Hello! Project Kids is a collection of younger artists in H!P. They originally auditioned in 2002 and started mostly as back-up dancers in music videos and live events. Currenly they have been split into subgroups Berryz Koubou, Aa! and XYZ, although only Berryz is really active these days. In addition to that 4 of the kids performed under the name 4KIDS for Mini Moni's movie PVs.
The subgroups are quite dynamic in their configuration, as school and other matters limit the availability of members.
History
The history of Hello! Project kids began in 2002, around June, when the auditions were held. There almost 28,000 applications. The final choises consisted of 15 kids, all of whom being under 6th grade students.
The original plans were to have the kids mostly in low-profile roles -- in large Hello! Project events and in background of other groups' songs and so on.
And so it began. Already in July of 2002 the kids made their first appearance in a Hello! Project summer event. In december 4 of the kids (labeled as
4KIDS) appeaded in the
Mini Moni movie
Okashi na Daibouken. In early 2003 some of the kids appeared in
Miki Fujimoto's PV
Boogie Train '03.
The first real H!P kids subgroup,
ZYX, was announced in June of the same year. The group would feature 5 kids, but the group would be lead by
Morning Musume's
Mari Yaguchi. Soon afterwards
Aa! featuring two kids and Morning Musume's
Reina Tanaka was announced and released their single. In December of 2003
ZYX released second single. The two groups have been silent ever since.
In January of 2004 the largest H!P kids group (and only one not featuring MM members),
Berryz Koubou was announced. In March they released their first single and have been releasing singles quite actively ever since. It is quite possible that the substancially larger support this group is given is largely due to the fact that it fills the void left by
Mini Moni having been disbanded in spring of 2004.
Berryz Koubou has been one of the most active Hello! Project groups ever since the group's introduction.
As BK was the only H!P kids group, still leaving 8 kids without a group,
°C-ute was formed, and it consists only of the kids not in BK.