One of the founding members for S/mileage, Maeda Yuuka, has graduated from the group and Hello! Project at today’s Mega Bank Vol. 4 to return to a normal life and make it into university.
The news of Yuuka’s graduation came very suddenly and like many I was stunned to see yet another founding member leave in such a short time. At first it was somewhat hard to believe since it seemed like Yuuka would be in the group forever, but it’s understandable to see something like this happen since we all grow out of our initial dreams for our future, and it seems like Yuuka did too which is perfectly understandable.
Yuuka was my favorite member of the group and that’s mainly due to her personality and impressive singing talent. Sure, I didn’t pay that much attention to the group, but it was the first main group of H!P that was created after I was a fan and as such I feel a somewhat loose connection to them due to that since their debut makes me remember my life as an H!P fan and just how short it has been compared to how long H!P has been around.
Due to her being my favorite member of the group (alongside Kanon) I, like many, have started to feel like the group is in a way changing a bit too much lately, and the large momentum they had after their debut might be waning. Despite that S/mileage will live on, and so far it seems like this is yet another step in S/mileage’s life, where we will probably see many more members come and leave, but the group will live strong and the new members seem perfectly capable of carrying the group alongside the two remaining original members.
Yuuka will always remain one of the strongest and most memorable members of the group, and while it may be a sad day for S/mileage fans everywhere it’s necessary to look at just when Yuuka decided to graduate, the day 12/31. This day marks a special time of the year where the final page of a chapter is finished and a new leaf is turned to start a new year. In a way, Yuuka has chosen a symbolic day to leave the group, where S/mileage will greet the year 2012 as a 6-nin group and she will start her life as a normal girl working towards becoming the best she can be.
This new page has already turned and as sad as it may be I wish Yuuka the best of luck in her new life, and like all of her fans I hope she achieves every single thing she sets her mind to. Thank you for the years of being part of Hello! Project and showing us your personality and talents.
Thank you Maeda Yuuka and good luck!
Yuuka began her career as part of Hello! Project Egg where in June 2004 she officially became part of Hello! Project by passing an audition along 32 other girls.
In October 2005, Maeda became one of the founding members of Hello! Pro Egg group Tomoiki Ki wo Uetai. They debuted at Morning Musume’s enviromental Culture Festival 2005. In July their first song was announced, Minna no Ki.
In September, Maeda performed Minna no Ki with Tomoiki at Morning Musume’s environmental Culture Festival 2006 and were backing dancers to Morning Musume’s Kusumi Koharu.
In 2008, Maeda was selected to become part of a new unit, High-King, alongside Morning Musume’s Takahashi Ai and Tanaka Reina, Berryz Koubou’s Shimizu Saki, and C-ute’s Yajima Maimi. The group was created to promote Morning Musume’s upcoming rendition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, titled Cinderella the Musical. The group’s debut single, “C\C (Cinderella\Complex)” was released on June 11, 2008.
Maeda was selected to be one of the four members for a new Hello! Pro Egg unit alongside Wada Ayaka, Fukuda Kanon and Saho Akari. The group was called Shugo Chara Egg! and was formed to record the opening songs for the anime that Buono! sings for, Shugo Chara!.
On April 4th, 2009 Tsunku announced on his blog that a new group was in the works. The members listed were Maeda Yuuka, Fukuda Kanon, Ogawa Saki, and Wada Ayaka. He stated the lineup was subject to change, and that it would be their “major debut”. On May 5th, 2009 Tsunku revealed the name of the new group to be “S/mileage” on his blog, and they shortly after debuted with their single aMa no Jaku.
On November 23, 2009, during Hello! Pro Egg’s Shinjin Kouen concert, a video message from Tsunku was played to S/mileage, where it was announced that they would graduate from Hello! Pro Egg and make their debut in Hello! Project in 2010. They graduated on March 27, 2010 from Hello! Pro Egg.
In February, Tsunku announced S/mileage’s challenge for their major debut. By the end of March, they were to collect 10,000 photos of people’s smiles and assemble them on a 2 x 4 meter poster board. Anyone could send in photos through the official website. In April, the announcement was made that the goal was achieved and S/mileage made their major debut in May with Yumemiru Fifteen.
Yuuka remained with the group until the announcement of her graduation on October 24, 2011 to concentrate on school. She graduated at the Mega Bank Vol. 4 event with her last single being Please Miniskirt Postwoman!.
