Review date: 7/7/2004

Publisher: Young Animal

Model: Yuko Ogura

Photographer: Takayuki Kozuka

Released: 2002

Availability: RARE

Type: Photobook

Bound: Hardcover

Review Edition: First Printing

 
 
Personal Story/ Introduction:
This is the second photobook titled "Ringo to Momo" with Yuko Ogura. I saw this in a Japanese online store and I ordered it right away. I liked her for a while after seeing some pics of her online a few years ago. I missed out on her first photobook so this was a good chance to check her out.
 

The Model:
DOB: January 11, 1983
 
The Look/Body:
In my opinion, Yuko Ogura is something of an oddity in the world of J-idols. She has an incredibly cute face. I'm not talking sexy cute, I'm talking adorable cute. Yuko has the face of a 7 year old girl and I'm not exaggerating. She literally looks like a 7 year old from the neck up! It almost looks like her face stopped growing but her body didn't. It's really surreal when you first see her but I think that's one of her features that makes her stand out. On the other hand, her body looks like her age. She has a slender sexy body but she's not skinny like some other models. She has small breasts but she's not flat. Yuko looks like an anime girl come to life which is pretty cool.

 
The Fame:
Yuko is pretty well known in and outside Japan. She's done magazines, advertisements and even television shows. I also read that she has a hardcore following of male fans. There're even fans who have stickers of Yuko's face and name stuck onto their expensive modified cars just to show their love. Freaky. Even though she's popular, I'm surprised she doesn't have an official site. Shame on her agent or company or whoever is in charge of her publicity.
 

Content:
Yuko's sweetness is quite apparent throughout this book. She has only a few expressions in this book but that's all that's needed. Yuko's face can melt anyone's heart. She's just too damn adorable. There are some shots of her having fun but there are also a lot of images that depict her looking sultry or lost. The shots of her looking lost are very very cute. Yuko's got great eyes. I really love her eyes. When Yuko looks serious, she looks a bit older than when she's smiling or laughing. When she's smiling, she looks uber young. Anyone who's seen her other works will not find anything out of the ordinary in this book.

The photographer didn't try too many daring shots but there are a couple of nice angles. I wouldn't call them great but at least they tried. There are a few shots of her with her legs spread out and a couple of shots with her butt pointed to the camera but it's nothing I would call erotic. I'm not a fan of the spread legs in this book because it doesn't match with her cute face and the poses looked forced. On the other hand, the images with her butt pointed towards the camera worked pretty well. She looks really hot in those shots. There are a couple of head shots as well as some close-ups of crotch in shorts and bikini. The poses are fairly standard with a couple of nice shots. A lot of my fave shots were the close-ups of Yuko's face just because her eyes are so beautiful. The photographer managed to capture a lot of Yuko's innocence but I'm glad he tried to showcase her sexy side too. Yuko tries to be sexy and she succeeds...to a degree. While she has a sexy body and a couple of nice sexy poses, her face keeps all those images fairly innocent. Once again, I wish the photographer used more daring shots or angles but that's just my opinion. Some people might find the shots a bit too tame but that's all subjective. There isn't any nudity so don't expect any here. I can't imagine seeing her nude since she looks so innocent but I bet it'll be a huge event if she ever crosses into the nude model world. :)

The majority of the book showcases Yuko in various bikinis and outfits. There are some shots of her in shorts and a top. There are also some shots of her in a dress but it's all mainly bikinis.

The location shoots involve summer-type spots. There are some shots with a hut/shack, the beach, swimming pool and a regular street. There are also some indoor shots. The majority of the shots were shot with the sun in the background so it's all very nice and bright.

The photobook's layout is great. It's nothing but page after page of full color glossy paper of Yuko Ogura and nothing else. There're no text or any articles of any type at all. People who know Japanese might find the lack of articles a bit empty. But for me, it's just pure photobook heaven.

 
Overall: A
Yuko Ogura is a real cutie and anyone who likes cute faces and hot slender bodies will enjoy this photobook. It's all innocent and fun with a bit of sexiness. Highly recommended.
 

Where can I find this?
Yuko Ogura is very popular so finding this book will be tough. Most of her photobooks are sold out or just difficult to find. I suggest checking online Japanese bookstores but you might have an easier time finding her in various men's magazines instead.
 
Related images:

They included copy of a piece of art by Yuko. Kinda lame. A poster or trading card of Yuko would've been a much better extra.
 
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