Gravure idol

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Gravure models posing in Akihabara.

Gravure idols (グラビアアイドル, gurabia aidoru^?) are Japanese models who work in a variety of media ranging from glossy mens magazines to DVD Idol movies. Although commonly associated with swimsuit modelling, a wide range of gravure modelling is done wearing clothing ranging from the traditional kimono to normal fashion street clothing, sports clothing and lingerie. There are a number of common set pieces that many gravure models perform, posing in running water in a variety of clothing to emphasise the wet look, wearing school uniforms to emphasise their youth and in some cases in glamorous and unusual locations outside of Japan to provide a different context for the work.

Gravure modelling often serves as a stepping stone into acting for those who are successful and are well managed but it is also an entry point for some to go in other directions including more sexually explicit content. This style of modelling is very wide in its range from the very demure to borderline pornography but it has a reasonably high fallout rate with many models lasting less than a year before they are no longer in demand. Fetish themes may include wrestling^{[citation needed]}, martial arts, and superheroines from tokusatsu.

Gravure idols range from as young as age 9 (Mizuki Furui, in 2006)^[1] to as old as 32 (Hoshino Aki as of 2009^[update]). Gravure idols do not pose nude or perform sexually explicit acts in their work, though some simulate sex acts in their DVD releases.^{[citation needed]}

The term is derived from photogravure, or, technically more precise, rotogravure, the type of printing process used in the production of glossy magazines.

See also

• List of Japanese gravure idols
• Junior idol
• Pin-up girl — similar but older cultural phenomenon

References

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