So Aika will be graduating on the same day as Risa.
I'm not going to make a long post here because there's nothing particularly strange about this one (except maybe the suddenness of it, but that's due to a recent medical check-up: "from an examination this year on April 23rd, it was concluded that '...if she is to participate in any intense performance, there is a chance of her returning to her injured state.'")
To be honest, I don't know which is harder to take - a scandal where a girl breeches unwritten idol rules or something like this where a girl does everything correctly but is physically unable to continue due to injury.
I really feel sorry for Aika because she really seemed to love Morning Musume. I think that the fact that even after injuring herself multiple times she didn't give up and participated whenever possible is proof of that. She gave it her all (and perhaps that's the reason for injury; going 100% in an already stressful routine on a fragile body is recipe for disaster) and had incredible heart, but unfortunately it wasn't enough for her to continue.
She wasn't heavily featured in singles or dances so there won't be a major change there, so its easy to say that it's no big deal for her to leave, but I disagree. Aika was a good senpai to the younger members.
She has a caring personality that's almost mother-like and she showed that on camera quite a few times when teaching Morning Musume's kouhai members. Even if she was occasionally harsh, she definitely cared or else she wouldn't have taken the time to teach them. (She even spent some one-on-one time with them despite not be able to properly walk or dance.) It might have not been flashy or obvious, but she definitely had an impact on Morning Musume and it sucks to see her leave.
The only thing I really have a problem with is her graduating alongside Risa. This isn't a knock on Aika, but Risa deserves to graduate alone. (Aika does too; everyone does.) Aika's leaving will be overshadowed by Risa's gradation and Risa's leaving won't be 100% about Risa as any proper graduation should be. I'd much rather have Aika graduate at the H!P summer concerts. However I can't complain too much since some H!P members didn't get a graduation concert at all. Aika gets one at the famous Nippon Budokan.
On the bright side, I think that this means that Sayumi and Reina will stay a little longer than they (or the powers that be) might have planned. I don't think they would have left this year or anytime soon anyway, but Aika's leaving ensures that they extend their Morning Musume tenure by a bit more. If one (or both) of them leaves then that means that Mizuki either becomes sub-leader or leader (!). Not that I have a particular problem with that or anything (somehow I think Mizupon has become my favorite Morning Musume member), but it just doesn't seem like it would happen. At least not in the near future.
The other good news is that Aika (probably) will be staying with H!P ("I’m consulting with Tsunku and the staff in hopes that I might be able continue activities with Hello!Project.") so at least she's not just going to disappear. Still, I'm sad that we won't see Aika as a Morning Musume member after May 18th.
can you help us promote this graduation tribute for Gaki? We're still discussing on what to do for aika too since the announcement is so sudden~
ReplyDeletehttp://sugoiidolkiss.blogspot.com/p/niigaki-risa-tribute-plan.html
For me, I was already expecting her to be the next to graduate, but did not expect it to be so sudden nor to be with Gaki-san's graduation. As much as I hate the fact that she is leaving so suddenly, I believe it is for her own good. Her injury was really bad last time (and you can tell from the amount of time she needed), so it is good for her to take a break now. Health is more important (and this reminds me of Kamei Eri [and i really miss her a lot]).
ReplyDeleteAnd I believe she herself will find it hard to be in Morning Musume still, but seem like she's not. Yes, she had been trying a lot to still make her presence seen in Morning Musume, but it is just a different thing to be there physical, and to be there in name.
It is good though to see that she will still be in H!P. Since at least she will still be in the scene. She can, and hopefully will, continue as MC, or even just a pure singer (without much dance).
I feel that it wont be long before Sayu and Reina will graduate too, and then a new, fresh generation will be born. But I just pray that they will stay longer in MM.
I knew she was going to be the next to go, as much as it was going to pain me. I was into Guardians 4 before Momusu, so I was technically introduces to Aika first. She tried so hard to stay a member, and I think everyone needs to give her massive amounts of credit, because she deserves it. Even if she wasn't super popular, she was still a Momusu, and deserve to go out with a bang. Now I understand that everyone is getting really upset because she's graduating with Risa, and I do believe that every member should get their own graduation, but I feel that Risa loves Momusu enough to not mind, and I also feel that the two did not want to graduate alone. I'm really going to miss them both regardless.
