[11/26] Michishige Sayumi graduated from Morning Musume. '14 at Yokohama Arena

[randompasserby]

For someone who loved and cared for the group as much as Sayu, timing her graduation just right is a very delicate balancing act, I believe.

On one hand as the single most well-known member of the group she could keep delaying the inevitable for a little while longer and continue promoting and bringing more attention to the group. On the other hand, as much as she always tried her best to bring attention to the other members, the longer she delays it the greater the risk of her overshadowing her kouhai and smothering their growth because the public at large will unavoidably focus on her.

There's also the factor of her physical and mental limits to consider... and I don't mean this to paint her in a negative light whatsoever, it's just... she more than anyone else deserves to have some relief and peace of mind after all her contributions if/when she felt she needed it
<for completeness sake, I'll acknowledge it's also likely that her having future plans that no longer involve H!P/MM could also be huge factor. But since we know next to nothing about it I'll consider it when we have more concrete statements from her/her management. On the contrary though, I often read and listened to her emphatically saying Morning Musume is her dream job and considering her somewhat laidback personality career direction-wise outside MM... I personally doubt it factors much into her consideration. She even said so during one of her mc at her graduation announcement, that she haven't decided on what she would do after this. If there's any justice in the universe maybe Tsunku/the management will convince her (or her convince them) to still do MM-related things like maybe assistant producer? guiding the 12ki as manners coach, public speaking trainer, stage presence improvement adviser? lol I can dream>

And I think here she succeeded rather brilliantly as well
She made sure her kouhai has matured enough and ready to stand on their own before graduating at a high point for the group so that the public would still have reason pay attention to them even after she's gone.

As a long-time fan it will always be too soon for me... I had hoped her leadership would extend longer than this, that she would have her day in the sun for as long as she spent in the shadows at the beginning of her tenure more than a decade ago. That she would be at the forefront of the group she loved so much and given so much for, leading her kouhais for at least 4 years, to match the longest period of the Morning Musume leader's tenure before her. Alas, it shall never be.

But I trust her judgement in this.
After all the hardships she persevered through in the group's darkest days and the many times the pressure and stress got to her health, considering all she managed to accomplish despite of that... Sayu would know when the time is right the best.

p.s there's a 12ki audition thread if you guys wanna talk about that you know.....

Last edited by randompasserby on Fri May 02, 2014 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

[fujii hina]

^No.

I think some people have fawned over her only after she proved herself to be more than Ichiban kawaii and that took time to happen. With the titan of talent gone, Sayu had the chance to show that skill wasn't all it took to be great.

I respect that you are a die-hard fan of hers as you've declared on this page but leave room for people who may have a different opinion. I did qualify that those were what I thought.

Off-topic:
I think dismissal of other people say is antithetical to what a forum is. It is certainly so when it is simply some unqualified reaction without any contribution to the actual topic at hand.

On-topic again:
I think Mizuki will be the new leader as she is getting pushed with the magazine covers and bath posters. But Iikubo speaks better *cough*more/at all*cough* in TV appearances.

[Chibs]

Miki knew she would be a great leader back 06 i think.

[Celedam]

I think dismissal of other people say is antithetical to what a forum is. It is certainly so when it is simply some unqualified reaction without any contribution to the actual topic at hand.

I flag people like that — people who do nothing but give their personal reactions to news and argue about subjective opinions as if they're objective facts — as foes, so that I don't have to see their posts at all. That's my "twenty and out" rule: if a person can make twenty posts in a row without posting anything interesting or informative, then *plonk* (to use old Usenet jargon). Why twenty? Because that's the default range when you go to a profile and click "Search user's posts".

Am I, in my own way, being dismissive? Yup, but at my age, life is too short to deal with that much noise every day. H!P is my opiate of choice, and I don't need those people harshing my buzz.

[randompasserby]

Miki knew she would be a great leader back 06 i think.

She's shown she'd be a good leader one day as far back as 2005 imo. Or at least hinted as clear as day that there's a lot more to her than her exaggerated "ichiban kawaii" chara.

For one, Sayu was able to keep up with THAT Nakazawa-neesan and both Mikitty and Reina all playing their scary characters in that Haromoni shopping segment. Bantering back and forth with a great senpai like Neesan takes a lot nerves and she did it all confidently so it all looks natural, not to mention her charm and wit that keeps it interesting. She did all that while still so young and relatively inexperienced. It's only natural so many colleagues who worked closely with her acknowledged her over the years.

Man so many memories... I should save it up as a draft or something for her graduation tribute >__<

[Chibs]

^I dont remember that one, but I would love to see it.

[randompasserby]

It's the eric kyamezo segment, surely you remember that

[Chibs]

oh lol I thought you meant they went out shopping xD

[stam4o]

^No.

I think some people have fawned over her only after she proved herself to be more than Ichiban kawaii and that took time to happen. With the titan of talent gone, Sayu had the chance to show that skill wasn't all it took to be great.

I respect that you are a die-hard fan of hers as you've declared on this page but leave room for people who may have a different opinion. I did qualify that those were what I thought.

Off-topic:
I think dismissal of other people say is antithetical to what a forum is. It is certainly so when it is simply some unqualified reaction without any contribution to the actual topic at hand.

On-topic again:
I think Mizuki will be the new leader as she is getting pushed with the magazine covers and bath posters. But Iikubo speaks better *cough*more/at all*cough* in TV appearances.

Sorry for this, I didn't want it to sound that disrespectful.
I just somehow understood (not sure if it was your actual meaning) that you weren't very OK with the group's functionality and "evolution (at least up to a X point)", probably because you might be an older fan and had been following the group for more time which could have just led you to be kind of more sceptical about innovations and time flow, which although something normal I wouldn't be OK with, probably because I'm a new generation fan and I totally support both of the traits mentioned above. You see, it's a hell to explain all those conjectures, and besides if thrown up all suddenly they may seem offensive to someone so that's why sometimes I just omit them. If there's feedback eventually, then I proceed with the full of it, i.e. I didn't really want to negate your opinion.

I think dismissal of other people say is antithetical to what a forum is. It is certainly so when it is simply some unqualified reaction without any contribution to the actual topic at hand.

I flag people like that — people who do nothing but give their personal reactions to news and argue about subjective opinions as if they're objective facts — as foes, so that I don't have to see their posts at all. That's my "twenty and out" rule: if a person can make twenty posts in a row without posting anything interesting or informative, then *plonk* (to use old Usenet jargon). Why twenty? Because that's the default range when you go to a profile and click "Search user's posts".

Am I, in my own way, being dismissive? Yup, but at my age, life is too short to deal with that much noise every day. H!P is my opiate of choice, and I don't need those people harshing my buzz.

As I agree that this point of view may be the best for you because it does makes sense, you can't expect the rest of the forum members to be following it too nor you can blame them for not doing it. Don't forget most of the users are young people and that kind of behaviour it's not that it's not only suited for young people but it's not even "healthy" for them.

Last edited by stam4o on Fri May 02, 2014 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Rm88]

Well, this sucks. But it's hardly surprising, really. I need a new favorite

For me Sayu will continue to be my favourite long long after her graduation

Oh I know. LinLin is still my favorite, Nono is still number two and Sayu will probably remain number 3 I mean a new favorite from the current line-up. I don't think I have one, I like them all but I'm not really attached to any of them.