Athena Eizou
Athena Eizou or Athena Eizō (アテナ映像, Atena Eizō) is an early pioneering Japanese adult video (AV) production company.[1] They have offices in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan.[2]
Industry | Pornography |
---|---|
Founded | 1981 |
Headquarters | , |
Products | Pornographic films |
Website | http://www.athenaeizou.com/ |
Company information
Athena Eizou was founded December 21, 1981, by pink film director Tadashi Yoyogi and Hikaru Kitoh (鬼闘光).[2][3] The VCR and home video market in Japan was still very small at this time[4] and Yoyogi, who has been described as the "Father of Japanese Adult Video", had produced his first adult video just a month before.[3] Japanese adult entertainment audiences, however, were already moving away from the theatrical pink film[5] and Athena Eizou and Yoyogi proved successful.[6] The company's first star was Kyōko Aizome, called the "first hard-core porn actress in Japan",[7] who appeared in several early releases in the 1980s.[8] In the next decade, "big-bust" actress Mariko Morikawa made her AV debut with Athena with the July 1994 release Tits Way Too Huge.[9]
In 2010, the company, which is located in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, had a capital of 10 million Yen (about $100,000) and the CEO was 杉山英寛.[2] Athena Eizou has operated a website Athena Online since April 2003 with an audience derived 84% from Japan and 12% from China.[10] The website has videos available by mail order and by direct download, including a number of works from the early years of the company. The company produces about seven or eight new releases per month on DVD.[11]
Directors
Several directors have worked with the company over the years:[13]
- Tadashi Yoyogi (代々木忠)
- Hikaru Kitoh (鬼闘光)
- Mitchel (ミツル)
- Eitaro Onuma (大沼栄太郎)
- Katsuya Ichihara (市原克也)
- Takehiro Yasuda (安田健弘)
Actresses
Some AV Idols who have appeared in Athena Eizou videos:
- Kyōko Aizome
- Eri Kikuchi
- Yumika Hayashi
- Mariko Morikawa
- Hitomi Shiraishi
- Aki Tomosaki
- Akira Watase
Series
Some popular Athena series:[14]
- Lewd Performance (いんらんパフォーマンス)
- Psycho Hypnotic Ecstasy (サイコ催眠エクスタシー)
- Secret Sexual Technique (性感極秘テクニック)
- The Interview (ザ・面接)
- Zubotsu Us! (おはズボッ!)
Notes
- Otsubo, Kemuta. "日映審系AVメーカー(あ~さ行)" (in Japanese). AllAbout. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
- "会社概要 (About Us)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- Sharp, Jasper (2008). Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema. Guildford: FAB Press. p. 216. ISBN 978-1-903254-54-7.
- Otsubo, Kemuta (February 20, 2009). アダルトビデオクロニクル 81’~85’/1 (in Japanese). All About. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- Weisser, Thomas; Yuko Mihara Weisser (1998). Japanese Cinema Encyclopedia: The Sex Films. Miami: Vital Books : Asian Cult Cinema Publications. p. 29. ISBN 1-889288-52-7.
- Schoenherr, Johannes (December 29, 2006). "Company Matsuo and the World of Japanese Adult Video". Midnight Eye. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
- Koizumi, Shinichi (December 1, 2001). "Porn-star label now a badge of honor for actress". Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 2001-12-03. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
- 女優一覧>愛染恭子 (in Japanese). www.arzon.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
- "1994". AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Retrieved 2007-07-21.
- "athenaeizou.com". Alexa. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- "Athena DVD Information" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- "Athena Eizou". Urabon Navigator. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
- "監督 (Directors)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- "プロフィール (Profile)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
Sources
- "Athena Online" (in Japanese).
- "DVD通販 > メーカー > アテナ映像 (Athena Eizou videos at DMM" (in Japanese).