Recently on Japanese social media, the name Marina Nagasawa – a once-famous gravure idol from the group Houkago Princess – has unexpectedly become a hot topic of discussion. The reason is not due to a scandal or a new product, but because she has continuously had her photos reported simply for… looking too childlike on Instagram, where she has over 1.1 million followers.
Even though she has turned 30, Marina still has a “baby” face that makes many people mistake her for being only 15 or 16 years old. Meanwhile, her gravure photo style – which is typically sexy and bold – often leads her posts to be misinterpreted as “pictures of a minor in suggestive poses.” As a result, many of Marina’s images on Instagram and X are frequently reported by other users.
In response to this comical and frustrating situation, Marina once posted an article expressing her frustration while maintaining a light-hearted attitude: “I’m already 30 years old, yet my photos keep getting reported because I look like a teenager… it’s really disheartening.”
The story quickly spread, garnering tens of thousands of comments from both the Japanese and international online communities. Many people sympathized, arguing that this was a consequence of an overly rigid automatic censorship mechanism, as the algorithm cannot distinguish between an adult with a youthful face and someone who is genuinely underage. A prominent comment stated:
“She hasn’t done anything wrong – she just has a face younger than her actual age. But society nowadays seems to not accept that.”
Marina Nagasawa has been nicknamed the “legal lolita” – a title given by her Japanese fans to highlight the contrast between her innocent face and her mature figure. This “ageless” look helped Marina rise to fame while still working with the idol group Houkago Princess, but now it has also become the reason for her troubles on social media.
Nevertheless, the female idol remains optimistic. She continues to be active on Instagram, posting fashion photos in various styles, participating in TV shows, modeling for photobooks, and even passing the pro mahjong certification – a unique path in the Japanese entertainment industry.
In addition, Marina has several side accounts covering other interests such as ramen reviews and sharing pictures of her beloved cat, which have also attracted quite a number of followers. This shows that she still wants to build a positive, approachable image rather than just being associated with the sexy persona that has defined her brand.
The story of Marina Nagasawa is becoming a prime example of the “struggles of having an ageless face,” where a “baby” beauty can sometimes lead adults into trouble in the era of digital censorship. And despite being misunderstood many times, she remains steadfast in asserting herself, as she shared in a recent interview: “I don’t want to change this face. I just want to live and work authentically as myself.”
