[News] Kasai Tomomi will be graduating from AKB48

[SomethingWild]

I always felt that while she is popular, I thought she wasn't very well known outside the AKB fandom.

I'm not sure. I think the opposite may be true. I mean, yes, she is no household name like Oshima Yuko, but consider this:

1. Within AKB48 she doesn't make senbatsu that often anymore and her show appearances are limited at best.
2. Look at the list of (mostly) solo appearances by Kasai on Japanese television:

Dorakurowa
Tore! / Dero!
Tosochu / Sentochu / Run for Money
Ikinari! Ogon Densetsu
Bakusho! Dainippon Akan Kesatsu
Gokigen Kayou Shogekidan
Cho Dokyu! Sekai no Arienai Eizo Retsuden
Viva! Gokujo Earth
Torihada Maruhi Scoop Eizou
Piece TV
Quiz Ichigan
Downtown DX
Drive a Go! Go!
Piramekino
Zekkei! Arupusu Juudan Fureai Tabi
Oku no Fukamichi
Smart Monkeys
Lion no Gokigenyou
Shibuya DEEP A
Tabekore
Akko ni Omakase!
Geinou Bang
Nanikore Chin-Hyakkei
Sou da Dokka ni Ikou
PON!
Sekai no Kowai Onnatachi
Warau! Amekan
Manual Gekidan
Sekaiichi Uketai Jugyou
Narikiri Kankopi Senshuken
Tutorial Adventure
Kyoukasho ni Nosetai!
King of Chair

That's a variety list Miichan can only dream about. I think it definitely helped Kasai to get her name out there and to get the #12 spot during last election.

[oist]

Bah!
Another graduation, and this time is my oshi's.

Liking Kasai has its ups and downs, I suppose. She is no where near perfect. But I stuck with her until the end (though her being out of AKB does not mark the end). It's hard to catch her being in the back row for senbatsu and it takes a little more effort to try and grasp her character as a whole beyond her cute, pampered girl demeanor. What she shines most in is her stage performance. Dakishimeraretara and SSA's Junjou Shugi to name a few. Oh, and her in Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka is just so hnnnngg.


At this point it doesn't really matter whether if Kasai's in AKB or not anymore. AKB hasn't been providing her with many jobs, she's not even on their shows like Gachi Gase or whatever regularly. She's not on the new singles (or even Team Surprise). So we can clearly see that the AKB management doesn't care much about giving her the exposure anymore. Her solo single and PB might as well be the work of HoriPro doing what they should have done ages ago.

I'm pretty sure we'll still be seeing her around in varieties and possibly more singles after this. This might even be a good thing for her career...
The downside is that we'll have less of Kasai in off-stage clips and just less of her overall.

She might not be a super popular solo artist, but heck I'm sure she'll do well. Wishing her the best!


2013 is going to kick us hard. 

[bunny_rabbit]

good luck for chiyuu and I'll keep my eyes on you...do your best on your solo career

so who will be next?

yuuchan?nyannyan?tomochin?

[Joe]

Somehow I'm not so surprised. The best for Chiyuu. Now, Yuuchan's graduation would be a disaster right now!

[jafeijai]

Just to give things a spin of paranoia..

Recent graduations/leaving announcements:

Masuda Yuka. Satou Natsuki. Kasai Tomomi.

Take the first character of each of their family names:
MaSaKa.

Coincidence?

[almond]

After thinking about this for a while, it's not that surprising.

Most of the older members saw AKB as a means to get to their dreams. Kasai's dream is to be a solo singer. She got her record deal and now she's going to be a solo singer. She's not in senbatsu now and doesn't really have much going on in AKB, so it makes perfect sense.
(I mean, if I got a record contract offered to me, I would not continue working in my current job either) 

Takamina made a point of saying that she wanted to achieve her dream while in AKB. I don't know how many of the girls feel that way.


(Also, given that it's all 2nd gen, I bet their contracts are up and we might see something similar with 3rd gen next year...)

[mayuki_daisuki]

yada yo tomomi don't go wahhh
why is everybody graduating im starting to panick 
i will miss you tomomi chan especially when your with tomochin 

[pink-wota]

This year sucks... Chiyuu is graduating too? She was one of favorites!

