ZENRA Exclusive Interview: Ayaka Tomoda

Ayaka Tomoda, active in the JAV industry since 2009, tells ZENRA about herself in this exclusive interview: from her personal experience as an actress, to her ambitions and the change of exclusivity between agencies and studios, ending with her recent dubbing experience in the video game franchise Yakuza, the actress allowed us to sift through and take a look at the life of an established, successful star with great career prospects on the horizon. You can find Ayaka Tomoda's socials here and her FanCentro here. Please enjoy the interview, and let us know what you think about it in the comments!

[ZENRA] How did you get involved in the industry?  Did you advance through ‘water trade’ jobs?
[Ayaka Tomoda] I was scouted!  I’ve never had a job in the ‘water trade’.

[Z] Out of all the movies you’ve done, which was the most enjoyable?  The least?  Why?
[A] I can remember nothing but enjoying all of them.  However, I have had the most fun when working on drama productions.  This doesn’t factor in weather.  I remember a time we were filming outside in the middle of winter with snow on the ground.  It was incredibly cold and trying.

[Z] How has the environment on set changed since COVD-19 began?
[A] Shooting was only halted for one month.  Nowadays, before we enter the studio proper, everyone shows a clean PCR test, has their temperature checked, disinfects their hands, etc. before filming can actually begin.

[Z] Would you ever want to appear alongside a foreign actor?
[A] I haven’t had the opportunity to yet, but if it comes up in the future, I’d be interested.

[Z] How long do your shoots normally take?
[A] They generally take an entire day.  I’d arrive at the studio around 8AM and we’d finish up at 9 or 10PM.

[Z] With more and more people producing media on their smartphones, do you think Japan will see an increase in individuals releasing their own content rather than going through an agency?
[A] I think it’s great some people are doing it all on their own on their phones no less.  However, there is the added support an agency provides both from a safety and legal perspective.

Check out the trailer of DLDSS-053 here:

[Z] Speaking of agencies, what do you consider to be the pro’s and con’s of them?
[A] Pro:  If there is any trouble—any at all—they’ll be there to help you out. Con:  None.

[Z] Do you watch JAV for enjoyment?  What about western porn?  If yes for either, what do you watch?
[A] I watch a lot of JAV.  I don’t really have a specific genre either.  I’ll usually just watch what’s popular.  I haven’t ever seen a foreign adult video, but I’d like to.

[Z] If you had the opportunity to direct a movie with an unlimited budget, what would it be about?
[A] A documentary JAV that really shows the real personalities of the actresses.

[Z] Are you able to separate the sex and pleasure you may feel on set with the same sensations you feel in private?
[A] It’s totally different.  Sure, there are aspects of the physical pleasure that may be the same, but at the same time I’m on a set with people filming.  I have to be in certain positions.  I have to be in certain angles, posing in certain ways.  It takes a lot of thought.  In private,  I don’t have to worry about any of that.

[Z] Do you have a boyfriend or have had one during your career?  How does he feel about what you do?  Do you have any rules about what you can and can’t do on set (for example, no raw sex) and what he can and can’t do in private (‘one night love’/brothel versus full-fledged relationships with other women)?
[A] I haven’t had a boyfriend since starting my JAV career.  If I did, I’d probably be fine with using some of my acting moves with him.  On the other hand, I wouldn’t be fine if he went to brothels and the like.  Of course, if I never found out about it...
 

[Z] Piracy is, of course, a huge issue in every industry. What do you think is the best way to tackle the issue? Do you think there are double standards between the expectation of social norms between Japanese and foreigners, i.e. -> expecting foreigners to pirate?
[A] It’s a troublesome issue and finding a solution to it is not easy.  While Japan has many people, there are many more who like JAV, but appear to have issues getting it legally.  So for them, pirated sites may be the only answer.

[Z] Lots of foreigners have gripes about not being able to easily have access to physical items as well as digital media being region blocked. What's your opinion on this, and do you think helping make JAV more accessible across all mediums would be beneficial to the industry?
[A] I’d be elated if there were more ways for foreigners to legally acquire movies I appear in and if they bought a lot of it too.

[Z] Are there actresses that you want to work with?
[A] Airi Suzumura-san.  I’ve watched many of her works and she has fantastic potential.  I’d love to absorb some of it.

[Z] Have you ever been spotted by fans? If so, any unique stories?
[A] I have...and in one case it was from a woman!  What’s more, I had a hat on, no makeup, and a mask as well.  Just from my eyes, I was outed.

[Z] If you did not decide on doing JAV, what would you be doing now?
[A] I would work as a nail artist or, if not that, in makeup sales.

