Miss Japan

[Mulboyne]

Time: Japan's Beauty Queen Factory

...[Ines] Ligron, 44, is the national director of Miss Universe Japan, and her job is to create world-class beauty queens out of young Japanese women in a country that favors smallness over voluptuousness, reserve over unrestrained confidence, a demure smile over a sparkling grin... "When I came in 1997, Miss Japan was run by a broadcaster, and had turned into a show by men, for men," says Ligron. With the backing of the Trump Foundation, Ligron hired an all-female staff to refashion the tacky swimsuit contest into a lucrative entertainment business ― which aimed at nothing less than winning the title.

But Ligron set out to do more than increase NBC airtime for Japan and make Trump a richer man. As a schoolgirl Ligron saved her lunch money to buy fashion magazines, and she was appalled to find in Japan a country of young women hunched over and wobbling in untrendy shoes, avoiding the sun to keep pale, hiding under too many layers of stockings and Bridget Jones underwear. "The first thing that struck me was ― I have to liberate these women!" she says. Ligron improvised a one-woman finishing school for Miss Japan contestants, which involves stripping in front of a triptych of mirrors to learn to be comfortable with their bodies. The women would also live with the beauty producer for months to learn "how to be a woman, a gaijin [foreigner] woman, from me...Japanese men want infantile anorexic kawaii [cute] women in their 20s who act like they're 12. Now girls are beginning to find role models in women with real talent, careers, confidence"...more...

[kurohinge1]

. . .

. . . "The first thing that struck me was &#8213]

Of course many FGs have been offering courses with similar objectives for many years - for free!

[Greji]

[GomiGirl]

[IkemenTommy]

Having spent quite a bit of time in the gym changing room and onsens, I can safely say that there are lots of granny knickers out there on young girls (bridget jones undies). They are huge and ugly. Not a g-string in sight.

GG, we don't care about them. We want to know what you are wearing

[Takechanpoo]

[Iraira]

What's wrong with the girl seated in front on the left? Her left eye is all jacked up. I guess I shouldn't have face painted her the night before her big photo shoot.

[IkemenTommy]

For once, mad props to Takechan for the great find

[Bucky]

The Quote I find interesting from the Time article:

"Japanese men want infantile anorexic kawaii [cute] women in their 20s who act like they're 12. . . .

[GomiGirl]

GG, we don't care about them. We want to know what you are wearing

Currently am going Commando!!

[kurohinge1]

Currently am going Commando!!

Little black dress for the party - $135
Tin of cookies - $12
Caught going commando by security camera - PRICELE$$
(link NSFW)

[Greji]

Currently am going Commando!!

Commando? Which part is the Commando?

[Mike Oxlong]

Oh Kurara, where are you now?

http://arekao.jp/kurara/photo_fashion.html (#17 is nice)

[Takechanpoo]

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Japanese women adapt to global needs, promote Asian beauty

The success of Japanese contestants in the Miss Universe contest in recent years has reminded Japanese beauty experts how concepts of beauty in this country differ from those elsewhere--and demonstrated that Japanese women are perfectly able to adapt to the demands of a global audience. Osaka Shoin Women's University Prof. Hiroto Murasawa, who specializes in beauty and cosmetics, said that when he first saw Miss Universe Riyo Mori, he thought she did not look Japanese. "Watching her on TV during the finals, I thought she projected a very non-Japanese air. She comes across as a mature, independent woman who is very adept at expressing herself," he said. Murasawa says Mori's manner stands in sharp contrast to most young Japanese women. With her well-defined jaw and large mouth, she looks strong. On top of that, her makeup for the finals made her look striking, even a little showy. That contrasts with the way that many Japanese women try to avoid standing out, even trying to seem invisible. Mori's facial expressions and gestures suggest that she is not someone who hesitates to say what she wants. "She might not have been chosen [as a beauty queen] by Japanese standards," he said. "I don't think she was chosen for her Japanese qualities, but for other things."

Standards of beauty vary from one country to another, just as languages and customs do, according to Kazuyuki Yamamuro, editor in chief of Woman's Wear Daily Japan, who is one of the judges at the Miss Universe Japan contest. "Those who make their name overseas are different from those who are popular among Japanese," Yamamuro said. He draws a parallel between fashion and beauty. Some clothes, such as kimono, have a loyal following but may lack global appeal compared to brands such as Chanel and Gucci, Yamamuro says, adding that it's the same for beauty contestants: Those who want success outside Japan have to be responsive to global tastes. Such cosmopolitan women, including Mori, draw world attention to Asian beauty. "It's a big feat to triumph over Anglo-Saxon looks as the standard of beauty," he said. He says Asian beauty used to be seen as one small element of global beauty. However, with Japanese women scaling the pinnacle of beauty by doing well in Miss Universe, Asia has became a crucial market in the fashion business, he said. "Amid the globalization of politics and economics, the fashion industry is going down the same path," Yamamuro said.

