Akiho Yoshizawa

Akiho Yoshizawa (Japanese: 吉沢明歩, Hepburn: Yoshizawa Akiho), often known simply as Acky (あっきー), is a Japanese former adult video actress (AV), who also appeared in pink film and mainstream (non-erotic) film, as well as television. With a career spanning over more than 15 years and over 1000 adult film appearances, Yoshizawa was widely renowned as one of the most famous and recognizable faces in Japanese adult entertainment, with an appeal that managed to cross over into mainstream entertainment as well.

Akiho Yoshizawa
吉沢明歩
Akiho Yoshizawa, in 2017
Born (1984-03-03) March 3, 1984[1]
Tokyo, Japan
Other namesAcky
Years active2003–2019
Height1.61 m (5 ft 3 1⁄2 in)

She started her AV career in 2003 with the companies Alice Japan[2] and Max-A, and in 2007 she transitioned to studios Maxing and S1 No. 1 Style[3] appearing alongside with other famous AV actresses like Yuma Asami, Mihiro, Sola Aoi or Megu Fujiura. She was also a member of the idol group Ebisu Muscats between 2008 and 2013. Yoshizawa announced her retirement from AV in late 2018, and her final adult films were released in March 2019.

Life and career

AV debut—Alice Japan & Max-A

Yoshizawa was born in Tokyo, Japan on March 3, 1984[4] and made her first appearance as a gravure idol in the Kodansha company's Young Magazine (ヤングマガジン) in 2002.[5] In February 2003 she posed for gravure photos by Hiroyuki Yoshida (吉田 裕之) released as the photobook Akiho (あきほ) (ISBN 978-4754215507).[6] A month later, Yoshizawa made her AV debut in March 2003 under contract to two studios, Alice Japan and Max-A.[7] Her first video as an AV performer, Angel, was released by the Alice Japan label in March 2003.[7] Her second video 18-Teens was made for the Max-A Samansa in April 2003, and she continued alternating performances between the two studios through the middle of 2006 usually making one movie a month.[8] Among her early videos was the July 2003 incest-themed My Sister Is an AV Idol for Alice Japan directed by sometimes mainstream director Rokurō Mochizuki.[9] For her work in her first year in AV, Yoshizawa was nominated for the Best New Actress Award at the 2003 X City Grand Prix Awards[10]

Pink film & TV

In addition to her hardcore AV videos, Yoshizawa has also appeared on TV and in mainstream movies and softcore V-Cinema and pink films including the August 2004 horror movie Koibone[11][12] which was later (June 2005) released as a DVD by Taki [THD-14161][13] and the December 2004 pink film Picture Book of a Beautiful Young Girl: Soaked Uniform.[14] Yoshizawa's TV appearances include the TV Tokyo production Jōō (嬢王) which aired in 12 episodes from October to December 2005. Fellow AV Idol Sora Aoi was also in the show.[15][16] Yoshizawa returned in a special guest appearance in the 2009 sequel to the show Jōō Virgin (嬢王　Virgin).[17]

She also starred in the 2005 pink film Fascinating Young Hostess: Sexy Thighs which was ranked as the Best Film of the year at the 2006 Pink Grand Prix.[18] Yoshizawa won the third Best Actress award at the same ceremony for her role in the movie.[19] In an interview,[20] Yoshikawa said she first met the director of the movie, Tetsuya Takehora, when he directed her in a V-cinema production Erotic Fountain (エロビアの泉) for the TMC studio in 2006.[21] She was given a Best Actress award for her work in the pink film genre at the 2006 Pinky Ribbon Awards.[22]

Along with two other idols, Mihiro and Kaho Kasumi, Yoshizawa also ventured into another medium with the 2005 UMD format video English Cram School where the three actresses give lessons in English. The softcore video, published as GBTU-002 by Success, is for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP).[23] Another PSP video and game was the December 2006 All Star Yakyuken Battle, a striptease version of "yakyuken" or "rock-paper-scissors" where Yoshizawa joined with AV actresses An Nanba, Kaho Kasumi, Kaede Matsushima, Mihiro, Ran Asakawa, Rei Amami, Sora Aoi and Yua Aida. The game and video were released for the PSP and in Blu-ray for the PS3.[24][25]

