Erika Umeda leaving H!P

[Farrah]

To become a fashion model, apparently! I'm one of the few on here who thinks Erika is pretty cute, actually, so I think she could do well as a model in teen magazines and such. Basically it's the generic graduation announcement, saying she's leaving to become a fashion model. That's as much as my shitty Japanese ability can tell me.

http://www.helloproject.com/news/0908012000_cute.html

[Tallgeese]

OMG! C-ute is disappearing before our eyes! I think they need to add an egg or do a C-ute audition. OTOH, I wish Erika all the best. They need to do a big graduation concert for her. C-ute has only had two phantom dismissals so far. They should do it right this time. It looks like she'll leave at the end of their fall concert series, around November.

[kitaoji]

Fwah?



Well, they do have that Korean member who doesn't seem to be anything now... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' />



It'll be a loss for C-ute, since Erika stood out in the Maimi-and-Airi show. She had one of the funnier personalities (come on, Tension Agekko has her own song), which kept C-ute fun to watch for the longest time. They'd better have a big grad ceremony, since, other than the other two dismissals, Maiha's graduation felt like a hastily-put-together thing. (But the Berryz were adorable back then, so that's all right.)

[fahmaman]

When exactly in '02 was the H!P Kids Audition? I'm wondering if this was just a contract that ran out, or an option they were given to excercise when they turn 18, or what.

[aisasami]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' /> <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ryalot.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Sorry for overreacting but I love Erika, she is next to Junjun for favorite Hello! Project member currently. I am sad that she wouldn't be in Hello! Project anymore but I am glad she is being a model, she has the look. But I am curious, does she wanna sing anymore or Hello! Project doesn't have a modeling career along with a singing career? I am going to miss Erika so much <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D/' />



I was pondering this other day (and since we are talking about Erika), is Erika fully Japanese or some amount then 100% Japanese? Because she looks like she had European ancestors.

[Miimii]

[quote name='Tallgeese' post='66878' date='Aug 1 2009, 10:43 PM']OMG! C-ute is disappearing before our eyes! I think they need to add an egg or do a C-ute audition. OTOH, I wish Erika all the best. They need to do a big graduation concert for her. C-ute has only had two phantom dismissals so far. They should do it right this time. It looks like she'll leave at the end of their fall concert series, around November.[/quote]

Erika will graduate at the end of ~Cutie JUMP~ concert tour, 25th of Ocktober. It's so sad, but I will still love her...

[Pi Mako]

Wow, that was out of the blue. (At least for me, I don't really follow H!P kid members). Does she really have the looks to be a fashion model? =x

[EmEl]

To become a fashion model or to do idol videos? She hasn't had any photobooks, has she?



<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... unsure.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' /> Maybe her secret reason for joining H!P is because she always wanted a photobook, but she's sick of waiting!

[Prinny Squad]

Fuck my life <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... dammit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' />



All seriousness though, I'm glad she's pursuing her dreams. I just hope they start repopulating C-ute or making some new groups out of the Eggs like s/mileage before it's too late. I hope Erika has the best of luck in whatever she wants to do with her future, she really was a favorite of mine.

[Melon]

<img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... omgwtf.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' /> I am shocked and saddened by this news. She was one of my favorite members of C-ute. D: This is what I get for thinking a group of 5 would be good during their recent concert. I hope modeling works out for her, she can do it. And to amuse me further, please be a model for Kera.

[Darkolumb]

Man, her and Kanna must really have had a hard time being pushed to the back all the time. I never minded Erika, but she did stick out like a sore thumb in c-ute. Her becoming a model makes way more sense, she has that tall, mature look to her.



So who're the replacements? is that Korean chick going to be added? or are they going to finally throw some eggs into the group?

[loli-tan]

[quote name='fahmaman' post='66882' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:32 AM']When exactly in '02 was the H!P Kids Audition? I'm wondering if this was just a contract that ran out, or an option they were given to excercise when they turn 18, or what.[/quote]

04, actually. Also I believe it was sometime in June but I could be wrong.

[kitaoji]

[quote name='Zazie' post='66900' date='Aug 2 2009, 10:00 AM'][quote name='fahmaman' post='66882' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:32 AM']When exactly in '02 was the H!P Kids Audition? I'm wondering if this was just a contract that ran out, or an option they were given to excercise when they turn 18, or what.[/quote]

04, actually. Also I believe it was sometime in June but I could be wrong.

[/quote]



No, it was definitely in 02 - the auditions started in March, and the H!M episode on 06.30 (according to the wiki, since I don't want to connect up my hard drive) had all 15 of 'em show up. The H!P Egg audition was in 2004, with a second(?) one in 2006, and since then they've just added them in little bunches (I hear the latest one is 24 year-old graduate student <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' /> ).

