Graduation announcements thread

Yes. The Japanese entertainment industry is so saturated that a failure to stay relevant will mean the doom of one's career. If Miichan needs her name attached to AKB to stay relevant (which is what some are coming to suspect because she refuses to leave despite being in the group so long) then she's really just a hanger-on.

No need to get defensive, this is objective. I would say that Yukirin, Mayu and Sasshi are in the same boat, but all of them have long proven already that they can and will stay relevant post-AKB (Sasshi has her hand in every pie in entertainment, Yukirin has a super dedicated fanbase for her own solo works and Mayu works around the anime industry at least, plus having a lot of dedicated Japanese & overseas fans) so it's not really the same situation.

 

The thing with Miichan is that (I think) there was a time when she had lots of gigs as a guest in tv shows and whatnot, and now... she doesn't seem to have as many?

I feel like she missed her window to make a successful transition into the non-idol industry and now she might struggle to get something if she leaves, hence why she's sticking around.

 

False equivalence.

This. She should have left around 2014/15 when she was getting gigs. Now it might be too late and she's not good looking enough to go gravure/image dvds if the other work is slow.

 

I strongly disagree with this idea that Miichan is doing anything wrong or detrimental by hanging around. She's 1st gen, she helped build the group up from nothing into an international money-printing machine; like her or not, she's earned it. It's annoying when fans start sounding like cold-hearted business execs, rather than being encouraging for the girls and their own personal goals. And who are we to decide for them when they've achieved enough or how they should move forward?

Let's face it, AKB will be the height of most idol's showbiz careers unless they are at the very top and/or very lucky. I'm not gonna blame someone for being smart enough to know this and stick around to reap the benefits she's earned.

The irony is, if you are looking at this from a cold hard business perspective and want to criticize someone for "squatting" or not doing enough, it's the middle gens onward (and the way they were managed, in fairness) who came in coasting on the fame that Miichan and other OGs built for them. Most of them were/are little more than plugs to fill the holes left by OGs and were sorely lacking in the same level of appeal and desperation becuase they didn't need it to be succesful; being in AKB (especially if you were a chosen plug) was like you already "made it" - no extra effort required! That's the real reason AKB stagnated - not because the old guard hung around too long, but because their replacements simply weren't on the same level and don't even have to try to be.

On the birght side, Team 8 look to be the saviours of AKB. I don't really follow the rest of AKB so I can't speak for the newest gens/draftees, but Team 8 is amazing and somehow captures the same spirit and determination of the OG. Probably because they had time to develop independently from the aforementioned gens.

 

It hurts to say this but I do think Churi's likely to graduate soon, she's got a lot ahead of her in terms of work outside the group, and also I think she's done her fair bit to get KII known, and the whole of SKE. I think Churi deserves to graduate... big. Grad con, grad single.... but knowing management I highly doubt they would give her a grad con

 

I do agree with this. Some of the girls in these gens truly loved AKB and cared about its success and tried very hard while others were wholly focused on themselves and their own potential rather than the group's, which is likely a factor leading to AKB's decline. The passion for the group stands out in people like Naachan and Yuiri because they talk about how much they love it all the time and can be clearly seen throwing their efforts in 500% for the good of the group itself, a mindset you can compare to other members who simply don't seem to concern themselves as much with the group.

But just because 1st gen were the progenitors and were forced to cultivate interesting/unique characters for the group to find success shouldn't mean they get a free pass to hang around until they're 30. That's not really how an idol group works. It's interesting that AKB doesn't appear to have forced graduations at a certain age limit like some other idol groups, but idol groups (that aren't strictly adult-themed) are generally built around fresh-faced preteens/teens who are honestly best off with candle careers - burn bright and leave before you fade away. Miichan has missed tons of chances to leave while she was still bright. The people who were annoyed by the dragging out of Takamina's graudation over a year are the same ones who are inclined to be annoyed that Miichan is dragging out her grad announcement for years. At least Kojiharu had the sense to leave already. It would have been best if they'd left as a trio.

But of course that's just my opinion. Miichan gonna do what she gonna do and there's nothing I can do about it

@Furukawa_Akane: I would love to see Churi get a grad concert and have some of her genmates come back to sing with her.

 

Just the same as the dark knight story

You either die like a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

 

@Silenka : Miichan is 24. That's Sasshi's age and over a year younger than Yukirin and Rie. Just because she's been around since gen 1, she is far from "hanging around until [she's] 30"

Maybe people are voting for her in SSK so she finally graduates, but honestly if I were her, I'd look at my numbers and come to the conclusion that people still want me around and that I do have a chance to make senbatsu again.

