Fourth Book Worth of Photos: What Happened To Summer??

(Click here to skip to THE INTERVIEW)

Happy birthday again to me, I guess. *laughs*

"Heisei era's last summer", they say. Thank goodness I'll see this miracle of a photobook before the era ends, to say the least.

Hey I'm back - at a friend's request lol not really -  to cover this book in which we both bought for each other on his birthday (happy birthday bro) and for my birthday (which was like a month ago exactly) because of his recent interest in - you guessed it - Kouno Marika. Well, he got more interested in Sumipe when that music video dropped, so... be sure to check that out! lol (yeah he got no Marinka, that's the joke)

Anyways, if you still wonder what last summer was with Marinka, let me take you on a journey...
(Oh this is recently on digital too by the way you don't have to buy a physical book like me hehe)

THE ORIGIN
This came in from quite quickly after I noticed my close friend decided to gain some interest in the girl shown below, and since his birthday is coming soon it might be the first time I buy a birthday gift for a friend, and it's his day today. Happy birthday, bro. Hope you enjoyed Sumipe because I SWEAR THIS WAS BETTER hahahahahahahaha

THE "REVIEW"

Kouno Marika 1st Photobook "Marinka"
[Buy on Amazon Japan]

As you'll see below, I got this from - instead of an online store - a local bookstore. Yeah, it's not a real local bookstore considering this one is Japanese in origin and no local bookstore will import this unless you sell Japanese books, so finding these there shouldn't be a surprise. Although I would argue that the seiyuu photobooks are hidden in some corner in the store and it wasn't until I took out my phone, scrolled to the shelf number from the online website and saw its shelf listing did we manage to find the exact location in the large store for where the books resided, and specifically this. So yeah, it went a long way. *laughs* It's really easier more fun to buy locally, isn't it? I need to live in Japan haha

Let's unwrap, shall we?

This review was sponsored by Kinokuniya Singapore haha couldn't have done it without you
(#NotAd btw)

 *10 minutes of frustrating anti-theft tape and transparent cover ripping later*

The only downside to buying it on a local bookstore is that you don't get these slappped on your online purchases

 As you can see the pricing, this is technically still cheaper than the average price I spent (~$82) to buy even the pre-order version with free bromide (photo) because bulk purchases, man. Logistics 101 in case you don't know

I see these and I know I'm going to have a good time already haha I say that for all the books I've never seen before

SUMMER, HERE I COME!!~ (you can click to zoom in on the goodness; approved goddess on this one)

写真集 Kouno Marika 1st Photobook "Marinka"

(It's word play on her nickname, as the summer word in Japan is read as "ka". References if you need it)

This is seriously her first photobook, and it came out on summer, so... I died of hype last year tbh

The photobook is mostly based on stuff she did on summer just to showcase as much of her beauty as possible, not really with a strong theme but summer is a strong theme, so heck, I'll take that.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH (More on the special free gifts later)

Hint: It's a poster (later guys, jeez)

Schoolgirl Marinka? Hmm, I don't know...

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #1:
Playing with sand. You gotta.

Wrong angle, cameraman.
*laughs*

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #2:
Play ball. Man, you gotta.

Ooo be careful there Marinka we can see your-

Can I surprise hug her now? Please?

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #3:
Breaking the watermelon
And... she missed so we returned the watermelon to the fruit store owner haha

Sexy schoolgirl Marinka? Okay...

Summer girl Marinka is best Marinka imo

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #4:
Playing with river water. It's different than the beach.

I want to be the (tunnel) wall now haha

Eh you catching bugs, Marinka? Careful they might sting your beautiful chest-

*faints*

"Ah, that was fun!" I can hear it from here

"This is for you, Marinka"
Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #5:
Eating ice cream! Hell yeah!

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #6:
Waiting at the bus stop under the hot sun? #TheFeels lol

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #7:
Travelling! Where is she going though...