[Phantom]

Bah I just....ehrm...rraWrhh.. *hits the booze*

[songbac]

Someone said me about the reason graduation of Chiyuu, and I don't know it's true or not because I don't know Japanese, From 1'30'' in this clip. Chiyuu said AKB48, If you guys know Japanese, may you share to me what she said,thank you very much

(somepne told me the reason she graduate is she isn't senbatsu)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRYeJdkgzOU&feature=player_embedded#!

[winner]

^Basically this:
Making the dream of Tokyo Dome come true. And the next advancement of AKB. Being outside of senbatsu, and as more young people join. As AKB moves forward, I also think how I should move forward and not just stay the same. Now having the dream of a solo debut arrive, I think I should give it my all.
But still not even close... by myself... like tv shows... I don't even know if I'll appear. When AKB has such a huge wall poster, there are worries of looking all around it and not seeing myself anywhere.
Now feels like the right time to make a resolution, to walk forward, and announce my graduation.

What kind of singer are you aiming to be?
To have both the good parts of an artist and an idol.

[stv_wong]

I knew it was because of that

[WindCaliber]

In other news, according to this news article, wTomomi will be participating the in 31st Summer single. However, they will not be participate in the next sousenkyou, & will graduate together at the Nippon Budokan concert on April 27, following up with a farewell performance in the theatre.

Man! I was hoping they would graduate together at the Nissan Stadium concert.
I'm hoping for their performance of Love Wars!(and Kinjifuta!)

[kuro808]

It is actually great that they can grad together although the announcements were quite apart from each other

Posted by the mento Hawaiian

[stv_wong]

Man! I was hoping they would graduate together at the Nissan Stadium concert.
I'm hoping for their performance of Love Wars!(and Kinjifuta!)

^This.... I'm so agree with you. I'm hoping to see their duet again too

[YKT]

Kasai Tomomi will be graduating from AKB48 on May 3, 2013.  Her final handshake event will be on April 20, 2013.

Source http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11505718806.html

Kasai Tomomi’s graduation date from AKB48 revealed
by Shiso on April 6, 2013 at 1:14 am



It was announced on AKB48’s official blog that Kasai Tomomi’s graduation from the group will be on May 3rd, after the Shinoda team A performance at AKB48 theater.

Kasai previously announced her graduation on the stage of “the 2nd AKB48 Kohaku Taikou Uta Gassen” held on December 17th of last year. Additionally, her last appearance for a handshake event will be on April 20th which will be held at Makuhari Messe.

On May 8th, right after her graduation, she is set to release her 2nd single (currently untitled) that has been chosen as the ending theme for upcoming drama “Meshibana Deka Tachibana“, in which she will appear as the heroine.

Source & Image: Oricon

http://www.tokyohive.com/2013/04/kasai-tomomis-graduation-date-from-akb48-revealed/

[Jul3]

Kasai grad fest at the Budokan concert:

----ENCORE----
----Kasai Tomomi VTR----
EN1 - Masaka (Kasai Tomomi 1st single)
EN2 - Mine (Kasai Tomomi 2nd single)
----MC4 (2nd gen)----
EN3 - Enjoy your life! (Kasai Tomomi 2nd single c/w: Akimoto Sayaka, Umeda Ayaka, Ohori Megumi, Oshima Yuko, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Matsubara Natsumi, Miyazawa Sae)
EN4 - Sougen no Kiseki (Akimoto Sayaka, Umeda Ayaka, Ohori Megumi, Oshima Yuko, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Matsubara Natsumi, Miyazawa Sae)
----MC5 (Kasai exit)----

[stv_wong]

Today is her last theater performance 


During Tomo Yo with Sae


2nd Generation Members came




Goodbye AKB's Tomo~mi-chan. Hello Kasai Tomomi


More photos can be found here http://sweettomo.com/2013/05/03/photos-kasai-tomomis-graduation-performance/

[Jul3]

Excerpt of her grad show, featuring "Enjoy your life!"

AKB48 チームA公演 友よ~Enjoy your life！