Is JAV loosing its edge?

Is JAV losing its edge?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 32.5%
  • No

    Votes: 14 35.0%
  • Only in some areas/ genres

    Votes: 13 32.5%

  • Total voters
    40

blah13

Active Member
Mar 22, 2010
96
110
There once was a wise sage, known to his followers only as Jugulear. During a conversation, this wise sage suggested that I share my rant on the forum.

Is JAV losing its edge?

I have noticed a trend in JAV, where all the studios seem to be slowly distancing themselves from incest, r*** and some of the more extreme stuff. Although tons of movies are still being made, Ive noticed small changes in the renaming of tags on the sites of the studios and other websites like r18. r*** is now reluctance and incest is now relatives. A lot of sites have removed the mom/mother tag and only left the stepmother tag. Even if you look at the JAVs themselves most of them are now stepmother titles, the actual mother son titles have either been merged with the stepmother series or have disappeared completely.

Ive also noticed several changes even in the quality of the films that are coming out. Now more than ever it feels like everything is stale and that every title that comes out is the 7th or 8th in a series. Even directors who were excellent at making some of these movies have now started working on softer stuff. The directors changing in my mind has had a bad effect on these types of films, the pacing, camera work, lighting and plots have suffered. Most importantly the majority of performances by all the actors have become utterly bland, emotionless and not believable at all which for me is an instant turn off. It feels like even when a new performer comes in and does well she is immediately moved onto another genre, leaving only amateurs to fill in for them. Somehow it feels that all the things that once made these films so much better than the western pornos is slowly being lost.

Its a strange situation for me as an observer. It seems like a lot of the smaller western porn producers and pornstars are trying to emulate certain aspects of JAV. Western porn by and large ignored a large mass of people because of the lack of variety. In the last few years, more and more small studios have started making stuff that is closer to some JAV in terms of plot and genre. When you look at some of the stuff by people like Rachel Steele or Jodi West and those that followed. It seems like they are now trying to carve out an audience for themselves that the bigger studios have overlooked. Although themes like incest, superheroes and so on have been in some western porn before, the tone of these films has changed over the last few years and started to become slightly more like the JAVs we are all so familiar with.

Not that any of this makes a huge difference right now, but the pessimist in me sees this as a rather strange change in position by the studios and these websites. The JAV industry is what it is, because it embraced and thrived on all these taboos that were socially unacceptable.

I wonder if something is going on in Japan that is causing this sort of caution in the industry, or maybe its just sales related? Perhaps those of you in Japan and/or the JAV industry could shed some light on this. Is this is a temporary phase or a sign of the direction that the industry wants to go in?

I would love for you guys to share your thoughts on the matter as well.
 
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pikuseru

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
774
522
It's still "r***" on DMM, isn't it? Changing of the "r***" tag on R18 to "reluctant" might have something to do with this:

http://www.theatlantic.com/internat...you-much-jail-times-sexual-assault-us/355228/
 

blah13

Active Member
Mar 22, 2010
96
110
Was this actually passed? I hate it when politicians find soft targets to show what a 'good' person they are. This thinking is no different from the PMRC mentality towards musicians in the 80s. Its such an easy target that no sane person would bother to defend publicly.

On the other hand I doubt its something that would change the behaviour of Japanese porn creators. I would imagine only a local issue could force them into readjusting their stance.
 

pikuseru

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
774
522
I hate r*** porn. I'm all for getting rid of it. I wouldn't call it losing its edge. I'd call it focusing on making better sexual fantasies.

Luckily, the entire porn industry doesn't revolve around just your fantasies. Stop being so selfish and thinking about yourself all the time.
 
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paparoach408

Akiba Citizen
Jun 14, 2012
1,010
714
r*** and Incest are probably two of the biggest themes, they might go away from calling them that but the themes will never go away It would kill a lot of companies, and sales if they ever did. The Jav industry is going through a kinda weird spot right now where they can't take risk because of accusations, and arrest it'll stabilize again once it passes.
 
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Barthoi

New Member
Jul 24, 2015
19
14
Personally, I like a lot of movies whose theme is infidelity, betrayal and cuckolding. I just feel that the films seem to end before the final hour. They could focus more on the "after" of infidelity, especially the naughty behavior of women.
I do not like r*** movies, but It's ok which are associated with the cheating wife.
This is my answer in order to participate. tks
 

Supmop

Akiba Citizen
Oct 23, 2012
3,955
1,904
I wonder if something is going on in Japan that is causing this sort of caution in the industry, or maybe its just sales related? Perhaps those of you in Japan and/or the JAV industry could shed some light on this. Is this is a temporary phase or a sign of the direction that the industry wants to go in?

