Maitsuki, Niwatsuki, Ooyatsuki - Vol. 5 Ch. 28

[Kurro]

I expect this part to last maybe 2 chapters. Let's see if that is correct.

Over simplifying:
concert tralalala. End of concert, "well that's it folks I'm going back to GF and will keep being friends with my old Elm members, Byyyeeee!"

Though probably not. We'll see. 😁

 

[cranscape]

It it seems like graduations are a routine enough way for fans, media, everyone to end things cleanly or why do they do them? Her leaving as she did abruptly without one earlier seemed to expose her to the kind of speculation idol paparazzi feast on. Closing things off the traditional way should close off interest finally.

And she also has a chance to say whatever she might want to say now that she's not in the middle of an emotional breakdown like before. The manga is wrapping up in a few chapters I think so having these bookend stage moments a year apart is an opportunity. She's in a way better place now.

 

[MacinteuchPlus]

Man I hope Miyako will be okay, idol work sounds soul draining, especially since she wasn't in the game for a whole year

 

[Spectrum]

How many vtuber fans here flinched at the G word?

Every time I see a tweet that's just a white background image with minimal black text...

 

[emMeBi86]

Imagine if it could have been handled in a similar way (with an official announcement) but instead of the whole lie just a "I retired and was just visiting my friends, so stop it".

Oh wait, nevermind it could have.

 

[Kitsune_115]

I feel like this series is advancing well. I look forward to the outcome of this decision.


Thank you for the translation

 

[Kirin-kun]

People don't understand that since Miyako left the group without warning and without graduating, it fuels speculations about her relationship with the other members/the agency and it reflects negatively on the current members, especially Ruri who replaced her as center. So, the paparazzi are going to try to unearth any detail about Miyako's life and may expose Asako in the process, who doesn't need to have her photo plastered in tabloids. Also, speculations that Miyako may come back. It gives hope to her fans (she was very popular) and they may criticize the group if it doesn't happen.

The graduation allows to put things at rest. It's a way for idols to quit and move on to something else in good order. Fans may be sad, but it's customary to accept their decision.

Neither the current ELM or the agency need scandals attached to their name.

Also, Yodokawa already said this is the last volume.

 

[Pyoro]

Stupid idol garbage doing stupid idol garbage things. Blergh. Hate it. Hopefully over quickly; though I wouldn't be surprised if that ended the series ^^#

 

[slyss]

You know, I'm too lazy to get into it, because talking about the idol industry makes my skin crawl, but as someone who followed it hardcore in the 2000s, this development "makes sense" in a way I can't fully explain. Mostly, I think it's because the relationship between the idol industry and tabloids has always been a very exploitative one. Both sides try to use the other to their own benefit while remaining wary of each other, which creates a very reactive relationship, if that makes sense. And considering the Japanese obsession with public image over personal well-being (which is a very Asian thing in general), the development just "makes sense" to me.

What the mangaka has failed to do, though, is set the proper parameters so the reader can understand this better.

Well at least it looks like we're wrapping up that nonsense real quick with this performance. Although it's giving me vibes that the manga's wrapping things up soon too. Hope I'm imagining it. We still got a lot of side couple stuff with the mangaka and the other idol to expand on.

The mangaka already announced that the manga would end this year, so yeah, we're wrapping things up in general.

 

[Khazar123]

How many vtuber fans here flinched at the G word?

What could possibly go wrong?!

 

[GuerillaBae]

Thanks for the translation Kirin.

As I reach into the recesses of my mind to dig out my memory of this manga, I'm reminded of my annoyance at this "a random tabloid article of me! Oh my life is in turmoil and my lover is in danger!" plotline.
I read several explanations on it and in the end I'm left with the same conclusion as always when it comes to the idol industry: The idol industry and most of it's fans are crazy and toxic.

Well at least it looks like we're wrapping up that nonsense real quick with this performance. Although it's giving me vibes that the manga's wrapping things up soon too. Hope I'm imagining it. We still got a lot of side couple stuff with the mangaka and the other idol to expand on.

Fun fact, the insanity of BTS fans directly influenced China's stance against "erosion of traditional values" lmao

Not to take away from your very real point that the idol industry uses, abuses and cranks out kids/teens/young adults in a way that makes a Miley Cyrus and Jojo Siwa seem like healthy and well-adjusted products of the industry by comparison. You are an image, a product - your life does not belong to you and you better believe the first person to be blamed if you're caught slipping by some opportunistic paparazzi is the idol whos biggest crime was wanting to enjoy a normal life. It's insanely dark and depressing.

 

[Luna12]

Tabloids don't care about the truth, they care about clickbaiting and narratives that'll maximize that. Hopefully, it all go without a hitch after that whole graduation concert

 

[Khazar123]

Fun fact, the insanity of BTS fans directly influenced China's stance against "erosion of traditional values" lmao

Not to take away from your very real point that the idol industry uses, abuses and cranks out kids/teens/young adults in a way that makes a Miley Cyrus and Jojo Siwa seem like healthy and well-adjusted products of the industry by comparison. You are an image, a product - your life does not belong to you and you better believe the first person to be blamed if you're caught slipping by some opportunistic paparazzi is the idol whos biggest crime was wanting to enjoy a normal life. It's insanely dark and depressing.

