On the first day of the MX Matsuri AKB48 62nd Single Idol Nanka Janakattara Launch Celebration Concert, AKB48 senior member Kashiwagi Yuki shocked everyone with a bombshell announcement that she would be graduating from the group.
This year, the main 48 Group center has been through a number of rather substantial changes: they have completely abolished the teams system, something that has been with them since the beginning of the group’s inception; the number of members has been reduced by over half leading some fans to call the departed members “restructured” graduates (referring to mass layoffs related to a restructuring). Now, we have our third major change: the loss of their most senior member.
The original person to destroy what was then called the Kami 7 stronghold in the 3rd AKB48 General Election, Kashiwagi‘s career is an absolute blast to cover. Someone who truly seemed to enjoy and be fulfilled as an idol she has done everything from her own solo career under King Records to collaborating with all of WACK on special unit songs. It truly did seem at one time that she would in fact stay until the end of the group itself, but alas it seems like all good things must come to an end.
Her graduation concert will be held at Pia Arena in March of 2024, and her final activities as an AKB48 member will end mid-April.
Watch her talk about her thoughts on graduation here:
