Ogata Haruna graduated from Morning Musume。'18/H!P on 6/20 at Nippon Budoukan

[Shabranikuduu]

Oh no, she's my favourite of the current line-up. I'll miss her a lot. But this is something she really wants to do so I'm happy for her.

[Amped]

Harunan says members were surprised, but they already knew for a long time that Ogata wanted to go to University.
https://ameblo.jp/morningmusume-10ki/en ... 18148.html

They already knew Ogata was taking her University entrance exams while going to work.
https://ameblo.jp/morningm-13ki/entry-12363738388.html
https://ameblo.jp/morningm-13ki/entry-12363741709.html

Ogata made this sudden announcement because she was waiting until she got her entrance exam results. Starting at Junior college in April, it will become more difficult to balance classes from morning to night. She also has a goal to transfer from Junior college to a 4 year university. That is why she needs to concentrate.

https://ameblo.jp/mm-12ki/entry-12363709184.html

news reports
https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2108387/full/
https://natalie.mu/music/news/275458
https://news.dwango.jp/idol/27608-1803
https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/1755934
https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000153369
https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainm ... 00683.html

[Celedam]

Regarding four-year contracts, you can't count just from when they debut to when they graduate. You must add some time to the front to allow for recruitment, relocation, and orientation, and you must add some time to the back to allow for business arrangements to be concluded. And when you do that, it's pretty consistently four years, even for Junjun and Linlin.

As for my reaction to the news itself: I'm not surprised. She didn't develop much of a character, she didn't make much of an impact in the group, and her performance didn't improve much over those four years, so I didn't see how she could have much of a future with Up-Front. Being an idol was a fun after-school job for her and nothing more.

[Denki]

I remember hearing that she wanted to attend uni last year, but couldn't (Edit: from current traslations, she failed the extrance exams back then). Her goal still was to attend university. It's sad to see her go, but if getting a higher education is a priority, leaving the group is the only choice. Just like Konno and Ogawa. I hope she has a great time in her last few months in the group.

I personally don't see another 12th gen member leaving soon. Maria and Akane were pretty vocal about staying for a long time (at least give them 2 more years ) and Miki is pretty active with individual activities at the moment.

[Zunu]

Best of luck to her. MM will benefit from being a little tighter and focused, I think. At least from my perspective the group has come off as listless and low energy compared to some of the other groups. Even UUGJr. seem more interesting and committed these days. It's time for MM girls to get their heads back in the game, and if they can't, to pass the baton. Masaki I'm talking about you, bb.

[otaku_blue]

I'm sad but I understand her. I really like her new haircut btw.

I'm just worried now for other girls in other groups that can't enter university because of being an idol.

[Jessi]

Regarding four-year contracts, you can't count just from when they debut to when they graduate. You must add some time to the front to allow for recruitment, relocation, and orientation, and you must add some time to the back to allow for business arrangements to be concluded. And when you do that, it's pretty consistently four years, even for Junjun and Linlin.

As for my reaction to the news itself: I'm not surprised. She didn't develop much of a character, she didn't make much of an impact in the group, and her performance didn't improve much over those four years, so I didn't see how she could have much of a future with Up-Front. Being an idol was a fun after-school job for her and nothing more.

How could I forget Jun/Lin !! That also really cements the contracts idea and yeah I knew I wasn’t the only one who had thought about it. I remember 9th gen having to fill out a bunch of paperwork when they joined and Riho remarking that she had joined “the world of adults”

As for Hacchin, I wish her the best. I think it’s up to the individual as to whether they can juggle both as Ayacho managed just fine, while others felt they didn’t want to be half hearted. I support her decision, but I also agree that she didn’t grow or stand out. I get the impression the other three 12ki are just catapillars that will one day become butterflies. They remind me of 6ki who joined when the group was already pretty large and full of popular girls ... it took some time but now the 6kis have a legacy that is unmatched within Morning Musume.

Also I was watching a performance the other day and thought man this group has gotten way too large. It’s makes the dances look messy and less impressive. And if I had to downsize id pick Ogata to go. (Can I also clarify that “least fav” in my fav group of all time really means very little. I don’t hate her I just never found myself very interested in her.)

[AyuHikaru]

If you have to cut some girls out to get things back on track, Haachin is, unfortunately, one of the girls to do it with. 9th and 10th have cemented themselves so well they can leave whenever (Though it can be argued that Eripon can go, and some people argue Harunan is also on the list but eff that I'm biased). Akane isn't doing very much, and Masaki has kind of seemed listless for a bit now (Though it could just be a phase for her, she's usually all in). 13th-14th are too new to do anything with. It may be time for Mizuki to pass the torch.

These are all just hypothetical, mind. I don't want anyone to go, but if we're talking about decluttering the bloat, there are names to drop into the hat.

[Nayoko-Kihara]

This is surprising, but not that upsetting. I'm glad she was able to make a difficult decision. If her schedule is anything like mine was for the brief time I was in a 2-year school, she'll definitely have enough to worry about without trying to find time for photoshoots, concerts, rehearals, etc.

[Yattaruchan]

Man these graduation threads can be bloody depressing. Not because of who's currently graduating, but the people here trying to predict when everyone else will graduate. Like fuck, one thing at a time people.

And wasn't Saki's graduation drama more about her practically instant graduation rather than her early graduation?