Examining the lack of male porn stars in Japan

TOKYO (TR) – After reading a newspaper article that reported on the dearth of male AV (adult video) stars in Japan, Fujio Ishigaki, a producer at TBS Radio, set out to find the reason.

Within the publication R25 (Aug. 30, 2007), he writes, “I found out that many guys are leaving the industry since they cannot keep up with the hard schedule — this is in spite of getting laid everyday.” Given this, he wonders: How is the industry capable of churning out so many films?

For some answers he turns to producer Ryutaro Hayashi of production company Soft On Demand. “The number of actors has not changed,” assures the producer. “But the industry is now in an upswing, and we cannot keep up with demand and maintain an appropriate number of actors.”

Ishigaki confesses that since there are so many types of AV pictures being issued he has a difficult time deciding what to watch. “At the same time, every guy dreams of being a porn star at some point in his life,” he laughs. Ishigaki then inquires with Hayashi on a few particulars.

How many guys seek to become porn actors?

Hayashi: About 500 per year, with around half applying as a joke. In the end, only three to five will make the cut.

What type of person is ideal?

Hayashi: A guy who is capable of taking control of himself under any circumstances is perfect since he will not always be able to work with actresses of his preference. That is the biggest challenge. Guys will fantasize about their favorite ladies when they have to work with actresses who are not their type. In fact, a couple of days ago I saw one particular actor on the set staring at his make-up artist.

Now on the verge of tears, Ishigaki admits that he only rents DVDs featuring actresses he desires — seemingly a luxury, he now realizes, given the great effort these actors exert in ensuring they perform their jobs satisfactorily.

In a bid of solidarity, the writer then wonders if he should start renting DVDs based on the actor. Then he sighs: Ah, never mind…