Nanashi Inc Konan Mia cancels her graduation and fans rejoice

Konan Mia of Nanashi Inc. has canceled her graduation plans in an unprecedented move for an agency talent.

Nanashi Inc. is the fourth-most subscribed Japanese vtuber agency on YouTube, sitting behind only VSPO!, Nijisanji, and Hololive. While Nanashi Inc. only boasts a moderate following compared to those industry giants, they nonetheless have a dedicated community of fans.

The vtuber agency has had its fair share of graduations and sudden retirements. With reasons ranging from health reasons to being caught by their legal guardians, Nanashi Inc. has had to contend with some tough situations. Konan Mia’s graduation would have joined that list if not for her surprising decision to cancel her graduation.

Why did Konan Mia cancel her graduation?

According to Nanashi Inc., Konan Mia withdrew her graduation plans after speaking with viewers and friends at the company.  Konan elaborated further in her “ungraduation” stream, stating that she now had a debt to pay back all the fans who thought she was leaving by the end of August. Mia’s initial graduation announcement came in July 2024, which gave fans two months of activities to enjoy with the talent before her exit.  She had planned on getting a “real job” to pay off debts.

During that span, Mia’s conversations with close friends and passionate viewers convinced her to continue Vtuber activities, though she will still get another job simultaneously. Amusingly, she held the live stream with multiple mics crowding her face, parodying how celebrities often look when interrogated by the press over a scandal. Most fans of Mia seemed to have no hard feelings and supported their idol’s decision.

Vtubers canceling graduation is rare, but it has happened before

Some vtubers have graduated from an agency and then returned. Nanashi Inc. fans joked that the company has covered every kind of press statement, given the variety of reasons their talents have left and returned. Still, they’re far from the first to have done such a feat, though it’s a rarity for a reason.

【桜ノ雨】みんなありがとうございました！【にじさんじゲーマーズ】

Nijisanji’s Sasaki Saku suddenly retired in November 2018 before returning to her activities in January 2019. She’s still an active talent for Nijisanji to this day. But the same cannot be said for Kingyozaka Meiro, a former Nijisanji talent. Meiro informed Nijisanji of her plans to retire, then opted out at the last second.

Nijisanji respected the decision and allowed her to resume her activities. Unfortunately, Meiro was terminated a month later for breaking her NDA and leaking classified information. The vtuber world has a lot of ups and downs, and Konan’s story showcases how graduation isn’t necessarily set in stone.