Nao Kanzaki: My top eleven photobooks of 2022!!!!

 

 The last ten days of a year plus the first week of the new year is an extremely slow stretch. So if there aren't too many posts the next week that's the main reason but am working on a few of them which you'll start seeing two days from now plus on January 2nd will have one ultra super duper photobook! But looking at the bright side it being a slow period gives me time to work on other projects such as a list like this one.

 Have done two 'Top Photobooks of All Time' lists but never one for a year. However in my head have had 'unofficial' lists for the last five years, if someone was to ask what my second fave book of 2018 was could answer that in two seconds! So thought I would finally put a list in writing and while eleven may sound like an odd number will explain. Was thinking of doing another all time list in a few months and viewers have really enjoyed any posts done for books. What my #1 photobook of all time would be is definitely a poser! At the top is Miyu who was number one on the last list, she may drop down to second when a third one is done as to me Minami's is too breathtaking to put into words....

 Few days ago in an Akari post discussed having some sort of 'Honors' list, it will be difficult but am looking forward to doing it but may not use Honors in the title. Am curious who has done the best on these lists since 2015 when the first one was done. Would give points for the positions, for instance on the the yearly top twenty list #1 would get forty points, number two 38 and then all the way down to number twenty getting two points. Would also use that system for the pair of 'Top Twenty Faves of All Time' lists, this list, the pair for my all time books and a few other various ones. So wonder who has received the most accolades of any woman here, I'm thinking Risa but there's a pair of older members from C-ute who may be way up there as they've appeared on many ancient lists.

 Hopefully this will be a quickie list as I'd rather finish it tonight instead of tomorrow. So will have eleven positions and it was so close for number one decided to add one more book in. As a matter of fact it was almost a tie for the top spot so named them #'s 1A and 1B. Though the regular photobooks are better than ever there's also been many fewer than any year I can recall. But digital books are such a rage made them eligible and two made the list, could have had more and maybe will do a separate list for them. Will go from tenth to number one, for each position will have some details about the book and also the link to its post. But not for all of them as there's three photobooks that haven't been posted yet and will always wait at least three months before posting an Idol book. That's the case for two of them and one book I don't have yet but have seen all of the best pics from it, they're so terrific had to include that book.

#10.... Emi Ito with her first book "Soleil" released on September 22nd

"Soleil" scans

 Have to say this is one of the most surprising popular posts of the year! Only did this post 24 days ago yet it already has over 1,500 views and it deserves it as what a sweltering book it is! Have a digital book for Emi that also came out in early September but waiting for this post to die down a bit and glad to see she's gained so many fans in a short amount of time.

 #9.... Haruka Kiki's "Massara was released on June 7th, it was the best selling Idol book for 2022 with 185,00 copies sold

"Massara" photobook scans

The 'Nao Year' begins on December 1st, four days later did the post for the book. At the time said it should be the most popular post for 2023 yet the one above has 170 more views and that's stunning. This was Haruka's first ever post and am planning to have the final one for 2022 to be her second. I really like the way she looks in this book and she proves, like some others, you don't have to be a bodacious gravure model to be a fave of mine or many others.

 #8.... Rena Moriya, her PB "Egao no Guu, Choki, Paa" was released on August 23rd.

 This is the book I don't have but sure it'll eventually happen. Personally thought they released too many of the best pics in advance and when that happens why get the book? Rena's 23rd birthday is coming up on January 4th and hope to have a post but she been a bit quiet as of late. But not for too much longer as to the amazement of many she was chosen to be the center of Keya's next single. You viewers and myself have been fans for a while now, glad to see others are joining us!

#7.... Yui Kobayashi, her second book "Igaisei" was released on October 4th

 Another book that hasn't been posted yet but it will and it came out less than three months ago. At a bit of a loss what to say about Yui who was my number one woman of the year and will have her next post in about 2 1/2 weeks. This is one superb book but as mentioned the books these days are better than ever and in most years this may have been about fourth!

#6.... Nami Iwasaki "The Perfect" was a digital book in two parts

Part one .... Part two

 The first of two digital books, this was so large it was released in two sets. To me Nami was the hottest newbie of the year who was introduced and viewers like her immensely too as she was the eleventh most popular woman for 2022. But what a quiet stretch she's on, no posts since August. That first photo was my #1 of the year which is from part one of the book.

#5.... Mai Shinuchi, her second book "Yoru ga Aketara" came out on January 22nd.

Mai's second photobook

 That date is also her birthday, hope to have her next post right around then. So while I'm not nearly as big of a Nogi fan as I once was three books made the top eleven. Does help being a gravure model or an Idol as only one voice actress made the list along with one semi-actress. This book was for Mai's graduation, while her first from 2017 was solid this one was just so much better and this could have been close to number one in a few other years. Lots of people seem to be fans these days as this post has almost 2,100 views making it her second most popular one ever.

#4.... Hina Kawata, her first book "Omoide no Junban" was released on March 3rd

Hina's first photobook

 The group has had three other books this year, the newest just came out last week so that would be on next year's list. In many years, such as 2021, this would have topped the list! But the competition was so brutal this year it's only fourth or actually fifth. Never realized how fabulous Hina looked and at almost 5,000 views it was the fourth most popular post of the year. It was also the second best selling Idol book for 2022.

 #3.... Haruka Kodama on November 25th released her second PB "Stay 25"

 This is another book that I do have but won't be posting the photos from it for at least two more months, thinking March 1st. Shame Haruka doesn't have more posts here as she is so popular, especially after having a bit of surgery! Which I don't think happens all that often with ex-Idols but when you compare pics these days from four years ago its hard not to notice the difference.

 #2.... Nene Shida, her first book "Nene-Marutto Zenbu" came out on July 15th

Her first regular photobook

 That date was her 24th birthday, while she's had about ten digital books this was her first and hopefully not last regular book. I'm very surprised at how unpopular this post has been, what a sultry book it is and wasn't too far away from being my #1 of the year. Perhaps many are getting slightly tired of Nene as she did have 26 posts this year which tied a record. 

 #1B.... Yuki Yomichi, her Friday digital book released on October 10th

Her astonishing first post

 Will give the nod to the next position for being the number one book of the year and mainly because that was a regular photobook. If it remains a bit on the slow side next week may do one of these lists just for digital books. Did 105 of them this year(!) and they truly are the rage these days. There are many terrific ones so it'll be hard to whittle it down to ten but you know that Yuki will take the top spot along with the other book on this list. She was the only non-gravure model or Idol not to make the list as her main profession is being a voice actress.

#1A... Hinako Kitano, her second PB "Kibou no Hougaku" was released on February 8th

"Kibou no Hougaku" scans

 At first wasn't that overly enthused about this book but as you can tell have changed my view on that! Thought Hinako looked too perfect if that's possible and this may be my second or third fave Nogi book of all time. This was another graduation book and the biggest drawback is that well probably never see Hinako ever do any more pics like these. What a shame and still think Hinako would make for such a fantastic gravure model which is something ex-Nogi member have never done or at least on a full time basis. This post was very popular too as it's had over 2,500 views, back in 2019 Hinako also would have made this list as she had my fourth top book for that year. That bottom photo was my second fave one of the year....