Behind the Mosaic: JAV Actresses and Mental Health

Published : June 26th, 2025 Written by jmsorry

On May 8, S1 exclusive actress Miru Sakamichi posted two tweets that made her fans worry. In a tone that's markedly different from her usual cheery tone, she tweeted:

"If I work so hard and it didn't sell, I think I'm going to quit AV. I think I've been working so hard, more than any other actress. I may not be able to beat talent, but I want to show everyone one day that hard work can win out over talent. It's frustrating."

"My breasts are not huge, my figure isn't outstanding, my skin is beautiful, I am not the kind of pretty that attracts attention. I've lived my lived being told so many things like, "why is this girl so popular?" There are many times when I feel frustrated, I wonder why, but I manage to keep on smiling and to do my best, but there is still so much to do, and recently there have been so many times when I've thought maybe I think it might be impossible to continue. But seriously, why am I so troubled? Why am I still working hard? It doesn't make sense, does it? Well, I'll still do my best."

While fans are left speculating what may have triggered these self-critical outbursts, it is obvious that Miru is not feeling well.

Miru Sakamichi's tweets become more concerning if you consider her career's current status. Despite being in the industry for almost 7 years, Miru remains as one of the most popular actresses in the industry. Among hundreds of actresses, she ranks among the top 30 to 50, ahead of big names such as Ai Hongo, Nanami Kodama, Riri Natsumori, and others. She is still one of S1's most popular talents, and mind you, S1 is considered the top destination for actresses who want an exclusive contract and a glamorous image. Miru's career isn't anything but a success.

And yet, Miru-chan feels that none of that is enough.

Unfortunately, this is a common, but not much talked about side about being a JAV actresses. While many think of a JAV career as easy bread, it comes with a heavy toll on one's mental health. Apparently, even successful models such as Miru Sakamichi are prone to self-doubt, anxiety, and other possible mental health issues.

Let's talk about some of the things that lay heavy in the minds of these actresses, so that we may also understand where they are coming from.

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Miru mentioned that her breasts are "not huge" and her figure is "not outstanding." Of course, she is clearly underselling herself, but we also get her point. Miru-chan has a flatter figure compared to her stablemates in S1. But let's get something straight: Miru is an above-average specimen of a woman, by any other standards. Moreover, she is a top-notch performer.

However, some fans are talking about a "titflation" (tits + inflation), as it seems that more and more debuting actresses are coming into the industry with gigantic tits. Moreover, a lot of actresses such as Tsukasa Aoi, Ai Hongo, and many others have chosen to augment their frontal assets, even if their natural breasts are not actually. This is sad news for fans of flat tits out there, but it also affects actresses, because many are "nudged" to "improve" their bodies and follow a certain standard.

However, complying with these unrealistic standards is part of the deal of any talent. This is because being a JAV actress means your body is your livelihood. They are expected to look perfect, always. Actresses like Miru may have been thinking, "just attractive" is not enough. One must be symmetrical, ageless, and ultimately, unreal. An actress is supposed to look like a fantasy that doesn't age, sag, or get sad. They are not just selling sex. They're selling an image of perfection that barely exists, even in real life.

This is becoming even more difficult, as AI has entered the scene and is projecting even more fantastical representations of the human body. Actresses are not only competing against other actresses, but also against artificially created images.

Of course, this is part of the job. Still, it is difficult to sever one's professional life from one's actual self. Many actresses become hyper-aware of their appearance. It's actually quite common for actresses to be obsessed with their weight, at the expense of their physical health.

Social media actually makes this worse, as actresses are compelled to be their work selves outside the studio. It becomes difficult to know where the performance ends and where your real self begins.

Moreover, it must be remember that this isn’t just about vanity. It’s about survival. Once your appearance strays from the fantasy, the work dries up and the fans move on to the next new material.

Of course, some people will say that porn is a business that makes wealth off fantasy, and there is nothing wrong with "improving your assets." But I think it's fair to say that not all fans like huge tits, not all fans like a coke body. Many fans would love a Miru Sakamichi as she currently is.

Moreover, some actresses also expressed that being a JAV actress has a good side, too. In her book The Japanese Porn Industry Unmasked: An Insider's Guide, JAV bombshell Kaho Shibuya said:

“Working in the sex industry actually helped me accept my body.. Being a big-chested woman was difficult in my job as a reporter. I would get in trouble for ‘being sexy’ even if I wasn’t trying to show it. As a JAV model, there’s something freeing about showing off your entire body on purpose.”

Therefore, working in the JAV industry has a complicated effect on the actresses' relationship with their bodies. Fans should know best to respect actresses, their choices, and their bodies, regardless of the kind of fantasy they are inclined to consume.

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Like any other industry, the JAV industry is a business, and the actresses are the primary commodities. The point of any video, after all, is to sell, and to sell a lot.

With the rise of digital platforms and social media, the demand to self-promote is relentless. Actresses are expected to engage with fans, build a personal brand, and constantly produce content to stay visible.

