Japan Today
lifestyle

Japanese-speaking 'Real Barbie' becomes serious model in Japan

15 Comments
By Preston Phro

While you might think that the world only needs one real Barbie, it turns out that–whether needed or not–there’s already another one. However, unlike the Russian/Ukrainian version, this “Real Barbie” is a Tokyo-based, Japanese-speaking model for Popteen magazine. And her rise to fame has only just begun.

Going by the name Dakota Rose, the 18-year-old model hails from Florida and initially garnered attention from netizens in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea for her unreal, Barbie-like looks and YouTube make-up and fashion videos. Two years ago, though, the teen moved to Tokyo after getting scouted by a Japanese model company, who noticed her when her make-up and hair videos accumulated over 10 million views.

In particular, the young model has gotten attention for her startling doll-like appearance, leading many to call her a “Real Barbie.” Watching some of her videos, we can certainly understand where the moniker comes from.

And now it looks like Dakota has taken another step forward in her career, becoming an exclusive model for Popteen, a monthly fashion magazine for teenaged girls published in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. After completing her debut photo shoot for the magazine, the teen model conducted a short interview for the company in Japanese discussing how she practices hair styling and what she hopes to do working with the magazine.

In addition to her professional modeling, Dakota has continued to post YouTube videos in Japanese with English subtitles, like the one below.

Let this be a lesson to you, kids, if you post enough YouTube videos, you may become a fashion model in Japan, too. And if you’re wondering how a Floridian teenager learned how to speak and write Japanese, she has reportedly been watching anime and reading mana from a young age. So if your parents or anyone give you a hard time about “watching cartoons,” just tell them you’re studying for a future career in fashion.

Sources: Yahoo! Japan Topics, YouTube, Twitter, Dakota Rose

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Venus Angelic teaches us all how to truly doll up, with her make-up techniques -- Real-life Barbie now survives on light and air, might be turning into a real doll -- Ukraine’s Anime Girl and Real Barbie Meet Face to Eerie Face

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


15 Comments
Login to comment

It's only impressive if you're brain dead.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Creepy.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I somehow misread the headline. I thought that a 'real Barbie' has become a serious problem in Japan. Not far off, though.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Do you really need a tutorial for what she did to her hair?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Its only a matter of time before she gets knocked up, her boyfriend refers to her body as looking like a "big peach", gets a divorce, and her short lived "career" comes to an end.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What the heck did she do her eyes? Nothing natural on this gal. Guess she is doing it for the money and fame and money. Other goals in life?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This young lady has been "all over" the American media for quite a number of months now !

0 ( +1 / -1 )

She looks like what a manga artist would think of as an American girl... weird eyes, long face... strange.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What ever happened to those Russian girls that actually had plastic surgery to look like really Barbie dolls?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If you look at earlier photos of her she actually looks pretty normal, but now it looks like she's got an eating disorder, among other issues. Started out looking like a teenager, and now looks like she's about 12 years old, and in some photos, about 8 years old. Can't be good for her to get so much recognition and approval for what looks like a psychological problem. Wonder where her parents are?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

she has reportedly been watching anime and reading mana from a young age.

Mana from heaven perhaps?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What a hell in the inside!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yuck! Plastic life-size airhead!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

God if there was ever a justification to carry a firearm concealed in public it is this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She looks like what a manga artist would think of as an American girl... weird eyes, long face... strange.

Spot on! I bet Japanese otaku are drooling! She/it just makes me feel ill.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites