I'm continuing my 2022 retrospective with this post here aimed to look back at several categories. One is winners and losers which will be actresses that I think had the best and worst output for the year. I'll also partly factor in appearance and acting into my consideration as well. Next up I'll highlight some of the best and worst looking JAV covers from the year wrapping up at the end with five honorable mentions that just barely missed the cut for my best of 2022 list starting next week.  Without further ado, let's get into it!

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Winners

Yayoi Mizuki

In terms of who had the biggest glow-up this year, I'd say Yayoi takes the cake second to only Alice Otsu. I will admit that the 1st half of the year for her was just average relative to her usual output with sporadic releases. However, in the 2nd half, she took off. We not only saw her output double but she also starred alongside popular actresses such as Alice herself and Non Ohana. And her acting greatly improved as well blossoming into a wildly expressive performer. This is all reflected in her sales too as she finally cracked the DMM top 25 several times in the back half of the year even reaching as high as 12th place. I can't forget to mention how phenomenal her booty is too. If this trend continues, she could easily become my 2023 actress of the year.

Notable Releases

Rino Yuki

One of my overall favorites from 2022 has to be the foxy vixen, Rino Yuki. Her figure is absolutely killer and of course, her acting is up there with some of the best in terms of raw energy and passion. The combination of a banging body and lively personality just can't be beaten. Most important was her output which was equally plentiful and varied across a vast array of studios and themes. Hell, she even starred with a transsexual in DASS-065. It is a bit unfortunate though that the 2nd half of the year was quite dry for her regarding new releases and puzzlingly enough she's never really topped the sales charts either. All that said she still packed in a ton of content this year with plenty more to hopefully come.

Notable Releases

Hana Himesaki

While her 2022 wasn't quite as dominant as her 2021, she still had a very solid year all-around chock full of many quality titles. One of the more notable ones was DASD-972 which was her first interracial film. She had several terrific solo films like XVSR-671 casting her as a busty gym instructor, and equally great collaboration films such as JUNY-077 as she starred alongside the equally busty Mion Hatzuki. Now sales wise she did maintain a frequent presence in the top 25 through the first half of the year but did fall off in the second half. Her output may not be as heavy as it was in 2021 but she's still getting multiple new releases every month. As long as she can maintain this level, I'm perfectly happy.

Notable Releases

Yuria Yoshine

I'm sure many of you that know me probably expected Yuria to land here and for good reason. She had a steady output of fantastic films throughout the year. No matter what you're into, you'd find something to enjoy. She did plenty of threesome videos as well as IR, anal, DP, a full tittyfucking film, and just a wide range of themes on top of that. Also, I wanna mention her physical alterations. This year she finally went with some bangs which looked amazing on her and I loved that she began leaving in her tongue piercing for a few films. I also think her performances improved a fair bit this year too. I still wouldn't say she's top tier but she can hold her own if needed.

Notable Releases

Karen Yuzuriha

Ah, Karen Yuzuriha. My little petite powerhouse. Good things come in small packages and she's a perfect example of that. She had a brilliant year overall which you can attribute to being a double exclusive to Oppai and Premium. There was never a lull in her release schedule always giving us fans something to watch every month. One of the best aspects was just the variety as she took on the roles of an OL, teacher, dominatrix, succubus, and nurse just to name a couple. Her performances were also pretty consistent the entire year as you could always rely on a good performance from her. Not to mention she had one of my favorite VR films of the year in PPVR-025. Oppai and Premium have treated her well and I can't wait to see what's in store.

Notable Releases

Misono Mizuhara

This one shouldn't come as much of a surprise. While I can't say that any of her films were quite reaching the 10/10 range, she maintained a steady output throughout the entire year filled with many quality solo and collaboration films. Not only were the releases plentiful but also varied shooting with a wide range of studios like Moodyz, Oppai, E-Body, and Fitch to name a few. And she was no stranger to working with a co-star such as Hana Himesaki, Yuria Yoshine, Ena Koume, and Nene Tanaka. She also starred in a fantastic fan thanksgiving film which is an absolute favorite genre of mine. And her figure stayed mostly the same throughout the year too which was nice. No extreme weight loss or plastic surgery here. Just super consistent the entire year.

Notable Releases

Konan Koyoi

Konan Koyoi has quickly become my overall favorite actress over at S1 studio. While I do like Mei Washio and Tsukasa Aoi, Konan's output was filled with more quality overall. Some of the best highlights include SSIS-469 which is S1's take on the typical "GES/Girlfriend's Elder Sister" trope and SSIS-561 where she played a seductive female boss role. The legendary director Nao Masaki even got into the mix with SSIS-587 resulting in a delightful massage-themed film. None of these videos were breaking the mold by any means but were still very enjoyable. On top of that, she had a few solid VR titles too. I can't wait to see what she has in store for 2023.

