They never had actual artistic goals as ℃-ute. Any time somebody asked about what they wanted to do in the future, it was always, the next, bigger venue. I don't think they had the drive to be adult "musical artists" as a unit. (Suzuki obviously wanted to sing as an adult, but ℃-ute as a whole did not, as I saw it)
Then, they're in their low to mid 20s, everybody their age is getting their career going, or their family, or both... How much longer are they going to stay in the sandbox? Try to fill Tokyo Dome? Or just call it...
That said, I still feel "loss." I can't help but feel it's a huge waste. Just a few short years into them "getting it" and their audience "getting them..." All that experience, ability, and catalog organized and ready to move, they close the door. I wish that they had looked at what they were doing and thought, "We want to do this, and better than this forever." But that's not who they were, as people, as a unit.That's just it. Mgmt told them (now that they were all over 20) it was time to leave the H!P sandbox. I remember reading a press release via Up-Front Link (https://www.facebook...profile_browser) were some mgmt guy explained °C-ute was given three options: Stay the same as C-ute outside of H!P, re-organize into a new group under a new name, or disband. The girls chose to disband and go out on top as the longest running group in H!P history. (Everytime I have referred to this press release, someone always says it didn't happen, but Suzuki just confirmed it. saying they were asked to think about their future.)
Greyface, my brother, I know exactly how you feel. I feel that "loss", too. I miss them as a group. I miss the sound of their combined vocals. I have gone back and watched many old concerts and am amazed at the broad category of styles they could perform with. Everything from Cutie J-pop to classical, bossa nova, disco, flamingo, five part A'capella, jazz, and big band. Their performances encompassed everything including tap dancing, flag twirling and pole dancing. *sighs* I don't think J-pop will ever have another group like them.
Why was it "Stay the same as C-ute outside of H!P" or bust (creating a new group sounds like a disaster and not a real option)? Why couldn't they stay as C-ute inside H!P?
Because after Hagiwara Mai turned 20 years old, all °C-ute members were now (at that time) over 20 yrs old. The Hello! Project is for youngsters, teenagers, kids, however you want to quantify being an adolescent in Japan. Haven't you noticed they all leave around 20 years old? Some super popular members hang on into their mid-twenties like Takahashi Ai (26) and Michishige Sayumi (26??). Iikubo Haruna will turn 24 next month and is graduating (she is my favorite currant MM member, someone I really would like to meet, but honestly I am surprised Haruna didn't graduate sooner) .
I wanted them to stay together as an act after they graduated out of H!P, but obviously that is not what they worked out among themselves. It happens among child acts. Almost all of them break up. The Supremes broke up and Dianna Ross became a soloist. The Four Seasons broke up and Frankie Valli became a soloist. Destiny's Child broke up and Bionce' became a soloist. Now °C-ute has done the same and all five are staying in the entertainment business.
