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Nearly two years ago, a single photograph of a young wannabe idol appeared online. It ignited a fire among idol otaku so large that it reached the mainstream press in Japan in the same day. The pictured girl, one Kanna Hashimoto, was soon after crowned “beyond angelic” and dubbed a “once in a millennium” idol for her natural looks and youthful energy.
Since then, there have been many challengers to Kanna’s title, like the “once in 4,000 years idol” whatserface, and the “once in 2,000 years” idol…um you know, the one with the hair. They’re probably all nice girls and we wish them well in their careers, but seriously they had no place stepping up to Hashimoto’s star quality.
Having already appeared in commercials for SoftBank and Cup Noodle, Kanna is now hawking Lip Baby brand coloring lip balms. Although not as big a brand as the others, these commercials have woken up Japanese netizens and reminded them who the real once in a millennium idol is.
The member of idol group Rev From DVL (a name that you see less and less next to Hashimoto’s) stars in two versions of Lip Baby. The first is Mentholatum Kanna in which she’s dressed as a nurse and wants us all to buy Lip Baby Fruits.
However, the one that has really worked fans into a frenzy is the self-explanatory Devilish Kanna promoting Lip Baby Crayon.
Comments unanimously approved of these Kanna Hashimoto appearances.
“Too cute lol.” “I thought she would go down this route.” “The little devil Kanna duckface is the best!” “Another new commercial?!” “If an idol is cute, the commercials will come.” “Red Devil? Is she looking to get big in Korea?”
The last comment was a reference to the Bulgen Angma or “Red Devils” which is the name of the South Korean national soccer team’s fans.
These latest commercials also spawned discussion over the elephant in Hashimoto’s living room: when she’ll formally leave Rev from DVL and go on her own. Last year, the gap between Hashimoto and the rest of Rev From DVL was highlighted during a handshake event debacle in which fans revolted at learning only a few could meet the group’s star member. Also, it’s only a matter of time before pay inequality begins to drive a wedge, if it hasn’t already.
The “idol Cinderella story” is a pattern that’s been seen before. Actress and TV personality Aya Ueto famously cast aside her former idol unit, Z-1, and rose to be one of Japan’s most well-known faces after she proved to be a crowd favorite. Also, some may forget that Namie Amuro was once a member of the group Super Monkey’s before moving on to bigger and better things.
Not that there’s any rush for Hashimoto, however. Still only 16, time is on her side and at this point it’s really not a matter of “if” but “how far” she will make it in the entertainment business. If I may take on the persona of a grizzled 1960s talent scout, I’ll take the stogie out of my mouth, flick the ashes and grumble, “Yup. That kid’s got the goods.”
Source: YouTube – Rohto Channel
Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Local Fukuoka idol already breaking big across Japanese internet -- She’s cute, sexy, AND busty! She’s a “once-in-1,000-years” beauty! Japanese netizens at it again -- Kanna Hashimoto does “stupid-cool” tricks for commercial, took over 600 takes to get right
© Japan Today
36 Comments
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Stewart Ross
...picks jaw up off of ground, mops up puddle of drool...
Kenny Iyekawa
Never heard of her...but she is cute, I got to say...
harvey pekar
Sure, she's cute, but honestly, I could find at least 5 a day on the train, any train line, better than her. The eye candy is everywhere.
overchan
Those lips. I want to see the banana scene
sensei258
Maybe the interpretation is wrong. Perhaps it should say "one of thousands" not once in a thousand years.
kaynide
Agreed, she's a cutie... but isn't anyone with enough make up and post processing? While I get the appeal I'm not sure I understand what the big deal is- as many said there's thousands of girls like this walking around town every day.
Stephen Jez
Look like your average, awkward looking JP model if you ask me.
itsonlyrocknroll
Dorothy Parker once mused, beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.
Kanna Hashimoto tap it for all it worth, money can't buy beauty but can acquire a decent education. Women in society are considered 'old mother hubbards' by their late 20's. Is that feeling I have jealousy or envy?
1glenn
Very pretty. Best wishes to her.
shallots
What a cute writer! This article is pretty precious. Obviously, the writer studied writing somewhere. I would summarize it thusly: Kanna was "crowned" and now she is "hawking"; She "stars," "wants us all to buy," and "worked fans into a frenzy." She's "too cute, lol." Sadly, "she'll formally leave." Aya "cast aside" and "rose" "after she proved." Namie moved "on to bigger and better things." The "gap" "was highlighted during a handshake event debacle in which fans revolted." Commercials have "woken up Japanese" and "reminded them," while "pay inequality" begins to drive a wedge. Cute stuff!
SenseNotSoCommon
Celebrity: trying to commandeer history, too?