In 2006 Yoshizawa starred in the historical costume drama set in the Edo period, The Inner Palace: Indecent War, released by Max-A under the DoraMax label in July 2006. In addition to the hardcore video (labeled DMX-001),[26][27] the movie was also released in a shorter softcore R-15 rated version (Pure Max PMX-005). A sequel The Inner Palace: Flower of War was also released in hardcore (DoraMax DMX-002)[28] and softcore (Pure Max PMX-006) versions.

Maxing & S1

By the end of 2006 Yoshizawa was no longer making adult videos for Alice Japan and Max-A and began working for two new AV companies, Maxing and S1 No. 1 Style.[8] She appeared in her first video for the new start-up studio Maxing, Sell Debut Love Acky,[29] in that company's first set of videos released on October 16, 2006.[30] She debuted with S1 in January 2007 with Hyper-Risky Mosaic Akiho Yoshizawa directed by Hideto Aki.[31] She has been active with both studios since, appearing in about one movie a month for both studios.[8]

Yoshizawa's work in AV for the 2007 year was acknowledged by several awards. One of her S1 videos, the May 2007 release Hyper Risky Mosaic - Special Bath House Tsubaki, featuring S1 stars Sora Aoi, Honoka, Yuma Asami and eight others was the studio's entry for the 2007 AV Open contest where it took the 1st Place Award.[32] [33] Yoshizawa also won the Best Actress Award at the 2007 Vegas Night and her S1 video Hyper-Risky Mosaic Akiho Yoshizawa took the 2nd Place Award.[34] In another media, she was a nominee for the Best Actress Award for her 2007 appearances on adult Channel 902 (Midnight Blue) on satellite TV broadcaster SKY PerfecTV! at the 2008 Adult Broadcasting Awards ceremonies.[35] The next year, at the December 2008 Moodyz Awards, a competition among 37 AV production companies sponsored by Japan's largest AV distributor, the Hokuto Corporation, she won the 2nd Place award for Best Actress.[36] Her tenure at S1 also marked the beginning of her close friendship with Yuma Asami as the pair went on to co-star several films over the next few years (until Asami's retirement from AV in 2015).

Mainstream film and other ventures

In another genre, Yoshizawa played the female ninja (kunoichi) Kasumi in the erotic action V-Cinema September 2007 release Lady Ninja Kasumi Vol.4 (Kasumi: Tanjou! Sarutobi Sasuke) based on a manga by Youji Kanbayashi and Jin Hirano.[37]

From April 2008 she was a cast regular on the late night TV Osaka variety show Please Muscat (おねがい マスカット, Onegai Muscat) which also included other S1 actresses such as Sora Aoi, Yuma Asami, Rio (Tina Yuzuki) and Mihiro singing and performing comedy skits.[38]

She was a member of the first incarnation of the idol group Ebisu Muscats between 2008 and 2013.[39]

In May 2008 she appeared in the mainstream science fiction comedy Shin supai gâru daisakusen known in English as Spy Girl's Mission Cord #005 where she played an evil alien seductress.[40][41] She had a major role as Makoto in the September 2008 mainstream drama Hanky-Panky Baby about a group of young people trying to make a movie.[42][43] It was also released as a DVD in November 2008.[44] According to an interview at the time of the movie's release, part of her character's experiences in the film overlapped with some of her own life. She also said she enjoyed acting in mainstream movies and TV but thought that her AV work was also important.[45]

Later that year, Yoshizawa starred as a woman driving a dekotora or "decorated truck" inherited from her father in the October 2008 action film Deco Truck Gal Nami.[46] The film spawned three V-cinema sequels starring Yoshizawa and "an entire genre of 'Lady Trucker' films in Japan."[47][48] An English-language version of the original film was released through Switchblade Pictures in December 2013 as Big Bad Mama-San – Dekotora 1.[47]

