As you guys know, I'm a big fan of 48 Groups (AKB, SKE, NMB, HKT).

My oshimen (bias) at the moment is Furukawa Airi (Leader of SKE48's Team KII if you didn't know already).

As I came home from a 7 hour journey, I was hit with the news that she was graduating from SKE.

I knew it was bound to happen but I was really shocked (seeing as I came home 7 hours after I first checked into any AKB news site).

From the 5 years and 3 months she's been in the group, I knew she was one of the motivational ones in KII. Now, she's leader, I knew she was one of the more cheerful and energetic captains/leaders in 48Group. It's almost a full year since she appointed leader in Akane's place.

Being one half of the FuruYanagi duo, alongside Takayanagi Akane, I know what Churi might be feeling... But then again, Airin might've consulted her beforehand like Nana did with Sayanee before her's @ NMB's 4th Anniversary Concert last year.

Also being one of the oldest in SKE at the moment (Beside Nakanishi Yuka and Sato Mieko), she decided to graduate on the last day of March, which is gonna be depressing and exciting for me because for one SKE and NMB will be releasing their 17th and 11th singles respectively (but sorry for (Takayanagi) Akane and (Watanabe) Miyuki who are in both groups as Concurrent members XD) but sad because for one Airin's graduating and it's the anniversary of my grandfather's death....

I truly respect her decision as a humble fan and I hope she achieves her dream of becoming an Anisong (Anime Song) singer outside of SKE. I will support not only SKE48's Furukawa Airi-san but the "everyday" Furukawa Airi  :)

As an Airin oshi as of this moment, I have no regrets of being a fan. None. Now I know why she announced her graduation, and it's because she wants to persue a career in illustration. I know how good she is at drawing and I know she'll do well. As and when she's a popular illustrator, I can say: Hey when she was in SKE48, I was a fan of hers and I'm proud I still am. If I had to choose between SKE48's Furukawa Airi and Illustrator Furukawa Airi, I would choose the latter because she didn't have freedom in SKE and now that she's graduating she's got the freedom to reach out to different audiences and see people who she's never seen before. Sure, she might still have her fans from SKE supporting her but she's gonna get more fans.

Even if some fans will hate on her, she sure has a lot more fans who will back her up on her decision.