Japan’s Top Race Queen Anyu Hirose Takes on First Solo Gravure Challenge
We interviewed "Japan Race Queen Award 2023" winner, Yanayu Hirose! We asked her about her thoughts on her first solo gravure and her passion for her beloved "Shimizu S-Pulse".
The “Japan Race Queen Awards,” which determines the top race queens that grace the circuit, is an annual event held every January. Anyu Hirose, who won both the “Japan Race Queen Award 2023” and the “MediBang Nepuri Award,” is a notable figure in the industry.
At 25 years old, Hirose, who also serves as a public relations ambassador for the J-League club team Shimizu S-Pulse and enjoys wide support from families, has recently attracted attention by being named a member of the “K-1 Girls 2024.”
Riding a wave of success, the cool beauty is taking on her first solo gravure challenge in the latest issue of “FRIDAY.” We conducted an interview with Hirose after the shoot.
Her favorite is a bright orange swimsuit.
“I had a strong image of ‘FRIDAY’ being synonymous with gravure, so I was very happy when I received the offer to shoot with FRIDAY. I also saw that my fellow race queen Nanako Aizawa and my senior Marie Fujii appeared in the magazine. I studied those pages carefully. Personally, I enjoy reading FRIDAY’s scoop articles as well as the gravure content!”
Anyu Hirose made her entertainment debut as a member of the idol group “Tokyo Performance Doll.” Her reputation as a “singing and dancing race queen” is well-deserved. After graduating from the group, she began her career as a race queen in 2021. Despite her familiarity with large stages, Hirose admitted that she was “very nervous” before her first solo gravure shoot.
“I’m not usually a very nervous person, but today I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. Before arriving at the set, I even watched videos like ‘Behind the Scenes of a FRIDAY Gravure Shoot’ on a talent’s YouTube channel to do some mental preparation (laughs). But once the shoot began, time flew by so quickly that I didn’t have a chance to feel nervous. With the support of the professional staff, I was able to relax and enjoy the shoot.
My favorite outfit was the one that combined a swimsuit with jersey bottoms. I heard from the stylist that the swimsuit was an overseas item, and the sporty image, combined with my favorite orange color, really lifted my spirits.”
