Readers Voice: A Fans Appreciation - Michishige Sayumi Graduation Appreciation Posts

These are not my own thoughts, but in fact the thoughts of others. Though I do not do this type of post much, I wanted to share the thoughts and appreciation of other fans regarding the leave of Morning Musume's Michishige Sayumi. Please respect the opinions of the original writers, thank you.

*Regarding this specific type of post, I want to express that I enjoy delivering the messages of the Readers or fans of various groups here if given the permission or asked to add them to the blog. It gives a more diverse perspective to a certain event, situation or thought and allows for you read something that is not written from my point of view. Again, diversity - it is good! Thank you for reading~

**I want to thank both Calli and Mendez for allowing me to create this post after I asked if I could. I was moved by their appreciative pieces regarding Sayumi's graduation, and I truly wanted to share them with you all! So once again, thank you to them both!

This post is a little later than planned due to assignments and Christmas shopping, but aside from the that, I have no excuse...

So a few days ago before and also when Michishige Sayumi graduated, I was on Facebook and found two posts of Appreciation for Morning Musume '14's former Leader and the last standing 6th generation member. Both of the posts really touched me and, of course, made me bawl like the emotional wreck I truly am. The two posts I saw are by friends of mine, so I asked them if I could share their beautiful posts of Appreciation here on my blog for others to see to show my lovely readers what other fans have to say about Morning Musume's 8th leader.

This post will be focused on what both Calli and Mendez have said, rather than what I say. I really appreciate that they both have allowed me to share these Appreciation posts with us all, and to know that others were writing such beautiful words towards Michishige Sayumi before or after her graduation really made me emotional and happy; she was loved by many, and on her graduation day it showed, and so I share with you two posts from two fans who loved her dearly.

So without further ado, please read on and take in both messages from Mendez and Calli and see if you identify with their feelings, too.

Enjoy~

Michishige Sayumi has Graduated from Morning Musume '14

Today on November 26th 2014, Michishige Sayumi has now officially graduated from Morning Musume '14. To her I want to say congratulations on a successful graduation ceremony and for being a part of Morning Musume for over 11 years, successfully proving that she is a true Idol despite coming into the group as one of the weakest members.

During her final concert today she showed us all how far she had truly come.

[A Week with Sayu] Michishige Sayumi - The Graduation Appreciation Post

This post contains my own thoughts and views. Please respect them, and thank you.

*This is the final post in my [A Week with Sayu] series, and it is an Appreciation post, so I mostly reflect on thoughts and feelings for Sayumi that I have here. Thank you for being a part of this series with me, and for being a fan of Sayumi!

In 2009 when I came into the Morning Musume fandom I remember looking at Sayumi once and thinking to myself "Oh, she's cute! Maybe one day she'll become my favourite!". With Koharu's impending graduation coming up at the time, I believed in that thought.

Of course, Sayumi never did become my favourite. Instead I fell for Gaki, but no matter what I always found myself looking at Sayumi.

I never thought she was amazing or anything, because she wasn't; Michishige Sayumi was a weak singer who could never perform as well as others and, though she was cute, never really seemed to have any other qualities I cared much about. Once I started to watch subtitled videos however, I quickly came to realise how much Sayumi's personality stood out above the rest.

[A Week with Sayu] A Final Merci with Sayu's Shaba-Daba-Toodle-oo! - 'Shaba Daba Do~' PV Review!

All thoughts and opinions within this post are my own completely and no one else's. You do not have to agree with me, nor do you have to even read this post, but please respect what I have to say; no two opinions are ever alike! I will respect what you believe as long as you respect what I have to say. Thank you!

*About this Series: [A Week with Sayu] is a week-long series dedicated to Michishige Sayumi on her impending graduation from the group Morning Musume. The intention with this series is to focus on Sayumi as an Idol, personality and member of the group she loves dearly, allowing for me to take a closer look at how she has grown as an Idol since her debut up until her graduation. To do this I will be looking at both past and present forms of work that she has done in her 11 year career, some I have previously loved and some I may have ignored. By the end of this series, I hope to have had a better look at Sayumi as well as seen how she has evolved and progressed as the Idol we know today called Michishige Sayumi. Thank you.

11 years, 38+ singles, 11 solo photobooks and the longest tenure in Morning Musume to date, we have finally come to the end of an era; Michishige Sayumi is about to graduate, reaching her final destination as an Idol with her last single, the final goodbye. With her career coming to a close all too soon, I will take a look at her final PV as a member of Morning Musume '14 and the last solo song that she will have sung as a part of a group that she joined all those years ago, wanting to become a part of something she dearly loved with all of her heart. Now she is leaving it, a group she has helped to grow since becoming a leader, a group that she still dearly loves even today.

