Enako Returns to Magazine Cover After One Year, Highlights Black Garter Belt Look

Sexy Enako

——This is your first FRIDAY cover in about a year!

“We shot at a studio in Tokyo. It was a wonderful location with a spacious open kitchen and a wooden bathtub. It was so stylish that every time the camera was pointed at me, I felt more and more like I wanted to create something really good. I usually shoot with bright expressions, but this time the theme was maturity and luxury. I hope people enjoy a slightly more sensual side they haven’t seen before!”

——Do you have a favorite outfit?

“The black garter belt was really sexy. I also liked the shots where a cardigan was slightly open. Even though I’m fully clothed, it somehow looks more erotic than a swimsuit!”

——You’re celebrating 10 years in gravure this year. How do you look back on that time?

“I never thought I’d be able to continue this long. I’ve also done summer cover takeovers where I simultaneously appear on the covers of more than 10 magazines, including manga and weekly magazines, for five consecutive years. If I count all the magazines I’ve been on the cover of, it’s over 400 in total! Thanks to everyone who supports me, I’ve had a really fulfilling 10 years.”

——With over 400 covers, do you still get nervous during cover shoots?

“Being chosen for a cover is definitely not something to take for granted, so I always approach it with the mindset that it might be my last time. I also think a lot about how much I can contribute to sales by being on the cover. Once I’ve been chosen, I really want to live up to that expectation. That’s why I make sure to do things like promoting on social media to help boost sales.”

——That’s a strong sense of professionalism.

“I’m really happy when staff tell me, ‘The issue you were on the cover of sold really well,’ and it motivates me to work even harder. Rather than just being satisfied with appearing on the cover, I want to deliver real results in terms of sales. I’ve always kept that mindset.”

——Changing topics, do you have any “Enako-style” body maintenance habits?

“I don’t really do anything special, just some dietary control. I’m not good at exercising, and I can’t stick to going to the gym. But in gravure, it’s not just about being thin. I think there’s charm that can’t be expressed by being skinny alone. I’ve always had short hair, so it’s hard to change my look through hairstyles. So I change impressions by slightly gaining or losing weight, depending on the shoot, to show different sides of myself.

When I gain weight, I sometimes get comments on social media like, ‘Did you gain a bit?’ (laughs). But I see changes in my body as part of expression. I’d be happy if people enjoy those different angles too!”

Study more and more

——Recently, you appeared in the drama “Tokyo P.D. Metropolitan Police Public Relations Division 2, Season 1” (Fuji TV), which aired in the January season, and it became a hot topic.

“I’ve appeared in police dramas before, but in ‘Tokyo P.D.’ I played a victim for the first time. It was a role I had never done before, and even though it was fiction, seeing my own portrait photo used as a memorial was a rare experience (laughs). However, when I posted that memorial photo on my social media, I received comments from fans saying they thought I had actually died. I later reflected that maybe I went too far (laughs).”

——In “Tokyo P.D.,” there were scenes where you appeared almost completely without makeup, right?

“My character, Kizaki Nanie, is a woman who has developed mental health issues. So I barely wore any makeup, and I even drew dark circles under my eyes. I ended up looking completely different from my gravure image, but that just means I seriously engaged with the role. Acting is different from gravure because if I make a mistake, it affects the other actors too. It had a different kind of pressure.”

——Will you continue acting work in the future?

“I’m not very good at memorizing lines, but I was able to learn them quite smoothly in ‘Tokyo P.D.’ Getting praised by the director also motivated me. However, I still lack experience, so this year I want to study acting more and more!”

——Finally, a message for FRIDAY readers.

“Thanks to everyone who always supports me, I’ve been able to reach my 10th anniversary. This gravure shoot is a bit different from my previous work, so I hope you enjoy it! Please continue to support me!”

Enako
Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. She began cosplay in the second year of junior high school and has become a hugely popular cosplayer with fans all over the world.
In addition to gravure and acting, she also works as a Cool Japan PR ambassador.

From the May 1-8, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”