Mano Erina to Graduate from Hello! Project

I wake up early, happy as punch because tonight I get to kick back, relax and drink with my sister and one of my best friends. Well, guess what? This alcohol's gonna help me to drown away my sorrows tonight instead of drowning in my tears...

Oh H!P, you're turning me into a bit of an alcoholic...

Mano Erina to graduate Hello! Project in February 2013... I cried a little, but I will surely cry more by the time this actually happens.

Honestly, I am a bit surprised, and really sad about this, but also quite okay with it - I don't think that this graduation will kill my heart like Koharu or Gaki's did, but I do think that for a while I will be sad. I mean, I've liked Mano for a little over a year now - I loved Seishun no SERENADE and ever since then, I've liked all of her singles. For a year now, she's been one of my favourite acts within Hello! Project, and I look forward to her singles and how they will develop, because these past few singles, you can't deny that UFA have really upped the budget and gone into a different, more mature direction with this girl, which is why I am always looking out for a new song from her and a new PV - she has a nice voice, and she has some of the better PV's in Hello! Project.

So to know that she won't be a soloist after February next year is sad, and it has shocked me that this has been announced - but Hello! Project is changing a lot now, and I think that now is probably about the right time to announce another graduation whilst the change is still fresh in everyone's mind, so that it won't be a big shocker when it did come around next year. That, and fans have plenty of time to prepare for the graduation - we have a good while until it actually happens, so a lot of preparation will go into I think, and fans will be able to adjust to the news as well over the course of the next few months.

But you know what? Hearing this news, it actually makes me quite hopeful that Hello! Project will bring out a new soloist this year too, and prepare her before Mano graduates. This is just me hoping, but there might be a chance...

I would say Naaboudoufu@nana, but I doubt she'll cut it as a H!P soloist or whatnot. I mean, Mano isn't the best singer, and Nana's vocals are by far not as good as Mano's, so that chance is slim, but I will honestly keep hoping that a new soloist will be announced, whether it's an egg KARIN FOR PRESIDENT or an existing member of one of the four existing groups, I would like to see a new soloist added to the Hello! Project mix for everyone to fawn over or dislike before Mano totally leaves the scene.

Okay, so back on topic to Mano - what does this mean for her? Ultimately, I hope that it means she will continue her activities, whether it is through singing or acting. It seems that lately, more and more Hello! Project acts are going into acting after graduation, especially the recent graduations of Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa, so I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Mano became an actress too, considering how good she is at acting, and how many offers she gets to perform in both stage and television productions. I would love it if she kept singing, but I think that it would be awesome to see her continue her acting career.

For me, this graduation is sad and shocking, but I guess it's to be expected. Mano's gone past the 'Idol' stage and has turned into a mature young woman, and it shows in her songs and videos - you can tell that she's grown up, and that she's moving on with her life, and in all honesty... this graduation might be needed. Hello! Project has had big changes from 2011 until now, and they will continue to change, and Mano is a part of that big change. Whilst we still have her, let's treasure the last months we have with Mano Erina as a Hello! Project soloist before she becomes an act under UFA or another company, or a regular young woman.

Mano Erina, daisuki~

Chiima~

Source

PING!!! Idolminded Recommended Reading: July 21st, 2012