Sayashi Riho to Graduate from Morning Musume。'15 on 12/31

[Starra]

2 months is such a short turnaround time between announcement and grad though. Is this one of the shortest? I know the time between Ishiguro's announcement and graduation was quite short too.

Ayappe's was just over a month. They're usually announced 4-5 months in advance, though...

EDIT: Aika's was less than a month, but her grad was under different circumstances anyway.

[aggisu]

nooo, Riho, we need more time in advance to process heavy news like this.

[otaku_blue]

lonewolf Sayashi graduating two months from now and going solo. Graduating at H!P Countdown Concert on 12/31, but not actually leaving H!P. The two Morning Musume. '15 Budokan concerts during the tour will be her last.

Her dream of performing on Kouhaku on 12/31 will be unfulfilled.

THIS HURTS SO MUCH. Im going to cry. FUCK.

[CaptainBerryzGiraffe]

I'm scrolling down facebook and I see a post from the mm page that said some kanji I know for being the "uh oh" kanji so I started reading it and as soon as I started I was like "f*"
I don't think anyone saw this coming...
Maybe that's why they've been playing around with the leads recently.
This is quite the news.

I'm sad she never got her kouhaku dream. ;-;

[otaku_blue]

I think the only comforting right now is the idea of her coming back more talented than ever like how Taiyou&Ciscomoon did music training overseas...

[Shoujo Q]

Her dream can remained intact. She could do Kouhaku and then go graduate later that night. Not impossible. Unlikely but not impossible.

I'm actually not surprised that it's Riho leaving. I was sure it would have been Haruna. It'll be interesting to see what MM'16 will sound like with her gone. I feel like it's just going to open the flood gates now for the 9th and 10th though to start thinking about leaving.

[Celedam]

I don't think anyone saw this coming.

Speak for yourself. I had a feeling something was coming when she started having health problems and gaining weight. And as Amped said, she looks bored. Five years is plenty for someone like her. Five to seven years used to be the norm, before Risa, Sayu, and Reina.

[otaku_blue]

and she never got to be leader of the group.


tbh if UFA was smart they'd let her take a break and comeback if she wanted to. thats what they'd do if she was under 48 management, she's too much of an asset for them to lose.

also does that mean we're now going to get weekly segments of Riho's history now on The Girls Live and Hello Station? Or is that just an Angerme 2015 promo push thing?

[Starra]

I doubt MM。'15 would be on Kouhaku anyway, guys.

I wonder if the reason it's so sudden is because there was some kind of study abroad programme she wanted to apply to, and waited until the last second of the deadline before deciding.

I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision for her but I'm glad she's found something she wants to do, and I hope she comes back having had a good experience and having changed herself in whichever ways she desires. Since she's still with H!P she probably wants to keep being an idol, so hopefully she'll be able to still do idol activities once she gets back.


Also, worth pointing out that Gotou Maki's graduation announcement and actual graduation were about the same length of time apart as Riho's. Doubt it means anything but it's interesting given they're both *~*aces*~*.

[forgetmenots]

Riho wasn't who I even began to think to be the first of the Colorful Era girls to graduate, but knowing she'll still be in show business makes it way easier to deal with. Unlike Sayu she won't really be gone. Future H!P collabs are still up in the air and I miss having solo artists.

I want to see a dance focused Riho and I am really excited to see how MM'16 takes on losing their ace. I feel like current MM will take on that challenge and excel at it. They're so good at improving themselves.