Yui Kobayashi: Her awe-inspiring second photobook "Igaisei"

 

 Those above two pics were promo ones and weren't in the photobook, had to have them as both are just so tremendous! Usually will have an astounding photobook for the first day of the month but am two days early with this one. That's because I really wanted to have an April post for Yui as she has quite a long stretch of posts going, longer than anyone else and is closing in on a record. This makes at least one post a month since last June or eleven months in a row for Yui, think the record is sixteen. So that's why this is two days early and she will make it an even dozen as I expect her to have another post exactly a week from now.

 As most viewers may know Yui was my #1 fave for 2022 and that pleased me more than any of the other seven who have been number one for a year. In September 2021 she took a hiatus from Keya, did a October post for Yui's 22nd birthday and was very worried if she would return. That she did in December for Keya's/Sakura's first anniversary concerts, after a slow return as far as activities goes she's been busier than ever and eleven months in a row prove that! She did finish in the sixth position on my 'Top Twenty Faves of All Time' list that was done last September. In her position post said if Yui remains with Keya for another 2-3 years then I can see her being my #1 of all time when the next list is done in 2026. That's still a long way off and for now let's see if she can repeat as my top fave of this year as no other woman has done enough to warrant that top spot yet.

 Hopefully within the week will have some recaps for the 2021 drama "Borderless", after searching for over a year finally found the subs. Yui was in that series with a decent sized role, she's also in the current drama "Actress" with six other members of the three '46' groups and that show will nd up being recapped too. On to this book which was released on October 4th of last year, nineteen days before her 23rd birthday. Always wait at least three months before posting a photobook from a '46' member and in most cases it's longer than that. Yui's first book came out in March 2019, the photo shoot took place in London but the last three years all Idol books have been set in Japan. The title "Igaisei" means unexpected and Yui having a second book certainly was!

 Hard to say which book is better, this second book has more gravure pics but in a way think I may prefer that first book by a slim margin. Neither book was a massive seller, around 50,000 copies for each was sold which to me is just way too low and can't understand why as Yui is a popular Idol. Yakushima was one of the locations where most of the photos were taken, also some pics were shot in the Yokohama area. This book has 125 pics and I've run out of superlatives for Yui who besides being so stunning have always said she's the most likable woman I post about and there will be another post for her next week.