Morning Musume ’26’s Rio Sakurai revealed in an interview that, four years after joining, she’s still the group’s youngest member since no 17th generation has come in yet — and the remark sparked discussion on 5ch’s Hello! Project board. Posters pointed out that in the old days members graduated fast, like Rika Goto after just 3 years or Yuko Nakazawa after 3 years and 7 months, whereas today members like Oda and Nonaka routinely rack up 10+ years — fueling debate over how much the idol world’s sense of “tenure” has shifted.
Morning Musume '26 Rio Sakurai Interview (excerpt)
For now the 17th generation still hasn't come in, so I remain the youngest,
and it's stayed this way, with the senior members above me graduating one after another…
For now the 17th generation still hasn't come in, so I remain the youngest,
and it's stayed this way, with the senior members above me graduating one after another…
Rika Goto graduated just 3 years after joining.
>>7
Nakazawa did 3 years, 7 months
Yasuda did 5 years
The golden-era members really packed a lot into a short time
Nakazawa did 3 years, 7 months
Yasuda did 5 years
The golden-era members really packed a lot into a short time
Rio Sakurai's join date with Morning Musume is June 29, 2022.
As a member of the 16th generation, she was the only one to join solo.
As a member of the 16th generation, she was the only one to join solo.
So that means Saku-ringo (Sakurai's nickname) has hit the 4-year mark too, huh
She's the same school year as Homamei, so I doubt we'll ever see a "Captain Sakurai" era
So there's really nothing that's a uniquely-Morning-Musume strength or a uniquely-Sakurai-Rio strength, huh
These days sticking around for 10 years is just normal
Normally you can't keep doing idol work for 10 years, right?
That's because the music business itself has slowed way down
Isn't it just Musume。 where the sense of time is this warped?
For a young girl, 4 years should feel like "only" not "already"
For a young girl, 4 years should feel like "only" not "already"
Idol careers have really gotten longer
The Platinum-era members did 10 years, and AKB's early lineup, Nogizaka, the Fukumura-Michishige era — everyone's loaded with 10-year veterans
The Platinum-era members did 10 years, and AKB's early lineup, Nogizaka, the Fukumura-Michishige era — everyone's loaded with 10-year veterans
It's because the pace of single releases has slowed down
By the old standard she'd still feel like she's only in year 2
By the old standard she'd still feel like she's only in year 2
Current 10-year-plus veterans would be
Oda, Nonaka, Inoue, Tanimoto, Ono, Onoda, Akiyama
something like that
Oda, Nonaka, Inoue, Tanimoto, Ono, Onoda, Akiyama
something like that
It's wild that Ikari Endo, who was central to the "Kakumei DoChuu" routine at the Hello! Con, and Rio Sakurai, who was the "average one," came from the very same audition
>>13
Back then, unlike now, time really did move fast
Back then, unlike now, time really did move fast
>>32
That was the era when you'd flip the channel and a Musume。 member would pop up somewhere. The density back then was insane.
That was the era when you'd flip the channel and a Musume。 member would pop up somewhere. The density back then was insane.
Even over at rival agency Nogizaka46, a 20-year-old 5th-gen member in her 4th year is shouldering the heavy responsibility of being captain, so nobody gets to slack off
>>37
Wait, Nogizaka's captain is 20?
Wait, Nogizaka's captain is 20?
Showa-era idols were basically singer trainees anyway
Turning 20 (adulthood) pretty much meant graduating from being an idol
Turning 20 (adulthood) pretty much meant graduating from being an idol
>>38
Like Yoko Nagayama or Shizuka Kudo
Like Yoko Nagayama or Shizuka Kudo
"I said I'm the new girl" — but some of us have been here 10-plus years, Happy! (riffing on a Morning Musume lyric)
>>46
This part was originally three 12th-gen members, but Haga graduated last year and Nonaka's been on rehab leave since this year, so it was basically just Makino carrying it —
and then when Makino mysteriously no-showed at Hina Fes, Oda ended up singing it instead, and I lost it.
How many 10-plus-year veterans is this group even carrying at this point
This part was originally three 12th-gen members, but Haga graduated last year and Nonaka's been on rehab leave since this year, so it was basically just Makino carrying it —
and then when Makino mysteriously no-showed at Hina Fes, Oda ended up singing it instead, and I lost it.
How many 10-plus-year veterans is this group even carrying at this point
4 years in and she's basically a grizzled veteran already
>>53
Seriously, she's already a veteran
Seriously, she's already a veteran
>>1
This really isn't on Sakurai though
Musume。's had this issue because the 9th/10th/11th gens stuck around without graduating for way too long
This really isn't on Sakurai though
Musume。's had this issue because the 9th/10th/11th gens stuck around without graduating for way too long
>>59
Even with the 9th/10th gens sitting on top like a lid, the 13th gen still properly trained the 15th gen as seniors by their 3rd year — so that excuse doesn't fly
If the argument is that Rairi lost her shot at "growing up" because the 15th gen, her seniors by 3 years, kept acting like the youngest, then I could just about buy that
Even with the 9th/10th gens sitting on top like a lid, the 13th gen still properly trained the 15th gen as seniors by their 3rd year — so that excuse doesn't fly
If the argument is that Rairi lost her shot at "growing up" because the 15th gen, her seniors by 3 years, kept acting like the youngest, then I could just about buy that
What was this girl even picked for?
Aren't there way too many head-scratcher picks from this audition? Endo too
Aren't there way too many head-scratcher picks from this audition? Endo too
>>76
Super visuals & star quality
Super visuals & star quality
Not gonna lie, I'm just not into Sakurai's face…
I like the scrappy, gritty passion you get from people like Sakurai and Yumigeta
Don't get that vibe from Homamei
Don't get that vibe from Homamei
4 years in and she still hasn't gotten the Music Station tissue box (a running gag/memento given to frequent guests)
>>108
Meanwhile Juice=Juice is off having fun knocking over dominoes
Meanwhile Juice=Juice is off having fun knocking over dominoes
>>108
That jab's gonna sting like hell
That jab's gonna sting like hell
*This article is compiled from excerpts and a summary of the 5ch (Hello! Project board) thread “Rio Sakurai: ‘It’s only been about 4 years since I joined too’”.
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