Ex-Entrepreneur’s First Gravure Sparks Outrage—Her Powerful Response to Critics
Urgent release! Interview with Airina Hirakawa
“Voices like ‘The erotic route is just vulgar!’ also emerged”
Former entrepreneur Airi Hirakawa, who became famous for her remark “That’s why I don’t get attention from guys,” and is currently featured in the documentary series Himitsu no Mamaen (ABEMA), announced on the 19th of this month that she will be trying her hand at live streaming, drawing attention for her new challenge.
Her first gravure released last month also caused a big stir. A post on X announcing her gravure debut garnered over 2 million impressions, sparking both praise and criticism. On the 26th, FRIDAY Subscription released ten previously unseen sexy shots, generating even more reaction.
We asked her how she personally felt about her first gravure and the attacks from critics.
―After announcing your first gravure, there were various reactions. How did you feel while reading the responses on social media?
“I received far more warm messages than I expected, which made me really happy. When I was 18, I failed an audition because my chest was too small, and over the years, I honestly thought there wasn’t much demand for me as a swimsuit model. But getting this offer and being able to create a photobook gave me a real confidence boost.
Of course, some opinions said things like ‘She’s doing it for money’ or ‘There’s no demand for it.’ For me, doing it for money was never the motivation. I challenged myself because I wanted to broaden my range of self-expression! Social media reactions vary, but I feel truly happy now that I can appreciate my body, which used to be a source of insecurity, and love myself for who I am.”
―To respond to critics, you also posted on X that erotic ≠ vulgar.
“Just because it’s gravure, there were comments like, ‘It’s vulgar to take off your clothes’ or ‘The erotic route is just vulgar!’ I felt a bit uneasy being lumped into that stereotype. Erotic appeal or sexiness is, to me, a form of expression that reflects a person’s lifestyle, confidence, and accumulated experiences. This gravure was also a way for me to affirm and celebrate who I am now.”
She’s launched a livestreamer discovery and development project!
―How did the people close to you react?
“My family ran out to buy FRIDAY first thing in the morning (laughs) and messaged me, ‘Got it!’ My mother runs a dry-cleaning shop and said, ‘I’m going to cut it out and display it in the store!’—I was a little surprised. My friends told me, ‘You look beautiful,’ and ‘It really shows your personality, Arina!’
On the other hand, some of my mom friends said, ‘I could never buy a gravure—it’s too embarrassing!’ I hope that as time goes on, people will be able to accept self-expression more naturally, rather than feeling forced to hide it.”
Her first gravure continues to generate buzz! On FRIDAY Subscription, special cuts not included in the digital photobook are now available―There are also people on social media who leave nasty comments.
“At this point, I haven’t consulted lawyers or anything like that. I know there will always be people who criticize no matter what. More important to me are the people I work with—when they tell me, ‘Our whole team bought FRIDAY!’ or praise me in person, that’s much more meaningful.
I value the voices of people I interact with face-to-face more than words written on social media. That said, for clear cases of slander or false statements, I would consider consulting specialists as needed.”
―You announced that you’ll be trying your hand at being a livestreamer. Can you tell us more about your plans?
“I’m not just going to be a live-streamer myself. I’ve started a project to discover and train other people in similar situations so they can live more authentically. We’ll hold online meetups and events! Our team will support them, so I hope people will give it a try!!”
The woman once called “Blue Vein Pink” online is now taking bold new steps forward.
Photo： Daisuke Koike