was a popular and prolific Japanese AV idol

AV Idol

An AV idol is a Japanese idol who works in the pornographic business, often both as an actress as well as a model as the video performances have a wide range, from just the idol strolling around their house doing chores in bikinis to hardcore porn...

 who retired from the adult video industry in 2005.

Life and career

Akira Watase was born July 2, 1980 in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.). Her AV debut was in the May 2000 Media Station Cosmos Plan

Media Station

, originally founded as , was a Japanese adult video production company. In early 2011, they were integrated with the AV company KM Produce.-Company information:...

 release, Venus.

After a number of other videos for various AV companies, Watase retired in 2001 but returned to the AV industry in 2002. Upon her return, she began making videos for Moodyz

Moodyz

, formerly known as Mr. President, is one of Japan's largest adult video producers, featuring an extensive catalog of video titles.-Company information:...

, a studio she worked with for most of the rest of her career.

In July 2002, she appeared in the interracial Moodyz

Moodyz

, formerly known as Mr. President, is one of Japan's largest adult video producers, featuring an extensive catalog of video titles.-Company information:...

 video, , which was shot in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. In this video she engaged in group sex

Group sex

Group sex is sexual behavior involving more than two participants. Group sex can occur amongst people of all sexual orientations and genders...

 with five African-American men. She was also featured in another interracial video for Moodyz, Black Swap in L.A, which was released in February, 2003. In addition to her hardcore work, Watase also starred in the softcore V-Cinema

V-Cinema

Japanese is the direct-to-video industry that appeared in Japan in the 1980s. The term is a trademark of Toei Company but is widely used in the West to describe any Japanese direct-to-video release. In Japan the term used is...

 erotic drama which came out in November, 2004. Over the course of her adult film career Watase starred in over 200 releases and was considered to be one of the most popular stars of the genre until she retired from the industry in mid-2005.

Watase had appeared in an "uncensored" video - one without the mosaic censoring of the genitals required in Japanese pornography - as early as November, 2003 with the release of Super Idol Vol. 33: Akira Watase by FantaDream and several more uncensored videos were released after her retirement from the Japanese AV scene.

In August 2008, Watase reappeared in the AV industry under the name of "Rei Narumi" (なるみ礼) with a release under that new name coming out in September for DEEP's, one of the companies in the large Japanese adult video conglomerate Soft On Demand

Soft on Demand

, often known as SOD, is a Japanese adult video group of companies which has its headquarters in the Nakano ward of Tokyo. SOD was founded in December 1995 by Ganari Takahashi, who retired from the company in March 2005 and is currently working in agriculture...

 (SOD), although the content appears to be a re-edit of a 2005 release.

