is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 actress best known for her appearances in pink films. She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was given a "Best Actress" award for her work in this genre of theatrical softcore pornography in 2004.

Life and career

Mayu Asada was born on June 26, 1975 in Shizuoka

Shizuoka, Shizuoka

is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...

, Japan. She was not originally a fan of the softcore pink film genre, considering them to be "dark and terrifying". After a friend introduced her to these theatrically released films, she lost her apprehension of them. She later told reporters that she hoped for women to become a part of the pink films audience. "I know men are seeing them because of their sexual interest," she said, "but even women must not dislike them."

Toshirō Enomoto's Groper Train (2001, released theatrically in Japan as Molester Train: Touch and Surprise, and on video as Summer of Listening Carefully) was chosen as the Best Film, 3rd place at the Pink Grand Prix

Pink Grand Prix

The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public....

. It represented the pink film genre to South Korea at that country's Pink Film Festival Korea in 2007. Reversing the usual format of the "Groper Train" series, Asada plays the role of a female groper and pickpocket who intrudes on the life of her male victim. In his Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema, Jasper Sharp writes that Asada gives the "lightweight, though intricately-plotted, romantic-comedy scenario" a "sparky performance". For her work in the film, Asada was awarded Best New Actress, third place at the Pink Grand Prix.

After having appeared in seven pink films, Asada reported that she had pride in her work. "Many theater audiences give me various impressions. They see movies as important productions, and I feel I am doing something worthwhile." She appeared in episodes 9 and 12 of the NHK

NHK

NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....

 network evening drama (2002–04). She later performed the voice of the character Natsumi Iriya, leader of the Sabel Tigers team in the 2006 TV Tokyo

TV Tokyo

is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...

 / TV Aichi

Aichi Television Broadcasting

Aichi Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd. is a TV station in Nagoya. It is known as "TV Aichi"...

 anime series Air Gear

Air Gear

is a shōnen manga written and illustrated by Ito "Oh Great" Ōgure. Air Gear revolves around the life of Itsuki Minami "Ikki", also known as "Baby Face", "Lil Crow", and his friends. The story follows their use of Air Treks, an in-universe invention derived from inline skates...

.

In 2004 Asada starred in director Tarō Araki

Tarō Araki

is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...

's Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture

Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture

is a 2004 Japanese pink film directed by Tarō Araki and scripted by Yumi Yoshiyuki. Araki directed the film for his own production studio, Tarō Pro, and it was released theatrically in Japan by OP Eiga on March 1, 2004. It won the Silver Prize for Best Film at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony and...

, which won the Best Film, Silver Prize award at the Pink Grand Prix

Pink Grand Prix

The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public....

. Writer-director-actress Yumi Yoshiyuki

Yumi Yoshiyuki

is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...

 was also given the award for Best Screenplay for the film. At the first of the Kansai region Pinky Ribbon Awards

Pinky Ribbon Awards

The are a Japanese cinema awards ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film genre. The award is held by , a Kansai region paper covering the pink film industry. Readers of the paper elect the winners of the awards, which have been held annually since 2004. Honors go to the best three...

, the film won the Gold Prize, and Asada was named Best Actress at the ceremony.

