When will you 'graduate' from AKB48?

What will it take to make you want to graduate from being an AKB48 fan? Will you graduate when your oshi (or all or most of your favorite members) graduate? Or will you find a new favorite member to follow? Or are you a fan primarily for the music (Aki-P's songwriting, for instance)/concept/community? If so, then what?

What will make you stay a fan?

 

08/12/2015. Or whatever exact date my oshi decides to graduate. It has been a long and fun ride, but my "graduation" is close.

 

Probably once AKB itself dies

 

AKB48 dies with me.

 

Probably when my oshimen graduates...

But there are others who I fancy who can replace my current Kami-oshi...

But, I guess my current situation is 'Announced Graduation'.

 

Never.

 

I'm here until Aki-P or the next person in charge ends the 48groups.

 

I'm sure it will be the same as when I've graduated from all other idol fandoms...when either my 'favorite' graduates and I lose interest, or the music loses its appeal. Oooh, or when the group breaks up! Whichever comes first.

 

I have no idea when I will graduate, but I feel like the most likely reasons for this to happen would either be:

1. Loss of interest.
2. They broke up or disbanded.
3. The only members left are all born after 1994.

 

That...isn't going to happen sometime for the foreseeable future, I'm sorry. Going to continue as a distraction for now...but eventually I'll lose some interest in AKB48, especially when the current members start to gradually leave the group. Not much demand on newer members...

 

All these things put together will need to happen for me to leave the fandom. So far that's not happening (mostly).

1. Not just my oshimen, but all the other members I'm into, leave. And there's no one interesting to replace them
2. Any member that I do like never gets into senbatsu or at most gets stuck in the back row on b-sides
3. Any member that I do like gets barely any screentime on shows, or never gets on a show at all
4. All the shows they're on suck
5. I hate all the music
6. The events aren't enjoyable anymore
7. English subbing grinds to a halt

Spoiler

8. Morning Musume becomes the center of the universe

Replace "Morning Musume" with "AKB48" in the above sentence and most of the list would perfectly describe why I left the H!P fandom long term a few years ago. But since I'm a little frustrated lately with how things are going in 48group, it's slowly starting to turn around again. However, if it gets to the point where in the future number 8 is true, that will be the nail in the coffin for my 48 fandom.

 

When I simply don't enjoy the group anymore.

It's as simple as that, really. I can't really predict what would happen to make me lose interest, it just... happens. Even if Sayanee graduates, I don't think my interest will go down a terrible amount. I love so, so many of the members, new and old, and my oshimen is not the end all be all. My love for AKB48Group as a whole is stronger than my love for Sayanee, to be honest.

However, I CAN say that I will never dislike AKB. AKB will always hold a special place in my heart, even if my interest wanes.

Nevertheless, I have been an AKB fan for 4 years and my interest has yet to falter. I don't see it happening in the near future. I suppose the most likely reason for me to lose interest is if another group/artist captures my full attention.

Spoiler

This is what happened to me a few years ago. I used to be a HUGE H!P fan, from about 2010 to 2012. Throughout my first year or so of being a fan I even actively hated AKB because, frankly, it was the thing to do, especially as a H!P fan. Until early 2011. During the latter half of 2011 to 2012 I'd say my interest in AKB and H!P were about equal. However, around the time UZA came out I had officially made the switch. I started watching 48G shows religiously and quickly learned a huge chunk of the members of all groups. One of the things that attracted me to AKB more-so than H!P was that there was just so much. So much of everything. So many tv shows, so many members, so many songs, so many things to learn and so many things happening all the time. In comparison, H!P seemed very small and quiet and I was growing bored... I still like H!P but I do not keep up with them as much as I keep up with AKB (but that goes with any other group/artist).

 

I tend to graduate from my fandoms around 3~4 years, and i'm starting my 2nd year as wota, so probably i will graduate in 2017 unless something else happens.

 

Probably never. I got really into the group I'd say 8-9 years ago (I discovered AKB when they debuted -I still remember the title of the thread introducing them on that french Idol forum I used to be a member of- but I became crazy in love with them around the time when they released Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou) and all my former oshis from back then graduated. So I don't think any graduation will make me leave the fandom.
At this point I'm too involved, I've spent too much money and time on AKB, I'll graduate from being a fan when the group ceases all activity.

 

Hard to say anything for certain. I'm relatively recent to the group so I've still plenty to check, and I'm doing so pretty slowly.
Probably never, to answer the above question. I thought I'd graduated from watching anime, but now and then something is able to perk my interest. My interest may wane and become dormant, but probably not fully disappear.

 

Hmmm... when Haruppi makes election senbatsu or if Sakura ever outranks Rena Matsui at Sousenkyo... then I think I'm out. If Haruppi makes election senbatsu then I will have watched her go from an unranked unpopular sister group center to top 16 in all of 48G... that is one heck of a ride IMO. And if an idol like Sakura can become more popular than an idol like Rena... then IMO it is probably time for me to leave the fandom.

 

When I lose interest I guess, which probably will happen when Miyuki graduates. But I hope it won't happen because I still want to follow the development and the drama of 48g.

 

Never. I'll eventually lose interest in a couple of years probably, but that's it. Even when I'm not very excited about a certain idol/celebrity, I don't tend to 'cut all ties' with them. (Speaking from experience with a couple of celebrities I was once very crazy about..) Especially akb, where I dedicated so much time and money on them.
Anyway, even if Mayu graduates, I'll still be here, because of Mion. She's the only one I feel almost as strongly for as Mayu. And to see the rest of the newer gens rise up

 

I'm not gonna leave when my oshimen leaves, that's for sure. There's plenty of other girls that I love, that still need support and doubtless grow into even more beautiful idols. Maybe when the lyrics stop being interesting and I don't feel like the members enjoy themselves anymore.

 

I always wanted to believe that I'd graduate when the group disbanded ... but now I'm quite sure I'll graduate when the few members I still follow graduate...