Japanese Gravure Idol Nene Matsuoka

Meet the grand prize winner of the 2009 Gravure JAPAN gravure idol contest, Nene Matsuoka (松岡音々).  The Hiroshima Prefecture native is definitely looking sexy and pretty in the red bikini…I’m sure we’ll see more of her in the future.  Nene just turned 21 earlier this month and has appeared in Japanese fashion magazines such as ViVi, CanCam and PINKY.

Gravure Japan Gravure Idol Contest Bonus

What would you do if all of a sudden these 16 cute and sexy young girls showed up on your doorstep?

Here are some group shots of the 16 semi-finalists.  Gravure JAPAN is the result of collaboration between Shukan Young Jump (週刊ヤングジャンプ) and Shukan Playboy (週刊プレイボーイ).  This new gravure idol contest is run as part of the celebration for the 30 year anniversary of Young Jump comic.

In case you haven’t figured out, the “Y” and “J” stand for Young Jump.

Gravure Japan Gravure Idol Contest

As all of you Japanese gravure idol lovers know by now, Japan is the mecca of factories that churn out cute, young idols.  To combat the famous Miss Magazine (ミスマガジン) gravure idol contest put on by Japanese comic publisher Shukan Young Magazine (週刊ヤングマガジン), this year rival publisher Shukan Young Jump (週刊ヤングジャンプ) teamed up with Shukan Playboy (週刊プレイボーイ) and produced their own gravure idol search called Gravure Japan (グラビアJAPAN).

Confusing?  Yeah, I thought so.

Gravure Japan finalists (from L to R): Yuko Shimizu, Nana Seino, Nene Matsuoka, Rin Aoi and Aya Takigawa

Gravure Japan started out with 1200 girls applying.  100 entrants were kept and later 16 girls were selected.  Then the number was further narrowed down to 5 finalists.  The top Grand Prix prize went to Nene Matsuoka (松岡音々).  The part of her body the 21 year old is most proud of is the mole on her neck.  Nene is practicing karate but is still a white belt.  She said, “I’m thrilled to be standing here and I’ll work hard to have a photobook out.”

Runner-up included Rin Aoi (蒼井凛) who is the youngest of the group at just 13 years of age, as well as Yuko Shimizu (清水ゆう子-20), Aya Takigawa (滝川綾-22) and Nana Seino (清野菜名-14).

I don’t know about you guys but I’d much rather watch this contest unfold than a minute of that god awful American Idol!  What kind of “idol” are they talking about exactly?!

1st Row (L to R): Nana Seino and Rin Aoi

2nd Row (L to R): Yuko Shimizu, Nene Matsuoka and Aya Takigawa

Interview with Japanese Fashion Model Nozomi Sasaki

One of the most talked about rising stars these days is definitely Japanese fashion and gravure model Nozomi Sasaki (佐々木希).  Only 21 years old, the Akita Prefecture native’s beautiful face can be seen everywhere from magazines to television.  Nozomi started doing fashion and gravure modeling after winning an audition sponsored by Japanese fashion magazine Pinky.

The Top Coat (トップコート) entertainment agency artist has gained plenty of female fans in their teens and twenties.  Nozomi also began her acting debut earlier this year on NTV’s drama Kami no Shizuku (神の雫).

With fine porcelain like white skin, sparkling big eyes and gentle appearance in addition to her successes and promising potential, Japanese entertainment beat authority Sankei Sports jumped at the chance and conducted an interview with the 2005 Young Jump Gravure Audition winner.

Nozomi Sasaki at Sankei Sports’ Tokyo headquarters

Sankei Sports Interviews Nozomi Sasaki

Before the interview even officially began, the interviewer couldn’t help but complimented Nozomi again by saying, “You’re such a fair skinned beauty!”  To which the northern Japan native replied, “Akita doesn’t get much sunlight so I guess that’s why I’m white.”

Q: You came to Tokyo from Akita 3 years ago.  I understand before that you worked at an apparel shop?

A: There are almost no model or talent scouts in Akita City where I worked.  So when a scout approached me I was really surprised.  I wasn’t good at speaking to strangers but the shop manager pushed me.  Because of this I was able to enter Young Jump’s audition and later won it.

Q: This was fate, wasn’t it?

A: I never thought I’d enter the entertainment industry.  I never imagined I’d leave my family and friends.  But my mother told me, “This is your life so you should go to Tokyo and work hard.”  Without realizing, my tears began falling as I left for Tokyo.

