Athena Eizou
Encyclopedia
is an early pioneering Japanese adult video (AV) production company. They have offices in the Shibuya
ward of Tokyo
, Japan
.
and Hikaru Kitoh (鬼闘光). The VCR and home video market in Japan was still very small at this time and Yoyogi, who has been described as the "Father of Japanese Adult Video", had produced his first adult video just a month before. Japanese adult entertainment audiences, however, were already moving away from the theatrical pink film and Athena Eizou and Yoyogi proved successful. The company's first star was Kyōko Aizome
, called the "first hard-core porn actress in Japan", who appeared in several early releases in the 1980s. In the next decade, "big-bust" actress Mariko Morikawa
made her AV debut with Athena with the July 1994 release Tits Way Too Huge.
In 2010, the company, which is located in Tokyo's Shibuya
ward, had a capital of 10 million Yen (about $100,000) and the CEO was 杉山英寛. Athena Eizou has operated a website Athena Online since April 2003 with an audience derived 84% from Japan and 12% from China. The website has videos available by mail order and by direct download, including a number of works from the early years of the company. The company produces about seven or eight new releases per month on DVD.
s who have appeared in Athena Eizou videos:
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
ward of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Company information
Athena Eizou was founded December 21, 1981 by pink film director Tadashi YoyogiTadashi Yoyogi
is a Japanese director of pink film and adult videos . He is known as the "Father of Japanese Adult Video" and has been credited with establishing the model in his early work for many of adult videos produced since.-Life and career:...
and Hikaru Kitoh (鬼闘光). The VCR and home video market in Japan was still very small at this time and Yoyogi, who has been described as the "Father of Japanese Adult Video", had produced his first adult video just a month before. Japanese adult entertainment audiences, however, were already moving away from the theatrical pink film and Athena Eizou and Yoyogi proved successful. The company's first star was Kyōko Aizome
Kyoko Aizome
is a Japanese erotic actress, singer, AV director, and writer who has been called, "the first hard-core porn actress in Japan."-Early life:Kyōko Aizome was born on February 9, 1958 in Noda Chiba Prefecture. Aizome grew up in a troubled household. Her father was a police officer who beat his wife,...
, called the "first hard-core porn actress in Japan", who appeared in several early releases in the 1980s. In the next decade, "big-bust" actress Mariko Morikawa
Mariko Morikawa
is a Japanese AV idol known for her very large, natural breasts. Though publicity touted her Japanese brassiere size as a 124-centimeter "Q-cup," her premier video stated that she was a 104-centimeter I-cup.-Life and career:...
made her AV debut with Athena with the July 1994 release Tits Way Too Huge.
In 2010, the company, which is located in Tokyo's Shibuya
Shibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
ward, had a capital of 10 million Yen (about $100,000) and the CEO was 杉山英寛. Athena Eizou has operated a website Athena Online since April 2003 with an audience derived 84% from Japan and 12% from China. The website has videos available by mail order and by direct download, including a number of works from the early years of the company. The company produces about seven or eight new releases per month on DVD.
Directors
Several directors have worked with the company over the years:- Tadashi YoyogiTadashi Yoyogiis a Japanese director of pink film and adult videos . He is known as the "Father of Japanese Adult Video" and has been credited with establishing the model in his early work for many of adult videos produced since.-Life and career:...
(代々木忠) - Hikaru Kitoh (鬼闘光)
- Mitchel (ミツル)
- Eitaro Onuma (大沼栄太郎)
- Katsuya Ichihara (市原克也)
- Takehiro Yasuda (安田健弘)
Actresses
Some AV IdolAV Idol
An AV idol is a Japanese idol who works in the pornographic business, often both as an actress as well as a model as the video performances have a wide range, from just the idol strolling around their house doing chores in bikinis to hardcore porn...
s who have appeared in Athena Eizou videos:
- Kyōko AizomeKyoko Aizomeis a Japanese erotic actress, singer, AV director, and writer who has been called, "the first hard-core porn actress in Japan."-Early life:Kyōko Aizome was born on February 9, 1958 in Noda Chiba Prefecture. Aizome grew up in a troubled household. Her father was a police officer who beat his wife,...
- Eri KikuchiEri Kikuchiis an early Japanese AV idol of the 1980s, and one of the first Japanese AV actresses to be known primarily for her large breasts.-Life and career:...
- Yumika HayashiYumika Hayashiwas a Japanese AV idol and pink film actress. She earned the title of "Japan's Original Adult Video Queen" during a 16-year career in which she starred in nearly 200 AVs and appeared in over 180 films...
- Mariko MorikawaMariko Morikawais a Japanese AV idol known for her very large, natural breasts. Though publicity touted her Japanese brassiere size as a 124-centimeter "Q-cup," her premier video stated that she was a 104-centimeter I-cup.-Life and career:...
- Keiko NakazawaKeiko Nakazawa, born September 9, 1965, is an award-winning Japanese AV idol and pink film actress who gained popularity among AV viewers during the mid-1980s. She was described as "the most popular video queen in 1987".- Life and career :...
- Miki SawaguchiMiki Sawaguchi, born September 1, 1975 in Yokohama, Japan) is one of Japan's best known adult video performers. On television she has appeared as a regular cast member on two shows and made several guest appearances on other shows...
- Hitomi ShiraishiHitomi Shiraishiis a former Japanese model, adult video actress, and a movie and TV actress from the 1990s who has been called "the eternal porn queen" and been described as "one of the most popular AV actresses of 1990s"...
- Aki TomosakiAki Tomosakiis a Japanese actress who has made a name for herself in the growing "mature woman" genre of the Japanese AV industry. The Japanese AV industry has awarded her for her work in this genre.-Life and career:...
- Akira WataseAkira Watasewas a popular and prolific Japanese AV idol who retired from the adult video industry in 2005.-Life and career:Akira Watase was born July 2, 1980 in Tokyo, Japan.). Her AV debut was in the May 2000 Media Station Cosmos Plan release, Venus....
Series
Some popular Athena series:- Lewd Performance (いんらんパフォーマンス)
- Psycho Hypnotic Ecstacy (サイコ催眠エクスタシー)
- Secret Sexual Technique (性感極秘テクニック)
- The Interview (ザ・面接)
- Zubotsu Us! (おはズボッ!)