Free stock photos can be lifesavers when you need high-quality images to illustrate your points, be they for presentations or for articles like the one you’re reading right now.
But not all stock photos are created equal. Recently, a website filled with images of men doing everyday things has become the talk of the town, and for a good reason – the free stock photos all feature muscular Japanese men posing shirtless.
Homepage of Muscle Plus website
Image adapted from: Muscle Plus
Muscle Plus is a website that provides free stock photos of shirtless ripped Japanese men doing just about anything you can imagine. The website was started by Akihito, a representative of ALLOUT, which is a “performance team” made up of burly men.
Staff of Muscle Café posing for a photo with a guest
Image credit: Smile Academy Inc
Based in Japan, ALLOUT provides a variety of services, ranging from fitness and training guides to themed muscle cafés, featuring shirtless staff who treat their guests like queens.
Image credit: Muscle Plus
According to an interview with Fuji News Network, the idea of creating a stock image website full of ripped Japanese hunks came about when Akihito was compiling materials for an article. Surprised by the lack of quality images of muscular men on the internet, he was inspired to create a free platform that provides said photos.
Though Akihito is aware that it is likely that the images will rarely be used – due to their sheer absurdity – he hopes that the website will be useful for those who need it, or elicit a laugh from netizens who happen to pop by.
Shirtless man eating a watermelon
Image credit: Muscle Plus
As of now, Muscle Plus has over 160 free stock images, all of which feature ripped Japanese hunks going about doing normal everyday stuff – such as a man eating a watermelon while flexing his finely sculpted pecs.
Shirtless hunks demonstrating Kamehameha, a move used by Goku and Master Roshi in popular anime series Dragon Ball.
Image credit: Muscle Plus
In another photo, two muscular men of similar build are having an iconic Dragon Ball-style anime showdown with the show’s signature poses.
Kabedon in action
Image credit: Muscle Plus
Here, the female model is cornered by a macho kabedon (壁ドン) that will make any shōjo manga protagonist blush and go “kyaa~”.
Shirtless man rejected by the woman of his dreams
Image credit: Muscle Plus
But, as demonstrated by the despondent hunk above, sometimes such romantic advances fail, since reality doesn’t always reflect what happens in anime and manga.
Shirtless Japanese man politely exchanging business cards
Image credit: Muscle Plus
And of course, a Japanese stock image repository wouldn’t be complete without an image demonstrating the etiquette of exchanging business cards in a corporate setting.
Image credit: Muscle Plus
Don’t be alarmed if you happen to come across a cardboard box occupied by a muscular man abandoned and in need of a new home.
Image adapted from: Delivery Nagoya
Japan seems to have a deep appreciation for muscles. Just over a few months ago, a sushi restaurant in Japan went viral for using muscles as a promotional tactic. In order to boost falling sales caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the owner engaged the help of his buff friends.
Image adapted from: Delivery Macho
With just a minimum order of ¥10,000 (~USD95.04), customers can get their sushi delivered to anywhere in Nagoya City. Your delivery will come with not just condiments like soy sauce and wasabi, but also a side of a buff man striking bodybuilding poses on your doorstep.
According to Akihito’s post on Twitter, the group is now accepting ideas for new images. If you have any wacky requests or simply want to check out photos of ripped Japanese men, head over to their website and follow their official Twitter account for future updates.
Check out these articles for more funny articles:
Cover image adapted from (left to right): Muscle Plus and Muscle Plus
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