Kobushi Factory's Fujii Rio has left H!P (7/6/17)

[Zunu]

Honestly Rio wasn't a popular member so I wouldn't be surprised as well if they did it just to save on money for her graduation

If that were the case, they would've just made a neutral announcement like, "After careful consideration, a decision has been made to move up Fujii's graduation date to effective immediately." To make a negative announcement, which they did, has the potential of creating harmful controversy ("Oh, so H!P has *those* kinds of girls now") and creating a poisonous work environment for the other girls ("Now any time UF want to save money they're going to drag us through the mud with innuendo?") so it makes little sense for them to do so unless they felt they had grounds for it.

[Menno]

It's no issue for the girls to post pictures with Rio on their blog. If that's no problem there should be no major issues with the concert goods.

[Amped]

Taguchi Natsumi is the first to react
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290483451.html

Kobushi members continue to share some of their stories or pics about their friendship with Fujii Rio
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290614333.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290613295.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290610566.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290583028.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290582495.html

[Hotaru_Malfoy]

Taguchi Natsumi is the first to react
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290483451.html

Kobushi members continue to share some of their stories or pics about their friendship with Fujii Rio
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290614333.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290613295.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290610566.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290583028.html
http://ameblo.jp/kobushi-factory/entry-12290582495.html

I would love to see a translation...

[otaku_blue]

Seems like all UF wanted to do was just let her run out her contract, promote the movie with her still in the group, and end things properly.

She must've been a real hassle to manage for them to do that. I mean UF has been very lenient in the past and heck we even have Aika and Riho still on the artist page even though they're not doing anything. So it's hard for me to shake off this impression that she probably must've done something at least or even just small acts of ongoing bad behavior for them to react like that.

[Starra]

It's Tokyo Sports, so make of it what you will, but they talked with an "insider" who said that Fujii was fired because of her lack of motivation/enthusiasm and it had gotten to the point where fans were spreading rumours about her. There hasn't been any proof of a boyfriend.
http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/entame/en ... nt/706435/

Her attitude was also starting to have an affect on the other Kobushi members.

[MariaLisseth]

It sound very much like UF terminated the contract early because she showed up late to often or didn't show up at all at scheduled appointments after she announced her graduation. Most likely at rehearsals, but also for media appearances, there was 1 television show, I think it was Live B where she wasn't part of the talk, just doing the performance.

The 1st couple of times she might have got reprimanded, hence the talk about improvement. But if she continued being late or completely absent without reason it's no surprise that UF simply fired her, any company would have done the same in this kind of situation.

I think I saw on twitter a picture of of a TV program just the 7 girls wearing JK outfits but since I don't understand Japanese I just passed it..... But i dont think the program was Live B......

[Amped]

She did not appear on the FULL CHORUS talk segment, but she did perform. 6/13/17

She did appear on Ohasuta last month for the talk and performance. She was smiling on the show. Its was live at 7am too (6/16/17). No way she would be late for that.

Her last performance was at Momochi's last live.

[Menno]

I think I saw on twitter a picture of of a TV program just the 7 girls wearing JK outfits but since I don't understand Japanese I just passed it..... But i dont think the program was Live B......

^ Your right, searched it back, it was Full Chorus: http://dai.ly/x5qarjq

I thought it was just because she was going to graduate that she wasn't allowed or something to do the talk. But now with this new situation it does very much looks like either she didn't want to do it herself or wasn't allowed to do as she was reprimanded by UF.


In the end, severe lack of motivation, especially with people her age, only leads to basically not doing stuff like it's supposed to be done. And that always affects the people you have to be working with, everybody remembers that one kid at school that just pulls everybody down. Up Front used the stuff that wasn't doing any more as the motivation to fire her.

It kinda gives me respect for THE Possible's Yurika, who kept on going without being motivated for almost 10 years without any reason for UF to fire her.

[JonCC]

Seems like they're offering refunds for the JK Ninja Girls screening events because of this.
http://www.helloproject.com/news/7323/