Muto Tomu (Tomu) / 12th Generation

^this, tbh. I don't see why they would see any reason to give her a chance when she stopped generating money for them. The SSK is worth a lot, and she has consistently increased her rank by large leaps, which I assume corresponds with profit.

It's sad, but it's part of the way the group works. The question I want to know is if she's in the upcoming guidebook. Does anyone know if she made any announcement?

 

Oh they were shooting today? I thought it was finished since I saw the release date on Tano's twitter. My bad for assuming then. Thanks

 

I think Tomu will not graduated soon. If she chose to graduated, what kind of job that might she do? She's not really good singer or dancer. She doesn't have her own dorama or variety or something yet. She doesn't like Amina who has tallent to be VA. So, if Tomu choose to graduated, it means she graduated from entertainment industry.

I hope management doesn't drop her from a large senbatsu. Make her stay in the line up like Annin back years who chose to not entering SSK.

 

Her family is rich. She'll be fine

 

I do commend her for not participating because she is keenly aware that ranking high in SSK has not borne much fruit, so that she doesn't want to make her fans spend money for just the ranking and pretty much nothing else. But definitely (in hindsight) it would have been better just to stick with that decision the whole time, because this only adds fuel for antis now, and some fans might feel betrayed. I really wonder what happened to make her change her mind back and forth so quickly.

I wonder if they asked her to discuss SSK in Listen 2-3. I just listened to the first episode and she seems quite relaxed, so maybe she had not yet started thinking about withdrawing yet. Either way, if she ends up saying "I'll do my best in SSK!" on the radio after she has already withdrawn... that would be awkward.

 

This has only made me respect her even more. She knows that ranking into senbatsu and then ranking in the top 10 (and higher than the general manager, may i add) hasn't done much for her when you compare it to what those ranks can do for other girls. In the end it comes down to who management actually want to push. Naachan ranked 4 ranks below Tomu and still managed to get waaayyyy more attention from management. Not making management chosen senbatsu for High Tension shocked me as well, given her rank, so i'm not surprised that that point in time is what made her decide not to participate.

If anything this just shows everyone that once again, unless you're a management favorite, your rank means f*ck all and the elections are just for money and publicity. I don't see her announcing graduation anytime soon, but i do see her announcing it at the end of this year (but i've thought this for a while, given her generation lol)

 

She's a good dancer. She does quite well on the radio, and she seems to have something of a passion for that. She's a good facilitator in MCs too. Her acting in Cabasuka was leaps and bounds above anything she's done before, and earlier this year (or was it on her birthday stage?) she talked about pursuing stage work, to further overcome her acting deficiencies.

That said, she's not indicated any intent to graduate, and I do believe what she's said in her mobame, that she loves the group, and wants to better herself in this period, perhaps so she can come back better and stronger than ever.

As for her inclusion in senbatsu, I think she's developed herself enough now, and is important enough to the group, that she will still be on the short list for the Fall/Winter single. Even moreso if she can make good on her plan to "skill up". The elections have been very important to her, but there's more to Tomu than just "wonderful fans", regardless of what Takamina might want us to think.

She sent a mobame before the first episode, saying something to the effect of "I think I delivered it in a perfectly cheerful voice!", and said something similar the day of recording too (those were like the only mobame she sent). She's had a lot of experience getting into radio mode, and that's what I hear here. I don't think that fully reflects her internal state though. She went (almost) silent on SNS the day before she turned in her application, and it sounds like she started reconsidering almost immediately after (remember she was also the very last one to turn it in, right before the deadline).

I haven't heard her talk about SSK, but then I also haven't had the time to listen to the entirety of both episodes yet.

 

I honestly respect/love her much more for deciding to follow her heart.
-
Yes, I understand that many fans might be upset for withdrawing when the sales already started, and the antis saying things like 'ah, she has her family's money backing her up anyway'. But I'm not going to waste any words with them, because most of those people doesn't even bother to follow Tomu in first place.

Being objective/non-biased, I do agree this was a reckless decision and that perhaps she should've skipped the chance before submitting the application, but these years following her, I've seen that Tomu is a person who doesn't want to let people down, even despite her own wishes. This time, being more grown-up and with an University degree under her arm, has decided to do what brings her more inner peace. Something for her own sake.

Of course I think there's something bigger behind this and I want to know, but regardless Tomu's choices, the most important thing is her well-being and I'll be supporting that no matter what. I really hope she has passed that exam, or that she is hunting jobs related to her degree now. It's upsetting to me as a fan, and obviously to her as a rising member (people can say what they want) that no matter how many effort she did in increasing her ranking, improve her singing, be more outspoken (she's quite eloquent and gradually has showed that in radio shows nowadays) and being more leader-like since her days in Team A during 2014-2015, management didn't took her in consideration. And yes, they have included her in two singles in a row (finally) but despite being one of the highest ranked members, they cannot fit her in media senbatsu. I mean...seriously?