Check out the trailer of MKMP-084 here:

[Z] What do you think your best feature is?
[A] I’m told I do great work playing lewd women.  I guess you can say I have a competitive personality.

[Z] What do you think new actresses should know if they are interested about getting into the industry?
[A] Be kind not just to those in front of you like actors, but to the production staff, the agencies, the studios, and most importantly, fans.

[Z] Why did you move to Faleno?
[A] Faleno seems to know how best to market to younger people.  Rather than first focusing on physical media, they first push out content through their own digital services before using traditional routes.

[Z] You joined Faleno when they were a brand new studio. Did they have everything figured out from the start, or were you able to bring some of your veteran experience to help them out in their early stages?
[A] Oh yes, they may be a new studio, but their staff absolutely know JAV. 

[Z] Faleno has an interesting approach to appealing to fans by doing YouTube videos.  What do you think of that approach? It seems like they're a lot of fun, are they?
[A] I love working on their YouTube videos.  They’re indeed fun to shoot.

[Z] In the YouTube videos you do for Faleno I've noticed they have a mix of talent there, including many newer actresses such as Ai Hongo (Yume Nikaido) and Kaname Momojiri. What is your relationship with them? Do you act as a mentor for them?
[A] All us actresses get along very well.  We’re brainstorming on how to create interesting projects.  It’s a really fun, festive environment.

[Z] We saw you move to Dahlia when Faleno started their new studio. Was there any change for you personally or was it all the same?
[A] There hasn’t been any change for me personally though I’ve been asked to appear in more drama productions.

[Z] We've noticed Faleno and Dahlia rarely do videos starring more than one actress. You yourself have only ever done solo videos with them. Do you ever miss working alongside other actresses?
[A] I sure would love to shoot a movie with another woman again if the opportunity arises.

[Z] We've seen you spend large portions of your career as an exclusive actress but you've also worked as a freelance actress in the past. What made you move to be an exclusive actress? Have you ever considered going back to freelancing?
[A] Faleno gave me a great offer to be exclusive so I took it.  I still have the ability to do one-offs with other studios.

[Z] In the past you've done some pretty hard stuff, especially during your time for K.M. Produce's Million label. (MKMP-125, MKMP-084 as examples). With Faleno, things have been a lot more timid. Do you prefer the more timid stuff or did you enjoy the more rough stuff?
[A] I really enjoyed doing those types of movies and I sure hope I get more chances to do things like it in the future.

[Z] Are there any acts, studios, or series that you haven't done that you would like to do?
[A] I’ve done a ton of lewd women titles where I take the lead.  For a change, I’d like to do one where I play the submissive.

[Z] There is a pretty infamous scene in one of your earlier videos where you accidentally squirted on a laptop during a scene. Do you remember anything from it?
[A] Oh, I remember that one!  It was quite amazing.  Fans still bring it up when they meet me.

[Z] What was it like to be featured in Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku 0?
[A] It was a dream come true to be featured in a famous game like that.

[Z] How were you selected to be part of the game?
[A] They held a vote for fans and I lucked out.

[Z] Were you a fan of the franchise? Are you a fan now?
[A] I never played it, but I of course knew about it.

Check out the trailer of MKMP-125 here:

[Z] Do you enjoy playing your story in the game?
[A] Yea, and it was fun working on it.  I played a role in a telephone club with tons of lines.

[Z] How did you feel about being motion captured and filmed?
[A] It was surprising to be shot from so many different angles.  The computerized results were eerily similar to me.

[Z] Did the game’s international and domestic success help you in any way?        
[A] I didn’t have any ability to push it on my own, but I’m happy that I may have gained fans through it.

[Z] How did you like doing the karaoke and the mini-games? Also, they did image videos for you of the game, how did you enjoy that?
[A] I learned a ton through working on it.  It was a very enjoyable experience.  You can say a dream come true.

[Z] Would you work on Ryu Ga Gotoku or any other videogame again?
[A] Absolutely, yes!

[Z] How long do you see yourself working in JAV?
[A] I don’t have an end date.  I’ll keep at it for as long as my fans keep supporting me.  As for now, I’m looking forward to 15 years.

[Z] What do you want your legacy to be in AV? Or, if you could change one thing about AV by the time you retire, what would it be?
[A] There don’t appear to be that many accomplishments to my name.  However, becoming a JAV star has given me knowledge on human sexuality, acting, and much more -- I'm fine with that.

[Z] Are your relatives and real life friends aware of your career? If yes, how did they react? If not, how do you think they would react if they knew?
[A] Both my relatives and friends know.  They were surprised at first, but now I get a lot of support from them.

[Z] Any message for your foreign fans?
[A] I’ll keep making lots of naughty films to help put you all in great moods.  Please jerk it hard to my movies!  Thank you for your continued support.