Nogizaka46 Mai Shiraishi’s (28) live graduation took place live on the 28th. The big ace, who has been active as the face of the group, put a stint in idol activity for 9 years and 2 months . While enjoying it all, it has been produced by top creators, including Mr. Yasushi Akimoto. I hear a voice of gratitude from interested people. With the graduation of Shiraishi, Nogizaka46, whose generations are changing, will enter a new chapter on a grand scale.

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Absolute Ace Mai Shiraishi’s graduation is an important milestone for the group. However, Nogizaka46 is changing generations relatively constantly, and the transition to the “new chapter” is likely to go smoothly.

After graduating from Shiraishi, Nogisaka 46 has a total of 44 members, including 8 first-year students, 8 second-year students, 12 third-year students, and 16 fourth-year students (including new fourth-year students). The average age is 20.6 years and they are achieving rejuvenation. In sync with Shiraishi, Asuka Saito (22), who is 6 years younger, has become a popular star member who is on par with Shiraishi, and while keeping the base, the youngsters can also gain experience.

In recent years, in particular, the growth of members of the third and fourth generations, including Shiraishi, who have yearned for the first and second generations and entered Nogizaka, has been remarkable. Yuki Yoda (20) and Mizuki Yamashita (21), who are in the third generation, are among the most popular members of the group. Minami Umezawa (21), who is a young coordinator, has also noticed this, and each of the individual members has acquired both the work as a soloist.

In February this year, 5 new members of the 4th generation joined and became a big family of 16 people, and the average age of the 4th generation members is 18.1 years. Many members are already very popular with fans, including Sakura Endo (19), Haruka Kaki (19), and Ayame Tsutsui (16), who were selected for “You don’t have to be strong until dawn” in September last year. Rina Hayashi (17), who has a unique sense, and the new members of the fourth generation also have great potential.

One of the factors that will hold the key to the group’s ups and downs in the future will be “name for the general public.” The hole through which Shiraishi, who was well known to non-idol fans, is large. There are several members like Saito, Erika Ikuta (23), Midsummer Akimoto (27), Kazumi Takayama (26) and Sayuri Matsumura (28), but most of them are 1st and 2nd generation members. If a star who is widely known in the world appears among the youth, he will be loved as a national group for a long time.