[News] Itano Tomomi Graduation Ceremony 8/25 Graduation Performance 8/27

[Rust]

Itano Tomomi have indicated that she will be graduating within 2013 during an exchange in AKB's new documentary, "No Flower without Rain."
No actual date have been set as of yet. Tomomi told fans at the screening event after the movie that she will let fans know when it is determined

http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/akb48/news/f-et-tp0-20130201-1079586.html

[chiqinna]

 

[kuro808]

Not too surprising but with a solo career on the rise, it may be time to try it out

[chiqinna]

Graduate while you are still on top.. 

[mayuki_daisuki]

Tomochin!!
I will keep supproting you
but why is everyone graduating, both tomo's are gone now

[SomethingWild]

Well this sucks. The way of announcing it is quite original though, gotta give the credit for that.

I'm sure she could have a decent post-AKB career as a model/entertainment figure with the occasional single release, but I think she could have done more in AKB48 as well. On the other hand, if you keep ranking 8th every year despite top members graduating it also means she'll never become the true center girl. In that sense being a solo artists gives you more time in the spotlights and more credit for your work.

I also think both Acchan and Kasai leaving influenced her decision. TomoTomo dual grad concert? Would be nice.

Tomochin and I always had a bit of a love/hate relationship going, but I really started to like her these past years.

Mandatory old pic to see how much she's grown:

[Jul3]

Pics from Oricon:



And with others, in the Oricon article linked below, a few other members such as Kojiharu, Mayu, Mariko, takamina add their comments, Haruna says she has thought about graduating before but doesn't have the courage so thinks Tomo is cool for being able to do it.



Read their article here: http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/movie/2021238/full/

And a couple more pics I saw on twitter:

[rexywhite]

Tomochin graduating is not a surprise but despite me somehow be prepared for these graduations (and with all the graduations that had happened/been announced) this announcement still hurts. She was one of the girls who immediately caught my eye on the first PV I watched (River), that eventhough she's not in my top 10 girls her presence in AKB was still a very memorable experience to me.

So Tomo, I will treasure all the moments with AKB you have left and wish you all the best for your future. Congrats on the courageous step forward you have made.

This pic of Mariko is just 

[winner]

Another old guard leaving. Congrats Tomo.
I'm sure Acchan and the recent grads had an effect, and going to tokyo dome. It won't be surprising to see a few early gen members leaving this year. Tomochin should be ready to run solo.

I've never actually been into Tomochin much. But when she sometimes give that down-to-earth attitude she rarely shows, it really surprises me.
And Fui Ni is like in my top 3 akb songs, i get all emotional for no reason every time i hear it. And I've been listening to it a lot since I updated it into the song list when playing 1/149.

A TomoTomo dual grad concert would be a nice touch.
Hell, there's time. Give me the TomoTomo PB I've been asking for ages!

[korin48]

What the f**k!?!? She announced!? Oh god why!?!? I will always support you!!

[WindCaliber]

A TomoTomo dual grad concert would be a nice touch.

My money's on this!
Anyway, Tomochin's graduation was definitely predictable, and I'm not too surprised.
It does suck though. 

[stv_wong]

I knew she'll graduate this year. I can't say I was sad because of it (even though she is and will always be my kami-oshi), because I know she will do well with her solo career. But seeing the Mariko`s photo is just...

A TomoTomo dual grad concert would be a nice touch.

My money's on this!
Anyway, Tomochin's graduation was definitely predictable, and I'm not too surprised.
It does suck though. 

Echoing the other`s opinion on this. Me three... I would love to see them having the same send-off concert 

[xAKawaiiB48x]

I knew that this was going to happen sooner or later I was just waiting for her to announce it actually but reading the news now still breaks my heart. To my surprise I didn't burst out into tears like I thought I would but I guess they will come when she really is leaving AKB48. Tomochin was always my number one and I doubt that anyone will ever be able to take her place in my heart. Her looks got me interested in her but her voice and attitude made me a fan. I'm pretty sure that she will have a successful solo carrier as a model and a singer. I will always support her, no matter what.

Thank you, Tomochin, for so many years full of laughter and tears

[uvradiator]

Well, as you all mentioned, its not much of a surprise. It's something we've all been expecting for similar reasons like a solo career.
I really do hope there's going to be a big graduation ceremony at Nissan; its their biggest venue yet and I don't see any other better timing.
Now that Tomochin has given up on staying in AKB, its really soon that other early generation members are going to follow.

Eitherway, I wish Tomochin the very best! 
I hope I get to see you for the first and last time at Nissan 

[YKT]

[akaiseigo]

Man,another GEN 1 leaving? I just hope she stays visible in the limelight hopefully not waaaay too soon; another solo album,movies/TV,PBs.I mean,she's done many modeling pictorials more than the rest.

