Though interviewed separately, Juice=Juice and Tsubaki Factory were asked about their thoughts on the impending graduation of H!P senpais ℃-ute. Here's what they said in the November 2016 issue of Top Yell magazine.
℃-ute announced the surprising news that they would be disbanding in June next year.
Miyamoto: Just as it was with Berryz Kobo-san, it's sad. It feels like an important piece of Hello! Project will go missing. It'll be up to us, the kouhai, to fill that up and go even beyond them, so we've got to absorb all sorts of things from them. Once ℃-ute-san are no longer around, we'll become the group with the highest average age. So honestly, we're feeling the pressure.
Kanazawa: We're both 5-people units, and the fans have often told us 'Set your sights on ℃-ute and do your best'. I really bear a sense of admiration towards them. In the first place, I entered this world becaused I looked up to Suzuki Airi-san, so you could say that I'm here thanks to ℃-ute-san. Even now, I still can't believe that they won't be in Hello! Project. Their presence was familiar, seemingly absolute.
