Popteen, a fashion magazine with a long history since its founding in 1980, focuses on casual and girly styles for teens and is still highly popular among middle and high school girls today.
However, Popteen was once known as a gyaru fashion magazine, producing numerous iconic models who represented the gyaru culture.
In this article, we will introduce some of the most popular models who were active in Popteen during its heyday!
Nana Suzuki (Naa-chan)
Born July 9, 1988.
Nana Suzuki, known as the "idiot talent" on Japanese variety shows, is one of the models who was active on Popteen.
She has a unique background, having been scouted at a handshake event with Tsubasa Masuwaka, which led her to start her modeling career with Popteen in 2007.
Affectionately called "Naa-chan," she excelled in vibrant and boyish styles, including surf and casual looks.
His somewhat goofy personality gained him acclaim, and he was sought after on various popular variety shows.
After graduating from Popteen in the December 2011 issue, she began modeling for the adult gyaru fashion magazine "EDGE STYLE."
In January 2014, she married a non-celebrity man she had been dating for some time. Even after her marriage, she continues to appear on television and in commercials as a talent.
Rola
Born March 30, 1990.
Rola, who is famous for her "Okay!" pose, worked as a reader model for Popteen around 2007 when she was a high school student.
Initially, she appeared in projects featuring high school students, but as she garnered support from readers, she began appearing in various fashion and makeup projects!
She stood alongside popular models like Tsu-chan (Tsubasa Masuwaka) at the forefront of Popteen, becoming a significant contributor to the magazine’s success.
In 2008, she started her career as an exclusive model for the fashion magazine ViVi.
After appearing on the variety show "Shabekuri 007" in 2010, her exposure in various television programs and media increased, making her widely known.
She became the image model for cosmetic and apparel brands, debuting as a singer in 2011. She also made her Hollywood debut in the movie Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.
Eri Aoki
（´-`）.｡oO
— Popteen(ポップティーン) (@Popteen_jp) June 13, 2015
2008年8月号。。。もう7年も前なんだ！#Popteen #毎月1日発売 #王様のブランチ pic.twitter.com/wUt3BAGCUD
Born October 31, 1988.
Eri Aoki was an exclusive model for Popteen from 2008 to 2010.
Even before she became an exclusive model, she frequently appeared in the magazine and enjoyed a period of popularity alongside Tsu-chan (Tsubasa Masuwaka).
Later, she became an exclusive model for the white-skinned gyaru magazine "Vanilla Girl," after which she was less visible in Popteen.
However, she made her return to Popteen in 2008! Since then, she has gained immense popularity as a "white-skinned Himegyaru."
Interestingly, during her high school years, Eri-chan belonged to a gyaru circle in Shibuya and was a black gyaru who frequented tanning salons four times a week!
She was known for her cuteness even back in her black gyaru days and was nicknamed "Kuro Eri" within the gyaru community.
After becoming an exclusive model for Popteen, she stopped visiting tanning salons and focused on achieving beautiful white skin, becoming a representative figure for "white-skinned Himegyaru" in the magazine.
When the sister magazine "PopSister" was launched in April 2010, she transferred to be an exclusive model for PopSister.She continued to work as an exclusive model for PopSister until its suspension in November 2011.
In addition to her magazine modeling work, she also served as a brunch reporter on the TBS variety show "Ousama no Brunch" and was featured as an image model for purikura machines and perfumes, engaging in a wide range of activities.
Other models who also helped boost Popteen’s popularity during the same period included:
- Yumi Higashino
- Asami Miwa
- Yukiko Taira
- Rui Kotobuki
- Sunwei(I-chan)
- Ayano Sasaki
There are well-known girls such as "Rola" and "Nana Suzuki" who have been active in many variety shows, and "Eiri Aoki" who was active as a brunch reporter, so everyone has probably heard of them at least once.
"Popteen" has produced many popular talents and fashion producers.
Ppoteen, which is considered a gateway to the entertainment world, is currently home to a wide variety of models.
I look forward to seeing what kind of talented models will be born next, and seeing even more progress in the future!