 

This is Tomu's mobame about her decision to withdraw:


Muto Tomu 2017-04-13

Spoiler

Although I had already entered AKB48’s 49th Single Senbatsu Sousenkyo, yesterday, I withdrew from the race.


I’m really, really sorry.
And I’m sorry I haven’t been able to update SNS regularly.
And for doing this after sales for Okinawa and the theater viewings had already started.

I’ve been thinking a lot since the candidacy period and entering.


At first, I didn’t intend to run at all.
I had made up my mind at the Thanksgiving Concert last year.
When that senbatsu was announced, even though you gave me a wonderful ranking in the Sousenkyo, even though I thought that would be my confidence, I felt shattered.
And because of that, all along I felt terribly sorry to all of you. And, would the next election change anything? Or would it be better for you to spend your time on something else?
This was always on my mind.


But after that, as the Sousenkyo drew near, I heard everyone’s voices cheering me on at handshake events and on SNS, and many people were expecting me to enter and supporting me saying “let’s do our best in the next one too”. It makes me feel happy, but also a little guilty--I want to meet your expectations, I don’t want to cause you worry… somehow it’s so very complicated.
Each time I heard those words, I was filled with a mix of many different feelings.

I was very worried, and sought lots of advice, and thought about it right up to the last minute. Then, with no other thought than that after all I wanted to meet everyone’s expectations, and that no matter what happens I love this group, I decided to enter the elections.


It is not an exaggeration to say Sousenkyo is synonymous with AKB48.
And for me too, the Sousenkyo was essential.
Through the Sousenkyo, you all pushed me forward, and I found so much hope. You enabled me to make a place for myself.

Therefore, of course, by appearing in this year’s SSK again, I wanted to help the group and make it exciting.
And I thought, one more time, I’ll do my best again with everyone who will support me.

I also wrote an e-mail with my feelings about the election.





However, I couldn’t send it.

I couldn’t stop thinking.

Is it really okay to keep on like this? Am I making proper use of this now-or-never time?


This hit me again after applying for the elections.
And I was troubled.


Inside, I was sad, and frustrated, and so worried and distressed that there were even times my emotions overflowed into tears. I had no idea what the right answer was, and for the first time I couldn’t control myself.


What is it that I should really be doing right now? Both to help the group and for my own future? I consulted a lot about this, and as a result of discussions with staff, I concluded I want to spend this year increasing my skills. And with that in mind I decided to withdraw.


And yet having made the decision, I know how many people will be affected by my withdrawal, and how irresponsible it is, and how much trouble it causes for those around me.
And I know it was not something granted easily.

So because of that, for as much trouble as I have caused, I will work that much harder.
So that after one year, both the people around me and those supporting me, and myself as well, will see the growth I have achieved in that year and think this was the right decision.


I don’t have any plans to graduate.
Please let me keep doing my best here.


From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry to have caused you so much trouble and so much worry.


In the year ahead, I will do my best to grow up and contribute more to this group I love so much.
Thank you for your continued support.

Thanks to @ayaelectro for help with the translation


This is not the first time she's spoken about feeling crushed by the Thanksgiving senbatsu announcement, but I don't think the previous ones have been translated.

 

thanks so much for the translation!

 

thanks so much for the translation!


I really like eve more but really, I'm scared for her that management will retaliate by dropping her completely

 

She'll got the result for the weather forecasting test on today 18:00 ~ Japan time

She's announced it on AKB48全国握手会ライブコーナー

 

?

You make it sound like she herself doesn't know the result yet D:

I assume they're going to reveal it on tonight's Nemousu TV (which start at that time), though there's also mention of her doing a presentation on the El Nino phenomenon at today's HS event...

 

Is she allready know the result yet ? Sorry if yes maybe this is my mistake then

Wish her luck even withdrawing from ssk

 

Oh god i never followed the Nemousu's lmao.

Anw she's so stunning , never tought she's very beautifull compared to her photos .

 

Good job, Tomu, a step closer to your dreams, whatever they are

Tomu passed the general category for the Weather Forecaster exam and shooting for the next level soon.

 

Spoiler: YT link

if the video does not show watch the video here

＼(^o^)／

Congrats Tomu!

I think she has to pass both written parts (general & specialist) + a practical exam, but as long as she can pass them in one of the next two testing periods, she doesn't have to retake the general part. She was consistently outscoring Saho during the practice exams too:

which is no mean feat.