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Paper short abstract

This paper examines how actor Fushimi Naoe’s “vamp” star image circulated beyond film through 1930s cosmetics advertising. Analyzing magazine advertisements, it shows how her persona linked cinema and consumer culture, and prefigured the “modern girl.”

Paper long abstract

This paper focuses on the actor Fushimi Naoe, who gained particular appeal as a “vamp” figure within the genre commonly referred to as Japanese period film　Jidaigeki. By examining cosmetics advertisements in which Fushimi appeared as a model, this study investigates how her star image was connected to consumer goods and circulated beyond the screen. Specifically, it analyzes cosmetics advertisements published in film magazines, paying close attention to Fushimi’s visual representation, the advertising copy accompanying her image, and the ways these elements were linked to the films in which she performed.

In Japanese cinema, the “vamp” is typically characterized by her capacity to seduce and metaphorically attack men. This figure is often understood as a precursor to the later “modern girl” (modan gāru). However, the vamp image did not develop solely within cinematic narratives. Film magazines of the period frequently featured movie stars as models for cosmetics advertisements, often alongside short descriptions or anecdotes related to their film roles. These advertisements thus functioned as an important site for the extension and reinforcement of star images. Fushimi was no exception: in one advertisement, for example, she is described as a figure who overwhelms and captivates male spectators, directly echoing the affective power of her on-screen vamp roles. This paper concentrates on advertisements from the 1930s, when Fushimi’s acting ability and public recognition were at their height.

An examination of these advertisements reveals two contrasting yet interconnected strategies. Some advertisements explicitly draw on Fushimi’s strong vamp persona cultivated in film, while others present an image seemingly opposed to the vamp, emphasizing restraint or refinement. Nevertheless, both types rely on her established vamp characteristics, promoting forms of beauty designed to appeal to both male and female audiences. Moreover, these advertisements implicitly assume not only women but also men as subjects of cosmetic use.

Based on these findings, this paper discusses the effects and significance of Fushimi Naoe’s deployment in 1930s cosmetics advertising, its relationship to the later emergence of the modern girl, and the distinctive characteristics of Fushimi’s star persona within Japanese film and consumer culture.