Memi's graduation: Good news from Takase Mana

Memi fans' worries are much reduced today, after words from Takase Mana in her blog.

Manafi makes a point of saying Memi has spoken to her often, over a long period of time, about other things she wants to do, and about graduating in order to do them. She says that Memi will not have any regrets. 

Fans are making the implication that Memi has not suffered from any of the wilder things speculated, such as a serious illness, or being attacked by a stalker. 

We still don't know for sure why she is quitting now, as opposed to earlier or later. The change of the name and atmosphere of the group must be part of the immediate push. But the idea of graduating is not something new, and has a positive feeling behind it.

Here is the part of Manafi's 27 June blog that deals with Memi:


(...)


And the number of handshake lanes I've sold out has risen to 13!
It's still not enough
But I am truly filled with feelings of gratitude!!


In recent handshake events,
Even though there have been sad things, I have been optimistic, thinking a sad face would not do, and have faced you all with many smiles and had handshake events that were truly enjoyable, from the bottom of my heart.

A lot of things have happened in a short time
That have shaken you fans.
People have been coming to my lane crying.
It surprised Kono-chan, who was in my lane for the national handshake event. You never know how long we will be able to continue meeting, so it came strongly to me again what happiness, what a miracle it is that I can meet and talk with you all directly.

Through tears, you all told me your feelings, about me and about the group, and I came close to crying myself.
There was talk about Memi, but there were a lot of people who said how much they loved us as a combo. I thought about a lot of things, such as that if I had become more popular sooner, we could have done more together.
But I've been hearing from Memi for a long time about ways she would like to live in the future, and things she would like to try doing, and that she wanted to graduate to do them, so this is not something she will regret.


...

___________________________________________________

Emphasis added.

The blog post is called TV Tokyo Music Festival and I'm Happy! Posted 2019.06.27 at 21:25h. Sorry not to translate it all, including the parts that have nothing to do with Memi, but I have too long a list of posts to translate already, lol.

Japanese comments point out that having Manafi communicate news about Memi is a good way for her to gather up Memi oshis to her handshake. I hope she and Memi worked this out together.

Still no real indication what Memi plans to do. But she has posted a couple of little art creations in recent months, and with her statement a while ago that she wanted to learn more about the history of art in the wider world, she may be heading back toward art. 

The one thing we know for sure Memi wants to do is act. Whether she has moved beyond that now, I don't know, but for me, her joining a theatre troupe remains a possibility, even though Manafi talked about her becoming an ordinary person, as opposed to someone in show business.
One intriguing thing is the tweet yesterday from her father about his attending an event at the Swedish embassy about studying in Sweden. Scandinavia is Kakizaki-sensei's base in Europe, and an area Memi said long ago she wanted to visit. She would have to graduate from high school first, though, so that could be something for the future. Maybe Kakizaki-sensei can follow my wish and take his daughters on a European art tour during the school break in August.

Translations of a very positive post from Neru and of an important post from Kumi yet to come.