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Rena Matsui Announces Graduation From SKE48 During All Night Nippon
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Rena Matsui announced her graduation from SKE48 shortly after 1:00am (JST) during the June 10, 2015 broadcast of AKB48’s weekly late-night radio show “AKB48 no All Night Nippon.
The rumors reported by Nikkan Sports earlier in the day that Rena was going to announce her graduation on the program were confirmed seconds into the program and was the main topic of the 2-hour broadcast. Since participation in AKB48’s annual Senbatsu Sousenkyo event became voluntary, a majority of the members not participating have graduated shortly after. After mass graduations from SKE48 taking place in the past few years, and Rena joining Haruna Kojima as one of the high-ranking Senbatsu Sousenkyo members not participating, it seemed all but decided. With the recent graduation announcement from Sakiko Matsui on May 29, 2015, there will soon only be one Matsui (Jurina) left in all of the 48 groups in Japan.
Rena admitted that she had been considering graduating since 2 years ago but that plans had only been set in motion a year prior. When talking to fans, she made a conscious effort to not say specifically “I will not graduate” because she did not want to lie to them. Citing her dream to become an actress, Rena was grateful that she had been able to experience so many things during her almost 7 years as a member of SKE48. She had worried about leaving behind the younger members of the group but, as SKE48 had the most members rank in the 2015 Senbatsu Sousenkyo, Rena felt that the group would be okay without her.
AKB48 has survived the graduations of Atsuko Maeda and Yuko Oshima but, the graduation of Rena Matsui feels like it would have a bigger impact on SKE48 moving forward. Who will be able to share the spotlight with the ambitious and charismatic Jurina after she is gone? Sae Miyazawa? Aya Shibata? Akari Suda? Akane Takayanagi? These are are solid regular senbatsu members of SKE48 but, they don’t really have the same impact. In spite of this, Rena is looking forward to what SKE48 will be like after she is gone so, maybe we should trust in her judgement?
Let’s continue to support Rena as a member of SKE48 until August and look forward to what she has in store for the world as she actress!
SKE48 Official site: http://www.ske48.co.jp/
Rena Matsui Twitter: https://twitter.com/renampme
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Kai Okudara
Writer, researcher, photographer, foodie, KSDD
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