Mayu Asada

Mayu Asada (麻田真夕, Asada Mayu) is a Japanese 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.

Mayu Asada
Born	(1975-06-26) June 26, 1975[1] Shizuoka, Japan
Height	1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)

Life and career

Mayu Asada was born on June 26, 1975 in Shizuoka, Japan.[1] 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.[2] 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."[2]

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.[3] It represented the pink film genre to South Korea at that country's Pink Film Festival Korea in 2007.[4] 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.[4] 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".[5] For her work in the film, Asada was awarded Best New Actress, third place at the Pink Grand Prix.[3]

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."[6] She appeared in episodes 9 and 12 of the NHK network evening drama もっと恋セヨ乙女　SEARCHING FOR HER HAPPINESS (2002–04).[7] She later performed the voice of the character Natsumi Iriya, leader of the Sabel Tigers team in the 2006 TV Tokyo / TV Aichi anime series Air Gear.

In 2004 Asada starred in director Tarō Araki's Housekeeper with Beautiful Skin: Made Wet with Finger Torture, which won the Best Film, Silver Prize award at the Pink Grand Prix. Writer-director-actress Yumi Yoshiyuki was also given the award for Best Screenplay for the film.[8] At the first of the Kansai region Pinky Ribbon Awards, the film won the Gold Prize, and Asada was named Best Actress at the ceremony.[9]

References

1. "Archived copy" 麻田真夕のパーソナルデータ (in Japanese). AV Actress Database. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2009-08-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. "Porn closer to mainstream". The Age. 2006-04-26. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
3. "Best Ten of 2001 (２００１年度ベストテン)" (in Japanese). P.G. Web Site. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
4. "Groper Train". pinkeiga.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-01. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
5. Sharp, Jasper (2008). Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema. Guildford: FAB Press. p. 323. ISBN 978-1-903254-54-7.
6. Kato, Yoshihisa (2006-04-27). "Makers of soft-core porn have big dreams". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
7. "もっと恋セヨ乙女　SEARCHING FOR HER HAPPINESS" (in Japanese). tvdrama-db.com. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
8. "Best Ten of 2004 (２００４年度ベストテン)" (in Japanese). P.G. Web Site. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
9. "もろもろ告知 (Various notices)" (in Japanese). Pinky Ribbon Award site. Archived from the original on 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-07-22.

Awards and achievements
Pinky Ribbon Awards
Preceded by New award	Pinky Ribbon Award for Best Actress Mayu Asada 2004	Succeeded by Yumika Hayashi