H!P Execs: "Okay, guys, how should we end the year? Low note or high?"
H!P Management: "I dunno, it's been a pretty shit year. Maybe we should go out with something positive, like, say... a beloved members return?"
H!P Execs: "Nope. She's decided to graduate."
H!P Management: "Well, fuck. Low note it is, then. Things can't get any shitter for us in 2017, at least."
H!P Execs: "Here, here." -sips bubbly champagne and hits PUBLISH on the official announcements page-
A look into the End of Year discussions at Up-Front HQ, because they gotta go big, or go home, despite the multiple nope moments they've already experienced this year.
Aikawa Maho is graduating ANGERME and Hello! Project, and no, this is not how I want to end my year. Hell, it's not even how I wanted to wake up on the final day of 2017, but, there we go. Life just doesn't cater to our desires, does it, now?
Le sigh.
So, yeah... It was announced only recently, and though I've not seen a whole lot online about it, the few comments I have come across are heartfelt and sad. I can see that it's disappointed so many fans, regardless of which member they happen to support. However, there is also a lot of understanding as well, with fans acknowledging that this choice of Maho's is probably for the best, and I respect this. It's so nice to see the community actually respecting Maho's decision and praising her for taking herself into consideration.
You can read the official announcement here.
