Just like there are 'generations' in Morning Musume, Tanpopo also consisted of generations: there were three different line-ups throughout the four years of Tanpopo's existence.
The group was started in 1998 and the first generation consisted of the three Morning Musume members Kaori Iida, Aya Ishiguro, and Mari Yaguchi. They made their debut with the single Last Kiss in November of the same year, which became quite a success.
This very first line-up looked more sober and mature than Morning Musume, although this was to change in the next generation. After four singles and one album, Aya Ishiguro left the group in 1999 and the remaining two girls continued as a duo.
In 2000, Kago Ai and Ishikawa Rika joined the group. This second generation also lost the more serious feel, which was immediately obvious with the first single they released: Otome pasta ni kangeki. Another two singles were released and then it was time for a line-up change again.
In the summer of 2002, the third generation was started. Only one member of the old line-up stayed the same: Ishikawa Rika and the other three girls were replaced. Now, the group consisted of Konno Asami and Niigaki Risa who were also members of Morning Musume, and Shibata Ayumi of Melon Kinenbi.
They released one single BE HAPPY koi no yajirobee, which was still a very poppy song though it didn't have that hyper, bubble-gum pop feeling to it as the second generation had.
Since the release of their last single, the group has been in an indefinite hiatus and it is unsure whether the group will ever make a comeback or not. The majority of the girls are currently still active in the showbiz industry.