Q: Did you get homesick?

A: In the beginning I didn’t have any job coming in.  I was worried about that so I didn’t really have time to be homesick.  Of course I wanted to go home but I didn’t even have money for bus or train.  So I told myself I can only stay and work hard.  Plus everyone back home were rooting for me.  I’m really glad that I stayed.

Q: You’re also good friends with Pinky’s model Yukina Kinoshita, right?

A: She comes over and hangs out at my place.  We think the same.  We have a great time without having to put up a front.  I’d go out with her if she’s a guy (laughing)!

Yukina Kinoshita (L) and Nozomi Sasaki (R)

Q: Do you want to get married?

A: I think that’ll be when I’m 26 (laughing).  I was told by a famous fortune teller in Okinawa.  I kind of believe it.  When the possibility of me doing the movie Handsome Suit (ハンサム★スーツ) came up…at that time people said I couldn’t act.  I was really troubled with whether I should take this job or not.  But the foretune teller told me, “Right now luck is on your side.” and I ended up being chosen for the role.

Q: It looks like you might just end up getting married at 26

A: Hahaha, but I’m really enjoying my work right now.

After this Sankei Sport’s interviewer asked, “Now that you’ve become an actress, are you shooting at becoming a blockbuster actress?”  At first Nozomi nodded but quickly said, “I take that back” while turning red.  But the fair skinned beauty added, “I’ll work really hard to prevent that from happening.”  I wonder what exactly did she mean by that.  Was she suddenly drunk or was that just a poor attempt at humor?

Q: What are you into these days?

A: Doggies!  I’ve got a 10 month old male long coat Chihuahua.  His name is Maron and we live together.  You can see him in my blog.  I wasn’t thinking about getting a dog but the moment I saw him at the pet shop he was too cute to resist.  I’m also bringing home a female teacup Poodle named Runa soon.

I’m not sure about either the Chihuahua or the teacup Poodle.  But what I’m sure about is that Nozomi Sasaki is cute as a button!

Japanese Gravure Idol Konan, Part 2

Japanese gravure idol Konan belongs to One Eight Promotion (ワンエイトプロモーション) and is roommates with Japanese lingerie supermodel hottie Yuko Ishida.  From ‘05 to ‘07 she was working the circuit as a Super GT race queen!

Japanese Gravure Idol Konan

Today we’ve got Japanese gravure idol Konan being playful on a floating bed by the pool.  The 23 year old Osaka native got her start in showbiz by being selected as a member of Shukan Young Jump’s high school uniform collection, or “Seikore” (週刊ヤングジャンプ 制コレ) back in ‘01.

Japanese Gravure Idol Arisa Nozaki

Meet Arisa Nozaki (野崎亜里沙), a Japanese gravure idol with clean cut looks and C cup chest. As a teen at the age of 15 the Saitama Prefecture native (just north of Tokyo) was selected as a member of Young Jump magazine’s annual All Japan School Girl Uniform Collection (全国女子高生制服コレクション / 制コレ), or “Seikore”.

Check out Arisa Nozaki’s little camel toe action!

Japanese Gravure Idol Seiko Ando

Check out the sweet smile on the lolita faced Seiko Ando (安藤成子). Currently 21years of age, the former U-19 Japanese gravure idol was strutting down pit lane as a teenage race queen. It is obvious that the Yokohama native (just 1hr southwest of Tokyo) didn’t enter the showbiz circle for money, since she comes from a very well to do family. As a matter of fact, she used to live by herself in an ultra luxury condo that cost $3400 per month for rent, which earned her the nickname “celebrity gravure idol” (セレブグラドル)!

Seiko was a semi-finalist in the 2005 All Japan High School Girl Uniform Collection contest (全国女子高生制服コレクション or “seikore” 制コレ for short) that’s put on every year by Japanese manga publishing powerhouse Shukan Young Jump (週刊ヤングジャンプ).

Japanese Idol Actress Erika Toda x Up To Boy

Hot Japanese idol and actress Erika Toda (戸田恵梨香) in the house today. The mega popular former U-19 idol recently left that status when she turned 20 in August. Erika is from the beautiful port city of Kobe and got her start in showbiz by entering Shukan Young Jump magazine’s annual “Seikore” (制コレ, or All Japan High School Girl Uniform Collection) contest when she was 15. Some other Japanese celebrities who also entered in the contest that same year include gravure idol Maki Horikiri, fashion model Yurie Tashiro and gravure idol Yukie Kawamura who was the runner-up.