Mana Sakura Explains Why She Continues Writing Despite AV Being Her Main Profession
On February 12, Mana Sakura published her 10th book, “Ano Ko no Kawari” (Kawade Shobo Shinsha). As a unique figure who is both an AV actress and a novelist, she talked in this interview [Part 2] about the themes of this work, such as childbirth and pregnancy, and the relationship between her acting and writing careers.
[Full Version] Mana Sakura Interview (Part 1) — Reflections on Writing a Novel About Pregnancy and Childbirth
Nominated for a literary awards
February also marked the 15th anniversary of her career as an AV actress, and the 10th anniversary of her career as a novelist, cementing her presence as a singular talent in two fields. Even after achieving success as an AV actress, what inspired her to start writing novels?
“I’ve always liked writing, and I used to jot down diaries and columns as a form of relaxation. During an interview, an editor I met asked me, ‘Don’t you write novels?’ — that’s how it started. Looking back now, I’m embarrassed at how low the quality was back then (laughs). I never dreamed that I would continue writing as a career.”
She speaks modestly, but her work has even been nominated twice for prestigious literary awards in the realm of pure literature. Her skill in delicate emotional expression and scene depiction is widely recognized.
“In my early writing, I think I sometimes chose words to sound more sophisticated than I really was. But as I continued publishing, I became more aware that I didn’t need to care about how others saw me, and my writing gradually became more natural. Even now, when my work goes through proofreading, I’m often corrected on Japanese usage, and sometimes I feel like I just want to crawl into a hole (laughs).”
Being Saved Through Writing
At the same time, she also says, “Writing a single novel is no ordinary feat.” Why does someone so highly regarded as the number-one popular AV actress continue to write novels with such intensity? We asked her about the source of that drive.
“What I realized from working in this field is that being an AV actress is a job where you’re constantly exposed to other eyes. People keep labeling you conveniently, saying, ‘You’re this kind of person.’ Going through that repeatedly made me reflect on myself more and more. Perhaps that’s similar to the process of exploring a character’s inner world and putting it into words when writing a novel.”
In other words, the AV actress role is the public face, and writing is the private side. The two professions are two sides of the same coin.
“Personally, I think being an AV actress isn’t just about the time spent filming. It also includes the time spent processing the malice or goodwill directed at you from the world. Even compliments can contain a hint of contempt, so it’s essential to organize myself in my own words.
I don’t think I would have started writing novels if I weren’t an AV actress. Unlike essays, where the author expresses their own thoughts directly, novels let me project my feelings onto other characters without showing myself directly.
Being in a constructed AV world where others tend to define your image, novels allow me to freely express the world I see without exposing my own appearance. That’s what has saved me, I feel.”
For Sakura, writing is indispensable to continuing as an AV actress. It is one of her irreplaceable personal spaces.
“My primary profession is, of course, being an AV actress, but this year marks 10 years since I started writing novels. More people are telling me, ‘Both are your profession, right?’ Still, I love being an AV actress and consider it my absolute main profession. My desire to continue long-term hasn’t changed at all since my debut.”
Writing Every Day, Even Just a Line
How does she balance her primary AV work with the task of writing novels?
“I’ve been exclusive to a single studio, so over the past 14 years, I’ve only released about one AV work per month. Filming takes just one or two days a month. Beyond that, there are event appearances related to my works, variety show appearances, and lately, I’m often invited in a role that combines being an AV actress and a writer. Even so, I make sure to write every day.
Since my schedule isn’t regular, the amount I write varies each day. But when I once had a conversation with Akutagawa Prize-winning author Shinya Tanaka (53), he said, ‘It’s important to write every day, even just a sentence or a single word.’ That advice left a deep impression on me. Since then, I try not to skip daily writing, even if it’s just on my smartphone.”
Her writing habits have also changed significantly over time.
“In the past, I often wrote late at night on a burst of inspiration. But with changes in my daily routine, I gradually shifted to mornings. My mind is sharper in the morning, and my concentration is better. So now, I usually write after waking up and taking my dog for a walk. After lunch, my blood sugar rises, and I get sleepy.”
The More I Get Criticized, the More I Want to Write
She continues writing in order to keep being an AV actress. With a refreshing expression, she spoke about her next work. When asked if she already knows the theme she wants to tackle, she said she wants to write a world I haven’t seen myself. What does that mean exactly?
“So far, I’ve written about AV work, pregnancy, childbirth—things closely connected to my own reality. Since much of my writing has involved picking up and refining the feelings within me, I think it would be amazing if I could write something I’ve never seen at all.
The image I have is like the world of ‘Harry Potter’, where the setting and even the common sense within it are entirely fictional. How can I write a story built entirely from zero, constructed solely in my mind? I think there are things only I could write, but I also want to develop the ability to write as if I were seeing a world I’ve never actually seen.”
Sakura says she always writes thinking, “I pour myself into this every time, so there’s nothing left to write next—this is probably my last novel.” Yet, in the end, she admits the things she wants to write never run out.
“New ideas for things I want to write come surprisingly quickly. It’s strange, but the more people say things to me, the more my interest in others—and in myself—grows. Of course, harsh criticism hurts, but at some point, I start thinking, ‘At this stage, it’s kind of amusing,’ and I become curious about the psychology and reality of the people who throw those words at me. This isn’t meant sarcastically or anything—everyone is, in a way, making me write novels.”
AV actress and novelist: you can no longer talk about Mana Sakura without considering both sides of her work.
On YouTube, you can see the actual interview footage and behind-the-scenes stories that couldn’t be included in the article.
Interview and text： Nanako PHOTO： Takehiko Kohiyama