In my opinion, she's a lot prettier these days than she was when she was younger, and she has actually been able to get work outside of AKB. I can see her starring in more movies and dramas and continuing to be sought after for ads and stuff after she graduates.

 

I honestly don't really notice Miichan's presence in the group anymore, so I personally don't mind if she stays or leave. the only times where she is noticed is for elections when she ranks, and for senbatsu if she is picked (just for last row or something). so I guess those who insist to see her graduation as soon as possible have their reasons related to elections/senbatsu, they want Miichan gone so that their fav gets a chance to rank higher or be picked to stand in the background.

Here's the thing though, if your fav is good enough she can rank high and surpass others without other more popular girls having to graduate. and getting a free ride to higher spots isn't even impressive because the rank is given, not earned. Besides, there are girls graduating every year so there will be free spots anyway.

I'm personally not interested in Miichan's rank next year for elections but either she will rank up to senbatsu and graduate, or she will rank down and give up and graduate, or she will rank around the same and maybe this time she'll think it's better for her to move on. who knows. but it's her decisions and right now I don't really mind whatever she does since I barely see her anyway, LOL.

I agree so much with everything you said, especially this part of your comment about the current situation of AKB and the old gen / new gen difference.

also yes, Team 8 are definitely the saviors of AKB. "Team 8 is amazing and somehow captures the same spirit and determination of the OG" +100000

 

At this point, everyone would be cheering if Miichan announced her graduation instead of feeling sad lol

 

This is a problem with AKB fandom, the tendancy to lionise the original generations while at the same time taking them out of the entire context of the historical view of AKB48. So much of the success of those generations (or rather the senbatsu that emerged from them in 2009-11) was a matter of "right time, right place". AKB could gone out of business in 2008 after the "44 posters scandal" and being kicked off their record label, if that had happened then those "OG" may (or more likely would) have been viewed as being failures, there would have been no "eternal ace Acchan" or "Saint Takamina". The difference between legendary status and failure can be that close.

People are sad when members go at the right time or before the right time, not when people outstay their welcome.

 

Of course. But that didn't happen. and it's not like the new gens are having a hard time LOL. AKB will keep releasing singles, keep having shows, keep having the theater and everything else. the current AKB and all the new gens don't have to worry about the same things that the original gens had to worry about. AKB isn't going out of business now for sure, so the new gens have all they need to show their potential and worth. but nothing much is coming out of it, so...

You can say what you want to say about "right time, right place" but the old gens did have something special. AKB could have failed like many idol groups do. but no, they got successful. of course a lot of things were different back then. but if you take the current new gens & had them as AKB 1st gen, would it have been as successful? the answer is no. the members do matter, just as much as how the group is managed etc. Just look at Keyaki, would they be as big if they didn't have Techi? I don't think so. I'm sure they would have done fine, but she does have something special that attracted a LOT of people. so yes the members do matter.

Besides, right now, it's pretty much "right time, right place" for the AKB new gens. Right place because AKB is still a successful group, still doing tons of activities, they don't have any "big" struggle. Right time because all old gens are pretty much leaving and new gens are getting their big push for some years already now. even though people on this forum complain a lot but the AKB new gens have had more exposure than any AKB old gen (except MaYuki) and any sister group new gen in the past years. if that's not enough to build big fandoms and eventually get noticed by the public, then nothing else will work. You have it or you don't.

 

Excuse me?!?! New gens have their own struggles the ori gens never had to deal with. Like having to live under the shadow of glorified ori gens that they will never surpass. And not all new gens are given opportunities or means to gain popularity. It's not even about hardwork. It's an insult and very ignorant to imply that those who are not popular are so because they don't work hard. Even more insulting when a glorified 1st gen would claim hard work got her to where she is when from the very start, she was one of the privileged and pushed member among her fellow first gen.

And with Minegishi, yes, she doesn't have to leave as long as she has the gall to stay despite of the embarrassment she put the industry in. Basically, after the incident, it's no longer her giving something to the group but more of her leeching from the group.

But by all means, she has the right to stay.

