The concept of AV Idol is fundamental to understanding Japanese porn. The industry is very different from the western one. From a first glance, the particular style of the scenes stands out, which are slow, censored and very much oriented towards Japanese preferences. With long kisses, young girls sucking nipples of elderly guys and bukkakes martially executed. But behind these purely aesthetic aspects there is much more.

AV Idol: A new opportunity

Many of the AV idols had more or less successful careers in artistic fields. Singers, models and actresses who see their careers reborn as pornstars. Moreover, Japanese porn is far less physically demanding than Western one; full of double penetrations, violent anal sex and deep throats. It’s quite common for top-level actresses to sign exclusive contracts and be linked to a specific studio throughout their career. Production companies boast of having their own actresses and are used as the main attraction to sell their films.

Post-porn business

In Western porn, it’s unusual for an actress to be successful in the mainstream as well. Probably, due to moralism and our Jewish-Christian heritage, a pornstar cannot be recognized outside her profession. Of course, there are exceptions like Sasha Grey or Skin Diamond. Most commonly, their future as models or actresses is severely hampered. We also have the case of Gauge who denounced discrimination when she returned to the job market. In Japan this obstacle doesn’t exist, or at least is not as decisive. It’s not uncommon to see pornstars on entertainment programs, in TV commercials or working as conventional actresses.

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Last Updated on March 15, 2023