It's a ryokan!
So thin, so very thin...

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #8:
Blowing bubbles! Because why not?

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #9:
Playing a retro... video game console? What is that?? *laughs*

This is to tell you to open your mouth haha

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #10:
Eating shaved ice! She just sinked into it lol

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #11:
Eating watermelon! Hell yeah x2

Under the kotatsu anyone is the best. This one is just fanservice
(That hip though...)

I can stare at this forever hehe

*speechless*

I know it's summer but must you wear such thin clothing?

Sexy Marinka is- Oh I said that already? Haha

While she's doing her toenails, I'm looking at her-

I came twice tbh haha
(Wow, this changed pace really quick didn't expect this *looks again at back cover*)

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #12:
Blowing bubbles... in the tub! Kawaii...

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #13:
Drinking champagne in the bathtub??!!

It's not just irrational it's also... very... very... *nosebleeds*
(I don't care if it's refraction with her clothed or Photoshop but I... I... *bows down*)

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #14:
Dress up in a yukata! This one is really good

Gotta show some back skin there hehe

After that Ten-chan photobook this tight top thing is really making me horny happy haha

Best shot in the photobook imo even better than the bath

She is just showing off now...

Realistic proportions from the side view many are reluctant to show tbh

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #15:
Bugs again? This time in the rocks

The scenery looks so great from here. Marinka is just making it perfect

This was the best choice as the photobook's cover the top totally sold me on it hehe

Things to do in Summer (alone)!! #16:
Having some candy apple! Gotta try that someday tbh

Trying to be yankee, Marinka? Haha nice try girl

Marinka against the afternoon sun

I hope she didn't pluck those sunflowers from someone's garden lol

Flashback time! Marinka in 2016 ara kawaii
"Ideal school life" lol really?

Okay, just a heads up from here: This is just extra highlights from her first monthly serialisation of magazine "Seiyuu Paradise R" (which also published this book for her btw) so normally this was done as a compilation but thank goodness that it wasn't because I wouldn't have spend the money to get a compilations as most of them are (and they just top it up with a couple of extra shots and sell it for money, them capitalist bastards lol)

What if Marinka was a cheerleader and a person of sports?
Well, it'll look like this haha

Her monthly serialisation, named "Ma-reincarnation", joins her nickname specifically with the word "reincarnation", talking about scenarios of what she would be if she were born... as something that isn't her. Many are literally just fanservice btw. I'll refer to the titles of each feature below as much as possible.

"(I) want to be a surfer" wow she looks like it though anyone with a rack wouldn't be a-

She just wants to take this shot haha nothing to do with surfer

"What if (I) was a nobility..."
Then you probably wouldn't be with us now haha

"What if (I'm) Marinka which is a combination of Cinderella and Marie Antionette"
Hey Marinka? Kids today don't know either of them~
(I just happen to know, I swear. I got real confused reading the katakana)

Okay this one is cute I want to marry her now haha

"What if... Marinka is a (happy) idol by day, but Hard Rocker by night?"
I'll... probably not like you as much haha please don't (not posting that Rocker getup)

"What if (I) graduated in the Showa era?"
Then I would confess to you as a senpai tbh

"What if (I) were a librarian in a bookstore?"
You'll get laid before you even come into the seiyuu industry. Wait,-

Fairytale Series!
"Momotaro" wtf

(It got into fictional what ifs real fast...)

Hansel and Gretel so this is Gretel I assume...

