Graduation announcements thread

Wait, J-Pop also has “idol generations” like K-Pop?

 

I don't understand why people are so eager to show Sasshi and Miichan the door. They are both still cute and funny,(I thought they both looked beautiful in their latest showroom) their dancing is as good as ever and they still have millions of fans throughout the world. They both obviously still enjoy the idol life and all the perks that go with that and they are, along with Yukirin, the only links left to AKB's historic past. And, probably, above all, they serve as ''living legends'' to the younger girls---as senpai who have shown grace under pressure and triumphed over near impossible odds. I'd love to see them both stay for a few more years. Sadly, I guess I'm in the minority here with that viewpoint.

 

Actually, no, but I denote the "generations" by their formation/debut years.

Examples:
First (before the boom): Momusu, Berryz, C-ute, AKB48, Fudanjuku, Momoclo, SKE48, 9nine
Second (during the boom): Angerme, Nogizaka46, NMB48, Super Girls, Cheeky Parade, Fairies, GEM, Ebichu, Lovely Doll, Team Syachihoko, Passpo, Juice=Juice, Doll Elements, Idol College
Third (after decline): Keyakizaka46, Wa-Suta, Hoopers, BiSH, Tacoyaki Rainbow, Houkago Princess (they didn't get recognition until 2015), Ange Reve, Kobushi and Tsubaki Factories, NGT48, STU48, Batten Shoujotai, Harajuku Ekimae Parties groups

 

Oooh lmao it’s something you made up? You made it sound like it’s an actual thing

 

It is.

I don't think there was an idol boom until AKB exploded.

You had Pink Lady and Onyanko Club in the 70s and 80s (without whom none of this would be happening).
You had Morning Musume in the 90s.

And... that's about it until AKB?

Sure, Hello! Project was basically the IT for years as the conglomerate that churned out most of the idol music.
But if you look at MM sales from 2005 up to 2012... they were lucky if a single sold 50k.

AKB put idols back at the forefront of the industry.
The 48SG and Sakamichi series are just a bit of it. Momoiro Clover, Tokyo Girls' Style, Ebichu, Team Syachi...

Just take a look at the TIF lineup: http://www.idolfes.com/2018/lineup/
They are all new-ish groups.

 

TIF has long known as the Indies idol festival.
Have you heard there is indeed an official complaint about 48G/46G taking prime time slot there last year?

Being the forefront of idol boom doesn't make AKB a hero. Contrary even, they are now being shunned in the JP idol community as we speak.
Of course this is just on TIF matters.

 

Figures lmao it’s literally the first time i heard the term being used to refer Japanese idols and to top it all he mentioned “second generation” as “debuted from 2010”. I was like, does that mean AKB’s in the same category as Pink Lady and such? Lmao

And as for the AKB wotas vs the rest, it seems like in the J-Idol scene you either belong to: AKB & Sakamichi fandom, H!P fandom, Anime Idol fandom, and the rest of it, unlike K-Pop fans that literally stan the whole Korean music industry as a whole

 

There's a term in Korea that is not exist in Japanese verb, or having similar meaning whatsoever: "Akgae".

And indeed, it's unique phenomenon happened only in Korean fandom.

 

I'm not saying they are the best idol group there (tho they are for me), but their boom in 2010 basically propelled the idoldom we're living now, I'd say.

Heck, you look at magazines like OVERTURE or UPDATE Girls and they are basically a 48/46 magazine with the other groups scattered in.

They might be a bit meh nowadays because they are everywhere and people are just jaded of them, but I doubt we'd have such a variety of groups if other companies (apart from UPFRONT) wouldn't have realised idols were profitable.

 

Shioi Hinako announced graduation and will graduate on July 22nd

 

This is a bit off-topic and necro but I want to discuss this a bit, and maybe give some trivia about idol history.
I agree with this if you're talking about idol groups.
But there was an idol boom in the early 80's, based on soloists, essentially Matsuda Seiko and Nakamori Akina, plus a few more top idols. This boom ended in 86 with Okada Yukiko's death. The late 80's were more about alternative approaches to idols, hence big groups like Onyanko appearing.
For many people of older age, and a good number of modern idols, the quintessential idol is Matsuda Seiko - Aki-P himself was also a big fan of her.

 

SKE48 KKS Kouzuma Honoka and Ishikawa Saki just left the group.

http://www.ske48.co.jp/news/?id=1530012571
http://www.ske48.co.jp/news/?id=1530012651

 

Well, I kinda get Ishikawa Saki since considering her age, she'll be graduating high school soon and I guess she decided being an idol wasn't her thing (and it seemed like she wasn't going to be anything more than a theater girl anyways, so I can understand if she chose further education/steady employment over that). Kinda disappointed at Honoka at giving up so quickly though but it can't be helped.

 

Honoka's health was bad in the past few weeks, she was even absent from the election event.

 

Yeah, I was live at the event and noticed she wasn't there. But I just assumed it was a temporary thing, like she just got sick for a few days or weeks at most and would continue her activities eventually. Didn't realize it was a permanent condition - well, I assume that's what it is anyways, you wouldn't just quit your job for something that will get better in a few weeks.

 

Yuasa said on 755 that they were in talks with her parents, that made me guess already that it was sth serious. She didn't update any social media since the beginning of June either. I'm glad I saw her in some stages, even though I wish she could have performed with Team S, especially with Wanchan, since she said she really wanted to do so.

As for Saki, I don't think it's due to her age or so, I think it's also health-related. If I remember correctly the reason she barely performed was also due to some injury. If it was a "normal" graduation I think she would have announced it herself and might have gotten a graduation-stage too.

 

Yeah, I still am a little sad they didn't have a graduation stage like most girls but if it's because of their health then it's really tragic, especially because Saki really seemed invested in SKE....

 

Reading some comment on matome who observed the Sakirin "injury" is in shoulder, although the validity of it is uncertain.

Can't say anything for Honoka although she did better by writing letter for fans. Doesn't specify what injury she had though.