From our other sites
The story
Akiyama Mao and Hashisako Rin, members of the Hello! Project idol group Tsubaki Factory, announced their graduation from the group at the same time. Their post-graduation paths are strikingly different, though: Akiyama has stated clearly that she’ll continue working in entertainment after graduating, while Hashisako says she’ll retire from the industry entirely once she graduates. The gap sparked a wave of reactions on 5ch’s Hello! Project board, with posters speculating on the reasons behind the split — citing differences in the two members’ workloads, fan popularity, and skill sets. Some also looked back at past members who stayed in showbiz after graduating, or conversely returned to activity after “retiring,” to guess what might come next for each of them.
What people said
Solved the moment you stop lingering around Hello! Project yourself.
In an interview Hashisako said it was because she "wanted to get rich."
Since a junior joined Beyoo (BEYOOOOONDS), aren't they basically comrades now? Guess the Mononofu around here just don't see it that way.
The difference in fan numbers is brutal, so that's not happening — Sasaki would probably be the considerate one about it.
Sasaki's real partner is Akiyama, isn't it?
If it's something like that, the otaku would be saved lol
Ah, so busy, so busy~ lol
Stayed with the agency:
Yamagishi, Asakura (retired, then came back), Akiyama?
Continued elsewhere:
Ogata, Kishimoto, Niinuma
Retired or status unknown:
Yagi
Every member of Tsubaki Factory is ambitious and pushy, so Hello! Project otaku who prefer meek, low-ego girls tend to dislike Tsubaki.
Exactly — people do a total 180 sometimes.
Who with, exactly? Her friend Akiyama? Her junior Hashisako?
Re: #50
Who with, exactly? Her friend Akiyama? Her junior Hashisako?
Inside or outside doesn't really matter. Everyone's definition of success is different — it's just that only a small handful ever "succeed" in the entertainment industry at all.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
In Hello! Project, whether a member stays in entertainment solo after graduating from her group or retires from the industry entirely varies from person to person — cases like Akiyama’s and Hashisako’s, where two members graduate at the same time but land on opposite paths, aren’t unusual. Posters in the thread bring up past examples like Niinuma and Haga, noting that members who announced they’d “stay in entertainment” have sometimes scaled back activity later, while others who said they’d “retire” have sometimes come back. That said, these are ultimately fan speculation based on past patterns and impressions — neither the agency nor the members themselves have officially explained the reasoning behind their post-graduation choices. Some posts point to gaps in popularity or workload as the deciding factor, but a member’s path after graduation is often shaped by undisclosed personal or family circumstances, so it’s worth remembering that forum speculation doesn’t necessarily reflect the real story.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Akiyama Mao: “I’ll Keep Working in Entertainment After Graduation” — Hashisako Rin: “I’m Retiring From Entertainment After Graduation”.”
Leave a Reply