Athena Eizou

Athena Eizou
IndustryPornography
Founded1981
Headquarters
Tokyo
,
Japan
ProductsAdult Videos
Websitehttp://www.athenaeizou.com/

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]

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]

Labels

The company has used the following labels for its videos:[12]

  • Athena (アテナ)
  • Directors

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:

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!)

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b c "会社概要 (About Us)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  3. ^ a b 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Schoenherr, Johannes (December 29, 2006). "Company Matsuo and the World of Japanese Adult Video". Midnight Eye. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 女優一覧＞愛染恭子 (in Japanese). www.arzon.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
  9. ^ "1994". AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  10. ^ "athenaeizou.com". Alexa. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  11. ^ "Athena DVD Information" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  12. ^ "Athena Eizou". Urabon Navigator. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  13. ^ "監督 (Directors)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  14. ^ "プロフィール (Profile)" (in Japanese). www.athenaeizou.com. Retrieved 2009-10-29.