Koakuma Ageha

Koakuma Ageha
小悪魔ageha

October 2010
Chief editor	Hisako Nakajo
Categories	Fashion, Lifestyle
Frequency	Monthly
Circulation	350,000[1] – 400,000[2]
Publisher	Inforest
First issue	October 2005
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Koakuma Ageha (小悪魔ageha, lit. "Little-devil (or demon) Swallowtail [butterfly]"^[3]) is a gyaru fashion and lifestyle magazine^[4] published monthly in Japan by Inforest Publishing. Targeted at females in their late teens and 20s, Koakuma Ageha caters to the styles of Agejo(lit."young miss") and hime-gyaru (lit. "princess-gyaru").^[5] It also incorporates different styles into the agejo style

Koakuma Ageha is noted for its significantly large circulation^[6] and its unique trait of relating to the hostess club (Japanese-style cabaret) culture, as it mainly targets women who work at hostess clubs as hostesses,^[5] and most of its models are hostesses who actually work at hostess clubs.^[4]

Sociologist Shinji Miyadai has described this magazine as a "textbook for hostesses".^[7] Some describe this magazine as the "bible for hostesses".^[8]

History

Koakuma Ageha was first published under the name "Koakuma & Nuts" in October 2005 with a 27-year-old woman, Hisako Nakajo, who had been familiar with the gyaru scene, as its chief editor.^[8] Koakuma & Nuts was only a special edition of the dark-skin oriented Happie Nuts gyaru fashion magazine, but after publication of the second issue, it changed its name to "Koakuma Ageha" and became monthly in October 2006.^[9] Circulation was then around 220,000 but climbed to 350,000 by the end of 2008.^[10]

Model & style

Koakuma Ageha's exclusive models are called "Age-mo(s)", and its irregularly-appearing models are called "Age-jo(s)".^[9] Most of them are active hostesses from various cities "of the night" all over the islands of Japan.^[11] Unlike the ones in Happie Nuts, Ageha models are not required to be dark-skinned. Their unique styles of fashion is called "Ageha-kei" (lit. "Ageha-style"), which has become quite popular among women in their teens and 20s.^[9] Some explain the typical "Ageha-kei" style as an "evolved form of the gyaru style, grown in the cradle of the hostess club scene, with an essence of yanki".^[4] The Ageha style, as a lifestyle, is noted for its tendency to be "local-oriented", in contrast to most other fashion-based lifestyles which tend to be Tokyo-centric.^[12]

A 2009 issue featuring the theme "yami" (left) and a usual 2011 issue (right)

Koakuma Ageha's uniqueness is also attributed to its tone; it features hostesses' lifestyles without romanticization, not just recounting the glamorous aspects,^[11] and although its main focus is, of course, fashion,^[4] it sometimes features the serious themes of "yami (simultaneously meaning "darkness 闇" and "sickness 病") in the human heart".^[9] Models talk actively about their "darksides" in their own way, and often reveal some "negative secrets" about their lives and pasts, such as the ones about delinquency, running away, hikikomori, bullying, betrayal, heartbreak, mental illness, trauma, suicide, self-image issue, sexuality, loneliness, abused childhood, domestic violence, and alcoholism. This is considered quite unique for a Japanese fashion magazine, as Japanese fashion magazines are in general relentlessly light-hearted from beginning to end.^[4]

Ageha models often garner an almost cult-like popularity and attract large amounts of media attention. Eri Momoka, known as "Momoeri", is an early example,^[13] and just like Momoka, who has her own brand "Moery", some Ageha models individually launch their own fashion brands. Sumire (1987–2009) launched her own fashion brand "Divas" and often introduced herself as the "Divas designer" during the last days of her life.^[14] Shizuka Mutoh, an irregularly-appearing Ageha model, launched her own fashion brand "Rady" in 2008 and its monthly net earnings reached $1 million in April 2011.^[15]

Notable Age-mos and Age-jos have included Cocoa Aiuchi, Minami Aikawa, Momo Aikawa, Emiri Aizawa, Sara Aizawa, Hotaru Akane, Manami Akane, Akichi, Yo Aoki, Sayaka Araki, Natsumi Asaka, Sakura Asakura, Vanessa Asuka, Rina Ayukawa, Ayaka Endoh, Megu Fujigamori, Marie Iemura, Kotaroh Izumi, Arisa Ichijo, Kyoka Ichijo, Momoko Iinuma, Minami Uchiyama, Kana Urushihara, Angel, Himena Osaki, Nami Okada, Odajun, Orimoai, Mika Kagoshima, Hikari Kamikawa, Keiko, Airi Kisaki, Maria Kurotaki, Rina Sakurai, Nanako, Riho Nishiyama, Crea Himesaki, Hozunyam, Makoto Minami, Shizuka Mutoh, Satomi Yakuwa, Yurika, Gura Yoshikawa, Guri Yoshikawa, Rin, Shena Katase, Erisa Kaminomiya, Reina Kanasaki, Kinkira*Kin, Erika Koda, Chihiro Kondoh, Himeka Kyojo, Saako, Sara Sakura, Himeka Shirosaki, Mika Shirosaki, Miyu Shirosaki, Ayumi Shiratani, Erika Shinjo, Sumire, Sayuri Suzuki, Reina Takizawa, Tsubasa Tojo, Tocchi, Ayana Tsubaki, Nami, Yurina Hanazawa, Yoshika Harasaki, Mari Haruna, Sayo Hayakawa, Mii Himeno, Manaka, Mikitee, Misaki, Seira Mizuki, Mai Mizuki, Tomoyo Mizuno, Yumi Mizuno, Suzu Midorikawa, Haruka Minami, Mimore, Eri Momoka, Momo Momose, Nemu, Nonorin, Rion, Sawa Yamagami, Kanae Watanabe, Ryoko Yano, and Yuki-ichigo.^[6]

Sister magazines

Cover of Ane Ageha, November 2011 Issue, with former Koakuma Ageha models Sayaka Araki and Sayo Hayakawa

Ane Ageha

Ane Ageha (姉ageha, meaning "Older-sister Swallowtail") was first published in November 2010 under the name "Oneh-san Ageha" (お姉さんageha) as a special edition of Koakuma Ageha, and it became independent in March 2011.^[16] Ane Ageha is a bi-monthly fashion and cosmetic magazine, and its target audience is females in their late twenties and older.^[17]

Kimono Ageha

Kimono Ageha (着物ageha) was first published in December 2010 as a special edition of Koakuma Ageha.^[18] It is an irregularly-published magazine specialized in kimono, and is modeled by Koakuma Ageha models.^[19]

I Love Mama

I Love Mama «stylized as "I LOVE mama"» was first published in September 2008 under the name "Mama Nuts × Ageha" as a special co-edition of Koakuma Ageha with Happie Nuts.^[10] Mama Nuts × Ageha changed its name to "I Love Mama" and became monthly in March 2009.^[20] I Love Mama is a magazine especially for gyaru women who have gotten pregnant and become mothers (called "gyaru mama") — the first-ever magazine dedicated to gyaru-mamas.^[10]

References

External links

• "Koakuma Ageha" official (Japanese)
• "Ane Ageha" official (Japanese)
• "Kimono Ageha" official (Japanese)