Quoting this here:
Celedam wrote:Maybe we should start a "Graduation Speculation" thread, because graduations are inevitable and it would help to mentally prepare for them.
Me, I expect Ikuta to announce soon, because she's also at that age and I can't imagine her staying much longer after Fukumura graduates later this year. She's barely engaged as it is. I would even believe that she wanted to graduate with Fukumura, but someone gently reminded her that she's not as popular and she would just drag down what will probably be the biggest MM concert since Michishige's graduation.
I think Mei's gonna graduate this year/next year to concentrate on studies. She's been an idol since she was 11, and she's now 17 and just started her last year of high school. I can see her leaving either at the end of 2023 or beginning of 2024 so that she can focus on getting into university. She seems kinda smart, and her parents might want her to take a different path in life than being an idol.
That said, either way, I hope it does end up being her own decision, since she genuinely loves being an idol and performing on stage. Maybe she'll do university part time and still stay in H!P, but I'm not getting my hopes up for that.
Others:
-Ishida (25 curse lol)
-Nonaka (Maybe?)
-Makino (To focus on being a model, she seems pretty popular)
-Kawamura (To focus on her tuna stuff and get more qualifications)
-Sasaki (I can easily see her being a soloist or a model)
-Uemura (Maybe if J=J gets another new member or two)
-Inoue (Unsure why, but it's a vague feeling)
-Someone from BEYOOOOONDS... Unfortunately I think Momohime's gonna be the first, if ultimately due to her seemingly constant health issues. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets told to stop performing.
-A shock OCHA NORMA grad Idk
Also, I seem to be cursed to lose one of my fave members every single year. It's happened more or less every year since I became a fan, even.
2006: Konno (She didn't technically graduate from H!P but you know what? I'm counting this one!)
2007: Robin (I love her)
2008: Mutou Mika (She was my fave Ongaku Gatas Egg lol)
2009: *Cries in Elder Club*
2010: Maeda Irori (I'm still bitter), Junjun
2012: Aiko (Yeah)
2014: Tanabe Nanami
2015: Maasa
2016: Meimi
2017: Maimai
2018: Haachin
2019: Yanamin
2020: Karin
2021: Tomoko, Kassa (I'm also mad about Yamada Ichigo tbh)
2022: Kaede
2023: Takechan, Kishimon
Only years it didn't happen were 2011 and 2013, but even then, I liked some of the members who left those years. Since I'm already losing 2 faves this year (Takechan and Kishimon) and it's only April, hopefully Mei won't graduate until next year lol.