oricon | date=2019-05-06}}</ref> | *Released: October 14, 2004 *Label: Zetima *Formats: DVD | — | — |- | colspan="4" style="font-size:90%;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" border="1" ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak position ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Sales |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|JPN |- ! scope="row" |"Koi no Vacance" | rowspan="3" | 2004 | 10 | 39,226 |- ! scope="row" | "Aa Ii na!" | 7 | 41,581 |- ! scope="row" | "Robo Kiss" | 5 | 30,239 |- ! scope="row" | "Koi no Fuga" | rowspan="3" | 2005 | 12 | 20,922 |- ! scope="row" | "Ai no Imi o Oshiete!" | 11 | 21,408 |- ! scope="row" | "Miss Love Tantei" | 13<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/338050/products/music/610204/1/ | title=Missラブ探偵 | language=ja | work=Oricon | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613101422/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/338050/products/music/610204/1/ | archive-date=2013-06-13}}</ref> | 39,226 |- ! scope="row" | {{nihongo|"Dō ni mo Tomaranai" / "Choi Waru Devil"|どうにもとまらない/ちょい悪デビル}} | 2019 | — | — |- | colspan="4" style="font-size:90%;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. |}

==Filmography==

===Television===

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Network ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2004-2005 | ''Hello! Morning'' | Themselves | TV Tokyo | Morning Musume's variety show |- | 2004-2005 | ''Oha Suta'' | Themselves; Cara and Mel | TV Tokyo | Appeared as Cara and Mel from January 11-September 8, 2005 |- |}

===Theatre===

{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2005 | {{nihongo|''Mysterious Girl Detectives Cara & Mel: The Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin''|ふしぎ少女探偵キャラ&メル魔のヴァイオリン盗難事件|}} | Cara and Mel | <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/600833/1/ | title=2005年辻希美・加護亜依(W/ダブルユー)主演ミュージカルふしぎ少女探偵キャラ&メル「魔のヴァイオリン盗難事件」 | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> |- |}

==Tours== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Headlining=== * 2004 Summer First Concert Tour ~ W Standby! W & Berryz Kobo (2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/571993/1/ | title=2004夏ファーストコンサートツアー「Wスタンバイ!ダブルユー&ベリーズ工房!」 | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> * 2005 Summer W & Berryz Kobo Concert Tour: High Score! (2005)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/620047/1/ | title=2005年夏 W&Berryz工房コンサートツアー「HIGH SCORE!」 | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> {{col-2}}

===Concert participation=== * Morning Musume Concert Tour 2004 Spring: The Best of Japan (2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/551524/1/ | title=モーニング娘。CONCERT TOUR 2004春 The BEST of Japan | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> * Hello! Project 2004 Summer: Natsu no Dōn! (2004)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/564053/1/ | title=Hello!Project 2004 SUMMER ～夏のドーン!～ | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> * Hello! Project 2005 Winter: All Stars Dai Ranbu: A Happy New Power! Kei Yasuda Graduation Special (2005)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/582261/1/ | title=Hello!Project 2005 Winter オールスターズ大乱舞～A HAPPY NEW POWER! 飯田圭織卒業スペシャル～ | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> * Hello! Pro Party! 2005: Aya Matsuura Captain Kōen (2005)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/338050/products/625849/1/ | title=ハロ☆プロパーティ～!2005～松浦亜弥キャプテン公演～ | language=ja | work=Oricon | access-date=2019-05-06}}</ref> * Hello! Project 20th Anniversary!! Hello! Project Hina Fes 2019 (2019)<ref name="oricon 2019-03-30"/> {{col-end}}

== Publications == * 20 January 2005 – 50W * U+U=W Essaybook

==Notes== {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070406181726/http://www.helloproject.com/artist/08/index.html W's profile on Hello! Project's official site (prior to disbandment)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:W}} Category:Japanese girl groups Category:Japanese idol groups Category:Japanese pop music groups Category:Musical groups established in 2004 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2006 Category:Hello! Project groups Category:Japanese musical duos Category:Musical groups from Tokyo