[Melchizadek]

Like pretty much everybody else, I'm not surprised at all by this announcement. I've been expecting it for quite a while now. I've been trying to prepare myself for it as much as possible.

Still, Tomochin has been my KamiOshi since the very beginning of my AKB48 fandom, and I'd be lying if I said that it doesn't make me extremely sad to actually see it happening. Hell, I would have probably called in sick to work today - so I could stay home and cry - if I hadn't already been out most of last week with the flu. 2013 has been a pretty rough year for me so far all around.

I love Tomochin so much, and I always will. I'll continue to support her in all that she does. Kami-sama, please let her have a long and prolific solo career.

[Jul3]

[cisda83]

Ah... I just saw the video that Jul3 posted. I didn't know that Tomomi is graduating too.

I'm sad that more and more of the earliest gen. members are graduating, I just hope I can still see her until Nissan concert.

As what most said making a big graduation ceremony like that one that 48Group made for Maeda.

So TomoTomo graduation concert and also making a last concert at the Akihabara Theater the next day like Maeda's for the final goodbye for the fans.

I think she's going to be fine... I mean she is one of the top idols that get lots of Commercial.

She has good fashion sense, and one of the top idols with modeling experiences.

And also she good both in singing and dancing... Her singles are good.

Furthermore, she also can act... all her past dramas and movies are the proof.

Thank you Jul3 for the info.

Good Luck for Itano Tomomi in your future and in whatever careers road you will take!!!

 

[Seigus]

Tomochin's blog post about her graduation. Translation found on jurinaoshi@tumblr.

2013-02-05 23:39:33
Itano Tomomi’s Blog: みんなへ To everyone

板野友美
AKB48卒業します。
Itano Tomomi will graduate AKB48.

いきなりで
驚かせてしまってすみません。
I am sorry for surprising with you with such a sudden announcement.

私は１期生として
７年２ヶ月AKBで過ごしてきました。
I spent 7 years and 2 months as the first generation of AKB.

ｾﾝﾀｰになることや
総監督やｷｬﾌﾟﾃﾝみたいに
みんなをまとめたりすることも
あんまりなかったけど
みんなの『AKB48』の中に
『板野友美』が刻まれ
てたら嬉しいです！
Although I was unable to stand at centre and unify everyone together like a captain or Soukantoku, but if in everybody’s 「AKB48」 I would be very happy if  「Itano Tomomi」 had been engraved within it.

昨年AKBの夢だった
東京ﾄﾞｰﾑの夢を叶え
Last year the concert at Tokyo dome, which had been the dream for AKB, came true

敦子が卒業して
And Atsuko Graduated

AKBの事、自分の未来
真剣に考えました。
And I thought of AKB, and my future very seriously.

そして
AKB48を卒業すること
が私の出した決断です。
And to graduate from AKB48 was the decision I arrived at.

AKBで活動してきた７年の間に
辛くてやめたい、
逃げ出したいと思い
卒業を考えた事も
たくさんありました。
In my 7 years as AKB I had times when I would have painful times and I would want to run away and escape, and I have thought of graduation many times.

でもその『卒業』には
どこか迷いがありました
But in that 「graduation」there would be some hesitation somewhere.

でも、今回の決断にもう迷いはないです。
However this time, I have no worries and hesitations.

正直、不安もたくさんあります。
でも、今一歩踏み出さなきゃ絶対後悔すると思って
出した答えです。
In all honesty, there are some things that I am worried about. But, if I do not step out now I know I will regret it, and this is the answer I have given.

幼い頃から
なにをするにも飽きっぽい
私がこのAKBを７年間も続けてこれたのは
本当にAKB48が
大好きだったから。
Since I had been little, I had the tendancy to loose interest in anything that I had done, and the fact that I have been able to carry on for 7 years is because I really love AKB48.


そして
ﾒﾝﾊﾞｰ、
秋元先生率いるｽﾀｯﾌ、
ﾌｧﾝのみなさん、
And to the members, the Staff and Akimoto Sensei, and to the Fans,

AKBに関わるすべての方に
感謝します。
わがままだった14歳の私を
ここまで育ててくれて
ありがとうございます！
and all those who are connected to AKB48, I really appreciate that all you have done. Thank you for raising the selfish and childish 14 year old to what I am now.

では、AKB48としていられる
残り少ない日々を
大切に過ごします。
I will spend my limited days as AKB48 valuably.

友の青春のすべてはAKB48でした桜
AKB48 had been all of Tomo’s childhood.  桜

Tomo.