Films

Title	Release date	Director	Studio	Notes
	1999-10-23	Kōji Wakamatsu Koji Wakamatsu is a Japanese film director who directed such pinku eiga films as and . He also produced Nagisa Ōshima's controversial film In the Realm of the Senses...	Wakamatsu Productions	70 min.
Groper Train Chikan densha: sawatte bikkuri!	2001-08-31	Toshirō Enomoto	Shintōhō	63 min. Best Film, 3rd Place Asada, Best New Actress, 3rd Place: Pink Grand Prix Pink Grand Prix The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public....
Hitozuma deaikei saito: otto no shiranai tsuma no seiheki	2002-08-30	Toshirō Enomoto	Shintōhō	63 min. Best Film, 4th Place: Pink Grand Prix Pink Grand Prix The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public....
Nemidare gibo: otto no kaeru maeni...	2003-07-18	Futoshi Sakamoto	Film House Xces	60 min.
Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture is a 2004 Japanese pink film directed by Tarō Araki and scripted by Yumi Yoshiyuki. Araki directed the film for his own production studio, Tarō Pro, and it was released theatrically in Japan by OP Eiga on March 1, 2004. It won the Silver Prize for Best Film at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony and... Mihada kaseifu: yubizemenurashite	2004-03-01	Tarō Araki Tarō Araki is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...	Tarō Productions OP Eiga OP Eiga , also known as is the largest and one of the oldest independent Japanese studios which produce and distribute pink films. Along with Shintōhō, Kantō, Million Film, and Kōji Wakamatsu's production studio, Ōkura was one of the most influential studios on the pink film genre...	60 min. Best Film, 2nd Place, and Best Screenplay: Pink Grand Prix Pink Grand Prix The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public.... Gold Prize: Pinky Ribbon Awards Pinky Ribbon Awards The are a Japanese cinema awards ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film genre. The award is held by , a Kansai region paper covering the pink film industry. Readers of the paper elect the winners of the awards, which have been held annually since 2004. Honors go to the best three...
Shokudō no o neesan inran ni jimi jiru	2004-09-06	Tarō Araki Tarō Araki is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. Including Yutaka Ikejima, Yumi Yoshiyuki and Minoru Kunizawa, Araki is one of the four top pink film directors of Ōkura Productions at the turn of the millennium.-Life and career:...	Tarō Productions	60 min. Pearl Prize: Prize: Pinky Ribbon Awards Pinky Ribbon Awards The are a Japanese cinema awards ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film genre. The award is held by , a Kansai region paper covering the pink film industry. Readers of the paper elect the winners of the awards, which have been held annually since 2004. Honors go to the best three... With Kyōko Kazama Kyōko Kazama is a Japanese AV idol and pink film actress. She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given a "Best Supporting Actress" award in two successive years for her work in this genre in 2006 and 2007.-Life and career:...
Kannō byōtō: nureta akai kuchibiru: kuchisake	2005-01-28	Takumyō Hashiguchi	Shintōhō	63 min. With Lemon Hanazawa Lemon Hanazawa , aka Remon Hanazawa, is a Japanese pink film and AV actress. She has appeared in award-winning pink films such as Lunch Box and Molester's Train: Sensitive Fingers . She was named "Best New Actress" for her work in this genre in 2004, and "Best Actress" second place in 2005 at the Pink Grand Prix... , Kyōko Kazama Kyōko Kazama is a Japanese AV idol and pink film actress. She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given a "Best Supporting Actress" award in two successive years for her work in this genre in 2006 and 2007.-Life and career:... , and Hotaru Hazuki Hotaru Hazuki is a Japanese actress known for her work on the stage and in pink films. She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given "Best Actress" awards at the Pink Grand Prix for her work in this genre two years in a row: in 1995 and 1996...
Shimai: inranna mitsugi	2006-02-28	Toshirō Enomoto	Kokuei Shintōhō	64 min.
Three Naked Sisters: Lewdness Three Naked Sisters: Lewdness is a 2006 Japanese pink film co-written and directed by Yasufumi Tanaka. It won the award for Tenth Best Film at the Pink Grand Prix ceremony. The film was also given a Pearl Prize at the Kansai region Pinky Ribbon Awards... Hadaka no Sanshimai: Inkō	2006-03-31	Yasufumi Tanaka	Shintōhō	61 min. Best Film, 10th Place and Best New Director: Pink Grand Prix Pink Grand Prix The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film. Known as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholars and the general public.... Pearl Prize: Prize: Pinky Ribbon Awards Pinky Ribbon Awards The are a Japanese cinema awards ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film genre. The award is held by , a Kansai region paper covering the pink film industry. Readers of the paper elect the winners of the awards, which have been held annually since 2004. Honors go to the best three... With Sakurako Kaoru 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...  and Yumi Yoshiyuki Yumi Yoshiyuki is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the pink film genre.-Life and career:While studying economics at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki developed a love of film. She debuted as an actress in the pink film genre in 1993 in director Toshiki Satō's...
Monzetsu: hotobashiru aiyoku	2006-10-27	Toshirō Enomoto	Kokuei Shintōhō	64 min.
Passions of a Private Secretary	2006-10-27	Yutaka Ōgi		87 min. Based on Oniroku Dan Oniroku Dan was a Japanese author who had been called, "the most celebrated writer of popular SM novels in Japan." Many of his stories have been filmed, most notably by Nikkatsu studio in their Roman Porno series. Dan had a close professional association with actress Naomi Tani throughout her career... 's writings.

V-cinema

V-Cinema

Japanese is the direct-to-video industry that appeared in Japan in the 1980s. The term is a trademark of Toei Company but is widely used in the West to describe any Japanese direct-to-video release. In Japan the term used is...

Title	Release date	Director	Studio	Notes
	1999-07-23	Futoshi Sakamoto	Engel	68 min.
	2000-04-21	Hisaaki Nagaoka	Museum	70 min.
	2000-05-25	Hito Yūnori	Engel	70 min. With Yōko Satomi Yōko Satomi is a Japanese pink film actress who has also used the name . Variations on the spelling of her name include , , and . She has appeared in award-winning pink films, and was herself given a "Best Actress" award for her work in this genre in 1999 and 2001....
	2000-07-22	与舞平良	TMC	75 min.
	2000-09-21	Hisaaki Nagaoka	Museum	77 min.
	2001-06-22	Takushō Tsunemoto	TMC	78 min.
	2002-03-08	Toshirō Enomoto	InterFilm	62 min.
	2002-10-04	Toshirō Enomoto	Legend Pictures	64 min.
	2003-07-22	Tsurō Kashihara	TMC	72 min.
	2003-10-10	Yūji Tajiri Yūji Tajiri is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the group of pink film directors collectively known as the .-Life and career:...	Legend Pictures
	2003-12-22	Sakichi Satō	TMC	70 min.
	2004-01-09	Hisaaki Nagaoka	Necstacy	73 min.
	2004-06-04	Yūji Tajiri Yūji Tajiri is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the group of pink film directors collectively known as the .-Life and career:...	Legend Pictures	74 min.