One of our favorite idols, Erika Sawajiri, has returned to the world of Japanese entertainment (geinokai) after a oh-too-long absence of two and a half years! Ever since she made that rather sulky press conference in 2007 for the film Closed Note (we actually thought she was rather sexy!) and earned the animosity of the nation, her career has been on a disappointingly downward trajectory. Well, now the rebellious minx is back, with a new "taido" (attitude) and keen to get into what she did so brilliantly before: cute photos, TV commercials, the occasionally melodramatic TV drama series, ...

Looks like the Akihabara police force are getting some new members on staff. Meet the happiest, leggiest, most dulcet cops in Tokyo, the Miniskirt Police. After a three-year hiatus, this gaggle of idols, models, and TV stars in hot blue vinyl is back with a DVD, a road show, and an upcoming CD. If you're in the Tokyo area, they're doing live shows until August, but otherwise, you can satisfy yourself with their ...

Ever noticed something a little...different about the mouths of Japanese models, celebrities, and cute girls on the street? It may not be apparent right away, but once you notice, it's hard to miss -- a good number of them have snaggleteeth (yaeba)! A pair of yaeba are considered very cute to many Japanese. From convention booth babes to actresses to Japan's Princess Masako, yaeba are a common sight in Japanese media. Unlike America, where teeth are straightened in childhood and crooked teeth often signify poverty or a lack of care, orthodontics never really caught on in Japan, and there's ...