Selected filmography

Video title	Company	Director	Release date
Venus debut	Cosmos Plan IT-27 (VHS) MDS029 (DVD)	Yuji Sakamoto Yuji Sakamoto is a Japanese adult video director who has directed more than 250 videos during his career, primarily with the Alice Japan studio.-Life and career:...	May 28, 2000 (VHS) July 29, 2000 (DVD)
Killer Kiss	Cosmos Plan IT-35	Daimei Kurata	June 30, 2000
Marionette's Honey	Cosmos Plan IT-41	Asao Takai	July 30, 2000
Be My Dutchwife	KUKI Tank Kuki Inc. is a Japanese adult video company which has its headquarters in Ebisu Minami in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo. The company is involved in the production and distribution of videos, satellite and cable TV, and a large internet site, X CITY.-Company history:... KT-464	Yuji Osawa	August 28, 2000
Queen of Legs	VIP Atlas21 , formerly known as VIP, is a Japanese adult video company with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.-VIP:The AV company was founded in June 1981 and issued its first video, titled , in December of that same year making it one of the first adult video companies to be established in Japan. The studio... VIP-033	Demo Tanaka	September 28, 2000
Body Gorgeous	VIP Atlas21 , formerly known as VIP, is a Japanese adult video company with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.-VIP:The AV company was founded in June 1981 and issued its first video, titled , in December of that same year making it one of the first adult video companies to be established in Japan. The studio... VIP-035		October 19, 2000
Climax XYZ	VIP Atlas21 , formerly known as VIP, is a Japanese adult video company with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.-VIP:The AV company was founded in June 1981 and issued its first video, titled , in December of that same year making it one of the first adult video companies to be established in Japan. The studio... VIP-039		November 23, 2000
Horny Bunny	KUKI Tank KT-486	KC Takeda	December 22, 2000
Comos 2000 FINAL DX Compilation with 9 other actresses	Cosmos Plan FX-44		December 22, 2000
Gorgeous No.1	Kasakura CAV39-32		January 5, 2001
No.1	KUKI Vinyl JF-644	Happy Yamada/Casey Takeda	January 22, 2001
Ecstasy Kiss DC Extended Director's Cut (DC) version of Killer Kiss	Cosmos Plan MDV-029		January 27, 2001
How To Perfect	Wanz Factory Wanz Factory is a Japanese adult video production company located in the Toshima ward of Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:The company was founded in March 2000 and presently employs 20 people. Their adult videos are sold in more than 3000 stores nationwide in Japan... HP-106		February 9, 2001
Cosmos DX Costume Play Chapter Compilation with Minori Aoi Minori Aoi is a Japanese gravure and AV idol.-Debut and early AVs:Born in Tokyo on March 28, 1980, Minori Aoi was active in tennis during Junior High School and High School. She made her AV debut in the February 1999 release for the Media Station Cosmos Plan label, Pure Heart . Her first video was a difficult...  and 8 other actresses	Cosmos Plan FX-45	The Morison	February 10, 2001
Chi-Sei	Kasakura CAV39-39		February 18, 2001
Cosmos DX 120 Special 6 Compilation with 9 other actresses	Cosmos Plan MDV-030		February 24, 2001
Bejean11 Vol. 55	Momotaro BE-55	Masao Tanaka	March 7, 2001
Slut Actress 26	Waap Entertainment Waap Entertainment is a Japanese adult video production company with headquarters in the Shinjuku Building, Shinjuku, Tokyo.-Company information:Waap Entertainment was founded in 1998 and released its first videos in December of that year...  Kohshiro CHD-026		March 9, 2001
Secret Play of a Marionette Extended DVD version of Marionette's Honey	Cosmos Plan MDV-031		March 24, 2001
COSMOS Deluxe Special 7 Compilation with Minori Aoi Minori Aoi is a Japanese gravure and AV idol.-Debut and early AVs:Born in Tokyo on March 28, 1980, Minori Aoi was active in tennis during Junior High School and High School. She made her AV debut in the February 1999 release for the Media Station Cosmos Plan label, Pure Heart . Her first video was a difficult...  and 10 other actresses	Cosmos Plan MDV-032		May 26, 2001
