Smileage Maeda Yuuka graduated at end of year 12/31/2011

[iceymoon]

i still blame Tsunku, if it hadn't been for S/mileage's new member additions.. we'd still have Sakichy, and maybe Yuuka too. ><
although her statements make sense and seem to have a lot of thought behind them (unlike Koharu's "I was really surprised when I found out I was graduating. I guess I'll become a model?"), usually big decisions like that are propelled by something.. in this case, i would think because of all the changes in S/mileage. she worked hard at getting this far and it must feel like it's not even the same group anymore, and when that happens you go one of two ways.. you either get determined to push through, or you lose your passion. i know if it was me, that would be enough of a reason for me to start considering other options.

i hope she does well. i also hope she comes back to the idol or entertainment world, that way i can confirm my image that she probably wouldn't have left if it wasn't for all the changes.

YUUKA I'LL MISS YOU. you ruined High-King, but you totally made S/mileage. TT^TT i'll have to figure out if there's any way i'll be able to see her before we leave..

[Nayoko-Kihara]

^ If I remember right, Tsunku/UF said the auditions were because of Saki wanting to leave, which is part of the reason they were so rushed. Not the other way around.

[iceymoon]

^ i still am not completely convinced about that. i think that would have made sense if her graduation announcement came earlier, not after the new members were already picked and just a few days before a really under-planned graduation at a small event.

plus, Tsunku has definitely been bringing Morning Musume-like aspects into the group, what with the challenges in order to debut and the surprise new members and all that. i think he's had that planned, and is just bringing out all his ideas one by one (while adding to those ideas as he goes along, such as the skirt thing).

[Rm88]

What the fuck is this. Wow, what an awful year for my H!P fandom. Holy crap, my two favorite girls leaving my second favorite group in the same year.

[Nayoko-Kihara]

iceymoon: I'm also fairly sure it was mentioned in her graduation announcement that she had talked to them about it a while before it actually happened, so there would have been plenty of time to start auditions, etc. before it actually happening.

But okay, we'll just totally disagree here.

[Rm88]

I love Dawa and Kanon almost as much, and Takechan is great, but I don't care about a MM-like S/mileage. Ugh.

[AyuHikaru]

resop needs to update his thread about the S/mileage graduation conspiracy now

[marippeTakacrotchi]

This is somewhat disappointing to me. I only started paying attention to Smileage within the last few months and Yuuka was definitely the member that stood out the most to me.

[321BreakinOut]

this article mentions 3-ki audition next year, and Kouhaku could be Yuuka's last stage

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! How the hell are the fans supposed to keep their "smiles" when their favorites keep leaving...

[iceymoon]

^ that part isn't confirmed anywhere, it's likely just speculation. x3
although not like it's out of the question or anything...