joshi-ana in Japan, are versatile TV personalities who are expected to be more than just copy readers. Regarded as on-air talent for television shows, they are primarily hired for their looks to keep viewers watching.Such requirements mean that they are often sexualized and expected to be “eye candy,” even for news programs.
Many lose their onscreen jobs as they age into their 30s to newer, younger female reporters.Honda, a former model in Japan, says she is more than familiar with the harassment that comes with a job where you are judged based on your appearance — an issue consistently faced by the series’ protagonist Asuka Wada, whom she plays.