Nogizaka46: The slightly early... Happy 30th Birthday to.... Mai Shinuchi!!!!

 

 Been trying to ween off these Nogi posts but as you've noticed it hasn't worked out that way which isn't exactly a bad thing. Won't have to ween off Mai posts as they'll be stopping soon enough and and wish these solo posts for her had started many years ago. This is her 19th solo post but thirteen have been in the last year and not many can top that total though will admit I've been working harder at her posts than anyone else's the past few months. February 10th is the date of Mai's graduation concert but  don't know if that'll be the official date she leaves Nogi. The concert will be held at the Tokyo International Forum Hall A which seats a little over 5,000 but with all of these new restrictions again hope it can take place and even if it does bet only half that amount will be allowed to attend.

 Two days early with this post but trying to fit in as many possible before Mai departs and can't say I'm bummed out about it as she will be turning thirty. But she's close to being my all time fave Nogi member and she's finally become so much more popular so shame she's leaving at this time. With any luck will have another post by the end of the month as Mai's second photobook will be coming out in five days. Haven't heard any news if there will be some sort of event for it but hope so as I've noticed other Idols have had some recently for their photobooks, sure she'll host 'Showroom' sometime in the next week but to be honest those shows are just so-so.

 Was hoping Mai would continue being the host of Wednesday's 'All Night Nippon' radio show which is so popular but that won't be happening. On next week's show her replacement will be announced so she'll probably only be the host for another 2-3 shows. Few older birthday pics from years gone by but there's so few of them, may have to do one for her mate in the bottom pic who shares the same b-day.

  Have moaned too often that Mai has fewer cards than any Nogi member which is true but have some missed ones from last year and have many more to get to. The bottom four are my top ones of the bunch which were for the "Fingers Crossed" single.

 Only a few new modeling pics from the Oggi site as her last post was done just thirteen days ago, as far as I know she'll be remaining with them.

 Back in 2019 Mai and a few other members did some modeling for the With Online site and their OL campaign, that's what these pics are from. Bring this up because I just read that the With magazine will cease regular magazines in May and only be a digital mag. There's been so many magazines or sites these last few years that now only have digital spreads and some have completely folded.

 Seems there's been more Instagram pics than ever as of late and I'm not complaining....

 This small batch of pics are from a new interview with the Auone site talking about Mai's second photobook and her graduation, it was an interesting read: Auone interview

 There is one new mini mag spread but will hold on to it for her next post. Mai's first photobook that came out in November 2017 only sold about 25,000+ copies but I'd be surprised if this one didn't sell at least twice as many, some promo pics for it which have been in her last two posts.

                                           

 Whew, that bottom pic is tough to top!!!! Have seven new promo pics for the book and just once would love to see a video for one of the member's photo shoots. After the pics have a real old video and you can see how much Mai has changed in almost eight years. It's from a short lived series called 'Nogi Quarterly' which was put out by the BLT magazine, those sets of videos were among my top ones for Nogi and it's a shame the series didn't go on longer.