JAV actresses are rewarded based on factors like their popularity and the financial stability of the company offering the role. For example, the new-ish company Faleno offers higher-than-average pay to attract well-known actresses in the industry. After the offer is made, half of it goes to the agency. The remaining half is taxed, and what remains is the actress' take-home pay.

Kaho Shibuya revealed that from 2014 to 2018, minimum offers range from ¥500,000 ($4,500) per film for a feature actress and ¥100,000 ($900) for a freelancer. Project actresses get much lower. However, freelancers are free to shoot (and earn) as much as they can, as long as there are offers.

So, what happens when the numbers drop? Most actresses try to change things up and do more extreme stuff. In an interview with Arisa Hanyu, she mentioned that if an actress initially listed anal as NG or not within the contract, doing one will usually result to a higher fee. The novelty of an anal video can also result into more sales.

However, higher sales are not always a guarantee.

Since a typical JAV career will not last long, the pressure to strike whilst the iron is hot is higher among actresses. Hard work that does not translate to good sales can be depressing for any actress.

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Hundreds of new actresses enter the industry every year. Granted, only a very small number of them stay and try to make a career out of it. But the sheer number of talents make success elusive, even for the prettiest and most talented actresses.

But keeping up with the industry's pace not only heightens the pressure to create, but also to create constantly. Social media has become crucial to promoting one's brand and keeping people interested. Losing your momentum can mean a dip in income, or even the end of one's career.

READ ALSO: JAV Actresses and the Art of Comebacks

When your career is built around visibility, staying seen becomes a survival skill. And in an industry this fast-paced, visibility is fragile.

In a world of instant gratification and constant novelty, longevity is rare, and the fear of being left behind is real. The fear can definitely affect one's creativity, confidence, and joy in one's work.

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In an interview with the Youtube channel Asian Boss, Emiri Okazaki shared some insightful experiences she had while working in the JAV industry. She shares:

"We were making quite a lot of sales in the beginning, but it's not like you have videos coming out all the time. And there are always new girls coming into the industry, so the number of sales dropped. The income that you make decreases while the type of porn you do gets more extreme. And yet, the results don't seem to improve."

As with the any other industry working with content, quantity and novelty are the rules of the game. Whatever video becomes a hit, you have to make lots of it. And once the viewers get tired of your old content, you slowly explore more and more niche content to try and keep their attention.

However, doing extreme content is also more physically challenging for an actress.

This is why pacing is also important in building a JAV actress' career. Many actresses start by doing very vanilla videos. Other kinks such as creampies, cum swallowing, and gangbangs are slowly unlocked (lifting ban) to keep fans interested.

This is also why becoming an exclusive actress is a goal among some actresses. While most actresses go the freelance way, preferring to shoot as many videos as they can in a month, a select few can be signed as exclusive actresses by a particular studio. This means that an actress can only shoot with one studio. This comes as a contract that is signed between the actress and the studio. The actress gets paid, along with other perks, without working their asses off day in and day out. Usually, exclusive actresses like S1's Nanami Kodama or SOD's MINAMO only have to release one video per month.

Exclusive actresses have more control about the kind of contents they release. This is why big actresses like Shoko Takahashi did not release a single gokkun video and why Yua Mikami seems to have released the same video every month. They have more power over their image because they are more popular. Sadly, this is not the case for the majority of JAV models.

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JAV actresses often face a unique and harsh social stigma, from public judgment to personal isolation. They tend to get stereotyped as being promiscuous, morally questionable, or unworthy of respect. This can be emotionally taxing, affecting their mental health and relationships.

For example, retired actress Koharu Suzuki used to mention the difficulty of navigating judgements about her life on her personal blog. An S1 exclusive prior to her sudden disappearance, Koharu is beloved by her fans for her openness in discussing her personal difficulties.

However, in an interview with the channel The Japan Reporter, retired actress Mikako Abe shared that public opinion on JAV actresses is now slowly changing. She mentioned that people "have less and less prejudice against pornstars." Even her relatives were supportive of her chosen career.

Of course, this still depends on one's social circle, but it is nonetheless good news that more people are becoming less judgmental of JAV actresses and their line of work.

Still, pornography is still an unusual career to pursue, so we can't expect the general public to suddenly become less tolerant of the industry. Mainstream morality and religious beliefs will always look at all things sexual with disdain. All of these can affect a JAV actress' sense of safety in the world.

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Conclusion

Kaho-chan, in her book, mentioned that she:

"..heard stories about how a while back, actresses would sometimes try to crawl out of windows to escape from filming sessions, or lock themselves in the restroom and refuse to come out. There’s much greater concern for the mental health of actresses these days, and production companies have found ways to deal with the emotional rollercoaster an adult film actress can find herself on."

This, along with the increase in awareness among the general public about mental health, should be good news for people who want a safer JAV industry. After all, the best way to show gratitude to our beloved actresses (aside from buying their work), is to treat them with respect, and to make them feel safe and comfortable, in and out of a performance.

What do you think about JAV actresses and their mental health? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!