In an erotic manga-based V-cinema, the November 2008 TMC release Irokoishi : Horo-hen kabuki-cho zecchotaiketsu!! (艶恋師 放浪編 歌舞伎町 絶頂対決！！), Yoshizawa plays the heroine Rie. In this third installment in the Irokoishi series (called in English Irokoishi3: Wandering—Kabukicho Ecstasy Battle!!), Rie is the victim of erotic hypnosis by the evil Ishida and is rescued by the hero Kikunosuke using his superior sexual techniques.[49][50] Also in 2008, Yoshizawa starred as the title character in the V-cinema science-fiction fantasy Maid-Droid which was subsequently (January 2009) released theatrically by Shintōhō Eiga.[51] In 2010 Yoshizawa was selected to star in the inaugural episode in the "Scary Erotic Ghost Stories" (エロ怖い怪談) series of videos combining horror and eroticism.[5]

In 2015, she starred in the Korean thriller film Maze: Secret Love (Korean: 미궁:비밀애; Migung: bimirae).[52]

A former highschool judo competitor herself, Yoshizawa has several ties to Japanese professional wrestling. Wrestler and mixed martial artist Alexander Otsuka has revealed himself as a fan of Yoshizawa,[53] while All Japan Pro Wrestling held a special "Akiho Yoshizawa Cup" at an event sponsored by S1 No. 1 Style on January 22, 2010, which was won by the team of Keiji Mutoh, Masakatsu Funaki and S1 Mask under the management of Yoshizawa's usual coworker Megu Fujiura.[54]

Later AV career, retirement and post-retirement activities

Yoshizawa continued making AVs and at the end of 2010, she starred in her first 3D adult video, Maxing 3D! for the Maxing studio.[55] Adult videos in this format for the 3D televisions produced by Sony and Panasonic had first appeared in June 2010.[56] A month later, in January 2011, she appeared in another 3D video, 3D Evolution - New Dimension, this time for S1, which had pioneered the genre.[57]

When the major Japanese adult video distributor DMM held a poll of its customers in 2012 to choose the 100 all-time best AV actresses to celebrate the 30th anniversary of adult videos in Japan, Yoshizawa finished in third place.[58] Yoshizawa's video for Maxing, Masochistic Lascivious Lady Akiho Yoshizawa, won the Best Program Award at the 2013 Adult Broadcasting Awards ceremony held in February 2013.[59] On April 16, 2015, she starred in Akiho Yoshizawa × MAXING100 Work Memorial, her 100th original AV with studio Maxing, directed by Aohige Daigo, thus becoming the studio's longest working actress.[60]

Yoshizawa continued her consistent and prolific output in the 2010s as well and by 2018 she made appearance in over 1000 adult film titles (including compilations).[61] On October 1, 2018, Yoshizawa announced on her blog that she would retire from the AV scene in March 2019.[62] In the same month, S1 released S1 X Idea Pocket. 2 Actresses Under Exclusive Contract Star Together In This Extravaganza! in which Yoshizawa co-starred with fellow popular AV idol Jessica Kizaki.[63]

Yoshizawa started her last fan meet-up tour on January 12, 2019, which is set to end on March 31, 2019, concluding her 16 year long AV career.[64] Her last AV with S1, THE FINAL, Akiho Yoshizawa AV Retirement was released on March 7, 2019, a two-disk release featuring 4 hours of content and a retirement documentary on a separate DVD.[65] Yoshizawa's final adult film AV Complete Withdrawal ~ FINAL SEX ~ Yoshizawa Akiho by studio Maxing was released on March 16, 2019.[66] Her farewell meet-up was held on March 31, 2019.[67]

Since her retirement from AV, Yoshizawa has been working as a special counselor at the Aria Roppongi Men's Clinic and started her own podcast Akiho 'Acky' Yoshizawa-The Radio (吉沢明歩のあっき～the Radio！), hosted by Apple Podcast.[68] In an October 2019 interview, Yoshizawa hinted at becoming a romance novelist[69] and on February 28, 2020, she conformed on Twitter, that she's in the process of writing her first novel, which she intends to publish in the future.[70]

On March 28, 2020 Yoshizawa published her autobiographical novel "16 Years as an AV Actress", which details her career and her personal experiences in the adult film industry.[71] She also started her own Youtube channel in the same year.

