Crystal-Eizou
Encyclopedia
, known in English as Crystal Image or Crystal Video, is a Japanese corporation involved in the production and distribution of adult videos.
s. A number of significant figures in Japanese adult video (AV) history have been associated with the Crystal-Eizou company during its long history. Among these was the innovative and controversial director Toru Muranishi
(村西 とおる) who later left to start his own company Diamond Visual. Muranishi launched the career of Kaoru Kuroki
who debuted at Crystal-Eizou in October 1986 and went on to become Japan's "first high-profile AV actress". Kuroki left Crystal-Eizou to join Muranishi at his new company but a few years later the company found another main draw in Ai Iijima
who debuted with them in 1992 and soon became acknowledged as the top AV actress of her time. Another early AV Idol who performed for Crystal-Eizou was Yumika Hayashi
who appeared as early as 1989 in the video Gansha 6 renpatsu! gaburi hime Hayashi Yumika. The company inaugurated a major new label, Venus, in June 1997.
By December 2007, the company had 23 employees and a capital of 200 million yen (about $2 million) with an annual revenue of 2.6 billion yen (about $26 million). The company President is Tadaharu Nishimura (西村忠治) and the corporation headquarters are in Tokyo
's Toshima ward. Crystal-Eizou operates its own website, Crystal-Online, where DVDs are sold and streaming videos are available through membership. Their video products are also available in a large network of dealers throughout Japan. The website also contains an archive of Crystal-Eizou actress interviews dating back to 2001. The company specializes in single actress featured videos and "big-bust" genre productions.
, Kuki
and Alice Japan
belonged to the group known as Nihon Ethics of Video Association
(NEVA, AKA "Soft-rin" and "Viderin") whose censorship standards were more conservative than those used by the "indie" studios. However, in 2005 Crystal-Eizou left the organization to form its own ethics group—the Japan Video Production Software - Sales Ethics Group (JVPS) or in Japanese 日本映像ソフト制作・販売倫理機構 (Nippon Eizou Sofuto Seisaku. Hanbai Rinri Kikou). The Executive Director of the Tokyo-based organization is Crystal-Eizou President Tadaharu Nishimura.
contest. Their entry Celebrity Debut - Misa Kikoden (芸能人★デビュー！！ きこうでんみさ) labeled OPEN-0706 won the 2nd Place Award in the main contest.
Company history
Crystal-Eizou was founded in October 1984 and was incorporated in June 1985 at a time when home video recorders were beginning to significantly penetrate the Japanese market and actresses were being elevated into 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. A number of significant figures in Japanese adult video (AV) history have been associated with the Crystal-Eizou company during its long history. Among these was the innovative and controversial director Toru Muranishi
Toru Muranishi
is an innovative and controversial director of Japanese adult videos who, in a 1992 Tokyo Journal article by Kjell Fornander, was called "the dirtiest of the industry’s dirty old men"...
(村西 とおる) who later left to start his own company Diamond Visual. Muranishi launched the career of Kaoru Kuroki
Kaoru Kuroki
, is a former adult video performer and a multi-media personality whose role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to La Cicciolina and Dr. Ruth.- Early life :...
who debuted at Crystal-Eizou in October 1986 and went on to become Japan's "first high-profile AV actress". Kuroki left Crystal-Eizou to join Muranishi at his new company but a few years later the company found another main draw in Ai Iijima
Ai Iijima
was a Japanese media personality and AV idol. She belonged to the entertainment agency Watanabe Entertainment until her retirement.-Early life:Born as , she described a troubled early life in her autobiography. She was raped in her early teens, and had an abortion...
who debuted with them in 1992 and soon became acknowledged as the top AV actress of her time. Another early AV Idol who performed for Crystal-Eizou was Yumika Hayashi
Yumika Hayashi
was 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...
who appeared as early as 1989 in the video Gansha 6 renpatsu! gaburi hime Hayashi Yumika. The company inaugurated a major new label, Venus, in June 1997.
By December 2007, the company had 23 employees and a capital of 200 million yen (about $2 million) with an annual revenue of 2.6 billion yen (about $26 million). The company President is Tadaharu Nishimura (西村忠治) and the corporation headquarters are in 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...
's Toshima ward. Crystal-Eizou operates its own website, Crystal-Online, where DVDs are sold and streaming videos are available through membership. Their video products are also available in a large network of dealers throughout Japan. The website also contains an archive of Crystal-Eizou actress interviews dating back to 2001. The company specializes in single actress featured videos and "big-bust" genre productions.
JVPS
As one of the older Japanese AV companies, Crystal-Eizou is counted as one of the "pro" studios as opposed to the more recent "indie" companies. Japanese AV producers belong to one of a number of voluntary ethics organizations which set standards for content and the extent of the mosaic pixelation used to censor the genitals required by Japanese law. Crystal-Eizou and most of the older "pro" studios such as h.m.p.H.m.p. (Japan)
h.m.p. is a Japanese company which is involved in adult entertainment including the production and sales of adult videos and the marketing of adult toys and sex aids.-Company information:...
