[Graduation Special] Inaba Manaka: Dancing Queen leaving the scene

Give me a moment *blows nose*.

Okay, maybe you have heared, maybe you haven't.

Inaba Manaka just graduated Country Girls.

Graduated? Well she actually left, but management is calling it graduate so why the hell not.

Remember Manakan? She is, I mean was a member of Country Girls and it's only current (not anymore) member from Hokkaido. 

Sadly Manaka had been on haitus for about three months now, because she had trouble doing the Country Girls activities due to her astma. She would be taking some time of to recover and feel better and return to us around the end of the Hello!Pro summer tour.

About a month ago I did this post about Manaka and how she might not come back, because Hello!Pro history wasn't in her favor and gosh did I hit the nail right on the head....

Manaka joined Hello!Pro kenshuusei in May of 2013. She grabbed a lot of attention due to her incredible dancing skills and her adorable squizy face. Also mine.

Manaka is from Hokkaido, so when the Country Musume shin-member auditions were opened, Manaka was the first one everybody thought about. She would fit the image perfectly.

Yet the auditions ended without winners.

In november of 2014 fans were suprised with the announcement that Country Musume would be starting again, under a different name: Country Girls. And who was one of the new members? Inaba Manaka! Satoda Mai announced her as one of the members and Manaka looked so happy and proud. 

From then on it was up up up with Manaka. She and the group released singles and went for tours. Manaka joined Hello!Station Dance Club and got a leadrole in Country Girls' first musical. 

So when she suddenly announced her Haitus, her fans were shocked. 

Yet we all understood why she needed a break and we all hoped she would take her time recovering. Her health is ofcourse much more important than her enterainting us. So with that in mind many fans waited for Manaka and waited. There were concerns ofcourse, astma is a serious illness and the other members didn't blog about her at all. But when Manaka's greatings photoalbum was announced, many (including me) believed this was management telling us to wait a little longer.

So for Manaka to announce her sudden graduation today, was unbelievable, heart crushing and somewhat disappointing. I am incredibly happy and relieved Manaka choose for herself and her health. This is for me the most important thing. She shouldn't worry about her fans, but about her own health. I mean if you are her real fan, you will feel the same way. Yet I will miss her so much in Country Girls! I loved her voice and her cute face. I wanted her to stay, because she is a part of the group. However it makes me proud of Manaka that she made such a hard and mature decision. 

Manaka, I will miss you incredibly. As you are staying with UFP and maybe H!P, I will be looking forwards to whatever you will be doing. Please take care of yourself Hokkaido girl!