AKB48, NMB48 Roster Changes
Change is in the air and it`s not good. AKB48 and NMB48 have seen some changes made to their rosters.
Oba Mina
Mina has developed a good rap sheet of violating the seven golden rules of an idol contract. Mina has collected underage drinking, possible compensated dating references in her blog [Enjo Kosai] [much more serious then what AKBN 0 is doing], which may involve another member.
She however did not get the thank you for playing at being an idol release; Mina has “voluntarily” gone on suspension and has resigned as leader of Team 4. Based on released statements she requested to management to be suspended, so that she could reflect on her actions.
The fact that she was not fired leads me to believe that the compensated dating allegations were not true.
Mori Anna
Anna originally got in trouble for keeping in touch with her pre-idol boyfriend on her blog. However, she is officially leaving AKB48 due to a lower back problem.
Aki-P has offered publicly to welcome her back should she recover from her back problems
NMB48
Shimada Rena
Rena has been caught in the aftereffects of pre-idol dating as purikura photos surfaced of her kissing a former boyfriend. The agency at first planned to do nothing, as pre-idol penalties do not apply to the seven golden rule contract. However, a small group of jilted wotas would not let the situation end and continued to create issues for Rena.
Rena also turned to the “voluntarily” suspension path until likely the end of the year [most likely a move by management to let this blow over, as she has not broken current contract rules].
Change is hard in this industry and I never like to see an idols career end early for any reason and wish Anna well in the future, who knows there maybe an Indie unit with a spot open in her hometown, that Anna can start over in or maybe one day she will make a rested return to AKB48. Back issues are hard to deal with as our own PIH reporter Ryo is battling with. I hope that she makes a full recovery and can return as an idol.
Given the situation fans of AKB48 and NMB48, this is the best outcome possible. As these members were not high profile members yet, little to no media fallout will happen and only dedicated idol fans would even know who these idols are .So management can put a bandage on them, let the wounds heal and bring them back like it never happened.
For Mina and Rena the term voluntary is open for interpretation; however Aki-P sees them as having value and I believe they will return in a few months as much stronger idols.