 

I disagree with everyone who are saying that Miichan should graduate or that her graduation is overdue. She’s an AKB member like everyone else. It’s not like she’s slacking off or doing anything that is harmful to AKB. Why should she be treated any different from any other members from other generations? She will graduate when feel like it. She’s the only person who knows when it’s the right time to graduate. It’s not like her presence in the group is harming the group progress. And just because a few people wish Miichan will leave the group does not mean everyone does. So saying that everyone will be cheering when she leaves is insulting to Miichan herself and her fans. All members have fans. And those fans will be sad when the member decides to graduate.


@filipinosayakafan
I know that you have a history of disliking Takamina but I still want to clear up some of the things you said. Saying that she’s “glorified” and “claiming hard work got her to where she is” and “privileged” is definitely not true. Never once has Takamina said that she was better than anyone else in the group. Even in all the press conferences and interview she did before she graduated when asked if AKB will be alright after she graduates. Takamina always emphasized that AKB will be fine b/c it doesn’t matter who graduates AKB will be fine b/c of the new generations are there. Also saying that she claimed hard work got her to where she is, is not true. Please refer to her 2015 speech. She’s the only member that acknowledges every members’ hard work and acknowledge that hard work will not always be rewarded but it is the first step. The third part is saying that she’s privileged. I acknowledge that she has been given opportunities like many of the people in her generation and the generations following it. But saying that she’s privileged is not correct, she like many other members took those opportunities and worked hard. She did not have anything handed to her.

 

Quite possibly. The current members would have developed differently had they not had the legacy of the old members to live up to. Don't get me wrong, I loved Acchan and Mariko and Tomochin and the rest but if AKB didn't have King Records marketing strategy (handshakes,handshakes,handshakes) and Aki-P hitting the jackpot with gimmick events like SSK and Janken then they probably wouldn't have reached the heights that they did or gotten public attention that they did.

This is another exhibit of lionisation, Techi is the new Acchan-Jesus apparently. It ignores the overall image of K46 which struck a chord with the new generation of edgelords in the fandom.

Nope, it still goes back to "Right time, Right place", the Beatles weren't "it" forever, the Stones weren't "it" forever, every group that really hits the zeitgeist has it's stratospheric 2 or 3 years after which it reaches a level of general popularity without being everywhere.

And to say that the new generation members like Naachan or Kojimako have had as much exposure as the 2009-11 senbatsu is plain out just wrong.

Nope, that was her fans. On and on and on.

 

@Reveen
Every members have fans who believe that their oshi is better than other members. I've seen it on this forum very often for different members. And as a Takamina fan I will say her fans are no different.

(My original post was to clear up what another person wrote. It wasn't intended to try to change anyone opinion or views...)

 

The talk about ori-gens being better than new-gens happens literally in every idol group with a graduation system that stays around long enough.
The same happened with Morning Musume and then people cried when Sayumin left lol

The first gens have no option but to be outspoken, outgoing, out-there, etc if they want to be noticed.
Plus, in AKB they recruited the first gens looking for very different girls because they didn't know what the fans wanted.

9th gen (Yui, Paruru, etc.) came into the group in 2009, during a time where the senbatsu stayed almost the same for years.
Yui got her first senbatsu in 2011.
Paruru got her first senbatsu in 2012.
And it's only gone worse where girls have to wait forever just to be considered for the very last row (unless you just auditioned for one of the new groups or something).

It's not the girls' fault that management is basically saying "We have no idea why we got these girls in the group, we don't know what to do with them!".

Also, do you know how Japanese culture works?
If you have your senpai in front of you, you shut up until you're acknowledged.
We see this a lot with theatre girls who just disappear inthe background when the big girls are in, but then they're just as lively among peers (the whole Team 8 being proof of this).

As with Morning Musume, I feel like comparisons are gonna keep happening until the links witn the golden era are cut.
In their case was Sayumi.
In AKB... well, Miichan, Mayu and Yukirin, basically. I'd throw in Jurina but god knows she's staying until she's 50.

 

This is a bit off-topic but this is the reason why I enjoy seeing Ogiyuka at senbatsu and always interacting with the veterans. She takes a lot of photos with Sasshi and Mayu without seeming to care much about the senpai-kouhai hierarchy.
And Mayu is a bit more outgoing in general these days, maybe because she's graduating soon... A few years ago I wouldn't have imagined her interacting that way with Ogiyuka.

 

Otaki Yuria announced graduation. She will leave at the end of October

 

Dang it, I wasn't expecting Otaki to graduate so soon...

Best wishes to her and her future endeavors though.