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They look Pinoy, but not quite. Nicely tanned skin, chiseled features, beautiful. Just perfect. You see them on catwalks and being cute and charming in TV commercials. They adorn the pages of your favorite magazine and the huge billboards along EDSA.
They are the Brazilian models.
The “Brazilian Invasion” is now the latest trend in the local advertising industry. Akihiro Sato and Daniel Matsunaga, whose mixed racial heritage (they have Japanese blood) earned them hordes of fans in the country, have even made their way into TV soaps.
Akihiro has been in the country for two years, and it seems he has no plans for leaving just yet. The hunk appeared alongside Rufa Mae Quinto in the SRO Cinemaserye Moshi Moshi I Love You, and was one of the villains in Darna. He is currently in the cast of Panday Kids as a blackbird-turned-man Oswaldo and is being paired with Jolina Magdangal, now known as Jolie.
"Both countries are very nice, but I'm enjoying here right now. I'm giving Philippines all my best,” Akihiro said.
Daniel Matsunaga was first noticed in a toothpaste commercial with KC Concepcion. Then he sauntered down the ramp in Cosmo’s Bachelor Bash 2009. He has decided to stay in the country indefinitely, after having inked deals in modeling, big roles in The Last Prince and in an indie film, and guestings in TV shows, including the recently-held Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
In an interview with Pep.ph, Daniel said, “I didn't go back to Brazil and decided to just bring my family here soon so they can visit [the] Philippines…There's no reason for me to go back there. I can focus with my acting… It's been very, very nice. I love it! It's very challenging and I love challenges.”
Many girls are going loco over these Brapanese men. A fan of Daniel Matsunaga said in his fan page –“I watch The Last Prince just to see you.” Akihiro Sato had a fans day in SM North EDSA, and it was a raving success, what with the venue filled to capacity with screaming females.
But the Professional Models Association of the Philippines (PMAP) bemoans the Brazilian invasion. "Filipino models are losing a lot of jobs to these Brazilian models who charge lower fees,” Bianca Valerio of the PMAP, says. A local agency that manages Brazilian talents denies this. "The professional fees for Brazilians and Filipinos are the same," the agency's representative said in an interview with Inquirer.
And not all Pinoys are welcoming the Brazilian hunks with open arms. In almost all forums, many are predicting their newfound careers in the Philippines will be short-lived because they cannot speak our native tongue.
But the two are bent to get over that one obstacle, having just hired tutors to give them lessons in Filipino. “Gusto ko talaga matuto ng Tagalog (I really want to learn Tagalog),” Akihiro said. Daniel Matsunaga claims he can now understand about 60% of conversations in Tagalog.
Photo screen from jovillar820 and spyglass429.
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