All idols are equal, but some idols are more equal than others. There has always been disparity among idols, even when they belong to the same group or to sister groups.
However, producers are frowning at the current sales of a top AKB48 sister group idol's photo book, despite the very strong numbers of recent publications released by members of Nogizaka46 and Keyakizaka46.
Akari Suda of SKE48 has apologized to fans that her debut photo book, "Kawaiku naru Houhou" (The Way to Become Cute), released in August, has conspicuously failed to sell, despite a print run of 50,000. Three-week ...
The singer KOM_I of the music group Wednesday Campanella has released a full-frontal nude photo.
The photo book, "Uso?" (Lie?), has been shot by the Okinawan actress Fumi Nikaido, who has herself done at least one nude shoot and, to her fan's delight, a nude scene in a movie. Nikaido is a quite accomplished photographer, having released at least another photo book she made with the fashion model Serina Motola (in addition to her own photo books, of course).
The photo book is from the Gekkan series, which has continued ...
It's turning out to be a good summer for gravure idol photo books.
After Yumi Asahina won our hearts with her debut photo book out this month, along with other great recent releases from Ayumu Takeuchi and Miho Abe, an old favorite has appeared with a photo book that just might reassert her position in the crowded ranks of gradols.
The slinky and alluring Hinako Sano has been on the scene for a while -- blimey, we included her in a round-up post of top idols way back in 2013 -- but her star was no longer on the ascent. That might change now with this latest photo book -- her first in a ...
Newbie gravure idol Yumi Asahina (朝比奈祐未) quickly made an impression on us a few months ago with her awesome butt -- so much so that we included her in our updated list of top asses in Japan.
Now she's gone one step further with a new photo book release that sees her strip off, not only revealing her gorgeous butt but even her bush and breasts. Praise the 8 million gods of Shinto! She's joined the long tradition of the "hair nude" full-frontal photo shoot.
The 26-year-old G-cup gravure idol was shot by Kendrick Watanabe for a retro-tinged photo book called Asahina Gaho (Asahina ...
Unless you are one of the increasingly small number of fans who follow all the inns and outs of the current lineup of idols in AKB48, you may not know who Rena Kato is. We didn't. But we certainly do now.
She has released her sexiest shoot to date. While it's not exactly pushing the boundaries like her cohorts, not least Haruka Shimda, or former members of the group who have gone on to sexier climates, such as Natsumi Hirajima and Aika Ota (and that's before we even start talking about the ex-AKB48 girls who have gone into porn), it's a pretty good way to make an impression on would-be ...
Can a glimpse at something be even more alluring than actually getting your hands on it?
Of all the myriad fetishes we cover on this modest blog, panchira (up-skirt panties view) has probably gained the most mainstream acceptance in recent times.
From calendars to umbrellas, virtual reality apps and adult video games, panchira is everywhere. Sometimes it's illegal and practitioners get into trouble. Other times, it's harmless fun.
Now comes the Specialized Panties Pose Collection: We Love Panties, So We Want to Draw Them ASAP, a "reference" book and photo book that showcases an ...
The former AKB48 idol Natsumi Hirajima (Nacchan) has worked hard to establish herself as a solid gravure idol after leaving the group in 2012. And her efforts just got a boost with the release of a new photo book this month.
She actually left the group somewhat under the cloud of scandal, following the leak of photos on ex-member Rumi Yonezawa's private Twitter account showing images of them with men.
In one, Nacchan is in a bar with a lucky (and horny) guy, who had her in the classic kabe-don pose. She nonetheless returned briefly in 2013 for one of the AKB "elections" to ...
It's something of an open secret these days that all the commercial excitement comes from Nogizaka46, not AKB or its direct sister groups.
Photo books by the likes of Mai Shiraishi and Nanami Hashimoto have become runaway bestsellers, or photo shoots by Misa Eto have dazzled. Even more minor members such as Yumi Wakatsuki, Mai Shinuchi, Kazumi Takayama, and Miona Hori have established their reputations in recent times -- at least in our consciousness.
But let's not forget the official AKB48 sister groups. NMB48's Miru Shiroma, for example, is a true star on the rise.
And now the Nogizaka46 ...
Eri Ishida is responsible for one of the most famous "hair nude" full-frontal nude photo books. Of course, there were many women who made the genre so wildly successful two decades ago, but a lot have faded into the ether. Along with Rie Miyazawa's classic "Santa Fe," though, Ishida's joyful contributions have lingered firmly in the popular consciousness.
Eri Ishida is, of course, no longer a spring chicken but she is still working in the entertainment industry. In fact, she is releasing a new photo book in December -- and it's a hair nude one!
Yes, Eri Ishida is going to her roots ...
Ai Shinozaki is one of the most popular gravure idols in Japan but we have almost never featured her on this blog. (An exception is that great story from back in 2015 when Ai Shinozaki was turned into the first "artificial intelligence gravure idol".)
She has all the classic assets of a gradoll: big bust, curvy body, cute face. But something about her just doesn't click with us. Maybe we are too fussy?
Well, this blog is not simply a forum exclusively for showcasing our own personal proclivities and tastes, so we wanted to share Ai Shinozaki's latest photo shoot, which really shows off ...