Tits TANK Angels 9 Compilation with Manami Yoshii Manami Yoshii is a well-known Japanese adult film actress.-Life and career:Yoshii's first AV was the November 2000 release, Growing Up Journal. Water Fruit was Yoshii's second adult video. Like her first release, it was made for the KUKI studio... , Marie Takano, Milk Ichigo Milk Ichigo , also often billed as Miruku Ichigo, is an award-winning Japanese adult video actress who has had an exceptionally long career.-Life and career:... , Nakamura Usagi & Rara Kusakari	KUKI Tank KT-516	Jango	June 16, 2001
Knock on the Heaven's Door	Moodyz Moodyz , formerly known as Mr. President, is one of Japan's largest adult video producers, featuring an extensive catalog of video titles.-Company information:...  Imperial MDI-038	Butta Sato	February 15, 2002
Angel	IdeaPocket IdeaPocket is a Japanese company located in Tokyo which is involved in the business of planning and producing adult videos .-Company information:IdeaPocket split off from the Attackers corporation and was founded as a separate entity in 2002 under the umbrella of the Hokuto Corporation group of companies...  Angel AND-093		April 22, 2002
Soft Skin, Hot Blooded...	Attackers Attackers is a Japanese adult video production company located in Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:Attackers started as an independent studio but is now one of the companies that make up the large AV group, the Hokuto Corporation, which distributes Attackers video products through their DMM website...  Shark SHK-156		May 1, 2002
Do You Wanna Fuck?	Moodyz Imperial MDID-126	Hiroa	May 22, 2002
Dream Shower No. 41	Waap Entertainment Waap Entertainment is a Japanese adult video production company with headquarters in the Shinjuku Building, Shinjuku, Tokyo.-Company information:Waap Entertainment was founded in 1998 and released its first videos in December of that year...  Beauty BTD-041	[Jo]Style (Jo)Style [Jo]Style is a Japanese adult video director who has supervised more than 300 productions during his career.-Life and career:[Jo]Style began his profession directing AV at the Waap Entertainment studio which also fostered the careers of Alala Kurosawa, KINGDOM and K*WEST...	June 7, 2002
Knock on the Heaven's Door 2	Moodyz Imperial MDID-135	Bunchou Yoshino	June 15, 2002
Black Semen in LA: Akira Watase	Moodyz Moodyz , formerly known as Mr. President, is one of Japan's largest adult video producers, featuring an extensive catalog of video titles.-Company information:...  Wild MDWD-034	Sumioshin	July 15, 2002
RQ Circuit Lady	FreeVision / Golden Candy CA-1552		August, 2002
New Cherry Boy Hunting, Vol.2	SOD Soft on Demand , often known as SOD, is a Japanese adult video group of companies which has its headquarters in the Nakano ward of Tokyo. SOD was founded in December 1995 by Ganari Takahashi, who retired from the company in March 2005 and is currently working in agriculture... SDDE-024		August 4, 2002
VIP Value Pack 2 Compilation with Bunko Kanazawa Bunko Kanazawa is a prolific Japanese adult film actress, who has been called "one of the biggest AV idols in Japan."-Debut - Cosmos Plan:Bunko Kanazawa was born April 4, 1979 in Kanagawa prefecture). She reports that as a child she was good at mathematics and science, but horrible in Japanese and English...  & Nana Kawashima	Media Bank VIP VIPD-121		October 11, 2002
Sex Juice 3 With Mami Shindo	h.m.p. H.m.p. (Japan) h.m.p. is a Japanese company which is involved in adult entertainment including the production and sales of adult videos and the marketing of adult toys and sex aids.-Company information:...  Chu FCU-006		September 30, 2002
Confining Actress Mania 2	Wanz Factory Wanz Factory is a Japanese adult video production company located in the Toshima ward of Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:The company was founded in March 2000 and presently employs 20 people. Their adult videos are sold in more than 3000 stores nationwide in Japan...  Maniac World MC-102		October 1, 2002
Ura - Akira Watase	KMP KM Produce is a Japanese adult video company located in Shibuya, Tokyo.-Company information:KM Produce became an independent AV production company under that name using the "Million" label for its videos in April 2002 in competition with other major AV companies such as Soft On Demand and Moodyz...  Million MILV-025	Goro Tameike Goro Tameike is a Japanese adult video director who has directed more than 450 videos. He was one of the first exponents of the genre in AV.-Life and career:...	October 18, 2002
