You can be an acclaimed actor and also a sex symbol. That’s perhaps not acknowledged enough, especially in Japan, where beauty inevitably tends to take precedence over talent.
There is quite a discrepancy between “serious actors” and the “stars,” who are generally hired for their looks and fandom. Perhaps only a handful of lead actors are truly able to navigate both aspects of their fame.
Shizuka Ishibashi (石橋静河), the 27-year-old actor known for her roles in films like The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue Mika and 37 Seconds, has decided to take advantage of her looks and take her career in a slightly different direction.
She has just released a nude photo book in the Gekkan series, tastefully shot by the biracial fashion model Mala Morgan. In this respect, the book follows in the footsteps of KOM_I’s nude photos shot by actor Fumi Nikaido.
Ishibashi shows off her breasts and butt in the book. We don’t think she’s ever done a nude sex scene before in her film or TV career, so this is quite a milestone for her fans.
Originally a ballet student who trained overseas and currently appearing in the high-profile NHK Taiga drama series The 13 Lords of the Shogun, Shizuka Ishibashi is the daughter of two other well-known actors: Mieko Harada (Ran) and Ryo Ishibashi (The Grudge).