Notable Releases

Nanami Matsumoto

This one may be a bit unexpected by some but I really think Nanami Matsumoto had a great return to form this year. She starred in a couple of solid solo films like JUFE-434 but the real main attraction was all the fantastic collaboration films she did. She ended up performing with the likes of Ruka Inaba, Monami Takarada, and Yuria Yoshine. It seems she developed the best synergy with Misono Mizuhara though as she shot two films with her making for some ridiculously juicy eye candy. This is also the best her figure has looked in several years as she's gotten a bit thicker now and her tits are bigger and fuller as a result. After a disappointing past couple of years, her output has been very refreshing in 2022. Hopefully, 2023 will be even better.

Notable Releases

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Losers

Reona Tomiyasu

Boy, I was completely wrong about Reona Tomiyasu coming into this year. I believe that I said she had a ton of potential and could become a real superstar heading into 2022. I couldn't have been more wrong honestly. Her year started out relatively fine with a few notable big-name releases with Moodyz. But the rate of new films quickly plummeted and by spring her output was abysmal. Not only were new films very few and far between but also strangely enough she got relegated to shooting mostly just VR films with C-tier or worse studios. Now it's mainly just compilations and multi-actress films at best. I'm not sure if this is all due to her agency or what but man, she was a massive letdown this year. Her career is pretty much dead in the water.

Alice Kisaki

Here we have yet another one of my favorite 2021 debuts absolutely flounder and disappoint this year. It's very frustrating as her figure and proportions are just incredible but yikes her output was just awful this year in every way. For starters, her performance never improved at all. She was just as mediocre as she was in 2021. But her releases themselves weren't helping either as they were painfully dull. Not only were they extremely sporadic but also with the likes of C-tier or worse studios. There were no big-name releases at all from her. She did perform in her first lesbian title though...which was one of the single worst films of the year. I'd like to say that I hope she can improve but I don't think she'll ever be a big star. I sadly believe that ship has sailed.

Riho Takahashi

Unlike my two previous losers, I didn't exactly have high expectations for Riho going into 2022. I just wanted a somewhat steady output of solid or average new releases. Sadly we got none of that. Her output wasn't quite as barren as Riona and Alice, it still left a LOT to be desired. Most of her new releases were with pretty unknown or C-tier studios at best with just one notable big-name film at the start of the year with Moodyz starring alongside Misono Mizuhara. She actually had her first IR film too but even that was disappointing. It was a wasteland of mediocrity as far as the eye could see. It's such a shame because I absolutely love her petite and busty figure. But her content is so painfully lacking.

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Favorite Covers

MIAA-686

This one would probably take the cake as my overall favorite from the year. Two great asses smack together with an OL touch. Sign me up!

PPPE-015

I had to include Hitomi somewhere in this post. In all fairness, I loved seeing her in a bikini and fishnets. Fantastic eye-candy.

HMN-203

Simplicity is key sometimes. This cover proves it as all you need is Mina's phat ass front and center to make an appealing cover.

MVSD-499

As someone who thoroughly enjoys teacher themes, this cover nails it. I especially love her huge tits concealed in her blouse. It's a very alluring look.

WAAA-135

What a fantastic adaptation and well-designed cover. Yuria fits the title character perfectly and all the used condoms dangling from her waist is a great touch.

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Least Favorite Covers

MIAA-725

Who the fuck ever thought that this mosaic was a good idea?? I don't have to mention what those dicks actually look like. Terrible execution.

USBA-050

This studio loves photoshop. Couple that with these chains wrapped around her tits and it makes for a very unappealing cover. No thank you.

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Honorable Mentions

25. PPPE-040

I Summoned A Succubus And Then She Possessed My Busty Older Sister

The succubus fad was always a favorite theme of mine. It died down in 2022 but we still saw a few releases make use of it such as this one here. Much like the rest of the series the plot centers around a man who summons the spirit of a succubus who possesses his older sister. And as expected she ends up milking him dry over and over. I personally enjoyed this setup and Oppai executes it nicely. A key component of that is her wardrobe. Sometimes in other succubus films, the actress only sports the signature look for one scene but here Karen wears it for two full scenes and at least keeps the tattoos on the entire time. It definitely helps with the immersion.

Now a great performance is always vital in a succubus film and Karen does a pretty fine job overall. While she may not get quite as intense as I'd personally like, she still takes control as she should and boasts solid engagement. Just needed a little more "oomph" is all. The action is excellent with three sex scenes, a paizuri scene, and a blowjob scene. The paizuri scene is a bit forgettable as her chest isn't well equipped for the task. But the blowjob scene is nice with her sucking him off while he's in bed and the sex scenes are pretty satisfying too. I need to highlight the lighting though as it's fantastic, especially in the first and last scenes. It accents her chest and body extremely well. All around a remarkable succubus film. 

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24. PPPE-046

If You Iike My Tits That Much, I'll Pinch Them Endlessly Until You Learn Your Lesson! My Sister-In-Law Is Furious At Me For Borrowing Money To Go To Pubs!

