Early last year I was saving some Tsuribit pictures from the Twitter of one of the many idol fans that follow a lot of different groups and upload some very high quality pictures. While scrolling through what else they had, found some pictures of 戸羽望実 (Toba Nozomi) and thought she was cute so I started to research her history and that led me to Hako Musu.
Their music is quieter and not what I normally like but it's actually nice to listen to and their stage performances are usually a mix of song and story telling with acting. Nozomi has remained my oshi, mainly because she's the first member I knew, and I'll occasionally visit their click channel and watch the peformances they upload.
This is the video for 「はんぶん不思議(CoCoカバー)」 which is the last single that 鉄戸美桜 (Tetsudo Mio) was a part of.
This is Tetsudo Mio's graduation movie and saying goodbye to an idol is always bittersweet.
This is the video for their newest original song Etoile o Yumemite and it is about dreaming to be a ballet principal dancer or étoile (french for star). In the picture above, that's 阿部かれん (Abe Karen) holding books and standing apart from the rest as if she's telling us something.
In preparation for their 1st Solo Concert on 7/29 celebrating their fourth anniversary, the Hako Musu members attended a training camp to not only improve their performance skills, but also their stamina.
...just to make that brute of an idol Mori Saki cry! click
In her graduation announcement, Karen mentioned that she is currently attending university but because of her scores on her entrance examination, she didn't qualify for the program she wanted. Not willing to abandon her dream for her future, she is leaving the life of an idol so she can try the entrance examination again next February.
Rina is my second behind Nozomi because she has a wonderful singing voice and she has such beautiful hair. Since October she has been on a medical hiatus and now she has cut her hair and her last performance will be 03/23.
There will also be a new generation debut in April.
Rant ahead.
Spoiler
Most of the idols I follow are from the lesser known groups and in March there will be several graduations. In addition to Rina; there is Hoshitani Wako from Kyto Purpure, Kishimoto Mizuki and Takaoka Mei from Okinawa Swip, and of course, all of tsuribit. It's hard on my fandom but I am mostly saddened by the thought of what the girls must go through to adjust to life outside the idol universe.
Recently, one of the girls, S☆G NO.13 on Showroom, who made it to the final selection for the Super☆Girls audition gave up her idol dream. After making it to the final stage and not getting selected, she opened a new Showroom and Twitter and continued to engage with her supporters. Then all of a sudden she was gone. Same thing happened with Nagasawa Yura who graduated from Alice Project ~cerisier~ to be a model. And there was linoa of Happy Kuru Kuru; unexpectedly her Twitter was locked and she quit posting then a month later the entire group was disbanded and all the SNS accounts were deleted.
Hoshitani Wako
back: Takaoka Mei
front: Kishimoto Mizuki
Kokoro
Nagasawa Yura
linoa
This has me in a real funk and I guess I just need to buy something new. Fortunately, MELLOW MELLOW has announced a new single that will release in April.
☆ And at today's performance I had the privilege to make an annoucement, ☆ member Wagatsuma Momomi on 9/28 (Saturday) at the Cultures regular performance will graduate from Hakoiri Musume. ☆ A 1st generation member, leader and performer active for 5 years that was achieved by Wagatsuma's determination, please warmly accept her happiness. ☆ For the remaining 3 months, please continue to support her! | ☆ [Apology ・ Correction] ☆ The Wagatsuma Momomi Graduation Performance is the 9/29 (Sunday) evening performance. ☆ This will be at the AKIBA Cultures Theater so everyone certainly come and give Wagatsuma a happy send off. ☆ Thank you very much.
☆ Then after the 7/28 (Sunday) 2nd Concert Hakoiri Musume 3rd generation Yoshida Manyou will be the leader, ☆Inoue Hiruna has the privilege of being the sub-leader! ☆ Not yet having Wagatsuma's abilities to perform the job, ☆ a 2 person strategy is a new HakoMusu arrangement that I think is the way to go, ☆ thank you for your warm support!
ikkubaru is a group from Bandung, Indonesia and this is from their profile page...
Ikkubaru influenced by the 80’s Japanese pop song or so-called “City Pop” genre by the Japanese. They are much influenced by Japanese musicians such as Tatsuro Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Mariya Takeuchi, etc.
They have recently produced a Music Video for their single skyline and used selfie video taken by 我妻 桃実 (Wagatsuma Momomi) and 阿部 かれん (Abe Karen) in 2016. The video is a celebration of the ハコイリ♡ムスメ (HakoMusu) 1st Generation, Momomi, and 2nd Generation, Karen, with only a very brief appearance by 3rd Generation 星 里奈 (Hoshi Rina), 吉田 万葉 (Yoshida Manyou) and 井上 姫月 (Inoue Hiruna).
Since that video was released Momomi has graduated and previously Karen, as the only member of 2nd Gen, had left last year then she was followed earlier this year by Rina, who was the first 3rd Gen member to graduate.
(l to r) Rina, Karen, Momomi
When Momomi's graduation was announced it was also announced that Manyou would be the leader and Hiruna the sub-leader of a new form of HakoMusu made up of the remaining 3rd Gen, the three 4th Gen, 寺島 和花 (Terashima Waka), 塩野 虹 (Shiono Nana), 戸羽 望実 (Toba Nozomi) and the two members of the new 5th Gen, 依田 彩花 (Yoda Ayaka), 山本 花奈 (Yamamoto Hana).
(l to r) Momomi, Manyou, Hiruna, Nana, Waka, Nozomi, Ayaka, Hana
In preparation for their 2nd Concert, in early July HakoMusu traveled to Okinawa on an expedition to attend training camp...
