Oshima Mai graduated from AKB48

I just watched the April 22 episode of AKBingo, AKB48's TV show, from Youtube. It's in Japanese with no subtitles so I just rely on their facial expressions and on the fun they are having. After all the games, they showed a scene in their April concert at NHK hall. Some of them were crying. In the show, other members were also sad and they gave a flower to Mai Oshima. What else would I think if the scene is like that? Is my favorite AKB48 member leaving the group?

I searched for information about Mai-san. In an instant, I found the word "graduate", together with her name. And I found out that she and another member just graduated this year. Oshima Mai supposedly graduated from AKB48 last March 27, 2009. However, she's still a part their concert this month of April. Now that the concert was over, she have to go..=(

Somehow, during her farewell, she really did her best not to cry even though some of the members were already very sad. She still put on her beautiful smile. The smile that every fans wouldn't forget.

**Oshima will be the first member to graduate who has been popular within AKB48 over the entirety of her career in the group.