As someone who loves both paizuri and Misono, this was a perfect pair(in more ways than one). Now I'm honestly not entirely sure what the exact plot is about. It's all shot in POV and seems to center on Misono playing your busty sister-in-law who is punishing you with tittyfucks for borrowing money to spend on bars. It doesn't make a whole sense admittingly but I just went along with it as the rest of the film is stellar starting with the action. Of course the main focus is on tittyfucking but there are still two sex scenes that are both pretty solid across the board. The tittyfucks themselves though are very satisfying due to her technique and performance on top of mostly featuring real cumshots which is always nice to see.

One aspect that caught me by surprise was her acting. She delivers an excellent performance overall. Sometimes she can be rather lackluster but does she a remarkable job here boasting amazing facial expressions ranging from pouty to pure glee. This helps to elevate the paizuri scenes to the next level making them much more engaging, especially with most of the film being shot in POV. The camerawork is handled pretty well overall. Everything else is great from the lighting to the pacing and especially her appearance. She looks amazing here. If you're a diehard paizuri fiend like myself, add this to your watchlist immediately. It's so refreshing to see a busty actress like Misono actually use her assets properly. Kudos to her.

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23. BBTU-029

Bombshell! Looking Down Her Shirt

This particular label from Dogma is known to feature some gratuitous photoshopping on its cover and this one is definitely no different. But despite its over-the-top cover, it's actually a quality film and lands at #25 on my best of 2022 list. There's really no plot here at all with the only unique aspect being that Nene is given a very dominant role to play which is quite refreshing to see and she's not half-bad overall. Her facial expressions could be a little better but I love the bitchy vibe she gives off here. It fits the tone of the film wonderfully. Her energy is super solid as well. And while the runtime here is shorter than average it still packs in several sex scenes and even a femdom pegging scene which definitely isn't for everyone.

The sex scenes though are phenomenal with excellent intensity and strong position variety in the second sex scene. You get to see just about everything. All this is enhanced by the brilliant production values. The lighting is soft and highlights her assets very well on top of boasting superb camerawork that captures amazing full-body and close-up shots. The first sex scene is even shot entirely in POV which is always a plus in my book. And physically speaking, this may be peak Nene right here. She looks so goddam good having just the right amount of meat on her along with her chest being very ample. Don't be turned off by the ridiculously shopped cover as there's an incredible film hidden behind it.

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22. JUQ-114

I Couldn't Stand The Unintentional Provocation Of The Wife Next Door Who Wears A One-Piece Dress And Made A Move... She Changed Unexpectedly!

Maria Nagai and Madonna was a collaboration I never saw coming. I was skeptical about this one at first but after watching it, I'm happy to report it's one of her best films to date. The premise centers around her playing a voluptuous housewife who inadvertently catches the attention of a guy next door. He can't help himself and ends up fucking her. Afterward, she realizes how good it feels and proceeds to have her way with him over and over. It's a nice plot that is executed very well with excellent pacing. The film succeeds on all fronts but perhaps best of all is the production values. Madonna always delivers in this area and here is no different as both the lighting and camerawork are absolutely flawless. Some of the shots here are mesmerizing.

There's such a nice range of angles and her wardrobe is super effective showcasing her ridiculous figure quite well. The sex is just as good too consisting of three sex scenes, an outercourse scene, and a masturbation/facesitting scene. That latter scene is particularly noteworthy for featuring Maria squirting. The sex scenes definitely steal the show though as they're wonderfully shot always highlighting her huge ass and tits all with a great intensity. Maria's acting further enhances all this as she delivers a commendable performance. She takes control and displays terrific enthusiasm throughout. Her 2022 releases may have been light but she gave us a real banger near the end with this one. A must-watch for any Maria fan. 

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21. SSIS-304

Super Clear Erotic Video That Will Give You A Full-body Erection 4K Equipment Shooting X Jcup Divine Breasts

Mei Washio can be very hit-or-miss for me. This particular film takes things back to basics with a simple titty-focused film and it results in one of her best films to date. There is absolutely no plot to speak of with this one as the entire focus revolves exclusively around her sizable chest. This includes lots of breast play, closeup shots, and paizuri of course. It's incredibly vanilla all around but that's not a bad thing. Sometimes you just want some nice oppai eyecandy which this film delivers in spades. The only real unique aspect is that it's shot in 4K making for some high-quality visuals. The other technical aspects are on point too with a nice wardrobe for Mei and absolutely brilliant lighting.

There is a heavy use of fisheye but it never proved to be too egregious. Now for a film centered entirely around action, it better be good right? Thankfully it is. There are two sex scenes, two paizuri scenes, and a breast play scene that is actually pretty satisfying. Admittedly one of the paizuri scenes is a bit lackluster as her technique is pretty underwhelming but the other one is very solid. The sex scenes are superb as every position highlights her perky chest perfectly. This film is a shining example that simplicity can be key. Sometimes you don't need an in-depth plot or engaging theme. Just a fine pair of knockers and a top-notch slick production will do. This is hands down THE film to watch if you're new to Mei Washio. Those titties will hook you in.