Time for Graduations

This year there have been especially many major graduation announcements and graduations of a lot of my favourite members. In this post I will talk about some of the most important ones lately. Talking about graduations in general, I don't see it as something bad as it means a new beginning for these members. But at first I'm always really sad to see them leave the Idol world
Adding to that it is kind of funny how I'm always in University when an Idol announces their graduation.. Usually in the library. There are two friends of mine that saw my reaction on graduation announcements quite a few times actually.

But anyways, let's start this list with the recent graduation announcements from H!P:

Wada Ayaka

ANGERME member Wada Ayaka announced to graduate in spring next year. As not only the group's leader but also H!P's leader, she is a very important figure for the project. Being the only original S/mileage member left, it feels very nostalgic to see her finally leave the Idol world. This will definitely start a new chapter and I wonder if Fukuchan will be the next H!P leader.
I'm very happy that I got to see her at an ANGERME concert in Japan and I will always remember her as one of m favourite Idols ever.. even though I did have a rough start with her haha. I didn't really like her voice in the beginning but she did improve a lot and now I love her so much.
But I'm looking forward to her future and since she is good at so many things, art as well, I can't wait to see her living her life to the fullest and being happy with anything she does.


Iikubo Haruna

Next up is a Morning Musume member. After Duu and Ogata Haruna's graduation I thought it would take a longer time for someone to graduate. But Iikubo Haruna announced her graduation for the end of the fall tour. She is the second of her generation to graduate and since she is the oldest of the group it doesn't come as a very big surprise. It is still weird to see her go, since she has been part of the line-up that I especially started to love and she is such a funny person. She is actually good friends with Ayacho, which is why it's kind of cool to see them graduate so close to each other. I wonder what Harunan will do in her future activities because she has so many hobbies and a very good talker.
With this graduation I wonder who will graduate next because the colorful era members are all graduating lately.. There might also be a new audition for the next generation maybe next year. There are a lot of members in Momusu right now though. Well, it is always exciting to see change in the member line-up. She is set to graduate on December 16, at the end of Morning Musume's Autumn Tour.. so we still have some time left with her!

Let's move on to the 48group portion:

Yamamoto Sayaka

Her graduation concert from NMB48 was actually today! Sayaka announced her graduation from 48group on July 30 and left everyone in shock. Actually, it doesn't really surprise me that much. She has a solo career and didn't even participate in Sousenkyo anymore. I think she will do great outside of NMB/ AKB so I really support her decision a lot. I do love to see her as an Idol as well and meeting her at an handshake event was one of the best things ever. But there is so much more she can achieve outside of being an Idol. I can't wait to see her career as a solo artist get even bigger and I hope she will do things that make her happy.

Takeuchi Miyu

Miyu announced her graduation on September 4. I did not always follow Miyu a lot but I always apprechiated her amazing vocals. After participating in Produce48 and barely not making it into the final line-up, I was expecting her to announce her graduation and she did. Well, Miyu hasn't really been treated well by management and was long left in the shadows. It's quite cool how many fans she got through PD48, so maybe it is her goal to go to Korea now? In anything she does, I hope she gets the support she deserves and I'm just happy she got to be included in one last AKB single (even though it is hard to find her).

Sakamichi:

Nishino Nanase

One of the hardest graduation announcements for me personally was definitely Nanase.
She just announced it last month on September 20. This single will be her last and she is center again for it. She also has another new solo song, which is so sweet and made me emotional! She has been my favourite Nogizaka member almost since the beginning and I adore her so much as an Idol and as a person. She is one of the biggest reasons I got to like Nogizaka so much and I still remember cheering on her first center in Kidzuitara Kataomoi. I somehow which I could go back to that time, it was just so perfect! I wish I could have met her in Japan but I just wasn't really that lucky in her case. Nanase is so lovely and I just hope she will be happy in her future! It would be nice to still see her as a model but it is on her to decide what to do with her future.
Nogizaka will definitely be different for me after she graduates. There are still a lot of other members and I will continue to support the group. I will cherish the time that is left with her as a member!!
And everyone thought Shiraishi would graduate first haha..

