Hiroko Anzai
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese actress, model and gravure idol, who has appeared in various magazines and photo albums.
Her first photo album was released in 1996 and titled Mystic.
Fuji TV selected Hiroko as its Visual Queen of 1998.
She has body measurements of 89-62-90 cm, and stands 1.57 m tall.
, Anzai moved to Tokyo
to attend Tsurukawa High School. Since the school does not allow students to appear in television commercials, however she left Tsurukawa to attend North Toshima High School, where she completed her studies.
In 1996 Anzai made her show business debut as a gravure idol, despite being one year short of the Japanese age of majority
. For this reason, she actually attended the coming of age ceremony twice, over the protest of several witnesses. Several years later she confessed to having lied about her age during an appearance on the Japanese television variety program Downtown DX
. Host Masatoshi Hamada
joked, "Just one (year) is ok, isn't it?" In fact the misrepresentation was considered to be a relatively minor offense, and in the end the confession caused relatively little uproar.
During the late 1990s Anzai published several photo collections and made frequent appearances on number of television variety show
s, but in 1999 she made the switch from gravure idol to fashion model
, appearing in teen magazine
s. Together with popular singer Ayumi Hamasaki
, Anzai gained popularity among junior and senior high school students as a fashion leader. She made her music debut with a CD released by Avex Group in 2000, featuring appearances by Namie Amuro
, MAX
, and V6
, and produced by Eurobeat
producer Dave Rodgers
. She has also appeared as an actress on television dramas.
Anzai's interests include judo
and swimming. During junior high, she competed in the Kanagawa Prefecture judo tournament, where she finished in the top eight. She has been known to throw fellow guests over her shoulder during appearances on variety programs, and often speaks on talk show
s about the rigor of her training during junior high school.
In November 2007 it was reported that Anzai's relationship with Kaname Kawabata of the band CHEMISTRY
had ended. By that time, Anzai had largely retreated from show business, though she did serve as spokesperson for the foreign brands import shop Toko Pacific.
Anzai returned to show business in September 2008 when she appeared in the magazine Blenda Black. In the magazine, she described in detail both her work and her mental state during the previous seven years.
In March 2009 Anzai began writing a blog
. In May of that year she appeared in the television program Jabekuri 007 (Nippon Television
) after a long absence from the medium.
Variety programs
Commercials
Films
Photo collections
Books
Slide collections
Album
DVD
Her first photo album was released in 1996 and titled Mystic.
Fuji TV selected Hiroko as its Visual Queen of 1998.
She has body measurements of 89-62-90 cm, and stands 1.57 m tall.
Life and career
After graduating from junior high school in Sagamihara, KanagawaSagamihara, Kanagawa
is a city located in north central Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, Japan. It is the third most populous city in the prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki, and the fifth most populous suburb of Greater Tokyo. Its northern neighbor is Machida, with which a cross-prefectural merger has been...
, Anzai moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to attend Tsurukawa High School. Since the school does not allow students to appear in television commercials, however she left Tsurukawa to attend North Toshima High School, where she completed her studies.
In 1996 Anzai made her show business debut as a gravure idol, despite being one year short of the Japanese age of majority
Age of majority
The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of...
. For this reason, she actually attended the coming of age ceremony twice, over the protest of several witnesses. Several years later she confessed to having lied about her age during an appearance on the Japanese television variety program Downtown DX
Downtown (owarai)
is a Japanese comedy duo from Amagasaki, Hyōgo consisting of and . Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan today...
. Host Masatoshi Hamada
Masatoshi Hamada
is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto. His nickname is Hama-chan , and is married to Natsumi Ogawa...
joked, "Just one (year) is ok, isn't it?" In fact the misrepresentation was considered to be a relatively minor offense, and in the end the confession caused relatively little uproar.
During the late 1990s Anzai published several photo collections and made frequent appearances on number of television variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
s, but in 1999 she made the switch from gravure idol to fashion model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, appearing in teen magazine
Teen magazine
Teen magazines are magazines aimed at female teenage readers. They usually consist of gossip, news, fashion tips and interviews and may include posters, stickers, small samples of cosmetics or other products and inserts. Magazines targeting teenage boys are not often called teen...
s. Together with popular singer Ayumi Hamasaki
Ayumi Hamasaki
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, record producer, model, lyricist, and actress. Also called "Ayu" by her fans, Hamasaki has been dubbed the "Empress of Pop" because of her popularity and widespread influence in Japan and throughout Asia. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she moved to Tokyo at fourteen to...
, Anzai gained popularity among junior and senior high school students as a fashion leader. She made her music debut with a CD released by Avex Group in 2000, featuring appearances by Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
, MAX
MAX (band)
MAX whose name is an acronym for "Musical Active eXperience" is an Okinawan vocal group popular in Japan. The original members of MAX made their musical debut as members of the Super Monkey's along with lead vocalist, Namie Amuro...
, and V6
V6 (band)
V6 is a six-member Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. The group debuted on November 1, 1995 with the single "Music for the People", which was used as the image song for the World Cup of Volleyball in 1995...
, and produced by Eurobeat
Eurobeat
Eurobeat is a form of italo-disco/hi-NRG music that developed in the late 1980s.In the United States, Eurobeat was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits....
producer Dave Rodgers
Dave Rodgers
Dave Rodgers is an Italian songwriter, composer, and producer.Born in Mantua, he started production with the band Aleph. Since then, he has collaborated with artists from around the world and has produced several multi-platinum albums...
. She has also appeared as an actress on television dramas.
Anzai's interests include judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
and swimming. During junior high, she competed in the Kanagawa Prefecture judo tournament, where she finished in the top eight. She has been known to throw fellow guests over her shoulder during appearances on variety programs, and often speaks on talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
s about the rigor of her training during junior high school.
In November 2007 it was reported that Anzai's relationship with Kaname Kawabata of the band CHEMISTRY
Chemistry (band)
is a Japanese Pop/R&B duo, composed of and . They were the winners of the Asayan audition in 2000 organized by Sony Music Entertainment Japan....
had ended. By that time, Anzai had largely retreated from show business, though she did serve as spokesperson for the foreign brands import shop Toko Pacific.
Anzai returned to show business in September 2008 when she appeared in the magazine Blenda Black. In the magazine, she described in detail both her work and her mental state during the previous seven years.
In March 2009 Anzai began writing a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. In May of that year she appeared in the television program Jabekuri 007 (Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
) after a long absence from the medium.
Media appearances
Television dramas- The Gift (1997, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
) - Days (1998, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
) - Kyu-kyu heart jiryou shitsu (1999, Kansai Telecasting CorporationKansai Telecasting Corporation, often called or , is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network and Fuji Network System in Osaka, serving the Kansai region of Japan...
) - Nijuu-sai no kekkon (2000, Tokyo Broadcasting SystemTokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
) - Star no koi (2001, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
)
Variety programs
- BiKiNi (October 1997-September 1998, TV TokyoTV Tokyois a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
) - Ucchan Nanchan no homura no challenger, kore ga dekitara 1,000,000 yen!! (April 1998-March 2000, TV AsahiTV Asahi, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
) - Gogoichi (April–September 1998, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
) - Koi no Tune-up!! (October 1998-September 1999, Nippon TelevisionNippon Televisionis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
) - Tokusou TV! Gaburincho (October 1998-March 2001, TV AsahiTV Asahi, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
) - Kato/Ken/Takeshi no Sekimatsu Special!! (1998, Fuji TelevisionFuji Televisionis a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
) - Gravure no bishoujo (MONDO21)
- Jabekuri 007 (2009, Nippon TelevisionNippon Televisionis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
)
Commercials
- NTT Docomo Hokkaido
- TuKa Cellular Tokyo
- Shiseido
- Coca-Cola Japan
- Lotte Yukimi Daifuku
- ARAX Notion Pure
- Myojyo Shokuhin Ichihara-chan Ramen
- Toshiba
- Japan Red Cross
- Tokyo-to Jouhi Seikatsu Center
Films
- Nagisa no Shindobaddo (1995, TohoTohois a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
) - Kishiwada Shonen Gurentai Yakyu Dan (2000)
Photo collections
- Mystic (1997) ISBN 978-4-7542-1175-2
- Heroine (1998) ISBN 978-4-592-73150-4
- Embrace (1998) ISBN 978-4-8470-2502-0
- Pleasure blue (1999) ISBN 978-4-8211-2264-6
- Privates (1999) ISBN 978-4-88618-201-2
- Saigo no Ao (2000) ISBN 978-4-7648-1909-2
Books
- Happy Girlie (2000) ISBN 978-4-391-61154-0
- Fashion Book AF (2001) ISBN 978-4-8124-0735-6
- R (2001) ISBN 978-4-06-336346-3
Slide collections
- Hiroko Anzai '97 No.1 Bishojo Idol(1997, VHS)
- Kono Mune wo Anata ni (1997, VHS)
- Hi! Roco & Roco Fuji Television Visual Queen of the Year (1998, VHS)
- Final Beauty Anzai Hiroko (1999, VHS and DVD)
- Feel in Italy (2001, DVD)
- ЯESOLUTION (2001, DVD)
Music
Singles- True Love (2000)
- Necessary (2001)
- Andersen (2001)
- Let You Go (2001)
Album
- ЯEAL (2001)
DVD
- RESOLUTION (2001)
External links
- Hiroko Anzai at IMDB
- Anzai Hiroko at JMDB
- Hiroko Anzai's official blog, Hiro no