catharsis (kə-ˈthär-səs) - n. purification or purgation of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art.

Catharsis.  It's a heavy word, and is an internally disruptive process.  I like to think of it this way: a mechanism for expressing strong, raw feelings that leads to an emotional relief, resulting in a positive change to a person's life.  Aristotle mused that the best tragedies that result in catharsis evoke fear and pity to the audience, which can come from undeserved suffering.

So, what is suffering?  It's probably not what I felt when the latest box-cover beauty tricked me into watching her painfully unsatisfying debut, and wishing I had placed a paper bag on my head instead.  No, that's just disappointment.  Suffering involves a level of loss, pain, or distress.  Suffering, in its truest form, was when I learned Aki Sasaki had made her last video.

In the world of JAV, actresses who play MILF roles must be multi-faceted in order to truly shine in the top echelon of AV stars.  Not only do they need to meet the bar with a beautiful body and pretty face, they also need to be able to tow the fine line of "mature-enough but not old" to be convincing as a cougar.  A lot of that comes down to their ability to emote, to perform in a way that engages the viewer to suspend their disbelief.  

AV plots aren't complex, but NTR and MILF films are the Greek tragedies in the industry.  Aki Sasaki was one of the few girls who could look sad, forlorn, and reluctant in her best performances.  Her calm, knowing smile never failed to captivate fans.  She played a variety of roles during her prolific career (see Fried Chikan's Actress Spotlight for more), but she was at her finest with storyline-heavy NTR.  When she left, I scrambled to try to find all of her best works I still hadn't seen, in order to wean myself off one of the best stars ever to grace the screen.  

And for a while, things were fine.  Yui Hatano and Ayumi Shinoda were still around, and I took comfort in knowing that they probably wouldn't disappear anytime soon.  Then, the pandemic hit.  At home everyday, with hours alone to myself, my mind occasionally wandered back to Aki.  She was like an old summer fling -- I never truly appreciated her till she was gone.  All that was left were sweet memories that would be harder to recall over time, until only a feeling remained.

Ayumi Ryo

I'm not sure when I first noticed Ayumi Ryo.  I'm pretty sure I took a glance at her debut with SOD Create (she initially was known as Ayumi Miura), but she didn't really stand out initially.  She was a pretty face, and her sex performance was nothing special.  In fact, her first six films with SOD Create under the "Real Wives" label were lackluster.  Yes, Ayumi could take a good pounding and look pretty good while doing it, but that simply isn't enough when it comes to MILFs.

When she joined Madonna, I immediately took note of the improvement in quality of her works.  She lost a little bit of weight (for better or worse), her makeup gave her facial features a more chiseled look, and most importantly, she was finally given the opportunity to act.

URE-057 A MILF Shobou Publication: I'm Going To Bang My Favorite Aunt

“I’m glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan.”

— Ultron

There is a good reason why Iron Man, the Avengers, and other movies in the MCU were so successful: they were adapted from decades of fantastic comic book storylines.  The characters and their relationships with one another were dynamic and evolved over time, and that human element was relatable to the viewer.  Along the same lines, manga communicates to the audience through well-drawn cells and great writing.  Adapting erotic manga to live-action provides the added benefit of a good script and a solid baseline for choreography.

This movie was no exception.  Milf Shobou, the creator of the original manga, blogged with excitement on Livedoor about Ayumi's ideal portrayal of the Aunt in the film.  I was impressed with the production quality.  The outfits were accurately represented from the manga, and the sets were built with a meticulous eye; even the pattern on the carpets matched!

Ayumi's performance was captivating.  From the annoyed flick of her eyes as she knelt down to give a blowjob, to the worried expression as she realized she was being blackmailed, and her tortured ahegao look while being fucked silly kept my eyes riveted to the screen the entire time.  The chemistry between Ayumi and Shinji Oozawa really sells the audience on her frightful, desperate descent into depravity and eventual acceptance of her sexual awakening.  I feel like he was a little too much of an asshole in this one, he could have switched it up towards the end to reciprocate Ayumi's caring nature.  Then again, there is no catharsis without tragedy, and his lust to claim ownership of Ayumi's body WAS the intent of the story.