... and this is Hansel.
This is not a male haha

"Kitsune no Ongaeshi"
Eh... no comment haha

"Little Red Riding..." Gun?
That wolf is sooo going to die haha

Off-shots are the best, isn't it? *thumbs up*

THE INTERVIEW
For the interview, since this is the one - of those which I intentionally avoided for the other three (well, by chance) - that has such a thing, I'll try my best to note down in point form some of the highlights about her life till now with some photobook scoops:

• She was born 22nd February as 2nd child of the family, and it was a smooth childbirth, as mentioned by the mother. (lol TMI)
• Marinka as a kid is troublesome (lol). She gets lost easy so "Marika-chan is missing" is a common phrase running in the family (lol why)
• Both her parents work and she plays hide and seek with them .(haha what a kid)
• She transferred schools before when young, so her in elementary school is basically lone wolf. As soon as she makes friends she gotta wave them goodbye already. (I wouldn't haha but then again probably no phones yet?)
• It continued until middle school so the library was her friend. (No wonder the librarian fantasizing haha) But even then she had friends, many didn't stay with her until she announced this photobook to them and they be like "oh" (well so much for even just classmates)
• She got interested in the seiyuu line of work since elementary school (no wonder, from above) and Sundays watching Anime with family became a thing. (I want to watch Anime with my parents- well forget it haha) She noticed the similar voices who acted back then in those animations. (I'm not going to list the name here haha)
• Even then she didn't think of being one of them. She still liked books so Anime wasn't really a thing in her life yet. She slowly tried to voice dialogues or just read off from the books, and even did it in front of her mother. (Kawaii...)
• As she got interested in such a line of work and didn't know what it meant, at the end of middle school her mother told her to "fill in your future for beyond high school" and since she didn't really know she chose what she thought she did best, and that is voice acting since her mother liked it. (Aw...) Since reading of books was a thing, seeing the link towards seiyuu as a career became the natural thing.
• In reading of books, her image of it was of a minstrel, and thought seiyuu might be a similar line of work. However as she continued on her journey she noticed that it wasn't the case, and as much invested as she is at her job now, she still liked the idea of "conveying stories to people" and took that as her impression today.
• With that in mind, she entered voice acting academy to start her career as a seiyuu, (thanks to her mother's questioning of her future) and soon found herself voice acting the second day she entered a talent company after graduation. And it also featured recording for an Anime theme song? Wow.
• Uma Musume was her most deep-rooted series she starred in, as it expressed a lot of her acting in many ways than other and the reputations and titles she got from within the community in Japan.
• She did think about the future, like getting a bigger house for the family (#GoodKidGoals) as she continues to think for the welfare for people around her.
• She doesn't have desire for marriage (why) mostly because she can't imagine spending millions of dollars on kids and raising them until they are 20 (direct quote btw) and worrying them here and there... she thinks it's rather impossible for her to perceive at the moment. (Hey, when you're rich... haha)
• [On photobook comments] That white one-piece was her image of pureness in this photobook. And then she just wants to play around in that outfit (lol). She quickly noticed that she has to preserve that ladylike image as of the outfit (haha #ProblemKid)
• The scene with her on the tatami was reminiscent of her thinking about a grandmotherly image (as in being at your elderly's place) as she plays games and relaxed near the porch.
• The cat was called "Kuu-chan" and part of the ryokan (traditional hotel), it got in the way often so it became part of the photobook literally became MVP (lol)
• She thought she would go with an image she saw from a model when she had to do the bath scene (lol) by donning on some sort of clothing and entering in but then it just became her getting into the bath and nothing else. Of course she had a bath towel wrapped on her (what did I tell you) (DAMMIT haha) but the feeling of water coming out from her sides and between gaps (hell yeah) really made her feel embarrassed. (it was a photo shoot so she wasn't alone btw) But then the scenery from the bath outside (I'll kill all the snoopers for you Marinka lol) and her drinking the champagne in the bath made her feel like "oh I'm living the rich man's life now" and it felt good (lol)
• [On the interviewer asking if she is embarrassed with just a bath towel] (man, this guy haha) With the bath towel that has plenty of "protection" (ie. it's thick haha) so it felt like wearing a swimsuit in a hot pool? It felt more like roomwear but it also felt more like her true self (you wear bath towels in your room??) which in turn made her embarrassed.
• She also tried to show some mature side of her in the photobooks in the streets to make it feel like an "adult-like summer" (yeah, that bath scene is good enough haha) with the shooting. The cat was male, to her shock, and it ended up as a "mixed bath" (wait, what?)
• When she was playing around with the beach ball, it got washed away by the waves and back so it was between "we can't save it" and "over here over here", waving her hands and eventually she (likely it's a "they" there's staff around) saved it and she happily hugged it in fear of it being washed away again. (I want to be the ball haha)
• When she hit the bamboo stick during the watermelon splitting, it broke the stick instead of opening the fruit (lol) so it became a "takewari" instead of a "suikawari"
• She freaked out seeing a crab (not shown in photobook) and the wind was great at the rocks. It just had a lot of bugs (haha) so it felt close to the concept for summer, shooing away the bugs (haha #RealityCheck)
• [On her monthly serialisation] She thought of being baseball club manager (yay Anime scenarios), has never touched a surfboard before during that shoot, and she liked the nobility shots.
• It then went a little off into impersonations in fictional stories, talking about classics from Momotaro to western tales, letting her try out a variety of cosplay.
• Lastly, (skipping talk about Serizawa Yui lol) she was glad to be able to present a side of summer to all who bought it (hehe), told us to recommend it as a photobook that "greets the summer", and relax and enjoy reading the work.

