Kaede Kaga Announces Her Graduation From Morning Musume.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Morning Musume 13th generation member Kaede Kaga has announced<\/a> her decision to graduate upon the completion of the group’s fall tour this November. While it seems to be out of left field at first glance, it’s really not when you consider her position in current day Morning Musume, as well as the group’s near-term future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaedy will turn 23 in November, which usually signals the solidly-down-the-hill section of an H!P idol’s group tenure, and she’s stuck behind not only the three remaining 12th generation members, but more importantly the sole 11th and 10th gen members and two members of the ninth gen — ninth!<\/em> — none of whom seem to have any intention of ever leaving. Kaedy is absolutely blocked in a group that is in part defined by strict adherence to seniority, with no path to a role that is greater than the one she has served the past three years or so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still shocked that one of the strongest all-around members of Morning Musume ’22 has decided to graduate with the goal of “[relearning] dancing from the very basics” at age 23? I’m not. Kaedy has no room to grow in a group where the front-line members have been around for going on 10-12 years now, and who’ve not signaled the intent to leave any time soon. In Morning Musume ’22 — and soon, Morning Musume ’23 — nearly everyone outside of the four senior members is a back-liner with limited exposure, permanent kohais<\/em> in a hierarchy that displays absolute fealty to seniority. In that <\/em>group, Kaedy has no future. That she will have made it nearly six years is frankly incredible.<\/p>\n\n\n

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