Haruna Kojima: Finally, someone who can take a good “selfie”!

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Finally! Someone who can take a good “selfie”!!!

KojiHaru is great in this PeachJohn ad. HD is available (duh).

When will AKB48 member Haruna Kojima graduate?  2015 may be her year. She is one of the group’s founding members, and is now 28 years old. Kojima-san has always been an integral part of the group, and was great along with Takamina and Miichan in the “No Sleeves” sub-unit. (What with Takahashi-san announcing her graduation for later this year, we have to wonder how long Kojima-san will remain.)

She is a much more talented singer than she is gets credit for. She looks so good, that a lot of fans just admire her body. She is actually a darn good comedian, although she has always just “played herself” or at least what we think of as KojiHaru being herself.

I doubt if she will starve when she graduates. Haruna is already a successful underwear model for the “Peach John” women’s apparel company. Underwear model? … more like “underwear actress” because her 1 minute commercials are better than most Hollywood movies.

I will also include Part 2 and Part 3 of the PeachJohn “Selfies” contest there. Peach John has encouraged fans to post selfie pics in their latest campaign. (Sorry, you may have to sign in for the second one.)

The commercials, follow the Haruna and her friends Maggie and Kana on their daily selfie routine. I know you see the girls romping around in campy, lingerie poses, but the commercial actually encouraged customers to take simple and natural photos throughout the day. The last segement shows “real” customers in everyday Peach John attire.

No Doubt, Kojima-san has a smoking-hot body, but that is not why I like her. You can STOP laughing now, thank you! Have a look at this amazing white dress Kojima-sama wears in this live performance!

I am a little troubled hoever by news that Miss Kojima is to appear nude in the next issue of Anan Magazine.  My friends over at Nihongogo have posted an article here.

http://nihongogo.com/2014/09/akb48s-haruna-kojima-bares-all-in-newest-issue-of-anan-magazine/

I don’t think that Kojima-san should do nudes while she is a member of AKB48.  If she does them after graduation, then that would be her choice, but for the most part it is just something that the group does not do. Now I am not a prude … and no one would like to see KojiHaru naked more than I (only for a second, then I would look away).  I also do not want to be one of those people who CRITISIZE THINGS THEY HAVE NOT SEEN! I am against self-righteous censorship.  I have not “read” …er , I mean seen the photos, for all I know she might be “nude” but you might not “see anything” … if you know what I mean.  When a magazine says that a celebrity “bares all”, they often do not.  Nihongogo does attest that these photos show “the best breasts that Japan has to offer” …

Maybe this is a step to her graduation this year. Kojima! You made a liar out of me!

I do enjoy good landscape photography!

… and don’t try buying a copy at the newsstand.  I already bought them all.

 

“Trying … hard … not … to … love … her … so … much …”

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I hear you Captain Kirk.

I think that anyone would fall for her, Jim. Fanboy that I am — I will share some postings from YouTube that feature the Milky one — Miyuki Watanabe. 2014 was a big year for Watanabe-san, what with winning the Janken and getting her shot at solo work. The sound is a little flat here on this particular live TV performance, but I do not care. YouTube keeps removing all her recent performances, but I keep finding new ones! (They must be good because YouTube keeps removing them!) I’m loving this retro-style 80s-themed song Mr. Akimoto arranged for her. Enjoy this Milky heaven!

I’m so happy she has had a chance to shine solo recently.  She is one of my favorite members. I have always thought that she takes a good photo … However — pity the poor life of the professional photographer! What if you had this job of taking magazine photos of Miyuki Watanabe? Dull, boring, tedious!!! What would be more excruciating than watching Milky make all those poses … taking photos — over and over again. Feel free to waste eight minutes of your coffee break on her photo shoot. My favorite is the “frame” which begins at time 5:24.

On the subject of photos, this is a very cute photography video with SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH!  Here some of the other 48 family members are in a competition to take the best “Gravure” photo. See  the contest amongst between Team Nemousu (Yukirin) VS Team AKB48 Group Alliance (Oya, Kizaki, Kimoto, Shibata and Furuhata of SKE48).  I think that you will find it to be a cute and funny little photo shoot to watch … and, er …

and … oh … (Denny feels weak suddenly, has to sit down on park bench)

Oh … (Denny pauses), oh … (with slightly different vocal inflection).

Oh … Miyuki… (Denny takes off cap, exhales, stares at horizon)

Miyuki Watanabe … or some type of illusion?

Oh … (Denny takes off glasses, slumps slightly into bench, considers landscape.)

(Exhales again) …Watanabe … (Denny sits back up and continues.)

As one can see, the other members do a good job at their amateur-gravure.  There were 468 great shots from many different angles. (I was pulling for Yukirin to win.) I love this clip, because it not only shows how physically beautiful Miss Watanabe is, but this clip also captures the high quality of her character.  Her positive and friendly attitude is very attractive. She is a lovely young woman — inside as well as out.

With so many great photos, it was hard for Milky to choose!  Do you agree with the winning choice?

Please enjoy another Watanabe slide show (captions by Denny).

Don’t worry Milky, I will not leave you “Home Alone”

Photo just before my chicken exploded.

After my chicken exploded.

Thank you for reminding me about my auto insurance updates Miyuki!

Two can keep a secret if one of them is Milky!

Wasted 3 hours this morning deciding which view I liked.

I thought I caught all the shiny ones?

Yes, they do provide two beds for some reason …

So talented she is — Yoda

Beachy sand? Where?

One last treat for Milky fans: This is a Panasonic commercial which includes a few old photos of Watanabe-san as a little girl! So adorable!

Starlight: varying lengths from the outer arm of the Milky Way.

PS: Inside joke aimed directly at you Bob!

UPDATE: 01/07/2015: I added the following to this post yesterday. Some bloggers had already commented, so I want to be forthcoming that I have added content here:

Perhaps I could explain my “She is beautiful both inside and out” observation. If you view that clip of the other girls taking the photos, it strikes me how NICE they are to each other. Milky is humble, and respectful. The Japanese girls respect and encourage each other.

What if a similar thing were on an American TV show? The people involved would probably not be so nice. I flip through channels sometimes and see these vulgar American “reality” TV shows (Mtv, E!, etc). You can fill-in the names. These shows always have the chicks giving us — and each other — a lot of “attitude” and they would “dis” each other. There would be no sweetness. On these American shows, the ladies might look hot on the surface, but I estimate that their emotional juices would be very sour. Very nasty. Perhaps good looking on the outside, but very ugly on the inside.*

Not so with Milky and the others. Much more feminine, and full of goodness.

I have this problem where sometimes I have to put something else down (ex. American pop culture) in order to build up something that I like (ex. Japan pop culture). I don’t want to do that. Sorry about that, but I see no comparison (although I know that this is just one example).

*Just another reason why I have given up on American pop culture.

KIMONOS ON MONDAY (Week #29): The “gaijin tarento” Leah Dizon

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Leah “Donna” Dizon is a “foreign entertainer” or gaijin tarento.  She was born in Las Vegas, but moved to Tokyo in 2006, to pursue a career as singer, actress and model.  Ms. Dizon was born in America, but claims Chinese, Filipino, and French ethnic ancestory. I will share this Leah retrospective:

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See more Leah on this YouTube post:

Also you can join her fan club on the Leah Dizon official page: website is linked here.

http://leah-dizon.net/

She does not wear kimonos in her more recent music videos, however this older clip shows her wearing a great yukata!  It makes her the prettiest lady at the party!

Please model more wonderful kimonos for us Ms. Dizon!