"net idols" emerged as an offshoot of japanese idols in the late 1990s. the world's first "cyber idol" or "virtual idol" was kyoko date in 1996. she has a fabricated history, statistics, and her own songs. meanwhile, gravure idols (グラビアアイドル, "gurabia aidoru") such as yoko matsugane, rio natsume and eiko koike, net idols themselves, have largely appeared skimpily clad in "cheesecake" photographs.