Kitahara Rie (Kitarie) / AKB48 5th Generation

I never thought about the fact that Rie would graduate at some point as well so I'm surprise but I'm not sad!If anything,if she didn't got all those opportunities I figured she would have graduated before she had been offer the captaincy of NGT since she seemed really sad at the time!Now she has left her mark with NGT and I'm still really glad she got back into senbatsu for the Halloween Night single!She looked awesome there!

So good luck for you future Rie!

 

Wow I'm sad. I still remember when I first saw her on AKBingo ^^ Well soon she will be 10 years in 48group and I think it's a good time for her but a bad time for NGT. I wish all the best ^^

When did she act? .-.

 

Outside of 48G related dramas (Majisuka, Higurashi, horror night, the romance one), she also appeared in Minna Esper Dayo and a bunch of other TV dramas and films.
http://asianwiki.com/Rie_Kitahara

I'm still in the process of putting together all the things I want to say about Rie and her graduation, but she's been a fantastic member of 48G, and I look forward to her future work.

 

Congraduations Kitarie!!!
You did your best.. 1 of AKB Legend.. Respect...

Btw, i like her acting in Chris Hart MV "Boku wa koko de ikiteiku" last year..

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Sad to hear this, and at the same time i'm happy, she had a good run and did a great job with ngt, she will be missed.

PS: I'm still hoping for a photobook

 

Although I understand if people are sad to see Kitarie leave, there's no reason to feel sad for her, she's done everything she could do in her idol career and come out of it with a good agency, strong outside work, plenty of connections and a lot of goodwill. She got out of the dead end of being in AKB and shepherded a new group to a successful launch and re-entered the AKB senbatsu, leaving now is the right time for her.

 

I'm wishing her all the best.. she, together with Kuramochi Asuka, was one of the first Kenkyuusei I really liked. I haven't been around the 48G for very long (only about 2 or 3 years now), but I became a fan through watching AKBingo and I even remember the first time I saw her on it was when she was one of the linesmen (together with Sasshi, I think?) in Muchaburi Dodgeball...

I'm sad to see her leave as I'm currently very fond of NGT and it has reignited my love for her back then, but I understand why she's leaving. It's a good time for her, and it's better to let things go when you're at the top and exit gracefully.

She's an amazingly beautiful person and so very graceful. Thank you Kitarie

 

Noooo... I was hoping she would stay in NGT like Sasshi with HKT.

I really thought Yukirin would leave first...

 

she really a great captain and really care about others member

 

Feels so sad man, I was watching old akb variety show episodes yesterday getting a lot of laughs and then realizing that nearly all of them have graduated. Then finding out this morning that Kitarie announced her graduation. I don't know what I'm going to do once everyone from 1st to 9th generation graduates.

 

I remember watching an old Nemousu when she and Sasshi were in AKB, & noticing how closely bonded they were (think they were still living together with Shiichan at the time, or slightly afterwards). They were like a manzai duo, each knowing exactly how the other thinks and could react in a split second to increase the tension. So when she announced her iseki and captaincy of the unknown frontier of the new Niigata 48 group... was excited to see the opportunity for her to spread her wings and make a mark. And hooooly Jesus, she sure did.

She leaves behind an NGT48 with some of the strongest bonds and group cohesion in the whole J48G, not to mention the best combination of skillsets for what drives and keeps a group afloat in this time of great uncertainty. The huuuge popularity and turnout at SSK17 was the obvious result, IMO. My only fear is, it was her strong and experienced leadership at the individual level, that was the rich soil from which the brilliant flower emerged... will it continue without her?

Replacing her will be impossible. But like all great things, her window has come to transition. I think in large part the Japanese have an uneasy relationship with change... but in 48G at least no one denies the reality of graduation. I hope by next Spring (2018, Year of the Dog -- quite a good year as AKB48 got on their feet in 2006, the last YotD) OgiYuka, Gatanee and the forward rank of NGT will have picked their sage leader clean of wisdom for the next era of the group -- Gen2 and beyond.

All the best of everything, and thank you Kitarie, for making an NGT I really love.

 

Found this on my Twitter feed earlier today, so I'm sharing it here as well.
It's a three-part transcript of the press conference that Kitarie had after she announced her graduation, some Asahi Shinbun journalist who attended the event wrote it down and decided to publish it on his profile as pictures. I don't know if a translation is needed, but those who know Japanese may start reading it from here.
https://twitter.com/Kryujiro/status/899609208462622720
https://twitter.com/Kryujiro/status/899610216869765120
https://twitter.com/Kryujiro/status/899611022683627520

 

Whoa, the big names are retiring like flies. 1st Mayu then Rie, Yukirin up next?

Rie has lived a wonderful idol life, stays out of trouble and a great NGT leader. She even politely turned down a staff member who had feelings for her. Well respected by her peers and one of the most warm personalities in AKB group. Saw her on the Guam wake up prank with Mayu, Acchan and the others, she's been a strong and well spoken woman since then.
Well done Rie, congrats on a great idol career. May the future be bright for her

NGT members bawling their eyes out

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

@Cisalpine88 :

1st paraphrase: "I knew I was going to graduate as soon as Maeda Atsuko graduated. NGT members are quite like my daughters."

2nd: "I wanted to announce my graduation as much as possible in with all members present, in front of fans, and in Niigata"

3rd: "Had a meal with Takamina, in which she gave me the advice, 'when announcing graduation, don't ever tongue-tie it like you did.'"

 

Oh no, don't remind me of this tearjerking MV... Her acting as an amateur door to door sales person who got rejected was SO good and convincing. I think that was the first time, I got legit impressed by an idol group's acting stint.

I actually think she will hold the grad announcement until next year (considering her last activity will also be in next year), but I guess yesterday was the best time if she wanted all of the members and fans for her grad announcement. She practically did everything she could in the group whether it's for her own merit or for the group as a whole. Of all members who decided to pursue acting after graduation, she is one of the few that I can see making it big.

And yeah, 2017 has been pretty rough with these graduations of notable names.

 

WHAT!?

First Mayuyu, now Kitarie graduating!?!?!?

Why?????

But the fact that she's 26 years old, which is a little bit old for 48G girls (or even Sakamichi46), I had a feeling this would happen anytime soon - and, well, that time is about to come...

And what's next for Kitarie once she graduates???

 

Oh I consider Rie as one of the "pioneers" in 48G, AKB (the other half if the Rie-Sashi pair) then SKE then finally NGT, good luck Rie Kitahara, thank you!

 

Hi guys,

As Rie is going to graduate, her Chinese fan club decided to make a surprise for her. Before 11/1/2017, they are collecting messages and photos from foreign fans. The messages will be delivered to Riechan. So if you have something to tell her, this is one way to get the message to her. It will be similar to the activity for Airi a few years ago.