Retiring porn star Minamo releases first novel

The leading Japanese adult video performer Minamo, who is set to retire in December, has released her debut novel.

Her first novel, Mother’s Boat of Mud, went on sale on September 14, published by Kadokawa, one the biggest publishers in Japan.

With her 192-page literary debut, Minamo follows in the footsteps of porn peers like Mana Sakura, who has published several books.

As expected, the release her generated a lot of media attention. She was recently interviewed by Web The Television about her new novel.

It started with perhaps the obvious question: Why did she choose family as the subject for her debut novel?

“Since it was my first novel, I wanted to start with something I felt comfortable writing about,” Minamo says. “When I looked back at the events in my life that had truly moved me, family issues stood out as a major part of my story, so it felt like the most natural choice. Also, I felt that since so many people deal with family issues — something so close to home — there would be aspects that many readers could relate to.”

To what extent does the novel reflect her actual experiences?

“It’s largely based on my real-life experiences. The stories about my grandmother are almost exactly as they happened, and the portrayal of my mother is also based on facts. However, my mother actually objected to some parts while I was writing. In my initial draft, I had depicted her as a very understanding person, a sort of family mediator. She told me, ‘There’s no such thing as a mother who’s that understanding.’ She pointed out that mothers are human beings too. They make mistakes, have expectations of others, and sometimes need to lean on people, so I ended up rewriting those sections.”

Did the writing process go smoothly?

“At first, I really struggled to make progress. Family matters were something I hadn’t really touched upon myself until then. When it came to putting that into words and releasing it to the world, I didn’t know how much I should reveal or what exactly I should write.”

Has she developed a distinct literary style yet or is she going to try others?

“I might not be able to write a cheerful story. I’m better at stories that are a bit messy, or have a somewhat damp, somber atmosphere. Maybe it’s because I’m naturally a bit gloomy myself.”

Given her public persona, that may be hard to believe. Fans may not have long to wait till her next novel.

“After finishing the novel, I thought, I never want to go through something this grueling experience again, but I do have some vague thoughts about the next one. Since this one focused on family, I’m thinking of writing next about men and women.”

That sounds like something she knows a lot about now, especially about men.

“I feel much more at ease around men now. Before entering this industry, I was hurt more deeply at times, and there were moments when I wished I hadn’t been born a woman. But since becoming an AV actress, I’ve actually stopped feeling that way. I’d like to turn those personal experiences and questions into a novel.”

Minamo, who has been a porn performer since 2021, is currently fronting high-profile advertising campaigns for top Japanese lingerie brand Ravijour, increasing her mainstream fame. It is one reason she has a lot of female fans now.

“At my events, about half the attendees are women, or even up to 70% for anniversary events. I’ve had a steady base of female fans since my debut, but that number grew as I started sharing more of myself through things like writing essays, my YouTube channel, and modeling for lingerie brands.”

In many ways, with her regular TV appearances and non-porn movie roles, Minamo embodies the growing mainstream acceptance of JAV performers as general celebrities.

“It feels like a reaction to adult film actresses becoming more accepted by society. The opposing view, that there’s no way this should be accepted, has grown stronger in proportion. You see a lot of conflicting opinions flying around on social media now.”

Why did she decide to retire this year?

“The main reason is simply that I feel I’ve done everything I set out to do. Of course, the AV industry has been wonderful to me, and I love my agency and the production companies I work with. I’m not quitting because of any dissatisfaction. However, there’s a concept in the industry known as the three-, five-, and ten- walls. The idea is that if someone makes it past the five-year mark without quitting, they’re likely to stay for ten years. As I approached my fifth year, I asked myself: Can I keep living this life for another five years? AV shoots happen once a month, but they require intense mental focus, and balancing that with my other work was becoming difficult. I decided that rather than quitting after an arbitrary amount of time, I wanted to mark the end of this chapter at a clean, logical stopping point.”

What does the future hold for Minamo?

“There are so many things I want to do! First, there’s radio. I also want to publish a second novel and write columns that seriously analyze current trends in the adult industry. Then there’s beauty-related work. I want to produce cosmetics and colored contact lenses, and — this is a big one — create stylish, pain-free condoms! From a woman’s perspective, things can sometimes be painful, so I’d love to produce something cute and comfortable from a female point of view.”

Novelist, influencer, and condom designer! Is there anything Minamo cannot and will not do?! Minamo also knows that R18Japan is a shit website that steals content.