AI Sexy Actresses: Rescuing Japan’s Adult Entertainment Industry Amid Changing Times

The year 2011 was a year of excitement over AI, and a year of being at the mercy of AI.

Whether it was a gospel for the future or a Pandora’s box that must not be opened remains to be seen, but in 2012, changes continue to occur in various industries in response to the changing times and the evolution of AI. The adult industry, which is one of the first to reflect the trends of the times, is also undergoing changes.

Adult media researcher Rio Yasuda, who supervised the “Adult Media Yearbook 2024: Report on the Great Sexual Flux Shaken by AI and Regulations,” speaks of the following.

The year 2011 can be said to be the year when the structure of the adult industry was destroyed. First of all, the so-called “New AV Law” was enforced in 2010, and AI has evolved explosively to the point where even the general public who are not PC enthusiasts can handle it. In addition, changes in distribution made it possible for individuals to release adult videos, illustration collections, 18-rated manga, etc. as doujinshi, and this created a large market. For a long time in the adult industry, there was first a company – or manufacturer – that made the product, and the manufacturer had a monopoly on sales and distribution. On top of that, there was the world of doujinshi. Naturally, the quality of the manufacturer’s work was higher, and because they had secured distribution channels, their products were widely available, and sales and the market were large for a long period of time.

However, with the implementation of the “New AV Law,” new restrictions were put in place, and as a result, the number of products that could be expressed decreased, and the risks involved in selling adult media became greater. The speed of releases has also slowed down. On the other hand, although doujinshi are also bound by the law, they are produced by individuals or small groups, so they were not affected as much as the major companies. Actresses also did not make money by appearing in makers’ productions. If they want to make a profit, they should participate in doujinshi or create and sell their own works. The situation has completely changed from a decade ago.

The “New AV Law” refers to the “AV Appearance Damage Prevention and Relief Bill. The main problem is that the new law requires “a period of one month or more after signing a contract” for the filming of adult videos. It is believed that the longer the contract is kept, the more chance there is for the actress to change her mind about performing. The regulation of “invalidation, revocation, or cancellation of contracts” is also a major blow to makers. The regulations also allow for the suspension of distribution and sales of works at the will of the performers.

The adult DVDs that are still in circulation are subject to recall, which is a major blow to the industry, and the retailers who sell them screamed, “This is the end of the adult DVD culture.

AI has made a dashing appearance in Japan’s adult scene, which has undergone drastic changes as a result of the new AV law. AI has made it possible to do what has become impossible due to changes in the times and regulations, and a “completely new type of illegal adult video” has been created.

It is called “mosaic destruction. What this means is that AI analyzes the mosaic part and restores it predictably. Realistic images of genitalia are created and inserted into the mosaic. There have been some arrests, However, it is because they destroyed the mosaic of adult DVDs with mosaic on the market and sold them, and they should not be judged by the current law as long as they enjoy destroying mosaic privately. This is significant. Because it makes no sense for the mosaic to be put in by the manufacturer. Laws that stipulate ‘mosaic must be inserted’ and the form of sales may become a skeleton.

The evolution of AI is giving rise to a new trend: AI Sexy Actresses, the idea being that if the new AV law makes it difficult to secure actresses and creates the risk of recalling works, why not use actresses who do not exist in the real world?

Mr. Yasuda continues.

In 2011, h.m.p. debuted Ai Kibana under the slogan “the world’s first AI sexy actress. At the moment, the AI is only for her face, not her whole body, but the level of perfection is high at this point, thanks to the fact that a Korean manufacturer that specializes in AI spent a year on this project. Since capital and technological capabilities are required to utilize AI at this level, it will be difficult for the doujinshi community to take advantage of this technology, and major companies will probably take the lead in promoting the technology.

At the moment, it is still at the stage where it is attracting attention from people who like 2D and early adopters of VR, but I can’t imagine how far it will spread or evolve in the future. I think it will be difficult before the end of the year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if AI sexy actresses surpass real sexy actresses next year.’ In 2005, accusations by actresses who were forced to perform in porn became an issue, and a framework was created whereby unless it was recognized as ‘proper porn’ it could not be sold through regular channels. At that time, too, there were cries of, ‘This is the end of the AV industry. Nevertheless, the AV industry overcame the situation. In my book, various experts talk about the current adult media. I hope you find it of interest.”

In the past, adult videos helped popularize the VCR. It is said that the adult media produced by the adult industry is “a mirror of the times. This is probably because the desires of the times are given form as they are. If you know what is happening in the adult industry, you may be able to know the future one step faster than others.

Click here for Yasuda’s book → “Adult Media Yearbook 2024: Report on Sexual Upheaval Shaken by AI and Regulations” (East Press)