Mitsui Aika announces hiatus from showbiz

[AyuHikaru]

I'm pretty shocked this isn't a graduation from H!P... I mean it seems obvious to do so because by the time she comes back she'll probably be like 22-23.

[boinsie]

The current leader of MM is currently 24.5, and people seem to generally agree that she shouldn't leave for at least another year or two.

Aika can go to school all she wants and if when she returns she's too old or too out-of-place to remain in H!P, let her graduate then.

[erilaz]

Let's not forget that Nakazawa was 27 when she left Morning Musume。and 35 when she finally graduated from Hello! Project. Inaba was in H!P until she was 34. Aika will be 21 ten days from now. She still has plenty of time, if she wants it.

[sukibeam]

I posted my thoughts about why Aika remains in a round-about-way over on H!O (but it was a bit off-topic in that particular thread, so I kept it short).

Assuming any future graduates don't stay with H!P and go over to UF, we have this inevitable situation:
After Sayu graduates, Captain should theoretically become H!P leader.
After Shimizu grads (likely upon Berryz going as a whole), then Yajima would be H!P leader.
Once H!P Kids graduate, who will then take over the reigns?

Discount Sayu and H!P Kids, the oldest members of H!P would be as follows:
Mitsui Aika [1993.01.12]
Miyazaki Yuka [1994.04.02]
Wada Ayaka [1994.08.01]
Iikubo Haruna [1994.11.07]
Fukuda Kanon [1995.03.12]
Kanazawa Tomoko [1995.07.02]

Apart from Aika, everyone else on that list is either very new to H!P/broad leadership roles or will likely be graduating in the next few years (looking at you S/mileage first gen).

Mitsui has not only been with H!P 7 years, but (as the article posted earlier in this thread discusses) she also has considerable amounts of directly leading new members as well as experience in all the various media H!P is involved in (radio, tv, concerts, photobooks, plays). She knows what it takes to get the job done well and isn't afraid to make you hate her to realize how you need to improve to contribute. The most convenient thing? If the Kids groups leave before Sayu does, H!P leadership would remain in a former MM member's hands.

If anything, H!P makes long-term plans and investments and stick to their guns. This push toward an English-speaking audience and plans for more western promotion tactics aligns pretty conveniently with Aika going abroad to study English. She's a smart girl, so I don't doubt she'll do well. Image how awesome it would be to have a H!P concert in Europe or the Americas and Aika representing H!P as leader doing ENGLISH interviews to explain more about the label and girls. I could think of a dozen reasons why she would be the smartest choice to make this kind of investment in.

TLDR; Think of the long-term timeline and goals. She's proved she's got the tough skin and consistent hardwork/dedication for the job of being a senior/leader of H!P as the label grows and expands. Why wouldn't you keep her around? I also ask myself this of Sayu, since I want her around forever .

[koregaboku]

Well they clearly see that Aika is perfect except for dem weak bones.

Honestly though I've always liked Aika A LOT. She was the first member to join when I became a fan so she was the first idol I got to watch grow and change and get better. It's been mentioned that she's rather reliable and likeable behind the scenes and also quite serious/strict if 9th and 10th generations are to be believed. And wasn't she even Tsunku's favorite for a hot second?

I agree. I think Aika probably has a sense of professionalism that far exceeds her (natural) talent. I wouldn't be really surprised if Aika actually worked for UF* once she graduates as opposed to being a talent like the vast majority of OGs have gone on to become. Aika could probably become a manager or something with the rare appearance at an event like the H!P countdown or something.