Hello everyone yfooCollector here with another edition of the JAV News Recap. Just like last month, November didn't have that much exciting things happening, but this month's news becomes a bit more interesting when we read between the lines.

PSA: Beware of scammers using Fake JAV Accounts

Last month I reported on Yua Mikami and Marina Shiraishi having trouble with a troll using fake DMCA takedowns. This time around it scammers are using fake social media accounts of AV actresses, studios and agencies to trick people into their schemes. It seems the volume of these incidents has increased that the Cruse Group agency and Prestige had to issue warnings about it. Even I was almost targeted by this modus operandi when an account impersonating NAX Pro agency, followed me on twitter and sent a DM request, thankfully the impostor account was deleted a few days after I reported the account. 

Cruse Group issuing a statement about scammers using fake accounts of Akari Mitani.

As I said last month, the AV industry finds it difficult to garner support from social media platform due to the nature of the business. Something as simple as verifying accounts could curb the number  these fraudsters but as it stands right now most of the AV affiliated accounts are unverified. With how little support the industry receive from the social media platforms it is likely that these type of scams would continue. I can only advise people to always make sure to verify the accounts specially when interacting with AV affiliated accounts.

SOD is looking for a new exclusive actress

This November, SOD is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Magic Mirror series with a special release under their SOD Star label starring Kanan Amamiya and MINAMO. Along with the anniversary, SOD has also announced an audition for their next exclusive actress with a 10 million yen contract for 5 appearances or just one title for 2 million yen. This audition is similar to last year's Oppai Grand Prix which was won by Kurumi Hanamaru, who went on to become a SOD Star exclusive actress. However, as I was reading through this announcement a thought popped into my head and made me do a little more research into SOD's exclusive actress roster. I found out that SOD has already signed the most actresses this year and yet they are still looking for more.

[SDMM-102] Magic Mirror's 25th Anniversary film starring Amamiya Kanan and MINAMO

The contract details in the audition announcement may give us a clue into how SOD handles their exclusive actresses. In 2021 SOD has already signed 14 girls into SOD Star, their label for exclusive actresses, which is the highest number out of the major studios. Interestingly, 4 of the actresses didn't even last until a year with SOD and these actresses have 6 titles before leaving the studio which lines up with the contract details. Another interesting thing I found is that some actresses left after 12 titles which may indicate that they re-signed a similar contract. Although the departures from the company lines up with the contract length offered in the audition, I still can't help shake the feeling that the recent leaks of unedited films (mostly were SOD titles) may have affected their decision.  
 

Table of SOD Star actress 2021 departures

Now it may seem like I'm making it look like actresses a fleeing from SOD and they are desperately trying to refill their roster, that is only partly true. I think the main reason why SOD has been signing a lot of actresses this year was due to the fact that they have only signed 5 girls in 2020, lowest out of the major studios. With the attrition rate of the studio, if they didn't sign any actresses this year the SOD Star roster would have been in the single digits. It also didn't look good when their mainstay actress Mana Sakura took a four month break from shooting and only started releasing titles again this month. With the abundance of debutantes this year it seems that SOD are at least trying to stabilize their exclusive actress roster.

Idea Pocket's sales campaign includes soon to be delisted titles

This month, Idea Pocket has launched a sales campaign called "We are Idea Pocket". AV studios usually do this types of sales campaigns which incentivize the sales of their old titles by including bonus footage into items sold for sale. This is similar to the last sales campaign held by MOODYZ to celebrate Takahashi Shouko's 5th year anniversary. This campaign runs until early December and usually sales campaigns like this are not really newsworthy, however I found an interesting set of items on sale which lines up with a tweet slipped through the cracks back in August.

Promotional image for Idea Pocket's sales campaign

Back in August, Hoshimi Rika tweeted about finishing some paperwork while drinking through the night, the paperwork being the suspension of sales for AV films that include her. The tweets complain about the process of delisting titles as from stories I have heard it is a slow and arduous process with both sides, AV studios and the actresses, having to deal with a lot of legalese. However an interesting thing about this tweet is that some of Hoshimi Rika's titles with Idea Pocket are included in the campaign. Shiori Kamisaki also replied to the tweet saying she was also in the process of delisting and some of her works were also included. This sale might be some of the last chances to buy their titles  before they are delisted.

[IPZ-217] starring Rika Hoshimi and [IPX-168] starring Shiori Kamisaki

Now do I think that Idea Pocket is scummy for putting up these titles for sale? No, I don't think so. The problem is not the company or the actress' agendas but the process of delisting titles is just a cumbersome one. Hoshimi Rika was even calling out the AV Human Rights Ethics Organization to review the process. AV companies would happily comply to the suspension of sales as soon as possible, as they would rather not risk legal action, but if they are still not required to I see no harm in putting these titles up for sale. 

Other Headlines

Social media and other news

• New AV maker Materiall launches, they only have 4 films right now but I am excited to see new studios popping up.
• Hamasaki Mao announced that she'll try to make her YouTube work. Her channel was created 2 years ago but has mostly been inactive during that time.
• Minori Hatsune becomes active on twitter again after 5 years.
• Arina Hashimoto starts a YouTube channel, it has English subtitles but it seems like it was just Google translated and a little hard to read.
• Saika Kawakita seems to be opening up more as an AV actress this time around. She released her first VR work this month and has her first ever fan event in December.
• Mian Shirasaka's social media accounts mysteriously disappeared but she still has a release slated for December. 

Transfers and Revivals

• Kuriyama Rio transfers to Madonna from Ideapocket.
• Arai Rima graduates from SODkimihore.
• Ami Yozora renames to Himeno Amasaki and changes her agency to Bambi.
• Yume Nikaidou renames to Ai Hongo, she also transfers agencies from Dino to Bstar.
• Hijiri Maihara becomes a Madonna exclusive
• Waka Honomiya cancels her retirement , which she announced back in July, in a live stream with her agency.

Retirements and Announcements

• Uraraka Urarara has announced her retirement from AV as well as announcing her pregnancy.
• Mirei Nitta retired back in July but her lesbian retirement work with Ichika Matsumoto will be released on December.
• Watanabe Mao will take a break from AV in Spring 2022 and reevaluate her career.
• Minami Nagase announced her retirement at the end of the year.
• Retirements: Hinata Mio, Asahi Shizuku