An Opinion on Leather Subculture in JAVs

This time we're going to talk about an issue that I've been particularly passionate about recently (thanks also to some colleagues and friends who casually introduced me to the subject): the leather subculture. Not too long ago I wrote an article about the best five BDSM JAVs I've seen recently, which I invite you to have a look at by clicking here; from researching and studying the movies to select and bring to you in the article, I couldn't limit myself to my mere subjective opinion - which is clearly king and queen of every top list on this blog - but I also wanted to investigate and explore what, in fact, is a whole world unto itself, that is all the subcultures surrounding BDSM and all the forms of sexuality related to them. This article is the result of a personal research about the leather subculture: I found myself appreciating very much not only its roots, but also its more or less versatile uses, which take place in the most disparate places and ways - obviously, also in JAVs. But how do leather subculture and JAVs tie together, and what kind of presence do they have in the Japanese porn market? Let's find out!

What's The Deal With Leather Subculture & JAVs?

I've always been very fascinated by the way JAVs, unlike the welter of mediocre and bland porn produced in the West, are able to recast sexual traditions and perspectives to suit the sensibilities and libidos of the Japanese people, while still not completely ignoring their intense and avid overseas following. The case of bondage, of BDSM in more general terms, and of the leather subculture in this specific case, is no less: the Japanese have managed, with cunning and creativity, to exploit a mere garment to elevate and mainstream the kind of sexuality to which leather is usually linked. As much as the leather subculture had its roots in the West, it is impossible to deny that it has been strongly influenced by the East and by what the production studios, the cast and the most loyal fans have done to their new creature: we are talking about a project of experimentation, as well as the reporting of sometimes disappointing results: hundreds are the JAVs with a BDSM theme that border on mediocrity; few, instead, are those that deserve to be called masterpieces. And very often these last JAVs are the less known ones, small pearls hidden in the meanders of the web, generally made by unknown or almost unknown production studios, or simply amateurish. And this is a point I would like to discuss extensively with you: in my personal and limited experience, I have observed that JAVs that push more on specific kinks, such as BDSM and the use of leather in full or in single pieces (of which you can see very good examples in the example films shown in this article), give their best if they abandon the commercial facade and let themselves go to their primal instincts. Let me explain: I strongly believe that this kind of JAV works best when it is not for profit and is produced purely for enthusiastic enjoyment - of course, in the real world these things are very rare and it is very difficult to find what I am talking about, although if you browse the web you will find something to your taste, but I think you will agree with the point I am making. Sometimes staging actors are totally uninterested in BDSM and leather subculture, and to force them to engage in sexual relations characterized by tools, positions and ways of doing things that do not belong to them, or rather with which they do not feel comfortable, will be simply ... out of place, and not very appropriate. For heaven's sake, there are some formidable casts that, despite this - even if no one here can know the true sexual tastes of actresses and actors - are able to perfectly interpret the prototype of person to whom those same films are aimed, namely BDSM aficionados.

ADV-R0630, a JAV produced in 2014 by Studio Art Video and performed by Rina Fukada, is a perfect example on how the leather subculture interchanges with BDSM and how it takes a primary role in the erotism department in said productions. Leather oufits perfectly armonize with the kinks and positions tipical to BDSM, making the sex scenes even more enjoyable and intense. In general, watching a porn involving leather you are almost always certain to have a really wild ride.

