[News] Elder Club members graduating next year

[reina's eyes]

Something sure is up.

Some corporate type had a bad idea that caught on? All the loose talent revolted for freedom? Bankruptcy fended off with massive firings?

There's a history of senior talent being neglected and we watched the demise of haromoni. Are the weaknesses of hp growing and overwhelming the strengths?

It'll be interesting (I hope not alarming) to see what happens with mm. It's been a while since any graduations or new generations, so what will come next?

[nachdenki]

Just for clarification.
It's worth to have a look at
http://www.ufg.co.jp/associated.html and
http://www.ufg.co.jp/artist.html
If one tries to look what they might do in the future if they stay with UFG

Up-Front-Agency seems to be the correct company still, it's only purpose is to manage, train and promote them anyway.
If they don't want to sing anymore though they are probably really better in J.P.ROOM Inc.
Also if some would move to TNX they would still be within UFG.
Actually UpFront is such a huge company most can probably find a place somewhere but it does not change the fact that some fans will most likely see their favorite artists even less than before and that's probably what they are afraid of besides this announcement being the end of the Hello! Project as we have known it until today which isn't like any other news.
Mhhh it's also still some months before they graduate, they could also make yet another company or just move them within up-front-works to other labels. But I still doubt they have one solution for all graduating members.

The end of contract theory sounds interesting, it could explain why all of them graduate at once. Or they waited too long with graduating some time by time that they now better graduate all to move forward...

[StreakInTheSky]

I'm doubtful all them just decided that they were all not going to re-sign by "choice."

I'm almost pretty sure that this was a decision by the management. What exactly they're planning I don't really know. They could very well be re-signing new contracts for everyone.

[Rei-chan]

The massive graduation thing sounds absolutely crazy, but oh well... there goes whatever little interest I could still have in H!P.

I'm free. Bring on the korean boybands

[tiny]

Several news postings have stated that 22 persons will graduate. This one explicitly names them, and the eggs of Ongaku Gatas are not on the list.

[Nouciel]

Since there's still no announcement about what will the Elders do after they leave H!P (except that they're gonna still be under UFG), I don't think the current MM line-up will change in some time... this is purely speculation though.

I seem to recall that the winners of the Hello! Project Taiwan Audition will start their activities as H!P members in January 2009. Gotta start learning their names

[Sazaki Ren]

Eggs won't be graduating together with the rest of Ongaku Gatas. It's just illogical. But the thing that's logical is that half of Ongaku Gatas will graduate - which means that Ongaku Gatas is left with only eggs in it and that's a three-person unit, created to support Gatas Brilhantes H.P. in the first place - and if we assume that Gatas won't exist after graduation of its main players - then who needs a three-person unit, which supports nonexistent club? So it's completely logical to announce that Ongaku Gatas will graduate also.

[shirenuファクトリー]

Yeah the way I understand Ongaku Gatas on that list is that the group will just cease to exist, kinda like Minimoni So the H!P Egg members should be safe. And tiny's post pretty much confirms that, anyway.

I'm almost starting to get excited about the "new" H!P :3 Only thing that I'm worried about is that pretty much all the good singers are getting the boot. I mean, it's not like I listened to people like Yuki Maeda that much anyway, but Elder Club concerts were just a whole different world vocally. Mature, strong voices. Now there are lots of cute and unique voices among the younger members, which I love, but... it's lacking in "maturity". Like, the new generations singing T&C Bomber songs would sound like chipmunk versions of them. LOL!!! I don't mean to diss because I love the cute voices, but I'd like it if there were lead singers with a deeper, richer voice out there, too. (SINA has one girl with a voice like this, but it seems like SINA will never really become a part of H!P... Unless they will be inserted after the major graduation) Or if someone with a cute voice was as talented as Ayaya, but nobody is even close to that.

ANYWAY YES I KNOW it's ridiculous to be a H!P fan and whine about vocals since they're not supposed to be the best singers, but I will miss the Elder Club concerts, yes.

[Rick-e]

Okay... I'm very late at knowing this news (somehow didn't notice this thread, so I found out from H!O).
Initial reaction is the same as most people here. almost threw my notebook to the wall (well not really but I felt like doing it). but then as I read the posts and comments from the guys here I calmed down somewhat... I guess it makes sense to say that it's a restructuring of H!P, and that it's just a label... but! I guess the reason I was really upset was, as lots of people have said, that this really IS the end of an era! even if they're still under UFG it's just not the same. my thoughts are:
- So much for my dream of attending an H!P concert... haha
- Some of them might have a better chance in the business now (like Miki & Mako), but this also means that the ones that are not that popular won't have a chance at all (because they're no longer under the H!P umbrella).... It makes sense business-wise, but.... well its just sad.

hmmmm that's all for my rant... I just hope for the best now.. >_< I'm not gonna give up on them, but this is a bummer

[emifebruary]

- So much for my dream of attending an H!P concert... haha

Same here ! I'm so angry I was planning to go to japan in winter 2010 to see a HP elder club concert 
My dream was to see MKB in concert once in my life and it really reduce the chance to see them, one of my dream is over now and it's really hard 

[reina's eyes]

When an idol fucks up, they have to be all apologetic to the fans for their plagiarism or smoking or having a boyfriend or whatever. Where are the apologies when management just goes and dissolves things?

