Comedienne Angora Soncho launches gravure career

It takes either desperation or confidence to launch a gravure career as a step sideways from another existing career. (Normally, gravure idols try to do it the other way around: break into other types of work while starting out in gravure.)

This is a rare example of a comedienne branching out into modeling, especially gravure modeling.

Angora Soncho is one half of Nyanko Star, a moderately successful comedy duo active since 2017. She has now turned 31 and to mark the milestone, will release a photo book in July from major publisher Kodansha.

A graduate of Waseda, one the most prestigious private colleges in Japan, Angora Soncho’s real name is Ayumi Sato and plays the boke “funny guy” role in Nyanko Star.

In her new gravure fora, Angora Soncho happily shows off her slim yet slightly curvy (and surprisingly busty) body in a series of shoots where she is wearing only lingerie in everyday settings as well as the customary bathing pics. This very much has girl-next-door vibes.

Her debut photo book, 151 cm, 48 kg, whose title referenced her own body measurements, was released digitally last May, marking her initial step into gravure.

The full-scale print follow-up, whose title is not announced yet, is out July 16. Angora Soncho says she is actually now a little bigger: 152 centimeters and 51 kilograms.

The new photo book was shot around Onomichi, the picturesque town in Hiroshima. We’ve included pics from both photo books here so you can judge for yourself how Angora Soncho’s talents extend far beyond comedy.