Wakatsuki Yumi

Wakatsuki announced her graduation on October 1. She was my first favourite member from Nogizaka and definitely on of the first I recognized at all (together with Reika). She is also the only Sakamichi Series memebr that I have actually met in real life. I'm so happy I got to do that. Wakatsuki participated in a lot of stage plays and has so many skills on stage. I love her a lot and I'm sad to see her leaving Reika's side (haha) but I know she will be a great actress in the future ;)
Nogizaka without Nanase and Wakatsuki will be really weird.. I hope the do something together again! I still remember Mukuchi na Lion and the following video they did together :)

Noujo Ami

Noujo announced her graduation on October 5. She hasn't been in senbatsu since 2012 so I can understand her decision. She is pretty funny, especially with Kazumin xD
Best luck to her!!

Imaizumi Yui

After having been absent quite often for health reasons, Imaizumi announced her graduation on August 7. After he hiatus last year it doesn't come as much of a surprise.. It's still very very sad, because she doesn't really want to graduate. It's her health that is stopping her from performing normally. She is auch a talented member and I really hope she will be able to do what she want to do in the future!

Yonetani Nanami

Yone is the member I expected it the least. She is only 18 and Keyaki is still quite new and on the way to become even more popular.. I quite like Yone, she is funny and just ver lovely as a person. I wish her the best of luck for her future!

Stardust:

Ito Chiyuri

Last but definitely not least is Chiyu, who already graduated on October 22. Since I'm such a big Syachi fan, it is really weird to see one of the members graduate. It was already weird when Yuzu left the group and I still miss their original 6 member line-up. Chiyu is an amazing performer, has one of the best Idol voices and is all in all one of my favourite Idols ever. I also love her friendshipt with Ayacho and how she is still in contact with her since was auditioning for Smileage. But I'm happy that Chiyu was part of Team Sachihoko. I still feel sad about her decision but I support her whatever she wants to do in the future!! Thank you for everything, Chiyu. Don't cry!
Btw, Team Syachihoko is now called Team Syachi.



So these have been some graduations of Idols that I am very fond of. On the one hand it breaks my heart to see them go, but on the other hand I am looking forward to their future activities. Idols are humans too and I just wish them so much happiness for their lives!!

Fun fact
These members were born in 1994: Ayaka, Haruna, Nanase, Yumi and Ami. Sayanee was even born in 1993.This follows the trend of Idols graduating when they are 24 or 25. Of course, all of these members have been in their respective groups for quite some time and they all have different future goals, so it makes a lot of sense. But it's still interesting to see.

Jurina is back

Right after AKB48's general election, Matsui Jurina was taking a break from all Idol activities, including 48group and also dropping out of Produce48. Jurina had health problems prior to the election and as they were getting worse she decided to stop all activities for a few months.
Well, now she has returned to perform with AKB and SKE again and she is slowly resuming other actvities as well. She is still not active on social media though.

In her absence, I as well other fans were of course worrying a lot about her. I think it was definitely a  good decision to take a break judging from her health problems (also concerning her mental health). It feels as if Jurina has been working for more than 10 years straight without ever really taking a break. Especially now with so many seniors graduating she must be stressed out even more. Knowing that she is a hardworker I think she has a lot of pressure as the number 1 in the whole 48group. Hence, I can also understand why she will not participate in the next single. Even more than her being active I want her to be healthy so I see her condition to be the most important. It makes me really happy that she had the chance to even take such a break and that she is now healthier and most importantly happier!

She won the election but she could not participate in any activities surrounding the single. Not even the filming of the music video. To keep up AKB48's important single schedule they did film a video - without her. This became a big issue.
I can kind of understand this decision from a marketing perspective as this single is important not only for the Senbatsu winner. Adding to that, they did not know when Jurina would return. Still, it is kind of sad to see this video, especially how it was produced. They did not simply film it without Jurina, they left drawings for her scenes. I guess these should later be replaced by real Jurina scenes but it is kind of weird to see. The whole story in this video is very emotional which does not make it better (and Sakura overshadowing Dasu by a lot).

The most surprising thing though was when a computer animated Jurina appeared in the dancing scenes:

Again, I understand that they had to release SOMETHING and the approach is not bad but this animated Jurina does look really weird. Seems like they just thought about how they would renew the scene later so it has this unfinished touch.
To be honest I do not really like it. The video as a whole looks beautiful and has some really nice shots and scenes but this feels quite cheap.

But I guess I cannot change a thing and I can definitely live with this.
I am just happy that Jurina is back being happy and healthy. I do also wonder how the remake version with Jurina actually being there will look like.

Jurina is back, as am I :)