BREAKING: Rei Kamiki & Mio Ishikawa Had A BLAST With Foreign JAV Fans, Moeka Marui Pulls Down Her X Account But Not Her JAVs

Catch up on the most trending gossip that we had our eyes on in February

Taiwanese JAV fans woke up to an awesome event earlier this month. Something that felt straight out of pop culture rather than your average JAV fan meets. The kind you don’t quite believe happened until the photos start flooding your timeline. Earlier this month, in Taipei felt exactly similar, when SoxSocks, an apparel label, quietly turned a quiet corner of the city into a JAV Disneyland of sorts.

For two days, a modest storefront on a particular street of Taipei became the epicenter of JAV pop culture, selfie booths, and merch drops. All due to a certain SOXSOCKS, a Tokyo-born streetwear label that serves as an unlikely bridge between Tokyo streetwear and JAV stardom, had pulled off something fans outside Japan rarely get besides the usual TRE expo: an in-person encounter with two famous JAV personalities, Mio Ishikawa and Rei Kamiki, right in the heart of Taiwan.

Hate to admit but for a moment, it almost felt unreal when the announcement first dropped. Mio Ishikawa, the poster girl of Moodyz, opened for the label on January 31. The following day belonged to Rei Kamiki, freshly crowned Magic Mirror’s 25th Anniversary Grand Prix winner, who had already made quite a name for herself in the industry. Imagine when the collective fanbase of both of these actresses raided the venue.

The setup, as expected, was jam-packed. Earlier on Saturday morning, fans lined up early as Mio’s first session ran from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by a second stretch that carried on until mid-afternoon. Sunday was sort of a similar story for Rei, whose calm presence contrasted sharply with the nervous excitement of fans clutching tickets like golden passes. At the peak of the event, it felt less like a merch drop and more like a mass fan encounter.

What elevated it beyond a standard meet-and-greet were the benefits these tickets provided. This wasn’t just about snapping a quick photo and being ushered out. Depending on how deep the pockets these fans had, they walked away with signed merchandise, special acrylic standees, and, most coveted of all, direct interaction with their favorite JAV actress. At least they saved up on the plane tickets, the sort that tends to eat up on the budget.

Behind the scenes, the organizers went all in to blur the lines between fashion and adult culture. Not that the label hadn’t already flirted with it before, collaborating with names like FR2, artist Boku Nou, YouTuber group Hera Hera Sanshimai, and even JAV studio Soft On Demand. Bringing JAV idols to Taiwan felt like the next big thing for the brand.

I couldn’t help but notice how natural it seemed. A brand that understood exactly what kind of market it was tapping into by allowing the fans to meet the actresses. For a brief second, it almost felt like how far JAV has traveled beyond its traditional borders.

SOD Create’s Class of 2022 actress, Moeka Marui, has officially hung up her heels, leaving quite a few fans feeling dejected.

If our readers remember her debut with SOD Create back in May 2022. Moeka was signed as an exclusive to the label, the kind of signing that signals long-term plans and careful grooming. For a while, she stayed exactly where she was expected to be, with steady releases and being grounded. Then, late last year, things began to feel… off. Moeka’s releases had shrunk to a level that was beyond comprehension. And then, finally, on January 30, the inevitable announcement dropped.

Moeka made it clear on X that she was retiring. Putting an end to the ‘air of mystery’ surrounding her career. She even went on to mention that her official X account would be deleted around her final JAV event scheduled for March 14. But weirdly enough, at the time of writing this column, the account has already gone. On X, it reads, “This account no longer exists.”

In the now-deleted statement, Moeka added a few details that only deepened the intrigue. She mentioned she’d be scaling back her work as a hostess at Reddragon, the premium hostess establishment where she’s been a regular. The reason? It’s primarily a daytime job, and she planned to work only about once a week. A curious phrasing, considering most retirees talk about stepping away, not reducing shifts. Moreover, she announced an “expedition” of sorts to Sendai and said that she would be canceling any designated reservations as a result.

What struck me most in her statement is that there was no mention of the industry. No talk of regret. In fact, nothing suggested she wanted her JAV work erased. Quite the opposite, there was no indication she planned to delete her catalog or disown her past. That alone tells me this isn’t an involuntary exit.

So what made her leave so abruptly?

The prevailing theory is that her parents may have discovered her adult career. It’s a tale as old as the industry itself, and one that often compels performers into quick, decisive pivots. Add to that the contractual reality: she can’t simply pivot into gravure under the same name, as well.

And that’s why there may be room for a comeback.

So yes, her fans should be optimistic, as something tells me Moeka’s story is far from over.

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