Kobayashi Yui (Yuipon) / 1st Generation

I just came across this photo and couldn't resist:

 

- C'mon, all it needs is just a little push...

<The little devil in me>

 

Yes, Karin looked pissed and cool, Hono and Renaa giving fanservices, Ten looked odd with that beanie, but Ponpon stole the show in the looks department at the 2023 Rakuten Autumn/Winter Girls awards:

 

I can't resist Yuipon charisma. She really is model material. Her new haircut looks kakkoi, can't wait to see the full ver.

 

Happy Birthday Yuipon!

 

Happy birthday, Yuipon!

 

Happy Birthday, Ponpon!

 

Yuipon has announced graduation on her blog :
https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/news/detail/O00084
https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/diary/detail/53637?ima=0000&cd=blog

Modelpress:
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/4075786

She will graduate from Sakurazaka46 with the 'Kobayashi Yui Graduation Concert' to be held on 1/31 & 2/1 at the Yoyogi First Gymnasium.

 

Wishing you the best, Yuipon!

 

I'm crushed(after all, she's my Oshi). I know, it was expected. After all, she has a busy schedule and as a result wasn't even in some scenes of Shonin Yokkyu.

But at the same time i'm happy she lasted more than expected. I remember many people saying that she was going to announce grad after she came back from hiatus, then many said she was gonna announce grad before her 2nd PB released and that 2nd PB would he her last gift to fans, so i'm glad she is staying a little more and will get a 2 day graduation concert.

Congratulations Yuipon!

 

No! I was expecting Yui to be the last 1st gen remaining... No, I hate this, it's too early...

But she's such a mature and solid-minded girl, so I'm more than 100% sure that she already has planned for a much better future for her out there. Well, she deserves it: she's so good at almost everything, therefore I can only bid her farewell with a big THANK YOU and my warmest wishes for success and, above all, health and happiness!

P.S. After all, its Sakurazaka that owes her more (that longed for by so many fans center position in so many songs) than vice-versa...

 

Wow. It is not entirely unexpected.

I wish her all the happiness in the world.

What's it now for 1st Gens? Koike, Uemu, and Fuyuka? Who's going to be the last to blink?

 

I kinda get the feeling that Fuu will want to send all the members off before leaving, but part of me feels like Miichan will be the one to last until the end, and I can only hope as many 1ki show up to the last remaining members graduation by the time it happens (hopefully coinciding with the 1ki 10th ani)... My hopes of that happening kinda shattered with Yuipon grad, but I feel like the remaining members of 1ki (and scarily even 2ki) have completed all their hopes by performing to oversea's buddies, so I don't expect any 1ki's to stick around be the start of 2025..

Pon grad was expected but honestly? I'm still numb from Habu grad, AND I just said goodbye to Fukuchan from Morning Musume, so I can't even properly process this news...... It will hit me in a few days i'm sure.

 

This announcement was unexpected to me. Maybe, because I didn't follow her to close. I can imagine Miichan actually retiring before her, due to health issues.
I guess, Uemure Rina & Fuyuka will return to senbatsu.
What I keep asking myself, is, why the Keykaki 1st Gens even decided to be transferred to Sakurazaka46, if they didn't thought of staying at least 5 years?
It gives me death generation vibes, just like AKB48 8th Gen.
I expected all, her, Mizuho, Berisa, Sugai Yuuka, Ozeki Rika, Moriya Akane ... to stay much longer.

 

Staying brought a sense of continuation, evolution, and stability. Leaving would've been horrifying for the new born Sakurazaka46, the remaining 2nd Gen, and the fans. I can imagine Keya Army's reaction -- it would not have been pleasant.

 

Very sad news, but I agree with @Philosophy Senpai that she definitely had a good future ahead of her.

I think Miichan will be the last 1-ki to go, only because she currently doesn’t even have much confidence within the group, let alone to be a solo talent or idol. If that changes though, then I could see her leaving ahead of Uemu and Fuyuka.

 

The Twitter post about Yui's blog then coming here to see her name second on my list of unwatched threads and seeing the grad post thread not much further down had me dreading a little. I'm a little torn on this, but I can't be too sad. She's had a good run and feel she came back from that hiatus a better, happier, brighter Yui. Wishing her all the best.

Just to throw in my guess, it'll be Umu -> Mii -> Fuu as the order for the final three 1st ki grads.

 

Rather unexpected graduation announcement. It seems Yuipon already had all this thought out, and didn't want to steal the limelight from Habu's graduation.

Thank you Yuipon, for the time in Keya/Saku, and all the memories.

 

Logic dictates that the order of graduations after Habu should have been (and what I would envision) a double grad for Muu and Fuu within 2024, Mii-chan on 2025 and Pon on either late 2025 or within 2026.

Now... I don't know anymore... Personally and while this may seem strange and unexpected, I would not like to see 1st gens getting too old in this group. Let's face it, an idol should grad just after the peak of her career, at least for successful ones. The most meaningful graduation so far, following this rule have been Nishino Nanase's and somehow Asuka's from nogizaka46.

Shinouchi Mai was a pleasant exception: that girl actually gained from staying so long in the group, something that I don't expect to happen to our beloved remaining 1st gens.

And if you ask me directly what I definitely DON'T want to see is my beloved Fuu-chan leaving last...

Ideally I'd like to see her grad with another girl, probably Muu together increasing the probabilities of a big graduation ceremony (well, because of reality...) - if you see what I mean.

As for Mii-chan, if she's got the stomach to be the glorious last one, I believe there is plenty of room still left for her to shine...

 

I remember i think it was magazine interview where Pon said one of her goals was to perform overseas. I guess now that her wish came true, she felt like there was nothing left for her to archieve as an idol, plus, she has her stable modeling career and maybe we will see her acting again. So i guess no better time to leave after your group had an excepcional year. Like @Philosophy Senpai said, the best time for an idol to grad is at the peak of her career, after that, it's risky to stay and end up losing popularity and relevance to other colleages. Imagine if Acchan stayed more and ended up losing to Sasshi at SSK 2013, maybe her legacy wouldn't be as strong as it is now. Instead, she left at the peak of everything.