43-year-old female impressionist Kintalo. launches surprise gravure career

Last week, we reported on the gravure side career of 31-year-old comedienne Angor Soncho. This weeks brings news that another female comedian is branching out into gravure.

Are we witnessing the birth of a new trend?

Kintalo. is a comedic tarento (general TV celebrity) and impressionist who is usually seen dressed up in silly makeup and pulling a wacky face. The 43-year-old married mother of two, whose real name is Shiho Tanaka, has decided to make an unexpected foray into gravure.

Even more unexpected is that it’s not even her first try. She already did this 11 years ago, she says, though it passed us by, but she’s attracting quite a splash for the radically different look she sports in a shoot for Weekly Flash’s June 10 issue, which goes on sale in Japan tomorrow.

At least one photo in the shoot features Kintalo. in wet clothing, which cling to her body, revealing her nicely plump buttocks. Another picture has Kintalo. in a shimmery slip.

Here’s a more typically look for Kintalo., as seen in a recent TV appearance.

As you can tell, she’s not exactly famous for her sexual allure and often plays this up on TV. She was even once part of SBK48, a group of “ugly” (busaiku) female comics whose name mimicked the music group SKE48. Kintalo. is perhaps best known for her impressions of ex-AKB48 idol and actor Atsuko Maeda.

She didn’t miss a chance to make a joke even when promoting the gravure shoot on her social media, noting that it’s like a “summer horror” has come early.

Others, though, have noted that she’s not bad for her age and even looks a bit like former porn star Yuri Adachi (perhaps we should expect an impressionist doing gravure to look like someone else).