Nogizaka46's Captain and last first gen member in the group, Akimoto Manatsu announced she's graduating

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Akimoto Manatsu (29), the second generation captain of Nogizaka46 and the last first generation member, updated her blog on the 7th and announced that she would graduate from the group on February 26th.

“I have decided to graduate from Nogizaka46 on February 26, 2023,” said Akimoto. Manatsu said she decided to graduate at the beginning of last year.

From the group audition that she found in the summer of her third year of high school, she said, “The scenery that I could see and the environment that surrounds me changed greatly with that one step,” referring to the changes surrounding herself.

She also wrote about her gratitude to her parents and how she decided with her own thoughts, “I wanted to gain the strength to stand up for myself. I’ve fallen in love with everyone this much, so I’m worried if I’ll be able to say goodbye properly. I don’t know if this is the right way to say it, but I love Nogizaka, the members, the staff, and all the fans who support me so much that I wonder if I should have thought about my graduation path before I fell in love with her so much. I have the same feeling that I want to see Nogizaka from here on out. That’s why I decided to graduate. Even if I’m reborn, I want to be an idol, and I want to be in Nogizaka46. I was happy to be in a group that I love so much for 11 years.”

Regarding her post-graduation, Akimoto said, “I want to make it a day that everyone will think that running with my juniors in Nogizaka is the best! And as for the future, I would like to continue my entertainment activities without any change.”

Akimoto joined the group in August 2011 after auditioning for the 1st generation, but immediately took a break due to university entrance exams. She entered college in 2012 and made her first senbatsu entry in December of the same year for “Seifuku no Mannequin”.

In September 2019, she became the second captain, succeeding Sakurai Reika. Akimoto had further strengthened the unity and stability of the group.