From a young girl who debuted in Shabondama with no experience to a young woman who has become a true Idol in Shaba Daba Do~, this is the final song and dance of Michishige Sayumi, Morning Musume's cutest Idol! Her last hurrah, will it do her justice?

[A Week with Sayu] The Penultimate Look: Blue Rose - Photobook Review

Please NOTE: This is a Photobook review. If photobooks of any kind make you feel uncomfortable, whether Idol is under or of age, then this is your warning. Do not read if you will be or feel offended by the images posted here. Thank you.

All thoughts and opinions within this post are completely my own and no one else's. Please appreciate that what I say is not fact, simply what I think. Thank you.

*Credit to Ryan for stocking me with these photobook scans! It is very much appreciated and this post would not have happened without your help!

*About this Series: [A Week with Sayu] is a week-long series dedicated to Michishige Sayumi on her impending graduation from the group Morning Musume. The intention with this series is to focus on Sayumi as an Idol, personality and member of the group she loves dearly, allowing for me to take a closer look at how she has grown as an Idol since her debut up until her graduation. To do this I will be looking at both past and present forms of work that she has done in her 11 year career, some I have previously loved and some I may have ignored. By the end of this series, I hope to have had a better look at Sayumi as well as seen how she has evolved and progressed as the Idol we know today called Michishige Sayumi. Thank you.

Michishige Sayumi has truly grown into a beautiful young woman, one who has been appreciated in visual form since her debut. When looking back at her debut photobook, Michishige Sayumi (2004) I knew that I would want to look at another one during this week dedicated to Sayumi before her impending graduation, but not an earlier photobook; I want to look at a more recent one, a book that can represent the Sayumi of today.

And so, because this is the penultimate review post and also because I could not find the full photobook for YOUR LOVE (2014), I will instead be taking a look at Sayumi's penultimate photobook as a member of Morning Musume '14. Let's take a look at Blue Rose (2013).

(Blue Rose released on October 27th 2013)

[A Week with Sayu] The Tale of A Looking Back Beauty - 'Mikaeri Bijin' PV Review

All thoughts and opinions within this post are my own. If you do not agree with what is said, then so be it; that is your issue, not mine. Just respect what I say, thank you.

*About this Series: [A Week with Sayu] is a week-long series dedicated to Michishige Sayumi on her impending graduation from the group Morning Musume. The intention with this series is to focus on Sayumi as an Idol, personality and member of the group she loves dearly, allowing for me to take a closer look at how she has grown as an Idol since her debut up until her graduation. To do this I will be looking at both past and present forms of work that she has done in her 11 year career, some I have previously loved and some I may have ignored. By the end of this series, I hope to have had a better look at Sayumi as well as seen how she has evolved and progressed as the Idol we know today called Michishige Sayumi. Thank you.

The parting of Michishige Sayumi will soon be here, and whilst I have been looking back, the Idol we all love so dearly has also been looking back as well. So of course, it is fitting to look at her final appearance in a Music Video with the group she has loved so dearly these past 11 years, even if she isn't necessarily a part of the song itself...

[A Week with Sayu] Platinum Sayumi - A Voice Unheard, A Presence Made Known

With this post I will be taking a look at Michishige Sayumi as a personality and what she brought to a certain era in time as a member of Morning Musume. You do not have to agree with what is said, nor do you have to believe what is written here; this is purely speculation on my part and also theory. I can be very wrong, or I can be a little bit right. Either way, take this post as you will, but remember that my opinion is my own. Thank you.

*About this Series: [A Week with Sayu] is a week-long series dedicated to Michishige Sayumi on her impending graduation from the group Morning Musume. The intention with this series is to focus on Sayumi as an Idol, personality and member of the group she loves dearly, allowing for me to take a closer look at how she has grown as an Idol since her debut up until her graduation. To do this I will be looking at both past and present forms of work that she has done in her 11 year career, some I have previously loved and some I may have ignored. By the end of this series, I hope to have had a better look at Sayumi as well as seen how she has evolved and progressed as the Idol we know today called Michishige Sayumi. Thank you.

When looking back on Michishige Sayumi and her 11 year career within Morning Musume, I can't help but notice that, unlike Tanaka Reina, there is one giant gap where Sayu does literally nothing of note because she is just... there.

Hello, Platinum Era.