Shimamura Uta has left Country Girls and Hello! Project as of 6/12

[sb]

I'll take the blame for her graduation.

Uta's parents: What is this H!PS nonsense!? Our daughter has to be on an island? This wasn't in the contract!!

Higher UP's: Wait, what are you talking about?


I like Starra's reasoning for all of this. It's a lot better than my used to greedy American athlete perspective where her parents saw that she was the girl being showcased and wanted to squeeze more yen out of it.

[Starra]

^sorry, but how is history repeating itself? (I don't really know country musume that well.. )

A week before their major debut member Yanagihara Hiromi was killed in a car accident. That prompted other member Kobayashi Azusa to leave. Azusa said it was because of Hiromi's passing, although nude photos of her had leaked and about a month later released a nude photobook (yes, it exists). The third member, Toda Rinne, was left on her own as Country Musume。's only member.

Rinne did promotion for their first single by herself and released two singles as the sole member of the group before Kimura Asami was added. Then to help the group, they "loaned" Ishikawa Rika to participate in activities and became "Country Musume。ni Ishikawa Rika (Morning Musume。)". Satoda Mai joined and after releasing one single as 4 members, Rinne graduated. Then Rika stopped her CM。stuff, Saitou Miuna joined and Konno Asami and Fujimoto Miki were "loaned" to the group and they became "Country Musume。ni Konno to Fujimoto (Morning Musume。)". They released 3 singles before Konkon and Miki's time was up.

The group then didn't... really do much, apart from appear in musicals/stage plays and hold a couple of lowkey concerts, IIRC. They released a compilation album before Asami and Miuna graduated, leaving Satoda as the sole member of the group for years. Fast forward to 2014, when Country Girls is announced. And now we're here.

[Denki]

I'm going to miss her a lot. ;_;

[otaku_blue]

I like Starra's reasoning for all of this. It's a lot better than my used to greedy American athlete perspective where her parents saw that she was the girl being showcased and wanted to squeeze more yen out of it.

that's possible, but still a silly argument.
she was guaranteed to be a popular member and she started young. the girls start with a low salary but get most of their money from solo work like photo books, and external jobs. since country girls first single was popular there was the potential for the group, and her, to be a success. I guess they just weren't satisfied with her being in Country Girls?

[Jessi]

This is the worst news I've heard all year

[AyuHikaru]

UTA T_T.

Wow she was ike my 2nd favorite in Country Girls and was climbing my ranks. I'm really sad about this... she was such an ace.

[Celedam]

It's either the dating thing, the schooling thing, or the lack of breaks...
Though if she herself really did want to quit, it's probably the dating thing. xD

Translation: "It could be anything. I really have no idea, but that makes me feel helpless, so I speculate."

[CaptainBerryzGiraffe]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Denki]

I really want to read a traslation of Momoko's blog.

Apparently, she was pretty happy being in the group, so I kinda feel bad for her.

[Shabranikuduu]

Momo talks about it being a sudden announcement and apologises to the fans, she hasn't had time to react, but she's a bit sad and upset.

About Uta, they met last year and were in the group together for a short period of time, they experienced a lot of things and have loads of memories. Uta was always embarrased when she said that Momochi-senpai was the senpai she looked up to the most and Momo wondered if she wasn't just saying that to keep the peace and even though she was playing innocent, Momo was happy. After singing and dancing on stage, her eyes were sparkling and she said that she'd had the time of her life which made Momo happy.

From now on, they're following different paths, and that Uta must have talked a lot with her parents before reaching this decision. Momo'll support Uta from now on.

In a nutshell.