Filmography

References
  1. Infobox data from 吉沢明歩 (in Japanese). Official Blog. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  2. "Akiho Yoshizawa Bud Of An Angel". www.javlibrary.com. 2019-04-01.
  3. "Unbanned x Barely Censored Hyper Barely-Legal Mosaic Akiho Yoshizawa". R18.COM. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  4. 吉沢明歩 (in Japanese). Official Blog. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  5. セクシー女優・吉沢明歩が挑んだエロホラーの中身 (in Japanese). ZakZak. June 26, 2010. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  6. あきほ―吉沢明歩写真集[アダルト] [単行本] [アダルト] (in Japanese). amazon.com. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  7. "2003" (in Japanese). AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Archived from the original on 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2011-11-08.
  8. "Akiho Yoshizawa 吉沢明歩". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  9. "My Sister Is an AV Idol". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  10. "選挙運動始めます (Election Campaign Begins)" (in Japanese). Hatena: Diary. October 28, 2003. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  11. 吉沢明歩 (in Japanese). JMdB. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  12. "Koibone (2005)". IMdB. Archived from the original on 5 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  13. "Koibone Theatrical Feature". www.cdjapan.co.jp]. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  14. 美少女図鑑 汚された制服 (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  15. 嬢王 (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  16. "Jyou Ou Cast" (in Japanese). www.tv-tokyo.co.jp]. Archived from the original on 2008-06-14. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  17. "Cast" (in Japanese). www.tv-tokyo.co.jp. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  18. "Best Ten of 2006 (２００６年度ベストテン)" (in Japanese). P.G. Web Site. Archived from the original on 2012-08-05. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  19. Toda, Miho (2007-05-08). ""Pink" Films Seen with Great Excitement on the Shinbungeiza Theater's Big Screen! The Academy Awards of the R-18 Film "19th Pink Prize" (新文芸坐の大スクリーンで観る"ピンク"な映画に大興奮！ R-18映画のアカデミー賞こと＜第19回ピンク大賞＞は立見続出!!! - Shinbungeiza no dai screen de miru "Pink" na eiga ni daikofun! R-18 eiga no akademiisho koto "Dai 19kai pinku taishō" wa tachikenzokushutsu!!)" (in Japanese). www.walkerplus.com. Archived from the original on 2009-01-04. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
  20. "R18 LOVE CINEMA SHOWCASE VOL.3公開記念: 女優・吉沢明歩インタビュー (Interview with Akiho Yoshizawa)" (in Japanese). www.walkerplus.com. 2007-06-06. Archived from the original on 2009-01-03. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
  21. エロビアの泉 人に言えない性のムダ知識 (in Japanese). www.dmm.co.jp. Archived from the original on 28 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  22. "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.
  23. "English Cram School". NCSX. Archived from the original on 2009-07-08. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  24. "All Star Yakyuken Battle [UMD-Video]". NCSX. Archived from the original on 2009-02-26. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
  25. "All Star Yakyuken Battle [Blu-Ray Disc]". NCSX. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
  26. "The Inner Palace: Indecent War". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  27. "The Inner Palace - Indecent War". AV Idol Directory. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  28. "The Inner Palace: Flower of War". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  29. "セル初 Love Acky！" (in Japanese). www.maxing.jp. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  30. Otsubo, Kemuta (October 20, 2006). 今年最後の大物メーカー・ＭＡＸＩＮＧ登場 (in Japanese). AllAbout. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
