Yuri Ebihara Graduation Ceremony

The word “graduate” has a different meaning in Japan than it does in the Western world. When a member of JPop band gets big enough to go solo, or gets booted out of the band for being too old, that person is said to have “graduated” from the band. The Japanese use of “graduate” is basically a polite ambiguous way to say “has left the building”.

Ebi-chan has left the building.

It is with great sadness that we share the new of Yuri Ebihara’s graduation from CanCam magazine. CanCam is the fashion magazine for many young Japanese women and Ebi-chan is the CanCam model. This is a changing of the Japanese fashion guard of the highest order. W. David Marx over at the NeoJaponisme blog has an in depth analysis of what Ebihara’s departure means for CanCam and speculates on whether this could be ViVi’s time to make a move.

Don’t worry too much, though, always-smiling Ebi-chan isn’t leaving us forever. After graduation, she’s moving on to AneCan magazine. No doubt she will also continue with her endless stream of Japanese television, magazine, product, and billboard advertisements as well.

CanCam readers may miss Ebihara, but they won’t have to look too hard to see her again…and again…and again…