Berryz Koubou have gone on indefinite hiatus as of 3/3

[Mirai]

^ Yeah, I feel the same. Risako's my favorite from Berryz and I want what's best for her, but at the same time I will miss her.

[BerryzKobo4Life]

I am sad too that Risako just chose to rest after the hiatus because she too is one of my favorite girls. But I guess I too would one to take a break from show biz if I were in her shoes. Hopefully she decides what she wants to do with her live and that she may be successful.

[Shabranikuduu]

Aww Risako. I hope she has a great break and comes back when she's ready. Maybe it'll give her time to find an extreme fashion to like and shock us all when she comes back (sort of like MKB's Ootani lol).

[Shoujo Q]

If she comes back. I have a feeling she'll get shacked up, start a family and go the Tsuji or Aya route. Have some small Jazz club events here and there but probably just not do anything else. But I hope I'm wrong. I want her back singing.

[Celedam]

I wonder if the rest of the group wanted to keep going, but Risako was the holdout and they (or the management) decided they couldn't continue without their center. The members' blog posts about how that decision was reached are very tactfully worded, as if there is a deep divide within the group but they can't say so publicly.

[jeiwa42]

^ I guess that's possible.

Considering that, as of right now, 4 girls choose to stay with H!P (Momoko with CGs, Maasa with the acting/play club, Chinami and Saki as H!P advisers), and then we have Risako who's going to rest while Kumai wants to finish school and pursue modeling, there definitely could have been a "we'll continue" vs "we're stopping" team at some point. Though, tbh, even though Saki and Chinami chose to stay with H!P, its possible they got tired of the idol life, Maasa too, since she probably gained an interest in stage play. Momoko's the only one so far who we know still loves being an idol, hence why she's able to be both a mentor and an idol for CG (and that probably is the best of both worlds for her really).

But if we just base Risako as the only one who wanted quits, that definitely wouldve put a struggle on the group, and any other member leaving along with her would put the group in a dangerous position. Since adding girls would have been kinda odd, they probably all settled on quitting, since they all probably ended up agreeing that, even if some of em wanted to stay, they've already have had a lot of time being idols, so it's ok to stop. Hence, Kobushi Factory, their solution to making a Berryz 2nd gen that's still separate from Berryz so that they can maintain the name and history of the group that's lasted this long (which is what they failed to do early on with S/mileage, which is why the tension of adding 2nd gen was so bad, and they made it up with ANGERME), while still giving the new group its own way to shine.

[Amped]

Berryz graduated from The Girls Live on today's episode. pretty sad.

[Amped]

from today's The Girls Live

Berryz Kobo's last studio live medley

[Jessi]

I wonder if the rest of the group wanted to keep going, but Risako was the holdout and they (or the management) decided they couldn't continue without their center. The members' blog posts about how that decision was reached are very tactfully worded, as if there is a deep divide within the group but they can't say so publicly.

^ I guess that's possible.

Considering that, as of right now, 4 girls choose to stay with H!P (Momoko with CGs, Maasa with the acting/play club, Chinami and Saki as H!P advisers), and then we have Risako who's going to rest while Kumai wants to finish school and pursue modeling, there definitely could have been a "we'll continue" vs "we're stopping" team at some point. Though, tbh, even though Saki and Chinami chose to stay with H!P, its possible they got tired of the idol life, Maasa too, since she probably gained an interest in stage play. Momoko's the only one so far who we know still loves being an idol, hence why she's able to be both a mentor and an idol for CG (and that probably is the best of both worlds for her really).

But if we just base Risako as the only one who wanted quits, that definitely wouldve put a struggle on the group, and any other member leaving along with her would put the group in a dangerous position. Since adding girls would have been kinda odd, they probably all settled on quitting, since they all probably ended up agreeing that, even if some of em wanted to stay, they've already have had a lot of time being idols, so it's ok to stop. Hence, Kobushi Factory, their solution to making a Berryz 2nd gen that's still separate from Berryz so that they can maintain the name and history of the group that's lasted this long (which is what they failed to do early on with S/mileage, which is why the tension of adding 2nd gen was so bad, and they made it up with ANGERME), while still giving the new group its own way to shine.

Interesting theories. I have felt from the beginning that the hiatus was decided upon because of one or two girls wanting to call it quits. Everyone probably spoke about it and decided after 10 years perhaps its a good idea to just call a hiatus and do independent projects. Interestingly enough... I didn't consider Risako might be the one who was ready to quit. Perhaps Maasa and Yurina too wanted to leave too so they can pursue acting and modeling. If its 3 girls at once... now that would be enough to call a Hiatus. A triple graduation leaving Momoko, Miyabi, Saki and Chinami wouldn't have worked. But then again we don't know Miyabi's plans post graduation and whether or not Miyabi wanted to leave too... Anyway... it could have been any combination of girls but I'm still pretty sure one or more girls was ready to move on and that's what started things.

Also the other theory about forming Kobushi Factory is interesting. Maybe the failure of 2nd gen S/mileage has made H!P feel like the audition graduation scheme isn't good outside of Morning Musume. Although I also think they had a lot of KSS talent so why not just make a sister group.

[BerryzCelebration]

This has nothing to do with Berryz, but how are 2nd gen failiures? I'm tired of people calling them failiures when they've achieved a lot in the group, and the downfall of the group wasn't even all their fault.