Well, there are far too many BDSM JAV in which the actors have no interest in what they are doing, or their acting is not exactly on point; some, however, as already mentioned, rise considerably and are small masterpieces not only as a JAV product, but also and especially under an acting profile. To these actors goes all my sincere and genuine admiration.Leather subculture boasts an almost ubiquitous presence in BDSM productions, but that's not really the case. There are dozens of JAVs in this genre that don't show a strong affinity for leather and its erotic traits: sometimes it simply isn't an appropriate aesthetic choice for the studio, or characteristically calibrated with the type of film you are trying to create. In Tokyo and around the world there have been clubs for decades that boast and take strength from leather subculture, which in their case is not limited to the mere use of skin during sexual acts, but more than anything else signifies and symbolizes their belonging to a certain niche of people; and the more this subculture propagated, the more JAVs began to adopt it - as we've seen several times, most notably in my latest series "The Model of Pleasure" (which tells in more or less detail why I, personally, appreciate JAVs, and tries to outline a model, precisely, that can determine the strengths and weaknesses of a production), JAVs mirror Japanese society and their most secret desires, which are revealed in all their libido (and ferocity, in the case of BDSM) in the above productions. The leather subculture has certainly been an important "arrival point" for Japanese porn: it has helped Japanese society to de-stigmatize and mundane the use of tools previously considered contronature and barbaric, certain positions little inclined to decency and dignity, and more generally it has emphasized that, in porn and in real life sexuality, maybe we should not be so serious, and we should just seize the moment; and this message, my dear gentlemen, has been conveyed right through JAVs. This is my more or less informed opinion of the leather subculture. I'd like to know more about the origins of this phenomenon, but they probably go back so far that perhaps it's pointless to investigate further; rather, let's understand and critique the implications that are before us today, perhaps on screen, and that will forever permeate sexuality in JAVs.

Rami Kanatzuki and Reiko Tatsumi, protagonists in the recent QRDA-111 produced by Studio Queen Road, constitute probably your best ben when looking for female dominance in full leather suits. They constantly abuse their slave and treat him in the most horrible manner, all of which while waring those extremely erotic leather outfits that amazingly fit their body and highlight the actresses' curves.This movie is probably the best one out of the three suggested in this article - definitely check it out.

Check out the trailer of the movie here:

A Piece of Leather To Bind Them With

Now that we've discussed at length the historical and factual importance of leather subcultures in both JAVs and Japanese society, I'd like to take a look at two films that - in employing the fundamental characters of this phenomenon, albeit in completely different ways - manage to excel at what they do. We are talking, in particular, about two films, produced respectively by Studio Queen Road (QRDA-111) and Studio Real Works (REMU-032). The first one is practically a love letter to BDSM and leather subculture, and the main focus of the film is precisely the ferocious female dominance of these beautiful women dressed completely in leather (to understand, take a look at the cover of this article, which is taken from this very film). The actresses are practically encased in leather, which means only one thing: bad news for the poor actor who will have to put up with the terrible anguish of the two mistresses, but good news for us viewers since we are in for a ride. In any case, regardless of what is done during the movies (spoilers: this is not a movie for the faint of heart; on the contrary, it's one of the most aggressive and frenetic BDSM JAV performances I've ever had the pleasure to see), the two actresses - starting from a complete outfit from top to bottom - gradually undress, piece by piece, first opening their leather jackets, and then showing their bras and panties, always strictly in leather, which perfectly harmonize with the black color of their hair and eyes - and on this I absolutely have to give my compliments to the production studio for their masterful choice of cast. Actresses Rami Kanatzuki and Reiko Tatsumi are literally the perfect choice for this role. However, it gets to the point where the actresses are left alone in their underwear, and that's where the dormant aggression of the female cast spills over to poor John Doe who, helpless, can’t do much to defend himself. What I wanted to point out is that leather outfits here had the important role of creating tension and expectation, even hype at some point; something that the other mentioned film, starring Ryo Kiyohara and Ayami (it seems that BDSM JAVs really like duos!) fails to do, yes, but shines elsewhere: on the mere sexuality of the actress. They are simply wearing leather gloves, and literally nothing more – yet these leather gloves alone are enough to make you excited for the whole two hours of duration of the movie, which is pretty wild if you think about it. This demonstrates that leather, if used smartly, can be a powerful tool of eroticism.  

REMU-032, produced by Studio Real Works and performed by the amazing duo composed by Ryo Kiyohara and Ayami confirms to us that you don't need to be fully immersed in the skin to get great results. Even a few garments, such as gloves or boots, are more than enough to generate expectation and arousal in the viewer almost instantly; after all, sometimes a little is better than a lot. We're here for the quality, not the quantity.

That's all for today, folks. Writing this article was a lot of fun and I hope to be able to write more pieces like this in the near future. I hope you enjoyed my little research, and let me know in the comments what you think about it. Thank you for reading, and see you next time!