J-actress Aragaki Yui is one of my faves since her debut and it’s been a sweet ride seeing her career new high in this recent year with hit doramas Nigeru wa haji daga, yaku ni tatsu (We Married as a Job) followed by Code Blue 3. Her next project is the October 2017 romantic comedy sports movie Mix about a ping pong prodigy who finds her roots and love of the game again back in her hometown. Costarring Eita, the movie has been getting unexpected attention for Gakki’s high school years makeover as a “109 girl” meaning she plays a delinquent type high school student favoring blond hair and insane amounts of self-tanner. Thank god Japan doesn’t have a black face cultural taboo otherwise this would be so un-PC, but there really is a subset of Japanese teens who prefer a Western dark tan look with light colored hair that is very active in Tokyo’s Shibuya district with the famous 109 building. Gakki’s 109 girl transformation is truly unrecognizable (below) but the movie Mix looks like a lot of fun!
Preview for Mix:
It would be non-PC by Western standards if the ideal look here was to appear like a Western minority, however, the goal of most of the gyaru subcultures/styles, including the one emulated here, is to break away from the beauty standard of being fair-skinned and dark-haired. There have been more hip-hop and urban-inspired subsets that are more suspect, but that does not appear to be depicted here.
wow i totally didn’t recognize Gakky in gyaru style
I wouldn’t have known that it was Gakki if you didn’t say so. Speaking of self-tanner, the first time I saw Gakki act was in Dragon Zakura as a supporting character and coincidentally her look in the drama was very unlike her usual self. She had self-tanner and dark make-up there. She has made it far. Happy for her.
what’s pc?
Politically correct, I think.
glad to see a post about gakky here. Although the movie is not officially opened in cinemas yet, some fans have already watched the special screenings in japan and hong kong, and the reviews are great. Will likely go to the cinema to support gakky next month in Japan.
gyaru style is not about imitating black person. its about fight norm beauty standart, so you cant really use western standart black face PC in this case.
I really like gakky ..
and Eita is good actor too
Yes! Thank you for writing a post for yui aragaki! She’s been on a roll and busy ever since her Nigehaji success. After her promotions for Mix, she’ll go right into CB movie filming in Nov. But nether less I think gakki has a special touch for romantic comedy! She’s slowly becoming a bit versatile in acting but I think she’s stronger in romantic comedy. Can’t wait to watch Mix when it comes out… Too bad I have to wait for it to be release for the westerners.