, Kuki
Kuki Inc.
is a Japanese adult video company which has its headquarters in Ebisu Minami in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo. The company is involved in the production and distribution of videos, satellite and cable TV, and a large internet site, X CITY.-Company history:...
and Alice Japan
Alice Japan
was established on April 4, 1986 as the adult video label for Japan Home Video .-Company information:The early AVs produced by JHV went under the Penguin label, the first title being the 30 minute long softcore Asobinasareya, Tadakurue starring Hidemi Nakajima released May 21, 1984 with...
belonged to the group known as Nihon Ethics of Video Association
Nihon Ethics of Video Association
The , usually abbreviated as Viderin or Biderin , was a Japanese video rating organization. NEVA was founded in 1972 and had its headquarters in the Chūō ward of Tokyo. It was a voluntary organization to ensure adherence to Japanese obscenity laws which prohibit any display of genitals...
(NEVA, AKA "Soft-rin" and "Viderin") whose censorship standards were more conservative than those used by the "indie" studios. However, in 2005 Crystal-Eizou left the organization to form its own ethics group—the Japan Video Production Software - Sales Ethics Group (JVPS) or in Japanese 日本映像ソフト制作・販売倫理機構 (Nippon Eizou Sofuto Seisaku. Hanbai Rinri Kikou). The Executive Director of the Tokyo-based organization is Crystal-Eizou President Tadaharu Nishimura.
Awards
At the 4th Takeshi Kitano Awards held in 2003 for movies released in 2002, the Crystal-Eizou production Battle Without Foreplay? (前戯なき戦い?即入かましてﾖｶですか?) was given the award as the Best AV Title. In 2007 Crystal-Eizou took part in the second AV OpenAV Open
AV Open is a major awards contest for the Japanese adult video industry. It has gone from a limited sales contest in 2006 to become, via its successor the AV GrandPrix, the major Japanese AV award with nearly 100 participating companies competing for the 2009 awards.-AV Open Origins:The AV Open...
contest. Their entry Celebrity Debut - Misa Kikoden (芸能人★デビュー！！ きこうでんみさ) labeled OPEN-0706 won the 2nd Place Award in the main contest.
Labels
Crystal-Eizou has issued videos on various labels over the years:
|
|
Actresses
A number of prominent AV Idols have been featured in Crystal-Eizou videos during the company's extensive history:
|
Ai Iijima was a Japanese media personality and AV idol. She belonged to the entertainment agency Watanabe Entertainment until her retirement.-Early life:Born as , she described a troubled early life in her autobiography. She was raped in her early teens, and had an abortion... Sakurako Kaoru is a Japanese gravure model, AV idol and pink film actress. First coming to prominence as an award-winning AV actress, Kaoru successfully made the transition to the theatrically released softcore pink film genre... Kaoru Kuroki , is a former adult video performer and a multi-media personality whose role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to La Cicciolina and Dr. Ruth.- Early life :... Ai Kurosawa is an award-winning Japanese model and AV idol. She made her debut in the adult entertainment field in 2001, and after appearing in dozens of AVs , she retired in 2006 but made a comeback in 2007.-Early life:... Jun Kusanagi is a Japanese model and AV idol famous for her metric G-cup-sized bust. She has been called "one of Japan's most prolific and popular photo model/AV stars."-Early life:... Marina Matsushima is a Japanese model, adult film actress and AV idol.-Life and career:Matsushima was scouted from her OL job by a talent scout for adult films. She has released movies that focus on her large breasts.... |
Anna Ohura is a Japanese AV performer and model, known for her very large natural breasts. In 2003, according to the Taipei Times, she claimed to have the largest breasts in the Japanese adult film industry... Maria Ozawa , who used the name early in her career, is a former Japanese adult video actress known in Japan as an AV idol.-Early life:Ozawa was born in Hokkaidō, Japan. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Canadian. Since she always attended an international school, she claims that her English reading... Sakura Sakurada is a Japanese actress, model and adult video star who has also used the name for still photo shoots. Her long and prolific career and international recognition mark her as an AV Idol.-Early career - "Uncensored Movies":... Miki 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... Maiko Yuki is a Japanese AV idol, actress, and stripper. One of the top AV idols in the mid-1990s, she was named the "AV Girl of the Year" in 1998. In 2004 Yūki was the star performer in the first Japanese strip show to perform in the People's Republic of China.-Early life:... Maria Yumeno is a Japanese pink film and adult video actress. In 2003, she was called one of Japan's highest-earning AV performers and "probably its most famous." Many of her movies emphasized her large bust and thin body.-Life and career:... |