The Japanese Playboy
Japanese culture always impresses us, not only for its richness and variety but also for the way it assimilates elements from other cultures. One such assimilation occurred through the contact that the Japanese had with men's magazines like Playboy. In 1966, the publisher Shueisha launched the men's magazine Weekly Playboy (プレーボーイ). Although it shares the same name as Hugh Hefner's magazine, Weekly Playboy distinguished itself by presenting content in tune with Japanese culture and interests. It became known for publishing diverse content, such as news articles, comics, short fiction, fashion editorials, and nude photography.
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It is important to differentiate Weekly Playboy from Monthly Playboy, which was also published by Shueisha from 1975 to 2009. Monthly Playboy was the licensed Japanese edition of the American Playboy, presenting translated and adapted content. In contrast, Weekly Playboy has always been an independent publication with its own original content and editorial focus.
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Animals And Nude Women
Launched during a time of economic growth, Weekly Playboy kept pace with the transformations Japan was undergoing, offering the public information and entertainment in a constantly changing media landscape. One example of how the magazine sought to differentiate itself from other magazines is the covers it produced during the 1960s, which featured montages of nude female bodies with animal drawings.
Although these images resemble the collage and photomontage process of the Polish magazine Ty I Ja, published from 1960 to 1973, they differ not only because they were aimed at a male audience (unlike the Polish magazine, which was dedicated to women), but also because they were a hybrid process. It is noticeable that the models were partially costumed as elements of the mise en scène, with some animal parts drawn in post-production.
The cover of the November 14, 1960 edition (Fig.5) features a woman's body presented as a Siamese cat. The legs and arms transform into feline paws, leaving the breasts, belly, and buttocks exposed. Her posture and expression suggest a sensual stance, but the humorous treatment of the image shifts attention to its playful and irreverent side.
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In the deluxe Premium version of the article more on how Playboy Weekly avoided censorship, their use of humor, how it remained its influence through the decades, and many more "erotic animal" covers.
Click HERE for the top 30 most trashy erotic magazine covers of Hara-Kiri
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