So that was a tumultuous morning! I’d actually started to get kind-of-cryptic tweets in the middle of the actual sleepy-time night, and strolled right into a Western alt-idolverse that was more than a little bit shocked. “Disbandment” was being thrown around. And then it was confirmed: Shion was done with Guso Drop, and their immediate future was a mystery.

Of course, several hours later, we have a much clearer picture of what’s going on. User Phillter provided some translation of Shion’s blog post in the comments on today’s earlier post: 

-Last year in the middle of November, management was considering breaking up GuDro [ed: context]. During this time, Shion started to feel like she wanted to do something else.
– Over the next month or so, she was absorbed by her studies to pass the (university I’m assuming) exams, and because of this missed some shows and performances. The other members said “Hey, no problem, we got this, you do what you need to do!” and did the shows as a 4-man.
– After the exams Shion couldn’t shake this feeling of wanting to do something else that started when management was going to break up the group. She wants to have “Normal meetings with friends, normal school life, normal club activities, normal going out on days off, normal jobs, getting a driver’s license, studying for [my] future. Up until now [my life] hasn’t been normal…”

So, from the sounds of it just her is leaving, and she is wishing the other members the best for continued success.

And I’ll go ahead and agree with Phillter: Tough personal choice, but the rest of the group is in pretty good shape to move on regardless. And this is idol; the whole thing could be one huge work to cover for something else. Though if it’s true that management put the rest of the members to the question (look it up: not literally) and they decided as a group to stick together after a rousing speech by Anna, MAN, I can’t wait for the film adaptation of that scene (starring Jennifer Lawrence!).

But are the members happy? I don’t know. Rei tweeted out this rather menacing image:

ついてくる意志のある奴はどこまでもついてこいよ pic.twitter.com/1LOTcHLo9w

— 零ちゃん@偶想Drop (@BOSS_gdrop) March 14, 2016

And then liked my response:

You don’t want to know what that red stain is. Not today. https://t.co/OX32PyEseE

— Homicidol Maniac (@homicidols) March 14, 2016

So you be the judge!