The end of the year starts counting down now and with it comes the unending stream of polls, surveys, and lists. Which makes it a good time to check back in with Japan entertainment to see how the tastes have changed, if any, after a bustling 2014 worth of doramas and movies. Below are two just released polls showing how the two genders prefer their male stars of Japan. Vivi Magazine, one of the top ladies fashion publications in Japan and the more demure Glamour to AnAn’s Cosmopolitan, collected all the female readership votes for the Top 20 most favorite male stars of the year. Over at Oricon, the chart behemoth just released its 6th annual Men Rank Men poll results of all the male voters choosing their ideal male star looks. The results are vastly different but for the two hottest It Guys of the year making it onto both, proving that Sato Takeru and Fukushu Sota definitely deserve their red hot career rise. They are the definition of the Chinese slang Eating Up Both Sides (通吃).
Vivi Magazine Ladies Rank Top 20 Japanese male stars. Below are the top 5 on the list. I love all five but it is still hard to believe that Sato Takeru ranks so much higher than Miura Haruma now when it was totally switched in the earlier parts of their career. Goes to show what a hit movie franchise like Rurouni Kenshin can do to skyrocket a career. With that said, expect Haruma to potentially reclaim the top spot next year after Attack on Titan the movie comes out.
1. Sato Takeru
2. Fukushi Sota
3. Saito Takumi
4. Miura Haruma
5. Yamashita Tomohisa – My Yamapi!
6th annual Oricon Men rank Men Ideal Face Survey. The men appear to have very divergent tastes with equal parts flower boys (Mukai Osamu, Fukushi Sota) to manly men (Abe Hiroshi, Takenouchi Yutaka).
1. Mukai Osamu
2. Abe Hiroshi
3. Kimura Takuya
4. Fukushi Sota
5. Okada Junichi
6. Tsumabuki Satoshi
7. Inaba Koshi
8. Sato Takeru
9. Takenouchi Yutaka
10. Koike Teppei
Watching so many more K-dramas sometimes leads to sameness fatigue since all the male leads follow the same trends in hair, clothing, and even going under the knife for the same tweaks to achieve the preferred facial features. A quick dip back in the J-pool rinses out the eyes on tons of unique good looking men who manage to look attractive even with small endearing imperfections.
woah Yamapi still in the top 5. he’s my Japanese version of Kim Hyun Joong hehe
What does the crown next to Kimura Takuya name means??
Isn’t those crowns are just rankings of gold(1st place), silver(2nd place) and bronze(3rd place)?
For 2014, I must admit Sato Takeru deserves the crown for 2014. He shines the most this year thanks to Rurouni Kenshin movie and my favorite drama Bitter Blood. <3
However, if we want to talk about overall Japanese men preference on admiration over another man's appearance, I was so sure to see Mukai Osamu to be at least on the top 5 list. lol. <3
Is plastic surgery not popular among J-actors?
like that’s a bad thing?
Some might get the traditional eyelid tuck – not that it’s something they EVER talk about – but in general Japanese celebrities go with the natural face. Plastic surgery isn’t an everyday thing for them like it is for Koreans. Personally, I like it that way. Like ockoala said, imperfections can be charming and the same flawless face on a hundred different people can get really dull.
Kengo Kora isnt popular?
I don’t think he’s that famous yet, he’s had a lot of films and great work in doraman but he doesn’t do much magazine covers and such. But I adore him!
“A quick dip back…small endearing imperfections”
^This quote. Rings true to me every time.
and Miura Haruma’s hair in the picture looks suspiciously like Eren Yeager. I’m stoked!
I prefer K actors (am talking only about film actors) than Japanese because there is hardly a Japanese male actor who hasn’t tweaked and trimmed his eyebrows more shaply than that for a girl. Its a real put off. The hair is barely ever naturally done. K film actors seem to allow a more natural visage.
We’re not talking eyebrow and hair coloring.
then you don’t know that many japanese actors, you only know the idols
Actually idols tend to tweak things more than the normal actors. Most of the actors have natural faces
And here i am still prefer my fav japanese actors ^^ not because the eyebrow or hair color (absolutely), not also because they have some superb acting or so, but because they always give me that nice feeling. Their charm, uniqueness, everything.
LOL at Yamapi being number 5.
Ah,
writing a report so dull,
quick check in here at the playground,
totally refreshed by awesome gorgeousness,
pout as slowly tear self away,
now back to work…
I concur with all you said koala…despite their imperfection i am still drawn to their characters and i find them very manly and attractive. Most korean actors had their nose done (nose filler)…or had their teeth laminated..or had their skin bleached…or even double eyelid to fit to the norms of their country,BUT despite that one MUST have that charisma and with good acting chops…so based on the list, i say that the people based it mostly on how good as an actor who are..ahahah.. or i’m just sooo biased because these are the guys in my list too..hahahahah
Saito Takumi for me please, he just talks to my DNA.^~
Yes, Saito Takumi for me too 😀
Bless yamapi’s good look because boy can’t really act, imo.
his latest movie is still a hit though
okaaay.., doesn’t make him a decent actor. btw the movie opened in japan’s weakest week, but really like you said, all things considered, it is a ‘hit’. Good for him.
I’m suprised not to see masahiro higashide and oguri shun in this list, higashide is the hottest new actor IMO,
me too, so suprised not seen oguri shun name in the list.. he is most respectable actor in his generation, IMHO ^^
nobunaga concerto FTW on this auntum J-dorama season!
Fukushi Sota is cute, can he act? Not that I care…
yeah, sato tekeru!!
I absolutely love Sato Takeru. I have liked him since his very first (whack) dorama Princess Princess D. I never did watch Kamen Rider Den-O but then I saw him in the hugely popular dorama Rookies. I’m so glad that he is where he is now as he is such a good actor!! As much as I like Miura Haruma I do prefer Takeru!
Oh but I do love how the older actors are on that list too, they are truly amazing!!
Fukushi Sota is too cute!! He has been steadily making a name for himself with the doramas he has been in but it is only a matter of time before he gets a role that will truly catapult his career!
Sato Takeru was decent in the Rurouni Kenshin films, though he seems to lack range.
Fukushi Sota needs acting classes, stat.
Woaa all my favorite japanese actors <3 <3 except saito takumi 🙁 he's everywhere but i still can't find his charm.
Probably because he’s everywhere (He’s in 6 dramas in 2014!), so he’s being acknowledge to be in the list. I think his charm is probably being ‘handsomely-messy’.. His role in Hirugao builds his charm a lot.
Awww, he’s so cute (Can I have him)
It’s amazing that now he’s the bigger name compared to his BFF. I think Miura is a good actor but lately he has picked the worst projects.
Saito Takumi, I definitely would not kick him out of bed if I’d get him in my bed 😉
I’d like to add Iseya Yusuke and Masanobu Ando to this list! drooooool
To me “The hours of my life”were Miura Haruma portrays a ALS patient is one of the best J-dramas I have seen.I could never think of it as a worst choice.
“Last Cinderella” was a hit with very good ratings.For sure not a worst choice.Maybe both dramas were not your taste but for many of us were worth watching.
let me fangirl now over my J obsession: YAMAPI,YAMAPI,YAMAPI…..
Don’t know the actors (I’m sure they’re good…) but Takeru Satoh-san is wonderful.
I saw the first the two Rurouni Kenshin movies and he’s amazing in them! Great actor.
Oh my Yamapi is still on top 5.. so proud of him! and sato takeru.. no wonder.. he makes many hits this year..
Why isn’t tamaki hiroshi in the list?? The man is burning hot in Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu.. 😀
His peak was nodame, imo
mukai always on the top..
is he popular in japan?