ReplyDeleteAnd it looks like I was finally able to make a comment, look at that
ReplyDeleteI accept sometime I joked they will be graduating due her foot but I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD BE TRUE!!!!
ReplyDelete;OOOOOOOO; MITTSY!!! ♥ Dx
this really sucks, but like everyone said, kind of expected. Great post. Agree with your thoughts %100.
ReplyDeleteit really sucks. Agree %100 on your post, as usual. She was a great senpai. Maybe she can still continue in that role.
ReplyDeleteI for one am glad that Aika is leaving. Regardless of whether it was solely her decision or a combination of UFA pressure, I'm glad the mistake that Tsunku made is finally being righted. His gamble to try and turn this rather unremarkable and languid girl into a top idol backfired. Sorry if this sounds harsh Aika fans but the fact is that it was time for her to go. I am very much looking forward to what an Aika-free Morning Musume will be capable of doing.
ReplyDelete@Anon: A mistake you say? Aika had twice the character and charisma than any of the other 8th generation finalists put together; and that was before she was even a member. She was one of the most diligent and understanding kouhai's that other senpai members ever had to teach, and had nothing but good aspirations. She was fully able to develop into an idol while still attending grade school, and was even capable of maintaining her idol activities throughout her detached cartilage surgery and appendectomy. Once finding out that she had a fractured ankle, she continued to perform at her fullest to not hold the group back. It wasn't only until the fracture turned into a more serious bone problem that she had to back out of regular activities and rest. The most fascinating thing about her though, was that she was able to brush her shoulders off after having to deal with comments from such scum-like people such as yourself. You call yourself a Morning Musume fan? I call you unworthy. I think the only mistake was letting yourself make such an unnecessary and vile comment like the one you begrudgingly did. Like you said yourself, "sorry if this sounds harsh."
ReplyDelete@Little Miyo: I don't make posts like that anymore here on Airii~n deshou, but I'll tweet about it to help you out!
ReplyDelete@Raffmeister : My apologies for offending your idol girlfriend. The fact of the matter is that while she does get kudos for the effort she made to stay relevant within Morning Musume, she didn't have what it takes to make it within the idol world. The idol world is a business and management realized Aika was not a money-maker when compared to others. They were also well aware of the comments made by "scum-like people like myself" and allowed for her to leave. Management not even giving her a sole graduation event, pb, cd single etc and just tossing her into Risa's graduation event as an also-ran speaks volume's of managements opinion of her as a commodity. I'm sorry to burst your purple-colored, idol bubble but Aika simply didn't have what it took in the long-run to make it. Heck, Tsunku called her languid. Bravo to UFA Management in making the right decision (finally!) by cutting her loose. I'm very much looking forward to a post-Aika Morning Musume!
ReplyDelete@Anon: Neither of us really know the full extent as to exactly why Tsunku, Staff, and Aika herself pushed for such a soon and abrupt graduation that interferes with Risa's. We can make all the assumptions (either positive like mine or negative like yours) that we want, but it is what it is. I just hope that you can let go of this grudge you're holding, since Aika isn't leaving H!P entirely. This is probably just me living in my purple colored idol bubble, but we're probably going to see Aika frequently pop up in various events, whether that be FC events, or MC-ing H!P concerts. Believe it or not, but there were actually a surprising number of people that tweeted Tsunku demanding a solo career for Aika. Wouldn't you just love that!
ReplyDelete@Raffmeister : I'm perfectly fine with your girlfriend remaining in H!P. On stage trading chuckles with Yossie or mebbe even Makoto and her can do some manzai before each H!P concert. Heck, she can even go solo as long as she isn't a member of Morning Musume anymore. In a way, I kind of hope that she does go solo for two reasons.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Aika fans like you can get all the Aika you can handle. Lastly, it will put to rest the argument put out there by Aika apologists that she is underrated and was never given the chance to shine. Should she go solo, it will be up to her to make it or break it. No excuses.
p.s I hope Tsunku realizes that most of the tweets you referred to originated from your Twitter account ;)
@Anon: You make valid points. There's nothing really more to argue about since I agree that her going solo would elate me. In addition, yes, her solo sales would show how successful she really was in Morning Musume, and how well she could stand on her own two feet (hold broken leg puns). Lastly, i'm flattered; but i've neither ever used twitter before, nor do I have any idea how to 'tweet' Tsunku~
ReplyDelete@Raffmeister : Peace out, bro. H!P 4 Life.
ReplyDelete