Well, that’s one way to stay in the public spotlight. Former AKB48 member Rina Nakanishi began her new career in the adult film industry this month, trading in her creepy schoolgirl outfit for…errrm, nothing.
All kidding aside, Japan Probe points out how the AKB48 model actively promotes this, making a few girls near the top superstars and the rest of the troupe relegated to disposable parts that remain popular but not too popular. Factor in that a huge chunk of AKB48’s appeal lies purely in looks (again, those schoolgirl uniforms) and a follow-up career in seedier entertainments makes sense. Just look at the comments on the Japan Probe story – a good percentage of them focus on her looks. All in all, it’s a very tragic story that serves as a reminder of how cynical the entertainment business (and sometimes its consumers) can be.