stamper

If this is indeed their decision, I can't help but feel thrilled for them. They've basically sacrificed their entire childhood to be idols, a business which is hardly all sparkles and sunshine. Right now is the perfect time for them to break out, while they still have a chance to fully enjoy the last few years of their youth, and/or establish new career paths now that they know what they really want to do (and I believe some will probably stay with UFA)...or even just drop right into obscurity and live completely normal, boring lives. They've been working professionals since elementary school, they've MORE than earned it

 

Their send-off should be Elder Club graduation levels of epic. H!P will be losing a whole group (several, if you consider Buono! and shuffles, etc), H!P's leader, half of their most senior members, and some of their most popular members, all at once. The fact that they've given nearly a year's warning is a very good sign that they're prepping for a worthy farewell.

 

I also don't doubt that we won't ever see them together again...if T&C can do it, Berryz certainly can!

Yaguchi's my all-time favourite Musume but I can't say I'm disappointed or shocked by this, really. Whatever happens in her private time is no one's business but her own. I don't personally know her or her husband or their relationship, so it ain't my place to judge, simple as that.

 

Curious to see how this will affect her career, though.

One or two seems nice. I personally don't want MM to be huge again just yet. Guess it depends on the depth of the audition pool!

Given her popularity and how much work she gets it seems UFA has bigger and better plans for Karin. At this point she kind of seems 'beyond' being added to an established group. It DOES feel like there's another debut in the works... Group? Solo? Who knows.

Doubt there's any plans to graduate Sayu and Reina immediately but with a theme like すっぴん歌姫 he's definitely looking for their successor(s). Maybe even in a single girl? Fresh-faced but with attitude. Cute but bold. Full of potential but a little lacking in confidence. 9th and 10th gen have girls who were standout talents from the start, so he might go for someone a little more rough around the edges this time. Someone like Ai, who took a few years and a little polishing to rise to the centre.

Mizuki, Haruka and Masaki all have nice voices, and should be decent singers in time I'm sure Tsunku'd love to find another power vocal, but he knows to keep that on his wishlist, not as his criteria.

Roughly: congrats on graduating, hopes the concert goes smoothly (safely), misses everyone and is sorry she can't be there, but the four years she spent with the girls are forever carved in her heart.