[IkemenTommy]

Japanese women adapt to global needs, promote Asian beauty[/URL]

More like Asian booty:tongue:

[Behan]

Apologies is this has been posted already:

Arrogant and dumb: Local celeb hacks slam Miss Universe Riyo Mori

"Making up her eyes to emphasize her 'Oriental Exoticism' isn't a look that really appeals to Japanese."Riyo Mori, the 2007 Miss Universe, is copping a beating from the domestic media, according to Shukan Shincho (7/19).

...'How the hell did she become Miss Universe?'" an entertainment beat reporter tells Shukan Shincho. "I thought that making up her eyes to emphasize her 'Oriental Exoticism' isn't a look that really appeals to Japanese.

"What really shocked me was the arrogant way she went about things. She used a microphone to point at the reporters asking her questions.... She looked down on Japan, too, by saying that she had no idea who her favorite Japanese performer was. And when one reporter asked her what it felt like to have been chosen as the world's most beautiful women, she spat, 'That's a mistake. Miss Universe is not a beauty contest.' That got most of the reporters tittering."

...Shukan Shincho (7/19)But the entertainment beat reporter is not too bullish about the 20-year-old beauty queen's chances in Japan's cutthroat entertainment world.

"Considering she won the title, she has fair grounds to think she'll do better (than Chibana). But she's not really the best speaker in the world and hasn't got any of the intellect apparent in Chibana...And with the arrogance that she's got, it makes the average woman working on TV look a lot more attractive." (By Marvin Feltcher)

July 13, 2007

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/face/news/20070713p2g00m0dm025000c.html

[Greji]

Apologies is this has been posted already:http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/face/news/20070713p2g00m0dm025000c.html

It is an article in serious doubt. I know Marvin must have had a tough time dealing with them trying to portray this gal being fugugly.

It may well be that she just is not showing the proper subserviant attitude that the entertainment industry in Japan demands of its slaves.

[Behan]

I suspect that you may be right about that, gboothe.

[Greji]

I suspect that you may be right about that, gboothe.

Right about which part? The part about Marvin trying to keep his johnson out of the way of the keyboard so he could type the story, or the part about slave owners of the entertainment industry?

[Behan]

Both!

[Mulboyne]

Kyodo via Japan Today: Muslims protest against Miss Universe in Indonesia

Muslims protested as Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori from Japan, arrived in an Indonesian city Friday, calling her "a symbol of universal immorality," a Jakarta-based private radio station reported. According to the Elshinta radio station, about 50 Muslims staged the protest in front of Savoy Homann Hotel in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung, where Mori is staying. The protesters carried posters saying, "Miss Universe, Go to Hell!" and "Free Indonesia from Pornography!"...more...

[Mike Oxlong]

http://www.missuniverse.com/missuniverse/life.html

The photogenic Ms. Mori has a nice collection here.

[Greji]

http://www.missuniverse.com/missuniverse/life.html

The photogenic Ms. Mori has a nice collection here.

Nice, but I would rather see some of her in the raw ala sushi!

[GomiGirl]

I spotted most of the contestants from this years Miss International Pagent yesterday morning at Asakusa Temple. Caused a huge flurry of photos when they all paraded down the busy shopping street in the rain yesterday. Most of them seemed to be nice enough girls and posing for photos etc. Still a cattle call IMHO but it takes all sorts I guess.

This photo is on my blog and snapped with my keitai.



Girl on the left was Miss Nigeria and I swear she was 7 feet tall.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I spotted most of the contestants from this years Miss International Pagent yesterday morning at Asakusa Temple. Caused a huge flurry of photos when they all paraded down the busy shopping street in the rain yesterday. Most of them seemed to be nice enough girls and posing for photos etc. Still a cattle call IMHO but it takes all sorts I guess.

This photo is on my blog and snapped with my keitai.



Girl on the left was Miss Nigeria and I swear she was 7 feet tall.

I saw the whole crew of them trooping around Roppongi yesterday afternoon. I saw a giant black woman in the group with short hair. Is that miss Nigeria? She was frickin' huge.

[American Oyaji]

Ive been looking around trying to find out how tall she is but I am coming up null.

[GomiGirl]

I saw the whole crew of them trooping around Roppongi yesterday afternoon. I saw a giant black woman in the group with short hair. Is that miss Nigeria? She was frickin' huge.

I wouldn't say huge - she was really thin, just very very tall. Yes she had short hair.
I think the actual cattle call contest is in another week or so here in Tokyo. They will be out and about before this.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I wouldn't say huge - she was really thin, just very very tall. Yes she had short hair.
I think the actual cattle call contest is in another week or so here in Tokyo. They will be out and about before this.

The other black girl I saw was really tall too. You know with all of the make up a lot of those girls had on, they actually looked a little scary. It probably looks different on camera though.

[GomiGirl]

The other black girl I saw was really tall too. You know with all of the make up a lot of those girls had on, they actually looked a little scary. It probably looks different on camera though.

yes, up close and personal the pancake makeup was a tad scary but it is very different on camera.