I did enjoy this photobook, Marinka. It was great. It was worth all the money the moment I see you supposedly naked in the bath haha okay serious talk. It wasn't perfect, but Marinka this is the best I've seen you yet. To this, I thank my friend for this gift haha

...

Wow, I wrote down a lot haha that's from like, two pages worth only btw

...

In case anyone wants to read the full interview (in Japanese), I tried my best to take the shots with my phone camera (which I also read off from haha holding the book was tiring okay?):

THE PACKAGE
Because this is the First Press Edition of the photobook (it's a miracle it still exists in this part of the world #gratefulness) it comes with not just a bromide (photo) but ALSO a poster!! NOW it's really worth the money liao haha

I forgot but did they have one where she's in the bath? lmao

A2-sized poster, ladies and gentlemen.
Now I want to paste it on my blanket hehe

(On a side note, I've tried real to find out where this combination of special gifts are from since they vary across stores but couldn't find a match. Hmm...)



To end, and since I haven't bathed *thinks of Marinka in bathtub* and still don't feel like sleeping even spending my after hours doing this post (yes, right after lunch until now) (also, likely because of what I've seen), I shall finish this by answering the survey they provided. (Sorry Nan-chan) No, not going to write on it and scan. I can't write Japanese and I've not been practising haha

So... if I send back the survey before November 2018 I'll have a chance to get a Polaroid? *laughs*

The questions are:
(1) Write down the works Kouno Marika was in that you know of.

Sore ga Seiyuu!, Alternative Girls

(2) Write down the shots in this photobook you think were great. (can have many answers)

All of them (Duh! Okay I have a thing for tight tops haha they don't wear tight clothing often hehe)

(3) From here on, write down what type of outfit do you want to see Kouno Marika in her monthly serialisation "Ma-reincarnation" or any other ideas you may have.

(Eh, I don't really know a lot about that since China is not cooperative so... *laughs*)

(4) From here on, write down three seiyuu you want to see publish photobooks. (Obviously, from their publishing firm)

Kitou Akari (Because I know her and she's in the magazine photobook plz)

Tachibana Rika (Didn't we have enough already though? I don't care I want some Rika-sama bikini hehe)

-

(5) Write down any comments you have on this work and/or any messages for Kouno Marika.

(Refer to last paragraph of THE INTERVIEW) And Marinka, I want you to play games but on your own so I can have an excuse to never watch those YouTubers anymore lol but seriously, your voice was a gift to us. Thanks for everything till now, and this is for you. (Albeit half a year late and technically I didn't buy it but still)

See you guys around.