question about idols

Hi,

I was hoping people on this board can help me answer some questions regarding idols in Japan. It is a topic I am very interested in. I don't know if I am correct, but I have the impression that gravure idols and AV idols are fairly mainstream in Japanese society. Is this true? I also get the impression that many gravure idols move on to become AV idols. Do these girls easily become mainstream actresses in Japan too? What is the overlap between gravure idols, AV idols, and mainstream actresses?

adelbrecht10 wrote:

Do these girls easily become mainstream actresses in Japan too?

Erika Toda, Erika Sawajiri ,Yui Aragaki and many more. i think they were all gravure idols.

JackClark wrote:

Erika Toda, Erika Sawajiri ,Yui Aragaki and many more. i think they were all gravure idols.

so was yukie nakama, and look where she is now. she was lucky to get good breaks, though, a rarity in a fickle-minded society.

my hypothesis #1:
first, you might have to be a gravure idol. after that, the agency gauges your popularity, talent, your comfort level, if you can sing and dance, or if you just look good.

av idols are pretty mainstream, but not that much. sora aoi has released a few singles (and obviously never reached the oricon rankings). maria ozawa is popular there (and all over the world, too).

in short, they're like adult actors elsewhere. people know them secretly.