Nagahama Neru (Neru) / Keyakizaka46 1st Generation

Thank you for translating!

I'm sure Akane's devastation is equally shared by the other members. We all know how close Neru is to each member and how much they treasured her.

I still can't help but feel surprised by her graduation. I didn't notice any warning signs last year, unless I missed something? Didn't she say that she looked forward to Keyaki Republic 2019 on Keya House? I really wonder what made her decide to graduate early, especially considering her love for Keyaki.

I'm also suddenly reminded of Neru's conversation with the onee-samas during her Keyakitte location shoot early this year:

Spoiler

Remember that the oneesama's advice was for Neru to do the things she wants to do and take the chance to go all out on her career? I think Neru took that advice to heart.

 

I haven't watched Keyaki House yet but fyi, it was filmed in September last year, so she probably started thinking about the future in between these past few months.

 

Hello all. As you can imagine, I can't sleep.

All of you here and on my personal life, knows how much I love Neru-chan. But the graduation scenario did not leave my head for a while. I expressed my thoughts here in this forum. Even if they were just rumours.

Certainly it is very hard to assimilate such news. Even in my case I had "prepared" for this.

First of all. I want to say THANK YOU to all of you international fans who shares your love to our Neru-chan. Really, really thank you!

Second. Please don't blame any member. Is Neru-chan desicion and need to be respected. I actually had arguments with some antis here in Japan. Keyakizaka46 as family always showed their love to Neru-chan and vice-versa. Please consider members feelings and how much they should be suffering.

With this news more rumours will spread because Neru-chan didn't gave us any reason. As I always will say "please wait for official announcements". There is a lot of "probably" comments on internet. Lets wait for Neru-chan desicion on the future. I just want her to be happy.

Is hard not to think about the "bar segment" on Keyakake when she asks about "which should she give priority to do... to what she want to do or what she should do" the answer was "do what you want to do" and she starts crying.

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After 3 wonderfull days I had (Hinatazaka46 debut countdown and a personal good news), I found the announcement. Me as all Neru-chan fans here are devastated.

Fortunately I have HS tickets for all the days. It will be hard for me when I heard my name being called by Neru-chan. It will be hard to see her eyes. I have a lot of things to tell her. Good things that happened thanks to her. The last time we meet she gave me the courage to propose my girlfriend. I want to tell her she accepted and we are going to get married... Oh Neru-chan ... You were supposed to be smiling.

Sorry guys... can't write more.

 

You making me cry all over again. I even also can't sleep. It hurts but I wanna say thank you too for sharing with us all things related to Neru. You've been a blessing to some of us

 

I don’t know if I can formulate into words what I really feel right now but I may need some time off keyaki. I’ll be back, maybe..

 

Well, this probably gonna be the end road for me, i will be here till his last moments on k46, after that, moved on to other, but surely not gonna be k46 anymore, sry

 

Translation of Neru's announcement blog post.

I'd read the rumours, which abounded over the past month, but I did not believe them. She announces nothing for her future except that she will think about what to do.



I've supported her since the moment she stepped into the KeyaKake studio. No, before that, when they showed the video explaining how she got there. She gave life to Keyaki. Without her -- and without Shida -- it is a group with much less life and colour and uniqueness.

I like many members -- Monta and Techi in particular -- and we can hope for the continued progress of the 2gens. But the group has to work hard now to avoid becoming ordinary. I will be there to support them as they do.

Certainly Neru is not quitting in a huff because she is in the third row. The causation probably goes in the opposite direction: management probably knew she was likely to do this. Aki-P's song for her in this release suggests they knew.

As for Hiragana, I don't just wish I knew what would have happened if she had stayed, I wish she had given them more of herself when she was with them -- it took forever for her to meet them, and she was often busy with Kanji when they were rehearsing. But her career is much further forward now than if she had in fact gone only to Hiragana, I believe. And she has no place there now, in my opinion, much as many members there love her. I could see a special farewell guest appearance on stage with them, but no more.

However the world is full of places where Neru could belong. I hope she finds one -- or several -- that she likes.

My translation is late coming, but I was asleep here on the other side of the world when she posted nine hours ago. Thanks to @too much idea for getting a translation out earlier.

 

Because neru I'm here... I never imagined the graduation of an idol would make me cry. After Hinazaka46 raises the flag, neru then closes her curtain... I already know this will happen after she is in the 3rd row position and gets a solo song. I could feel that she had a lot of feelings of loneliness behind that smile. As I know, Neru personality seemed to change after she became a full kanji member. Maybe I will stop in Keyakizaka46 for a while, seeing Keyakizaka46 now only makes me sad. I will switch to Hinatazaka46, a group created because of Neru. I won't blame anyone, it's just that I'm disappointed she has to leave this group without a graduation concert like the other groups did when their famous members left. Seeing that reality makes me more sad, i will miss you neru.. i hope this is your right choice, hope you are happy always..

 

Happy graduation Neru-chan.

 

Even though she is my Keya Oshi I'm fine with this. She lasted 4 years and 8 singles which is pretty respectable in this idol world. It's not like she had anything to prove either, she's gotten plenty of push with solo songs, a top selling photobook, and plenty of TV appearances. She's made a ton of money in a short time and had enough facial recognition to not need the Keya brand anymore so it's not like it's a sudden and I'll advised move. Leaving like this at the top of her game is far better for her future than leaving years down the road when she's old and stale. It sucks that I can't see her along the other Keya members anymore but it's still cool with me, I'll just oshihen to Naako lol

 

I didn't like her too much originally, but after watching some of the old episodes of KeyaKake, she started to grow on me. Too bad, but good luck for her future. I wonder if she'll stay in show business?

 

I hope so. I would die for a Neru solo career.

 

After sometime, the fact just sinked in featuring me drowning in tears and looping Neru's solo songs.
The thing I'm fearing the most right now is probably her leaving the show biz... I'll still support her no matter what...but it still hurts to think about that.

 

Just came here for a visit, then wow. There goes another favorite. Neru graduating, how to react? But somehow the shock factor is gone for me about Keyakizaka ever since Imaizumi left. Crazy, all four Keya graduates so far (Shida/Yone) are in my top 10 favorite. Not gonna think of any "what if's", whatever makes her happy, it's her decision. Best of luck to her.

 

I wish her all the happiness in the world in her next phase.

 

Truly shocking news, I honestly thought all the rumours were overblown and that she'd bounce back from whatever was troubling her the past few weeks. She's one of the member that got me into the group, she'll definitely be missed. Good luck Neru-chan!

This went both ways. When her kennin ended she spoke about how difficult it was splitting her time between Kanji and Hiragana. I don't think management ever had a good idea of what they wanted to do with Hiragana and it put all of it's members in a pretty crappy position. Neru probably would have been better off as a Kanji member from the beginning with Hiragana as either a full fledged sister group - like they are now - or Keyaki's 2nd generation.

 

give me a goodbye photobook like all those nogi and keya graduates recently and I'm good

 

Happy graduation Neru-chan! I hope you will get things that you are aiming for, whether it's successful career, study, promoting your hometown, and anything else.

I can understand that this is a hard time for Neru fans. Hang in there buddy. It's ok to feel sad or even cry though. Let's show Neru-chan even more love for her remaining time in Keyaki and continue support her in the future

 

if the video does not show watch the video here