I really feel for those who had plans to see any of the "graduating" members at a concert in the next couple years.

[Miichan]

Why is this such a terrible thing? o_o ~ Yeah I was shocked. And yeah... I can see how it would suck to have planed to see them at a concert sometime.

Yeah they made H!P ... But we cant expect them to stay like that forever.. With the no dating and all those stupid rules they have. I mean its not that stupid for a 16 year old to follow ... But Nakazawa Yuko? 
(...Yeah I have no idea whos allowed to date and not but.. )

I see it as a good thing ... well as long as the others keep up what their doing now.

[Asmodai]

Blah. I'm a little annoyed too. I wasn't following H!P a lot lately, but there goes any chance that I'll be coming back.

And Ayaya? Seriously? A group graduation?

Would H!P be around today if Ayaya hadn't kept it going virtually single handedly while MM careened around mediocre singles like a drunken whale with a balance problem?

And they can't even give her her own grad concert?

Whatever.

[mini*wheat]

I think the big deal is that, while yes... there was a lot of talent "sitting around collecting dust" (as someone so accurately said), at least every now and then we got to see them and a concert or whatever. I know I looked forward to Elder Club/Big H!P concerts so I could see people like Atsuko and Yuki perform.

So now, even though they are still under UF-whatever, there's an even bigger chance of them disappearing forever. I understand some of the older members may want to (like Yuko, perhaps), but I don't think this is a matter of everyone just said "Hey, we're tired of the idol image!" I mean, Ogawa's only 20 (almost 21)... so while she's older, she's not really un-idol. Takahashi and Junjun, and Risa are (or are around) the same age...

I'm just going to sit back and see what happens from here on out and keep track of my favorite members while I can.


And like everyone else, I'm pissed about the big group graduation, too. Some of them deserve to have a major graduation. Like JFC said, Ayaya helped hold it together and Yuko has been the leader for AGES. They deserve a little bit nicer send-off, imho. Also, it's a shame Kaori and Nono won't be there. I understand the reasons why, but it would've been nice.

[THUNDERDUCK]

I've so much to say, but I won't repeat what many of you said.  But for fun, I think this news caused JPM to crash.  Maybe this will foreshadow some Ishikawa gravure-ness....

[RatBastich]

But for fun, I think this news caused JPM to crash. 

[shurastriker]

Maybe this will foreshadow some Ishikawa gravure-ness....

yeah, yeah, i can feel it, i'm crossing finger so that can happen ... very unreal but we can dream

[Slack]

A little off-topic, but bear with me.

I always thought it was a little ridiculous to blame Tsunku for every decision, bad or otherwise, that is made regarding Hello! Project.  Sure, he writes the songs, and does a lot of behind the scenes stuff regarding the music itself, but I'm willing to bet that he has a lot less control over everything than people think.

At the most, I've seen him writing songs, presiding over the final rounds of auditions, tweaking concert setlists, give constructive criticism to the girls, and he USED to direct recording sessions in person.

What people need to remember is that Tsunku is a producer, not a manager, and unless you're talking about TNX, not the head of a company.  Hello! Project was created as a marketing tool for the "Tsunku family", as it was called, and is a brand, not an institution.


And that's why I think it's unfair to blame Tsunku for this decision. UFA isn't his company.  (TNX, on the other hand, is.)

[shadowstar]

And that's why I think it's unfair to blame Tsunku for this decision. UFA isn't his company.  (TNX, on the other hand, is.)

Well said, Slack.

I can say I'm very surprised, but at the same time, I didn't fall off my chair in shock or anything. In a way, you kind of saw it coming, but not at this magnitude, you know? I'll be selfish and just say that I'm relieved Momusu hasn't been touched and they're safe. As safe as they can get, anyway.

[lollipopgirl]

So what do people think will happen to MM members when they graduate now?
I don't think they will change the line up for a while, or at least not grad anyone, coz of this massive change already, but when it does happen do you think they will start fresh with soloists in H!P or will they follow the rest of the graduated MM members now and have to leave H!P, leaving it as a label for main groups?

Also, thanks to everyone who helped free my mind of worry for the OG Eggs, I take back the rant I had