And yet Chinese stans are still one of the most vitriol groups of all...

 

[salthejackman]

Im surprised that people hating on this chapter, I also not a fan of this side arc but I like this chapter because it's basically a closure for her past as well as this arc

She said it herself "I will take advantage of this situation to end it all", since she really did announce to retire and just dipped, so it must be weight on her, especially since that dip-out make her private life and love life even harder to enjoy

 

[voidox]

meh, idol culture aspects like this are just so dumb... she retired, just say "I was meeting my friends" and move on. Nothing here is a scandal, only in insane idol world is this anything "omg turmoil from a picture with my friends!!" or this insane idea that members of an idol group would be friends outside of work or even after retiring.

just nonsense.

 

[PheePheenix]

I read several explanations on it and in the end I'm left with the same conclusion as always when it comes to the idol industry: The idol industry and most of it's fans are crazy and toxic.

Yeah, Perfect Blue might be a fun watch for you

 

[KamoDoge]

I see this as a win. Miyako in the beginning had run away from her Idol career but still had a lot of emotional baggage from it that she wasn't really dealing with. Now she can officially retire and it won't be hanging over her head anymore.

 

[wlftchtr82]

People are complaining about the whole “gradution concert/coming back to the spotlight” situation as if western and japanese entertainment industry/culture were the same. A statement won’t cut it when you are an idol, being raw and sincere and say “I’m tired you guyzzz” is not something a japanese celebrity would do on a whim like that. This is not how the idol industry works, and dear lord I don’t even follow it enough to figure it’s completely different from, say, a Taylor Swift situation in which she outright exposed the exploitative producer dude and got a lot of support in re-releasing her songs.

Don’t idols and their industry as a whole have a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about the crazy shit that goes on in the background? And aren’t idol fans in Japan pretty hardcore, to this day? I don’t think all of them would go “alright guys, she’s tired and she can live her own life. what if she just dipped? she’s human too, it’s such a demanding work to be in the spotlight and make no mistakes because people rely on your overproduced image to feed off their fantasy and idk society sees prim and proper celebrities as an example for regular people to follow and stuff”, they’ll not feel satisfied without an official goodbye and Miyako saying she wants to live a regular life and disappear from the media so her wish should be respected.

Tabloids will be tabloids anywhere, but the fans’ backlash will eventually be enough to tire them down and realise it’s not a profitable story anymore if the fans aren’t feeding off on the hope she’ll come back.

Damn guys, at least have it in you to think it’s Japan, not the USA, so maybe it makes a bit of sense that without an official event to bid farewell to the idol, statements won’t cut it. The formality of a graduation is standard procedure and the industry and fans expect it.
The author is writing the story with the japanese audience in mind, so they expect readers would understand the context enough to think this plot is at least a bit reasonable, specially when the mangaka’s intent is to wrap up the story and the main focus of the character being a former idol (who didn’t retire “properly”).

Anyways, call me out if I’m talking nonsense by saying this outcome is not far-fetched considering in the 2020s idols in Asia still are kinda “forbidden” to date and stuff like that (and they have to hide it pretty well if they do).

 

[aveney41]

i feel like the people getting mad should've expected this. It's a manga about an idol quitting in Japan. This happens in almost every series lol. I hate the idol industry because of its antiquated "rules". The paparazzi can just fuck things up on a whim. But I think this goes further beyond that. Miyako left on her terms and that should've been the end of it, however, this is her coming to terms with herself and maturing. I think she loved being an idol and feels bad just leaving her fans like that. It'll help them get closure and She can stop hiding behind that wig. At least that's my interpretation. I think the manager means well. She's protecting her brand. Though I think it sucks what she did to Miyako. I am enjoying this, I just hope it doesn't linger.

 

[Hyacyon]

I like that the drama was pretty contained to that cliffhanger! Also, Miyako's dress for the livestream is gorgeous...!!! I love that her idol persona is quite different from her actual self haha. So cute!!!!

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Edit: The idol industry and the kpop industry is similar. Both are exploited, and I would argue that the j-idol industry is worse in a lot of ways, esp if you're not in a popular group. Underground j-idols do a lot of sketchy weird things to stay relevant to their audience base and often take second jobs to stay afloat-- though I've heard "nugu" kpop groups are taken advantaged of by their labels in similar ways.

If they're in a popular group, j-idols usually graduate to get married or get "retired out" bc of age, but some do end up pursuing higher education, but usually less popular groups disband before this happens. Both j-idols and kpop idols are scouted and accepted through auditions at a young age, and both usually retain only a high school education, so that limits job prospects outside of the entertainment industry. Just by way of (East) Asian culture, neither industry really allows for a blatant "I'm tired" retirement announcement, but instead, they're billed to be "leaving the industry and live a private life", but fans aren't blind tbh. Some j-idols end up doing soft gravure and then transition to the lucrative AV industry.

Honestly, this series is a rosy version of the industry, and that's probably because "Elm" is supposed to be a popular group too. Another great manga (yuri) to read is OshiBudo, which also paints a sweeter/cuter/nicer image for the j-idol group industry.