[loli-tan]

Oh yeah, I was getting confused with the Egg audition. Sorry! D:

[tsukinobyouin]

Aw man <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':eekrun:' /> She was my second favorite C-ute member, and probably the only member who had a personality that really stood out. This seems kind of like a lame move, since she really doesn't have much of the fashion model look, but who knows. Maybe she's just sick of the idol thing and just wants to try something else out. I hope she gets a nice send off. I wonder if they'll add any new members to C-ute. It's not like they've lost any major singers, but it does seem odd for them to be only five members.

[AEUGNewtype]

Wow, C-ute is quickly becoming the next Country Musume. Soon it will just be Airi and Maimi and they'll be using the same name. Fuck all this, seriously. Only 5 members left of what used to be an 8 member group. She wasn't really my favorite but it just takes that much more away from the group dynamic.

[Madara]

[quote name='aisasami' post='66884' date='Aug 2 2009, 01:03 AM']I was pondering this other day (and since we are talking about Erika), is Erika fully Japanese or some amount then 100% Japanese? Because she looks like she had European ancestors.[/quote]



I've always wondered this myself. She hardly looks Japanese at all. I think I asked the same question here once, but nobody really knew.



Back to C-ute. So Berryz just keeps getting stronger and C-ute keeps getting smaller. Erika and Kanna have always been my least favorite members of C-ute, so I don't consider this much of a loss. Not that I disliked them or anything, just that I liked the five others better. My favorite C-ute member was Megumi Murakami. But I only learned that long after she left. So the best and the least have been whittled away. I think C-ute can remain a five-member unit and do just fine. Until something else happens. But Berryz will continue to get the better material. Berryz is a far stronger performing unit, but C-ute has the better individual talents. I just hope they don't marginalize C-ute. Those girls are just too good to waste.

[Ap2000]

I came to the bbs as soon as I read it and was thinking "hey, I need to make a thread about this with the sub 'Another one bites the dust!'" haha



Anyway, I never cared for here and whenever I saw pictures of her, they kinda annoyed me.

[vanillacat]

Wow, I have an awesome sixth sense. (Or... not.)



[quote name='vanillacat' post='66237' date='Jul 10 2009, 06:30 PM, in the ']Maybe with the added money of not having to feed and clothe Kanna, they can do something about Erika's teeth? <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hawhaw.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />[/quote]



Hopefully, wherever she ends up next, she WILL do something about her teeth.



I liked her simply because she was kind of an underdog in this whole thing - oldest but not leader, overshadowed at everything from singing to dancing to looks by kids several years her junior. Being 18, in a group with mostly 15-year-olds... hell, she figured she'd probably just be better off elsewhere. Maybe she wants to go to college or something. I dunno. Best of luck to her, though.

[Farrah]

[quote name='Madara' post='66915' date='Aug 2 2009, 12:49 PM'][quote name='aisasami' post='66884' date='Aug 2 2009, 01:03 AM']I was pondering this other day (and since we are talking about Erika), is Erika fully Japanese or some amount then 100% Japanese? Because she looks like she had European ancestors.[/quote]



I've always wondered this myself. She hardly looks Japanese at all. I think I asked the same question here once, but nobody really knew.

[/quote]



She could be keeping it underwraps - I've heard of celebrities and non-celebs keeping their non-Japanese ancestry secret for yeeeears.



I don't think the group will be effected by her leaving - she never really got to do anything =(

[BeForJess]

I wish her luck an all, but a fashion model? I've just always thought she looks like a horse. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... #>/ssh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />



Although the number of girls in C-ute is diminishing, it's not like she was really vital to the group, I think they will be just fine without her. Of course, I only ever cared about 4 of the C-ute girls anyway, and half of them are graduated, so... I don't really think I will notice her not being present.

[Joel]

AWWWWEE. I really liked her too. That and now C-ute is down to five. I thought she had a pretty decent voice compared to some of the others, but I agree that she looked like a horse, but now she actually looks kind of cute. I'm not so sure how she will do in modeling, but I think she should try acting. I don't know how her acting is, but I guess she's kind of a bubbly character and she's pretty enough for acting I guess. Idk. I'm really interested to see how C-ute will function after Erika.

[fpd]

[quote name='The☆AEUGNewtype' post='66912' date='Aug 2 2009, 11:08 AM']Wow, C-ute is quickly becoming the next Country Musume. Soon it will just be Airi and Maimi and they'll be using the same name. Fuck all this, seriously. Only 5 members left of what used to be an 8 member group. She wasn't really my favorite but it just takes that much more away from the group dynamic.[/quote]

Fuck Tall Girl <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />



Kanna or whoever leaving sucks, but umeda can go have fun being a tallish model.

[Cyrene]

Aww that sucks, I really liked her! C-ute is going to be a bit more lame now. Good luck to her in her modeling career!