＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
<Added July 4, 2020> She’s garnering attention for her eccentric performance in the drama she’s currently starring in.
She’s currently starring in the Saturday night drama “M: There’s Someone I Love” (TV Asahi, Saturdays from 11:15 PM to 12:05 AM) as the beautiful, eyepatch-wearing secretary Himeno Reika. Her brilliant portrayal of this elegant yet intensely insane character, who displays intense jealousy toward the heroine, has garnered attention for her “eccentric performance that eclipses the lead.”
“M: There’s Someone I Love” is a dramatization of a “fictional novel based on fact” by non-fiction writer Komatsu Narumi, which tells the story behind Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut and her meeting, passionate love affair, and breakup with Avex CEO Matsuura Max. However, the character of the eyepatch-wearing secretary, Himeno Reika, is an original character for the drama and does not appear in the original novel.
From her original role as a female announcer to her current role as a model and actress, she seems to be rapidly transforming into a more beautiful and glamorous butterfly. We look forward to her continued transformation.
1. Her days as a station announcer: Her breakthrough “cutesy character”
As a popular female announcer at TBS, she broke out with her “cutesy character” and gained many male fans, but she was also seen as a “cutesy and cunning woman” and consistently ranked highly in “rankings of most disliked female announcers.”
2. After becoming a freelancer, she became popular with women as well.
However, things have changed since she became a freelance announcer and tried her hand at acting.
Her photo book “Sincerely yours,” released on December 13, 2019, has become so popular that it has sold over 320,000 copies in the month and a half since its release.
Her Instagram account, which she launched for a limited time from October 2019 to the end of January 2020, has also attracted over 1.88 million followers, making her popular with both men and women.
3. Reasons for her widespread popularity among both men and women
So why did she become so popular with women?
(1) She abandoned her “cutesy” character and showed her true self.
Even today, there are celebrities like Sato Tamao and Kobayashi Maya who use their “cutesy” character as a selling point, but I think one of the reasons she was able to gain so many female fans is that she abandoned her “cutesy” character, which was just a cover for her marketing.
This is similar to how Ogura Yuko transformed from her role as “Princess Ringo Momoka from Planet Korin” to become a “celebrity mom” and gain popularity by embracing the image of a “strong ally for women.”
(2) She’s working on improving herself.
Although she’s now 33, she still looks youthful, and her beauty, even after turning 30, seems to have made her the envy of women in their 20s.
To maintain her beautiful figure, she apparently goes to the gym every day to work out. She doesn’t want to “get rock-hard abs through excessive training,” but rather “my ideal is to have a delicate figure that makes you want to protect her, and a plump, voluptuous figure,” and it appears she has definitely achieved that.
(3) Speaking honestly and openly
Since going freelance, she’s begun to speak her mind even on talk shows. This approach seems to resonate with viewers, including women. In this respect, I feel she’s similar to Dan Mitsu.
She has said things like, “How you live your daily life is revealed in the unexpected moments of your daily life,” “Live with dignity and care,” “Even if people around you say you’re calculating, it’s okay to be cute rather than just strong,” “I think all adults unconsciously adapt to the people and situations they’re with, to some degree,” “People who are too adept at this are prone to misunderstandings and criticism,” “Rather than viewing their rivals’ actions negatively, it’s easier and more enjoyable to acknowledge their strengths and your own weaknesses and find your own way,” and “When negative feelings grow, I feel like I lose my composure and my appeal is halved.”
(4) Maintain Your Adult Appeal
Female politicians like Renho and Kiyomi Tsujimoto, and university professor Yoko Tajima may be “strong women,” but their hysterical, stubborn insistence on asserting their opinions defies adult appeal. In contrast, journalist Yoshiko Sakurai speaks calmly and coherently, exuding a dignified charm.
Looking at Minami Tanaka’s photobook, she exudes a variety of expressions that women yearn for—from stylish to pure to devilish—in poses that rival those of any model, exuding a mature sexiness.