I would love for you guys to share your thoughts on the matter as well.

from what I learned recently not only r*** and incest theme, but a lot of outdoor sex videos has been cancelled and pulled out from the market too, I believe its like Inertia has mentioned in this forum, its related to ethic companies, the rules in JAV became very strict

I don't know it would be temporary or not, but whats happened already give significant effect, Moodyz has hold or maybe stop their mega project Bako Bako Bus tour :(

and it would not be a surprise if in the future the "r***" actions in JAV will be a lot more soft
 

paparoach408

Akiba Citizen
Jun 14, 2012
1,010
714
from what I learned recently not only r*** and incest theme, but a lot of outdoor sex videos has been cancelled and pulled out from the market too, I believe its like Inertia has mentioned in this forum, its related to ethic companies, the rules in JAV became very strict

I don't know it would be temporary or not, but whats happened already give significant effect, Moodyz has hold or maybe stop their mega project Bako Bako Bus tour :(

and it would not be a surprise if in the future the "r***" actions in JAV will be a lot more soft

r*** going soft kills many companies, it's not going to happen outdoor stuff is likely the only thing to get affected in any major way
 

Casshern2

Senior Member...I think
Mar 22, 2008
6,879
14,253
Luckily, the entire porn industry doesn't revolve around just your fantasies. Stop being so selfish and thinking about yourself all the time.
Wow, he was just adding his opinion.

Here's mine: I don't like r*** porn so I don't watch it. I don't care if others do. I don't care if studios produce it, that's their right. And the consumer has the right to want it. This also means I wouldn't care if the studios stopped producing it for any reason. Porn is completely subjective with regard to what one likes. There's no better subject than porn to be completely selfish with.

Also, the Edge is subjective. They make some crazy stuff in JAV. All the things I like are going strong in terms of titles being released. The thread title is a bit broad to bash other's opinions. In my opinion, liking the things I like, JAV is not losing its edge.
 
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blah13

Active Member
Mar 22, 2010
96
110
Wow, he was just adding his opinion.

Here's mine: I don't like r*** porn so I don't watch it. I don't care if others do. I don't care if studios produce it, that's their right. And the consumer has the right to want it. This also means I wouldn't care if the studios stopped producing it for any reason. Porn is completely subjective with regard to what one likes. There's no better subject than porn to be completely selfish with.

Also, the Edge is subjective. They make some crazy stuff in JAV. All the things I like are going strong in terms of titles being released. The thread title is a bit broad to bash other's opinions. In my opinion, liking the things I like, JAV is not losing its edge.

I know the thread title is a bit broad, but the r*** genre in itself has a lot of subgenres if you can call it that. The variation comes into play in terms of characters and themes. Since this is what I watch, it is where Ive noticed the change. If I were to watch something else I would have no Idea where it stands in terms of quality, which in a way was the point of this thread. I wanted to know if other genres which Im not familiar with also experience these changes or because of the subject matter dont have to make these changes.

It is always easier to be all for the removal of something that you arent particularly into. I for one am not into a lot of stuff that is made. Personally there are tons of films that I really can not stand, but that doesnt make me supportive of attempts to remove or subdue any genre. BDrake is entitled to his opinion, but the idea of sacrificing one genre for a "better sexual fantasy" in another is completely subjective. Besides that, there is no guarantee that the people who work on one genre will be any good at understanding another. Especially if they arent into it. While he might not like r***, one look through these forums will tell you that there are plenty who do like it and that opinions on what is a better sexual fantasy do vary from person to person.

Also this conversation isnt something that applies only to this one genre, as was mentioned by Supmop even outdoor videos are suffering at the moment. The problem with this sequence of events is that you never know where it will stop. The article shared by Pikuseru, shows a certain mentality from politicians that could easily move beyond r*** and into things like bondage and so on.

When I speak of edge (again based on the stuff that I watch) I dont mean only in terms of how provocative the plot or theme is but also in terms of a decline in the quality of performances. A clear example of this in my mind are the Acquirement Komi titles directed by Kitorunekawaguchi. These JAVs are all based of various popular Hentai doujin. For a long time they were each one of them, very well made. When these films started coming out there was a clear step up in quality on all fronts, perfomances, visuals, audio and the pacing. But for a while now there has been noticeable drop in quality. With this series in particular it could just be fatigue, one director making too many films. But the timing of this decline moving in parallel with these other changes is what got me thinking about all of this.
 

Inertia

Akiba Citizen
Apr 2, 2015
1,292
1,132
Everyone I talk to in the industry says rules are stricter now for harder content, but at the same time it's still being made so it's a kind of confusing situation. :)

r*** and scat and incest is just as common now as it was before I think. R18/DMM may have removed r*** and incest tags for some reason, but titles with that theme are still being made in big numbers. Remember people, this company may be the elephant in the room, but it's not the entire industry. There's a crapload more VOD sites like them in Japan selling content with many studios opting not to put their wares on DMM due to strict rules (and more importantly) less-than-generous revenue sharing deals.

Personally, if the participants are all over 18 and consent to the production, I'm fine with pretty much anything outside of premeditated irreparable physical harm (ie, a production where a participant wants a body part chopped off or something).

