Former members of AKB48 and Rev. from DVL saluted.

Since 1990, the members of the Independent Critics List have annually put their heads together to decide on a list of the 100 Most Beautiful Faces in the world. Led by TC Candler (and yes, it’s sort of ironic that a group of independent critics has a leader), the group considers women from around the globe, but (once again, ironically), it takes more than just a pretty face to make the list.

The organization’s mission statement says that the 100 Most Beautiful Faces List is “not about the sexiest body” (which seems like it should go without saying, seeing as how they’re judging faces, not bodies), though “aesthetic perfection” is an official judgement criterion. However, the professed purpose of the list is to “inform and broaden public opinion instead of reflecting it,” with necessary factors including “grace, elegance, originality, daring, passion, class, poise, joy, promise, hope.”

While this year’s list won’t be announced until December, the organization has already begun narrowing down the field, and has been revealing the candidates for the 2017 list. So far, a handful of Japanese women have been given the nod, including Nana Owada, who up until March of this year was a member of idol supergroup AKB48.

Another candidate with idol credentials is Kanna Hashimoto. Once a member of local Fukuoka-based idol group Rev. from DVL, Hashimoto’s profile has skyrocketed over the last few years, as she’s appeared in ads for major companies and was tapped to play a major role in the live-action adaptation of anime Gintama.

Also designated as candidates for the 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2017 are actress and model Mirei Kiritani, whose credits include appearances in the live-action Ace Attorney, Assassination Classroom, and Bunny Drop movies…

…and Hyogo Prefecture-born Niki Niwa, whose brightest moment in the spotlight was as a member of Hawaii-filmed Japanese reality TV show Terrace House: Aloha State.

Last year, Kiritani ended up in the top 100, along with compatriots actress Satomi Ishihara and former AKB48 idol Haruka Shimazaki. Whether Kiritani will repeat the feat this year, or whether any of her fellow Japanese nominees will make the final list, is something we won’t know until December 27, but if Hashimoto is chosen as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Faces in the world, she’ll have come a long way from selling eyeglasses to Internet writers.

Featured image: Instagram/tccandler

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