Reaching for the universe

She is good looking, but far from the best??

She's got vampish teeth. She ain't gonna make it.

I'm sorry... she looks very kind, but no way is she in the Miss Universe category.

but i think, she seems to be cute especially her vampish teeth !!

100 points off for teeth. Seriously !!!!! It will come to that, I hope she speaks English.

80% of the contestants speak English.

Good luck, pretty girl...

She is looking forward to touring the solar system as Miss Universe.

She obviously shined in categories other than looks. It's nice to see that girls from the "other side of the tracks" can win beauty contests.

Japan spends too much getting eyelids fixed and not enough on braces...

Nope.

She looks much older than 24, nothing wrong with that in itself, but not going to help in a miss-u contest

Standards have dropped a bit...

Beauty is in the so called eye of the so called beholder, these judges must have been paid off!

Drop 'universe' from the title...and? nothing more to say.

If I were a jugde it might help if I where my t-shirt that says Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder! LOL

Maria is my girlfriend's friend. She is a very nice girl. Please be nice.

I suspect this picture doesn't do her justice.

Well, it's nice to know she's your friend. I bet she's a nice girl.. I just think she's a little long in the tooth. I'm not trying to put her down. We all know how important teeth are when it comes to beauty. The dentists in this country certainly know. They charge an arm and leg for anything related to teeth.

Doesn't mean she's not beautiful. Just means her stock value is overpriced at the moment. Not just me saying this. I asked my Japanese colleagues too.

Not that I wouldn´t buy what she is selling, but she really looks quite average nice.

She looks like she would be a very good mother, but as mis Universe, I think she has no chance at all when it comes to her looks.

Dwolfman says yes-absolutely beautiful!

Forget her looks, what is up with that tiara and the earrings? They look just ridiculous on her, IMHO. And the dress is not flattering at all. If she is gonna be a "miss" she's gotta have more fashion sense!

what the heck is with Japanese women and their jacked up teeth!?

I suspect this picture doesn't do her justice.

perhaps, this picture is good for 'mushiba zero' ad by any dentist.

just googled her and I must say this picture doesnt do her any justice. She is not ugly, but as others above already said, not miss universe material.

for me, the teeth are fine. I do find her bones sticking out rather unappealing though,

Forget the teeth! Show her measurements!

She looks a little bit like Miki Ando (the figure skater) in the face. She hides with her hair what she lacks.

PS The dress is not flattering.

I do not like these pagents because I think it degrades humans in general! I mean who has the right to judge another human being!? You're hot! You're not hot! etc etc. It's stupid! These pagents were designed by horny men like Donald Trump!!!!

T_rexmaxytime:

But.... aren´t you judging now? You like, you don`t like...

Zaphod : I do not think I am judging. I feel that Maria is a nice girl in general but the whole beauty pagent is a disgrace to human!!! Humans are more than what horny men decides what beauty/worthiness are! I mean cmon! This beauty pagent is bogus BS and it's for the mentally weak!

Pageants are the best thing in the world - shows women how they should be: tall, beautiful, and...oh wait, this one's a bit on the bony side. What are those humps on her shoulders?

Actually if it was a straight "beauty pageant" it would be a lot better. As it is it supposedly takes into account other categories aside from physical beauty but obviously there is no way without a model like figure is ever going to win, which indicates not that you can be more or less beautiful then someone else and then get on with life and regard it with the esteem you think it deserves, but that beauty is actually more important than intelligence and personality.

Must be a bad photo

Japan runs-out of pretty girl.

"vampish teeth"

"100 points off for teeth"

I've seen worse teeth. She is lovely.

"Must be a bad photo"

It's a great photo!

"Japan runs out of pretty girl(s)"

Not yet. Probably not ever.

I find her cute. At least she looks natural.

I certainly would not turn her down if she asks me out on a date.

Is it April Fool's Day already? No? Oh, I thought with her looks that this has to be some sort of joke!

@digiridoo - Your avatar's dog is better looking than Maria here, right?

If I met her in a bar I'd be pretty stoked, but if she told me she was Japan's Miss Universe contestant, I'd be a bit surprised. Not surprised enough to deny her some Tamarama though.....

I think the judges are looking for someone who will appeal to foreigners - non-Asians - too, someone who has features not too dissimilar to the Miss Venezualas and so on. In other words, someone who is not too typically Japanese-looking may be more appealing to the international judges in the global competition.

Saw her today on TV and was very unimpressed. Seems to have a nice personality, but that's about it. I think Japan has much better to offer.

Sorry but that picture needs a warning on it..... URRRGH nightmares tonight