I have been getting a lot of comments asking me about Japanese magazines and which ones I like. I never used to be able to answer this question because I didn't read magazines (because I couldn't!) so I just looked at the pictures and they all looked the same to me. Now, as my reading slowly improves, I can tell you about one of the magazines I read. 
One magazine I read every month is called Pinky. Whoever designed the concept behind Pinky magazine is a brilliant marketing person. The concept behind Pinky is that all Pinky's models are under exclusive contracts with Pinky and are featured monthly in the magazine. There are only about 12 well-known Pinky models, all in their 20s, and they have a lot of say about what goes into the magazine every month. Basically, the advertisers just give them hordes of products and they choose their favorites to showcase and promote for the magazine. It's like reality TV in scrapbook form without having to hear anyone's annoying voices.
The magazine features diaries and blogs from the girl's lives. It features their baby pictures, pictures of their pets, pictures of their friends, the parties they go to, the vacations they take. It makes you addicted to their fun lives and then it makes you identify with one or two of them. Then it makes you want to buy whatever products the ones you identify with are hawking. It's pretty great. I know all of this, and I'm still into it. My favorite Pinky model is called 鈴木えみEmi Suzuki. She likes CSS and was born in Shanghai. She has the best fashion sense of the group and the prettiest eyes.
Probably the most famous Pinky model is Yukina Kinoshita. She's often on TV and advertisements. The other characters in Pinky (because they are just like characters) are called Coco, Nozomi, Yukina, Riena, Aimi, Natsumi, Shihomi, Seira, Shiori and Yu. The first 5 (and Emi Suzuki) are the most famous ones. I don't have a TV anymore, so this magazine is my main source of Japanese girly pop culture and fashion.
Sorry for making a whole post about a girly magazine full of product placements. But you asked me. (I also like Anan Magazine. My least favorite magazine is JJ)
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Pinky is my favorite Japanese magazine
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12 Comments:
jj is so gross and i bet if i could read it'd be exactly how i imagine.
here's an awesome guide to japanese magazines for women under 30, with their marketing/readership broken down:
http://mekas.jp/en/tutorials/132.xhtml#1
Wow, this magazine soounds sooo cool, almost like a fashion etc. blog but in paper form! I looove the sinple yet quirky look of the model you featured! I don't know if you got a chance to check my latest blog post yet but I was wondering if you knew anything about the girl from Tokyo I featured. Also, how were ppl in japan affected my MJ's death? Also, I know you've heard of Fruits magazine, I loooove that one! Happy No Turkey day Julie. that is- if theres Thanksgiving out there ;)
OOOOHHH I love Pinky too, but sometimes I feel at 27, I'm "too old" to read it. I love Yukina---she's super beautiful, but so is Emi. You're right. Emi has fab style. I learned about so many awesome body products from Pinky as well!!!
I definitely think reading Japanese magazines helps you understand kanji and also "pop culture and lang." more.
When I see Figaro, it makes me think "Julie would like this"--I'm not sure if it's a Japan-exclusive mag but it seems to fit your style. Am I wrong?
Oh man, I really don't like Pinky, the styles are so preppy and the girls all look the same. I like Zipper better but it's kind of gone downhill lately..
I know what you mean about roaming through magazines without reading.. Ha ha, it all really does start to look the same! I like PS and mina though, I feel like the layouts are always well-done..
But I will definitely check out Pinky later too! I like the idea of getting to read some really girly diary entries ha ha. :)
I'm sorry to tell you that Pinky will stop being published soon. The last issue will be sold on 12/22. ;_;
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0909/TKY200909090121.html
I can't believe it because Pinky models like Nozomi and Yukina have become so popular recently...
JJ is kind of my guilty pleasure... XD The snobby attitude of the magazine can be annoying (or ridiculously funny depending on how you look at it), but the fashion isn't as frilly as CanCam or Ray.
A bunch of Japanese magazine scans can be viewed at this Chinese site: http://www.zazhimi.com/
Hey... TEAiJ. Is the magazine in Japanese only? I'm non-English illiterate. I wanna check out Pinky and Popteen magazines. =) Let me know.
Sup! Im from Oahu and met some girls that worked for Pinky! They had such a good attitude, truly beautiful on the inside as well as outside! Thanks for explaining this so much I understand so completely!
From what I've seen Emi Suzuki is the prettiest so I agree with you!
Nice blog by the way. Your posts are always interesting. (^_^)
I used to love Anan - but initially I only got into it when some photographers from the magazine asked my wife and I if we'd like to be part of a mini photo feature on multi racial couples whilst we were out shopping one day in Omotesando. Still have that issue to this day!
On another note, the magazines aimed at teenagers are sometimes hilarious unintentionally...
Next time I'm in Tokyo, I'll check it out for you Dannie. I was there last weekend but didn't have time. I've always wanted to go there, too.
I like Zipper a lot but it reminds me of Nylon too much and I still feel too old for the target audience. Most of the models/people in interviews are around age 17 and I'm not in high school anymore.
I like PS (pretty style) because it always has Aoi Yuu and Aoi Miyazaki in it. I love Spoon a lot, but it romanticizes Scandinavia so much and I'd rather learn about Japan. Fudge is decent. My picture has been in Soup even though I don't like that one. Least favorite is JJ and also hate Cancam. Fruits is full of the same people again and again and I feel like it's a big clique but that's fine, I guess. I don't read it though. Pinky and Anan win in my books for interesting content.
Tons of Japanese people were DEVASTATED by MJs passing.
Two days ago I was in Omotesando / Harajuku and saw so many shirts from his inspiration... that gold buttoned military style shirt he wore.
His music is played all over the place.
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