You know that feeling when you eat a steak taco (soft corn tortillas, of course) without squeezing a lime over it first?  It's missing that bit of acidity that elevates the dish and completes the entire experience.  Drama was the keystone that brought everything together for Ayumi's career.  

I started to draw parallels with Aki Sasaki -- I mean, their bodies are very similar, and if you put them side-by-side, they could pass for sisters, right?  Come to think of it, Aki also started with Real Wives under SOD Create, and her debut wasn't anything special either.  They both did movies with Madonna shortly after a run with Real Wives, the only difference being that Ayumi appears to be exclusive to Madonna.  My guess?  The studio knew what Ayumi could do, saw the similarities to Aki, and couldn't risk losing a sure thing.

JUL-285 I Might Be Able To Pop My Cherry Tonight

“Why is the forecast so bland? Why instead of 'stormy' don't they just say the sea's 'a frothing maelstrom of terror and hopelessness'?”

― Jeremy Clarkson

This, at first glance, seems to be a simple love story.  And it is, don't get me wrong.  A rookie entrepreneur running a food truck meets Ayumi, an older woman who works in advertising.  They get to know each other, he makes his move, and they live happily ever after.  Nuance, however, is the spice to life.  It allows us to reveal unexplored sides and reach depths that we would never have seen on the surface.  

While watching this film, I started noticing the little things.  Like Ayumi's dazzling, toothy smile -- it radiates an unencumbered happiness that also brings out the cute beauty mark next to her bottom lip.  The way her nose wrinkles when she's amused.  And her eyes, large pools of dark infinity that you can lose yourself in if you stare at them too long.  The plot is a slow burn, and gives the viewer enough quiet time to really enjoy Ayumi's performance.

She embraced the role of nurturing older sex teacher and got along well with Yuki Yuzuru, who is always typecast for the inexperienced male roles.  I enjoyed the patient, almost glacial pace of the first sex scene.  Every movement, every word, every gasp was thoughtful and deliberate.  She delicately danced around the bed with the grace of a ballerina, and though the sex is pretty vanilla in this genre, Ayumi radiates a hot, sensual energy.  It's a creative reimagining of the "coming of age" film for those folks who don't like the forbidden aspects of other MILF movies in the genre.

JUL-186 I Can't Tell My Wife I Got Her Parent Pregnant...I Banged My Wife's Parent Raw While On An Overnight Hot Springs Trip

“It's all overrated, man. Sex is only a great thing if you're not getting any.”

― Charles Bukowski

No Nut November is a hilariously stupid idea.  Intentionally blue-balling yourself with no outlet for release always results in terrible decision-making.  The brain fog when you're extremely horny is how I feel before that first cup of coffee in the morning -- I could skip it, but I like to be able to remember things, like how to say words and put on clothes.  

JAV is the only domain where this concept can be tossed on its head. Prolonged abstinence?  Profit!  Getting it on with your hot in-law because your wife fell asleep and isn't interested in making a baby -- the plausibility is a huge stretch.  While I watched, I realized only Ayumi could make this ridiculous plot work.  She played the dutiful guardian, eagerly encouraging her uninterested daughter to produce a grandchild.  But when the sexually frustrated male lead turned his attention to her instead, Ayumi is challenged to deal with her own inner conflict after the initial shock.

Ayumi expertly unpacked her emotional baggage for the viewer; you see the exact moment when the switch flipped in her mind and she tossed off her demure facade.  The curiosity and surprise in her eyes when she tested the waters with a kiss, and the cognitive dissonance that followed with her "I'm saying no, but I mean yes" approach to the scene drew me in completely.  The final scene closes her character's arc as she allows herself to give into her desires, regardless of the consequences.  

The sex is pretty hot, and Ayumi looks great semi-clothed in a yukata.  I would have liked to see them get wet and wild outside to introduce a little more variety.  However, production quality overall is high, with realistic (but small) sets and there's just enough world-building to get invested in the characters.

In Closing

I'm going to say it: Ayumi is exceptional, a hidden gem who deserves the spotlight.  The combination of her beauty, dramatic skill, and sexual performance puts her at the top for me.  Aki Sasaki might have been more prolific in her prime, but with more time and titles under her belt, Ayumi might even surpass Aki.  As long as she continues on her streak of fantastic dramatic AV, my MILF bucket will remain full, and that relief brings me a satisfying catharsis.