  31. 解禁×ハイパー×ギリギリモザイク ハイパーギリギリモザイク (in Japanese). www.s1s1s1.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  32. "2nd AV Open Results" (in Japanese). www.dmm.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  33. "JAV News - Are There Japanese Adult Video Awards Like AVN Awards in USA?". JAV News. August 26, 2008. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  34. "VEGASNIGHT 2007" (in Japanese). DMM. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  35. "Actresses 2008 Awards" (in Japanese). spbb.jp/adult-award. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  36. "Moodyz 年末感謝祭 2008" (in Japanese). DMM. Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  37. "Kasumi: Tanjou! Sarutobi Sasuke (Lady Ninja Kasumi Vol. 4)". www.sazuma.com. Archived from the original on 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  38. "JAV stars Maria Ozawa and Sora Aoi host Osaka TV Variety show". Japan Sugoi. March 20, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  39. https://www.ebisu-muscats.com/first-member/yoshizawa_akiho/
  40. "Shin supai gâru daisakusen (2008)". IMdB. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  41. 「新・スパイガール大作戦」ＭＩＳＳＩＯＮ　ＣＯＲＤ＃００５ (in Japanese). newspygirl.j-movieplanet.com. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  42. 窓辺のほんきーとんく (in Japanese). MovieWalker. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  43. "Madobe no honkîtonku (2008)". IMdB. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  44. "【DVD】窓辺のほんきーとんく" (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
  45. ""Wake me is to show skin" of "acting school AV actress" Akiho Yoshizawa" (in Japanese). Cyzo. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
  46. デコトラ・ギャル奈美 (in Japanese). MovieWalker. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  47. "Switchblade Pictures Licenses Big Bad Mama-San - Dekotora 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  48. デコトラ★ギャル奈美 (in Japanese). AllCinema. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  49. 映画版「艶恋師」携帯公式ホームページ (in Japanese). www.irokoishi.com. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  50. "Irokoishi". J-Pitch Japanese Film Database. Archived from the original on 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  51. 老人とラブドール　私が初潮になった時… (in Japanese). P.G. Web Site. Archived from the original on 2009-02-23. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
  52. "미궁:비밀애' 요시자와 아키호-키시 아이노, AV스타들의 한국 공략". Segye Ilbo (in Korean). 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  53. Onegai! Muscat, Episode 19, August 12, 2008
  54. "All Japan Pro-Wrestling Results: 2010". Purolove. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  55. "MAXING 3D! 吉沢明歩". AV Idol Directory. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  56. Yasu, Mariko & Maki Shiraki (June 2, 2010). "Porn Stars in 3-D Lure Consumers to New Sony, Panasonic TVs". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  57. "3D EVOLUTION 進化した立体映像で魅せる新次元セックス" (in Japanese). www.s1s1s1.com]. Archived from the original on 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
  58. "AV女優★人気投票" (in Japanese). DMM. Archived from the original on 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  59. "2013年の受賞者". Adult Broadcasting Awards. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  60. "吉沢明歩×MAXING100作品記念 新人 吉沢明歩". Maxing (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  61. "Videos/Videos On Demand/Adult Movies/Akiho Yoshizawa". R18.com. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  62. "Akiho Yoshizawa to retire from porn after 15-year career". Tokyo Reporter. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
  63. "エスワン×アイポケ 2大専属女優が超豪華共演!絶対に連続射精させちゃうW痴女テク逆3Pハーレムスペシャル" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  64. "Akiho Yoshizawa final tour and dates". Twitter. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  65. "THE FINAL 吉沢明歩AV引退" (in Japanese). S1 Number One Style. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  66. "AV完全引退 ～FINAL SEX～ 吉沢明歩★マキシング". www.maxing.jp. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  67. "Akiho Yoshizawa's farewell meet-up". Twitter. 2019-04-01.
  68. "Apple Podcast内の吉沢明歩のあっき～the Radio！". Apple Podcast (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  69. "吉沢明歩が恋愛小説家に？ 「会いにきて、私を肌で感じてほしい」 レジェンドと呼ばれた元セクシー女優が引退後に告白！". おたぽる. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  70. "Yoshizawa's first novel conformation". Twitter. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  71. "単体女優　ＡＶに捧げた１６年 (日本語) 単行本（ソフトカバー）". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 5 October 2020.

Sources
Awards and achievements
Pinky Ribbon Awards
Preceded by
Yumika Hayashi		 Pinky Ribbon Award for Best Actress
Akiho Yoshizawa
2006		 Succeeded by
Rinako Hirasawa
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.