is a Japanese actress best known for her appearances in ''

pink film refers in Japan to movies produced by independent studios that includes nudity (hence 'pink') or deals with sexual content. This encompasses everything from dramas to action thrillers and exploitation film features. Many pink films would be a ...

''s. 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 can refer to: * Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture * Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture * Shizuoka Airport * Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain was a feudal domain under the Tok ...

, Japan. She was not originally a fan of the softcore ''

'' 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 The or is an annual Japanese film award ceremony which recognizes excellence in the pink film genre. Referred to by Miho Toda as the "Academy Awards of the Pink Film", the ceremony attracts a diverse audience of industry personnel, film scholar ...

. 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 , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

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 JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.TV Aichi Aichi Television Broadcasting Company, Ltd. (TVA; ), also referred to as , with the callsigns JOCI-DTV (channel 10) is a Japanese television station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity ...

''anime'' series ''

Air Gear is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Oh! great, serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine '' Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from November 2002 to May 2012, with its chapters collected in 37 volumes. ''Air Gear'' revolves around ...

''. In 2004 Asada starred in director

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 (OP) at the turn of the millennium. Life and caree ...

's ''Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture'', which won the Best Film, Silver Prize award at the

. Writer-director-actress

Yumi Yoshiyuki is a Japanese film director, actress, and screenwriter best known for her work in the '' pink film'' genre. Early life and education Yoshiyuki studied economics at Dokkyo University. Career During her studies at Dokkyo University, Yoshiyuki ...

was also given the award for Best Screenplay for the film. At the first of the

Kansai region The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropol ...

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 ...

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

References

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, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Asada, Mayu 1975 births Japanese film actresses Pink film actors Living people Actors from Shizuoka Prefecture