As the youngest two members of the group, she and Kago assumed the roles of the hyperactive troublemakers of Morning Musume. The two were featured in a May 2002 duo compilation photobook, "Tsuji Kago". Fans took to them quickly, dubbing them "The Twins", based on their similar looks and personalities. They both retained these personalities for their initial years with Morning Musume, but by 2003, younger members had joined the group; Kago and Tsuji resorted to maintaining their strong friendship. They were also known as "Two Top" on the television comedy show "Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!": during a special "final exam" episode featuring Morning Musume, the two were both the least knowledgeable when given surprise pop quizzes on several grade school problems, Tsuji being the least knowledgeable and Kago being second, resulting in Tsuji being crowned Bakajo, which means "idiot girl".