AJSPeikaiwa
small rule in marketing:
if you have to remind someone that you are something, then you probably are not, nor were you ever 'that' in the first place.
shallots
Look like your average, awkward looking JP model if you ask me.
Yeah...I guess. I don't know. Seems like something for children. Not for adults. Maybe this is written by and for kids and this "idol" is for kids as well. I wonder with the kind of thing that pops up on this website under entertainment, where or what is the stuff that's supposed to be for grownups? Maybe my memory is just selective but seems like I don't seem much grownup stuff. She is someone that children follow?
danalawton1@yahoo.com
I think we'd need to get into the minds of "Otaku", in order to figure out the attraction.... but I don't even want to try.
kitzrow
Pretty good teeth ... a real plus in this society for success!
Kenny Iyekawa
^ ok, you win. I missed the 16 yo part in article. So I think she is ugly now.
wtfjapan
comon at 16 if you even find her sexually attractive or think of lewd stuff about her you basically not much better than a paedophile, at least they could dress her as a young sophisticated woman instead of a adolescent girl, oop sorry forgot this is Japan
shallots
Who's drooling? I don't understand the writing style to this article to say nothing of the topic itself and how it relates to what this site normally covers and who it caters to. Although maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place.
Carolee Thumma
If they are gonna hawk her as the "greatest" then maybe when the make-up artist is applying the lipstick they should either get it on the lip or wipe up the excess bleed from the skin above the lip. Not very sexy in the close-up, you can see where the lipstick has bled into the skin.
And I watch quite a bit of Japanese tv and have never even seen her before. She's cute but she's not "all that".
bec
SugarFreeGummyBears
Which train line do you ride everyday??? You need to tell me!
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
I have to be honest, I don't really understand the obsession with "cute" that pervades Japan. I can get that teenagers might be into it, but middle-aged men? It's creepy. I think it really says something about their psychological condition, perhaps about their maturity, their confidence, their ability to deal with women as social/sexual equals.
The other side of the coin is the parents who allow their daughters to participate in it. If I had a 14 year old daughter, there would be NO WAY I'd let her model for some of the skanky magazines that I see these pervs carrying.
Finally, how would these dudes feel if their WIVES started obsessing about teenage boys? How about if magazines full of photo spreads of 12-15 year old boys wearing speedos were widely available?
Grow up, Japan.
nath
Or maybe, it's a cultural difference, being raised in a country where it's ok (aka not un-manly) to think things are cute, and it's ok to like cute things.
So many gaijin here view Japan through their own cultural filters.
overchan
She should wram me with those magnificent lips
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
Strangerland, liking cute things is one thing, obsessing about teenage girls is quite another. Not to mention it seems like a very gender specific obsession. "Aidoru" as far as I know only applies to young girls, not boys.
nath
The overwhelmingly huge majority of men in this country are not obsessed with teenage girls.
Ever hear of Jonny's? And who do you think the Johnny's fans are?
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
Of course I've heard of the Johnny's group. But do you really think it is comparable. Have you ever seen books and magazines full of Johnny's members in swimwear, or pyjamas, or eating fruit suggestively?
kaynide
@Vast Right
Different strokes for different folks. Men and women like different things. Stuff like bikinis and sexual innuendo sell to men. For women, other methods are employed: fashionable clothing, fancy hair, make up for skin and, interestingly, cooking.
I think the image you have of pervasive behavior is more a few bad apples spoiling the bunch to be honest. It exists, and it is super creepy, but they only seem so common because they congregate together at specific places (concerts, idol shops etc).
Head to the beach this fine summer and I'm sure you'll see a huge amount of healthy, well adjusted middle aged men and women gawking at other well adjusted middle aged men and women.
nath
Why would there be? Women aren't as interested in that stuff as men are. But a significant number of Johnny's fans are women who are a lot older than the boys in the groups.
Chris Larter
High school baseball
Wc626
Although she's hot ,16, is way too young. Jail bait. Milfs and women in their 30's top.
Yeah, the legal candy.
Cortes Elijah
I agree with you man. It's rather disturbing to see these full grown men getting excited over this 16 year old. Guys if you mistook her age, you can be forgiven though. Many girls here look younger than they actually are.
By the way don't know why Japan Today once again deleted my comment, it seems they have a thing against my outspoken views, well I guess that's what comments are for? Free speech and open opinion.
nath
I think you need to look up 'paedophile'. I don't think that work means what you think it means.
nath
Who?
Mar_m
All the grumps in the comment section must be so angry at how the cute obsession has now reached western countries haha!
Mar_m
Ohh nevermind. So by "obsession with cute that pervades Japan" the person meant "obsession with teenage girls." Yeah that is a problem in Japan. However, I wouldn't shame an adult for having feelings for a teenage girl. Teenage girls don't look like little girls anymore. As long as the adult man doesn't make any advances, it's all good.