[News] Umeda Erika graduating from H!P 10/25

[Nouciel]

These do deserve to be quoted:

Awesome, Erika.     I guess it's sad to fans who have loved her over the years, but this is good news really.  She's been an "HP Kid" for 7 of her 18 years, which is a HELL LONG TIME TO HAVE A JOB, and now she has the confidence to move on and do something concrete for herself.  Probably none of the kids want to end up like Melon Kinenbi who have just faded into obscurity over time and will wind up all stuck together bickering with each other Spink and Forcible.

Thanks UFA.

Thanks a lot.

I really hope Erika makes it, whether it be photoshoots, photobooks, magazines, catwalk or whatever it is. I hope she makes it, and makes it big. And I hope she does so outside of any sort of Upfront management territory.

C-ute will be 5 girls. You'd think, even if hearing that Erika will leave, would mean that maybe, just maybe the other girls will get more solo lines now. But really, I've given up on this. C-ute is The Maimi & Airi Show, then you have "some girls over there" in the background that seems to be supporting Maimi and Airi by dancing a little and, oh yes! They are singing the chorus too! How cute...

New members in C-ute? Why? What for? It will go a little something like this:
1) New members join C-ute, also gets no lines, like the other girls in C-ute right now.
2) New members join C-ute, are decided "better" than other girls in C-ute right now, and ends up overshadowing current members not being Maimi and Airi.

I'm not sad really (about this), because H!P is a pale, fading hollow shell of what it once used to be, and it's been so for a while. What's even worse, is the state of UFA, but that too is pretty apparent. What really annoys me is how many girls never even get a chance, while others are given PB and DVD one after another without even being interesting in the first place, as an idol.

I hope Erika makes it, really I do. And I will support her any way I can.

As for UFA/Upfront and certain managers in Upfront: Fuck you.

Have a good weekend.

[JFC]

Definitely came out of left field. While she never really grabbed my attention in terms of fandom, she was pretty funny/dorky during concert MCs and I couldn't help but think that she should have gotten the spotlight more than she did.  As long as it's her own choice to leave (i.e. she's not being forced out) and she's got a goal/dream that she wants to pursue, then all the best to her.

[sousora]

Not sure how reliable they are (I wouldn't say they're unreliable...) but this news article says the girls will just continue as a five member group.

[Nevi]

This bums me out quite a bit. Erika was one of my favourites. C-ute just will feel so...ugh empty without her, honestly. But I don't want any new members. I just want the same ones that are there no. No new ones, pleeeeeease.

I wish her the best of luck in modelling, though. <3 She's such a pretty girl.

[winner]

ugh. The culprit is the heat. It's just too bloody hot right now.
Seeing graduations flying out here and there is kinda sad. But I think such idol groups can be great training for the entertainment biz, and I hope Erika has learned enough to rock hard and be successful in modeling~

Looking at it this way, Momusu Berryz and C-ute have had the same members for a pretty long run (touch wood) without any member changes. They really work really hard throughout the years performing.
And all you can do is feel impressed by such dedication by H!P (even the staff) to make it happen (hey, at least Kanna and Erika outlasted the elders!), no matter if they're vocal or dancer or whatever.

As for C-ute. 5 members does feel a little weak. Leaving only the pillar of the gods, Maimi, and the 4 kids. I can only picture a kindergarten class doing a rain dance ritual. They really should add a member.
C-ute songs have had great reactions recently, I wouldn't understand it if UFA didn't keep such a successful brand alive.

[redux]

Welld one girl, she was always my fave member in the group and really the only reason I liked them at all, hopefully now she can actually be given the chance to do something. Though I'm sad to see her go I've no doubt that she'll be more successful on her own, it'd be kind of hard to do worse...

[riOtkittin]

Nonooonoooooooooo.
Not erika. She's my goofy favorite. Since Megumi left she was my favorite in C-ute.
I should be happier if Maimi left the group. ... Never really liked her. =/

But if this is what Erika wants to do, good for her. I wish her good luck in the future. ^_^

[Blu-Cherri]

Anyone know if she's staying with Up front as her agency???

[TheBlackCatsLuck]

Wow, another one? Must be something in water. Best of luck to her.

[Brenda]

Good luck to her in the future!

[Anton_91]

This really sucks! She was somewhat standing out in C-ute, sort of like what Maasa do for Berryz. (and I LOVE maasa!!)

I got this feeling that maybe Arihanna was fired for (PERHAPS) dating and when Erika found out how unfair she was treated, she decided to leave as well. That would be a real friend =) I'm not following C-ute to well, where Erika and Kanna getting along well??? (I'm not impying this happend btw )

Best wishes to Erika! She has amazing skills, she was meant for so much more then being an idol. =)