Mai Ishioka announces last photo book, retirement from gravure industry

We have some sad news to report.

Normally the release of a new photo book by an idol would be a cause for celebration, but Mai Ishioka’s (石岡真衣) upcoming “After the Rain” is apparently to be her last.

One of our long-time favorite gradols, Ishioka has announced that that she is “graduating” — i.e., retiring from the industry.

This can be more one of several things: her career is stalling and so her agency is dropping her at the end of her contract; she is fed up with the industry and her career, and wants to do something else (or get married, which is hard to do while remaining a gradol); or she is switching agencies and needs to change her professional name for contractual reasons.

Ishioka has worked as a gravure idol for around nine years and is now 30, when gradols have to transition from a young look to a more alluring, sensual jukujo “older” style.

“After the Rain” was shot in Okinawa and comes out on December 1 from Kobunsha, which also publishes the weekly magazine FLASH, who first ran the story of Ishioka’s retirement in an issue last week.

Though she has released plenty of digital photo books and DVDs, “After the Rain” is only her second print photo book.

We hope to share highlights from “After the Rain” when they become available.

Update! Here are a few more shots from the photo book.