Public nudity as Supmop mentioned has received a huge blow, but hopefully it's temporary. As it stands now, studios who want approval by Ethics companies can't do *any* outside filming that involves 'play' of any kind (clothed interviews are fine). Of course you DON'T need Ethics approval and can theoretically just sell on your own and in smaller shops/sites so there's that.

I do agree with the OP in some regards: money nowadays for studios is tighter than ever thanks in part to the modern-day 'sharing' vs 'buying mentality. Some of those older and more grandiose productions cost big bucks and are too risky nowadays to produce.
 

pikuseru

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
774
522
Wow, he was just adding his opinion.

Here's mine: I don't like r*** porn so I don't watch it. I don't care if others do. I don't care if studios produce it, that's their right. And the consumer has the right to want it. This also means I wouldn't care if the studios stopped producing it for any reason. Porn is completely subjective with regard to what one likes. There's no better subject than porn to be completely selfish with.

You don't care if there is no more r*** porn, but he DOES care. That's the difference. It's not enough for him to simply ignore porn he doesn't like, he wants other people to not be able to enjoy that porn either. Being selfish is not enough, we have to be spiteful as well? I don't understand that mentality at all.
 

Casshern2

Senior Member...I think
Mar 22, 2008
6,879
14,253
@blah13 Agreed. It could be lack of enthusiasm on the part of the director, actresses, production crew...budget restraints...political pressure. Maybe they're finally running out of ideas/steam. Maybe the Japanese audience, their first and foremost target audience, is changing what they want to see and they are just giving to them. Who knows. I guess I should count myself lucky my genres and sub genres seem stable so far.

Cheers
 

lraiden

Active Member
Sep 11, 2009
222
173
Actually what I hate is the growing trend of nakadashi Porn. Seems like 6 out of 10 movies are Nakadashi. Also hate the use of overworked male actors who can't give the girls a few drips instead of a good spunking!
 

Casshern2

Senior Member...I think
Mar 22, 2008
6,879
14,253
You don't care if there is no more r*** porn, but he DOES care. That's the difference. It's not enough for him to simply ignore porn he doesn't like, he wants other people to not be able to enjoy that porn either. Being selfish is not enough, we have to be spiteful as well? I don't understand that mentality at all.
You got me there, pal. Let's see if he clarifies what he said, but I took his first two sentences to be separate as answers to his next two sentences. I'm hoping his "all for getting rid of it" was rhetorical.
 

Supmop

Akiba Citizen
Oct 23, 2012
3,955
1,904
r*** going soft kills many companies, it's not going to happen outdoor stuff is likely the only thing to get affected in any major way

yes I'm aware that, but still making the hard r*** means very high risk their videos will pull out from the market or can't release in big market like dmm ?

Actually what I hate is the growing trend of nakadashi Porn. Seems like 6 out of 10 movies are Nakadashi. Also hate the use of overworked male actors who can't give the girls a few drips instead of a good spunking!

I don't mind for nakadashi, as long they don't use fake dick and fake cum

tentacle sex are much worst
 
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Supmop

Akiba Citizen
Oct 23, 2012
3,955
1,904
Everyone I talk to in the industry says rules are stricter now for harder content, but at the same time it's still being made so it's a kind of confusing situation. :)

r*** and scat and incest is just as common now as it was before I think. R18/DMM may have removed r*** and incest tags for some reason, but titles with that theme are still being made in big numbers. Remember people, this company may be the elephant in the room, but it's not the entire industry. There's a crapload more VOD sites like them in Japan selling content with many studios opting not to put their wares on DMM due to strict rules (and more importantly) less-than-generous revenue sharing deals.

Personally, if the participants are all over 18 and consent to the production, I'm fine with pretty much anything outside of premeditated irreparable physical harm (ie, a production where a participant wants a body part chopped off or something).

Public nudity as Supmop mentioned has received a huge blow, but hopefully it's temporary. As it stands now, studios who want approval by Ethics companies can't do *any* outside filming that involves 'play' of any kind (clothed interviews are fine). Of course you DON'T need Ethics approval and can theoretically just sell on your own and in smaller shops/sites so there's that.

I do agree with the OP in some regards: money nowadays for studios is tighter than ever thanks in part to the modern-day 'sharing' vs 'buying mentality. Some of those older and more grandiose productions cost big bucks and are too risky nowadays to produce.

thanks for sharing your opinion

do you get any infos regarding to Moodyz's Bako Bako Bus tour from peoples in the industry ?
 

lraiden

Active Member
Sep 11, 2009
222
173
I find myself watching American porn more lately. It use to be JAV was much better. Now U.S porn is more tempting. The non story stuff is great now in U.S porn! However, with JAV, the movies with story (Like FA series) are way better than American ones though, and like when SOD and Rocket do cool stuff like invisibe man or game shows etc. So JAV is not quite dead since once in a while there are some good material. Also, in JAV there is no stupid over acting or filler lesbian crap like I see all the time in American porn with stories (As seen in Wicked studios etc).