Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010

Cover Stories

Regarding “Speed Queen” (Cover, April 16): I’ve always thought that salacious magazine covers were meant to “sell” more copies of the magazine in question… but since Metropolis is free to begin with, I’m not sure I understand the need for the photo on the April 16 edition. I have no problems with the internal swimsuit content, mind you, but for the first time in the entire publishing history of Metropolis/Tokyo Classified, I was slightly embarrassed to pull my copy out on the train and start reading. All in all you’ve got a good thing going here… why cheapen it with quasi-pornographic images on the cover?—Mark Gresham

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Hail Metropolis, oh great one!! Sexy, but what class. You’re the man, [photographer] Ryan Bruss. The best cover, ever!!!—“butts” (via the Metropolis comment threads)

All Dolled Up

Regarding “Dolls Party 23” (Pop Life, April 2): Actually, this event is not free—you need to buy a guidebook from a Volks store, which acts as your ticket. It’s best to buy before the day (May 4), as they can sell out. The basic guidebook costs ¥2,200, but you can also buy one with a bento set for ¥3,400. This means your lunch (usually a basic bento box, but this event has a Hello Kitty one too) will be provided on the day.

In return for your entry ticket, you do get a free bingo card, where you can win limited-edition dolls and other valuable items, and at the Kyoto event recently we all got a bag of sweets handed to us by the Volks chairman as we left.

For anyone interested in ball-jointed dolls, I’d highly recommend joining the online community that Aimee Major Steinberger founded, Den of Angels: www.denofangels.com/forums. We organize meet-ups at doll events like this for newbies, and are a friendly and sociable community.—“donnoir” (via the Metropolis comment threads)

Porn Praise

Regarding “Shooting AV Stars” (Star Struck, April 16): Many thanks to Brett Bull for covering the recent AV awards. As a big fan of Japanese yuri [lesbian] AV, I was very pleased to read that two actresses I really like, Natsumi Horiguchi and Riri Koda, get recognition in the best mature actress category, and I was thrilled to see Horiguchi win it. Brett himself mentions that her win was a shock because she’s only 29, and doing my own research, it seems that there has been something of a backlash… The actress herself seems to think the backlash is because many in the business, and fans too, think the winner should be over 30.

Cheers, Brett, for writing about Horiguchi and for covering this story in an objective yet fun way, and not, as some writers might be tempted, being in the slightest bit dismissive or contemptuous. I learned a lot about both my favorite actresses and ladies I’d not yet heard of, and I hope to read more articles by you on the AV scene in Japan.—J. C. Rezonna

The Sensitive Types

First of all, I would like to thank your team—your magazine really helps readers a lot with useful information. The articles about arts and entertainment are also good, so please keep up the good work.

However, I have some concerns. I am a non-Western foreigner in Japan (from Southeast Asia), and every time I read your classified ads about females looking for “Caucasians Only,” or the other way around, I always feel bad about myself, not only me but even my other friends (non-Westerner friends, even Japanese guy friends).

I know it’s [an issue of] freedom of expression and a private ad, but don’t you think we are tolerating prejudice and racism here? Don’t you think printing these prejudicial ads makes the racist people think that what they do is OK?

For me and other readers, we think that these ads are clearly racism and that it really hurts your magazine a lot. I already know many sensitive people who quit reading the magazine for this reason.

Metropolis is a very, very useful magazine to us, and I hope you guys would consider us “sensitive” non-Western foreign readers.—“CSEAB”

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