They also wore for the first time some new costumes that included a set using Okinawan patterned cloth and motifs...
(l to r) Momomi, Nana, Hana, Ayaka, Manyou, Nozomi, Hiruna, Waka
...and a set of casual outfits...
(l to r) Waka, Manyou, Hana, Momomi
...very casual.
(l to r) Ayaka, Nozomi, Nana, Hiruna
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
After HakoMusu returned to Tokyo, Waka and Nozomi, my oshimen, missed several performances and events. The HakoMusu staff would announce on the day of the expected appearance that one or both of them would be absent or there would be no notice given. At TIF 2019 they both missed some of the stage performances though they were there in backstage photos for all of them and the HakoMusu staff had announced on 08/01 that 8 members would be at all of the performances. At the end of their training camp in Okinawa they had two free outdoor performances and both Waka and Nozomi suffered a heatstroke and depending on the severity, that can lead to a long recovery or even a permanent debilitation.
That worried me about my oshi and her tenure in HakoMusu.
Prior to the 2nd Concert on 07/28 a brief introduction to each member was posted on the official twitter and two reports with interviews and photos were posted to PigooFactory, Vocal Lesson and Dance Lesson, and in each one there is a mention of how mature Nozomi is both physically and emotionally, and how much her singing voice has developed.
Toba Nozomi Junior high school second grader, 14 years old. 4th generation. The youngest but adult-like voice and appearance possessor is Toba. Singing skills will also improve, and you will be able to sing a heart-rendering song with plenty of emotion! I live in Iwate and I don't bear hot places well, but with my favorite strawberries and milk at the concert I will persevere. #HakoMusu #Introduction
She travels on her own between her home in Iwate and Tokyo (300mi / 480 km) every weekend to attend the theater and she was close to more senior members Karen and Rina. Waka had complained that the only member that was invited to and actually visited Karen's home in Osaka was Nozomi.
(l to r) Nozomi, Karen, Rina
After she graduated from HakoMusu on 10/06/2018 Karen continued to post on her official twitter until on 10/30/2018...
The other day, I went to a management office meeting. At this time, Abe Karen decided to quit the office. Also, I turned off Twitter.
Until now, thank you for watching me so much and supporting me(❁´ω`❁) See you again somewhere See you! ! !
...and that same day HakoMusu announced that Rina was going to be on an extended hiatus due to poor health.
My worry has been that Nozomi would follow Rina who followed Karen and now that she's in poor health in addition to her weekly journey...
I will be graduating from HakoiriMusume on October 22nd. Thank you very much for your support for two and a half years. Just looking at your smile made me happy and energetic every day. The remaining period has been reduced, but I will continue to do my best. Thank you.
【Notice】 Hakoiri ♡ Musume will enter a recharging period until Spring 2020 after the October edition of the regular show of Hakoiri Musume on 10/22. Along with this, members Terashima Waka and Toba Nozomi will graduate from the group. We will post comments from members here.
During the recharging period the remaining five members will be creating a new Hakoiri♡Musume that continues the traditions of the original but with a different presentation. After the show on 10/22, there will be no further performances until next Spring and they ask for everyone to please wait for their return.
♪☆♪☆♪☆♪☆♪☆♪
For me, these members will always be Hakoiri♡Musume.
The official announcement states that "Hakoiri♡Musume was born as a limited time unit in the summer of 2014" and that after working for 5 years, that limited time will end on April 11th.
[From Everyone at HakoiriMusume] There is an important news from everyone at HakoiriMusume. Please take a look here. http://u0u0.net/Zydw I'm sorry for this announcement, but I'm glad if you could spend the time together until the end. Thank you
The announcement includes comments from each of the members and though there is nothing definite said about the future, it seems that Hiruna and Nana will no longer be entertainers.
吉田万葉 (Yoshida Manyou)
Idol is a thing packed with what I like.
井上姫月 (Inoue Hiruna)
...I want to make a decision that seems to be good for me, so I'll do my best to do what I can. ...I'm sorry for such selfishness.
塩野虹 (Shiono Nana)
I found one new dream while working at HakoMusu. So, in the future, I want to study toward that dream.
依田彩花 (Yoda Ayaka)
While there are thousands and thousands of idols, for finding Hakoiri♡Musume and Ayaka Yoda thank you very much.
山本花奈 (Yamamoto Hana)
Making use of this experience, I will continue to challenge various things and I want to realize my dream of being an "actress".
...making Iwate Prefecture in northeast Japan the only prefecture of the 47 that is free of infections.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Nozomi has been fairly quiet on SNS since graduating from Hakoiri Musume and she deleted both her Instagram and TikTok public accounts.
Waka, Nozomi
She was in Tokyo for business in February and was able to meet up with 寺島和花 (Terashima Waka) for a day's romp.
Around this time, Nozomi's artist profile at BOX CORPORATION was deleted but then returned several days later with a new headshot and without the Hakoiri Musume logo.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
This is the first tweet that Nozomi made after graduating and it is pinned to the top of her timeline...
This song was my favorite song among HakoMusu cover songs. I still love this song after graduating from HakoMusu.
From now on, I would like to do my best to become myself. Everyone, let's look forward to HakoMusu starting in spring
I tried to sing so please listen!
[text in last still]
I love everybody so much
Hakoiri Musume with these two people
Together it was really good!
...and the last verse of this song is what she sings.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
For over a year Nozomi had a different tweet pinned with video where she danced to this song..
...and I would watch her dance just about every day, but it wasn't until she removed the pin and I had to go look for the tweet that I noticed this...