Young Star Guides
quinquin made a comment about how already four people from the 2008 Young Star Guide have announced their retirement. I thought it would be interesting to go back to some of the older Young Star Guides and look at the statistics:
Young Star Guide 1999 (15 otokoyaku featured)
Hana
-Sena Jun, 1992: Current top star
-Haruno Sumire, 1992: Former top star
-Mizu Natsuki, 1993: Current top star
Tsukigumi
-Oozora Yuuhi, 1992: Currently hanagumi nibante, soon-to-be soragumi top star
-Kiriya Hiromu, 1994: Current nibante
-Yamato Yuuga, 1995: Soon-to-retire top star
Yukigumi:
-Aran Kei, 1991: Soon-to-retire top star
-Asami Hikaru, 1991: Former top star
-Naruse Kouki, 1991: Retired in shin-senka as a ken-12
-Takashiro Kei, 1992: Former top star (albeit short lived)
Hoshigumi:
-Otowa Ryou, 1992: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-9
-Asazumi Kei, 1994: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-9
Soragumi:
-Yumeki Noa, 1992: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-11
-Asahina Kei, 1993: Retired in soragumi as a ken-9
-Kuon Maya, 1994: Retired in soragumi as a ken-9
Current top stars: 4
Former top stars: 3
Soon-to-be top stars: 1
Current siennes, non-top (and no immediate plans to be a top): 1
Retired without becoming top stars: 6
Young Star Guide 2004 (13 otokoyaku featured)
Hanagumi:
-Ayabuki Mao, 1994: Yukigumi nibante
-Ranju Tomu, 1996: Soragumi nibante
-Aine Harei, 1997: Hanagumi yonbante (I personally think she'll move up after Yuuhi's transfer)
Tsukigumi:
-Tsukifune Sarara, 1996: Retired in tsukigumi as a ken-10
-Hokushou Kairi, 1998: Soragumi sanbante
Yukigumi:
-Sou Kazuho, 1996: Hanagumi sanbante (I personally think she'll become nibante post-Yuuhi's transfer)
-Amase Izuru, 1997: Switched to musumeyayku
-Otozuki Kei, 1998: Yukigumi sanbante
Hoshigumi:
-Tatsuki You, 1993: Soon-to-retire hoshigumi sanbante
-Matobu Sei, 1995: Hanagumi top star
-Suzumi Shio, 1996: Hoshigumi yonbante
-Yuzuki Reon, 1999: Hoshigumi nibante, soon to be hoshigumi top star
Soragumi:
-Ryouga Haruhi, 1996: Technically current tsukigumi sanbante, but kind of stuck in a nebulous zone
Current top stars: 1
Soon to be top stars: 1
Current siennes, non-top (and no immediate plans to be a top or retire): 8 (this isn't counting Amase Izuru since she switched)
Current siennes, non-top and soon to retire: 1
Switched to musumeyaku: 1
Retired: 1
My one comment would be that the 2008 Young Star Guide is a lot more inclusive than the previous editions. Over half of the people in the 1999 Young Star Guide are former, current, or future top stars, plus there's Kiriyan (and is any really going to argue that she's going to retire early?)
The 2008 Guide is much more inclusive IMO. There are 22 siennes featured, as compared to 15 in the 1999 edition and 13 in the 2004 one. People like Sonoka, Masako, Magee, Hiromi, etc...they're all very talented Takarasiennes, and I'm tickled pink that we got such wonderful pictures of them. But are these really people we're expecting to make top? (Obviously we still want them to stay around forever <3)
Of course Kazu, Shun, and Eriko's retirements were still surprises. However, I'm going to point to the fact that the 2008 Young Star Guide came out right before two major "changing of the guard"s, aka the time when people are much more likely to retire.
Young Star Guide 1999 (15 otokoyaku featured)
Hana
-Sena Jun, 1992: Current top star
-Haruno Sumire, 1992: Former top star
-Mizu Natsuki, 1993: Current top star
Tsukigumi
-Oozora Yuuhi, 1992: Currently hanagumi nibante, soon-to-be soragumi top star
-Kiriya Hiromu, 1994: Current nibante
-Yamato Yuuga, 1995: Soon-to-retire top star
Yukigumi:
-Aran Kei, 1991: Soon-to-retire top star
-Asami Hikaru, 1991: Former top star
-Naruse Kouki, 1991: Retired in shin-senka as a ken-12
-Takashiro Kei, 1992: Former top star (albeit short lived)
Hoshigumi:
-Otowa Ryou, 1992: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-9
-Asazumi Kei, 1994: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-9
Soragumi:
-Yumeki Noa, 1992: Retired in hoshigumi as a ken-11
-Asahina Kei, 1993: Retired in soragumi as a ken-9
-Kuon Maya, 1994: Retired in soragumi as a ken-9
Current top stars: 4
Former top stars: 3
Soon-to-be top stars: 1
Current siennes, non-top (and no immediate plans to be a top): 1
Retired without becoming top stars: 6
Young Star Guide 2004 (13 otokoyaku featured)
Hanagumi:
-Ayabuki Mao, 1994: Yukigumi nibante
-Ranju Tomu, 1996: Soragumi nibante
-Aine Harei, 1997: Hanagumi yonbante (I personally think she'll move up after Yuuhi's transfer)
Tsukigumi:
-Tsukifune Sarara, 1996: Retired in tsukigumi as a ken-10
-Hokushou Kairi, 1998: Soragumi sanbante
Yukigumi:
-Sou Kazuho, 1996: Hanagumi sanbante (I personally think she'll become nibante post-Yuuhi's transfer)
-Amase Izuru, 1997: Switched to musumeyayku
-Otozuki Kei, 1998: Yukigumi sanbante
Hoshigumi:
-Tatsuki You, 1993: Soon-to-retire hoshigumi sanbante
-Matobu Sei, 1995: Hanagumi top star
-Suzumi Shio, 1996: Hoshigumi yonbante
-Yuzuki Reon, 1999: Hoshigumi nibante, soon to be hoshigumi top star
Soragumi:
-Ryouga Haruhi, 1996: Technically current tsukigumi sanbante, but kind of stuck in a nebulous zone
Current top stars: 1
Soon to be top stars: 1
Current siennes, non-top (and no immediate plans to be a top or retire): 8 (this isn't counting Amase Izuru since she switched)
Current siennes, non-top and soon to retire: 1
Switched to musumeyaku: 1
Retired: 1
My one comment would be that the 2008 Young Star Guide is a lot more inclusive than the previous editions. Over half of the people in the 1999 Young Star Guide are former, current, or future top stars, plus there's Kiriyan (and is any really going to argue that she's going to retire early?)
The 2008 Guide is much more inclusive IMO. There are 22 siennes featured, as compared to 15 in the 1999 edition and 13 in the 2004 one. People like Sonoka, Masako, Magee, Hiromi, etc...they're all very talented Takarasiennes, and I'm tickled pink that we got such wonderful pictures of them. But are these really people we're expecting to make top? (Obviously we still want them to stay around forever <3)
Of course Kazu, Shun, and Eriko's retirements were still surprises. However, I'm going to point to the fact that the 2008 Young Star Guide came out right before two major "changing of the guard"s, aka the time when people are much more likely to retire.