Abnormal Privacy 38	CineMagic CineMagic Co. , is a Japanese adult film studio, producing and distributing its own films, usually of the bondage, S&M and simulated rape genre, as well as those produced externally.-Company information:...  Collect VS-696	Shinichi Kawamura	November 22, 2002
Do The Nice Body Gals With Ria Naname	KUKI RT-089	Sabbath Horinaka	November 29, 2002
Sex Wars 1 With Nao Oikawa Nao Oikawa born April 21, 1981 in Hiroshima, Japan is a Japanese actress, TV Personality and was also a former AV idol who was very popular in early 2000s.- Life and career :...  & Moe Nishimura	Moodyz Moodyz , formerly known as Mr. President, is one of Japan's largest adult video producers, featuring an extensive catalog of video titles.-Company information:...  Quest MDQ-035	Rintaro Ise	December 1, 2002
Kiss & Sex of a Beauty Vol.2	Dogma Dogma studio Dogma is a Japanese adult video company based in Tokyo which specializes in various fetish genres of pornography.-Company information:... DDN-026	Hitoshi Nimura	December 10, 2002
Female Teacher Rape	Deep's DPS-212		January 10, 2003
Chijo With Natsumi Momoi	Athena Eizou Athena Eizou is an early pioneering Japanese adult video production company. They have offices in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:Athena Eizou was founded December 21, 1981 by pink film director Tadashi Yoyogi and Hikaru Kitoh... AS-1169	Katsuya Ichihara	January 21, 2003
Drunk Woman	Moodyz Imperial MDID-199	brain-X	January 22, 2003
Crazy Tongue With Nao Oikawa Nao Oikawa born April 21, 1981 in Hiroshima, Japan is a Japanese actress, TV Personality and was also a former AV idol who was very popular in early 2000s.- Life and career :...	h.m.p. H.m.p. (Japan) h.m.p. is a Japanese company which is involved in adult entertainment including the production and sales of adult videos and the marketing of adult toys and sex aids.-Company information:...  Samm WSV-002	Ryutaro Kanno	January 28, 2003
Confinement Chair Trance	Dogma Dogma studio Dogma is a Japanese adult video company based in Tokyo which specializes in various fetish genres of pornography.-Company information:... DDT-057	Tohjiro Tohjiro Tohjiro or TOHJIRO is an adult video director and the founder of the AV studio Dogma who has been described as a "charismatic director" and has been called the "greatest porn director in the world.-Life and career:...	February 10, 2003
Black Swap in L.A With Miyo Shino	Moodyz Legend MDLD-010	Sumioshin	February 15, 2003
Wet Sex	Wanz Factory Wanz Factory is a Japanese adult video production company located in the Toshima ward of Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:The company was founded in March 2000 and presently employs 20 people. Their adult videos are sold in more than 3000 stores nationwide in Japan... WS-103		March 1, 2003
Pheromone Body	Moodyz Style Art MDXD-011	Kenshirou	March 15, 2003
Dream School 6 With Airi Isikawa, Riho Yuzuki, Seika Izumi, Senna Kurosaki & Wakana Itsuki	Moodyz Value MDVD-005		April 1, 2003
Digital Mosaic Vol.015	Moodyz Killer MDED-095	Chibikuro	July 15, 2003
Akira Watase Arrest You!	IEnergy IQP-047		August 16, 2003
Ryubaku SM Bindings and Confinement 5	Attackers Attackers is a Japanese adult video production company located in Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:Attackers started as an independent studio but is now one of the companies that make up the large AV group, the Hokuto Corporation, which distributes Attackers video products through their DMM website...  Ryubaku RB-030		November 8, 2003
Super Idol Vol. 33: Akira Watase Uncensored	FantaDream FDD-1233		November 20, 2003
Lesbian Deluxe With Yui Kayama	Dogma DDN-058	Hitoshi Nimura	December 10, 2003
Wet & Sex With Kay & Miyo Shino	Wanz Factory Wanz Factory is a Japanese adult video production company located in the Toshima ward of Tokyo, Japan.-Company information:The company was founded in March 2000 and presently employs 20 people. Their adult videos are sold in more than 3000 stores nationwide in Japan... OX-109		February 1, 2004
21 Century Onanie Item: Onanie Support	Dogma Guild GDD-022	Bunchou Yoshino	February 20, 2004
Licking Slut Double With Riri Yuuki	Moodyz Legend MDLD-180	[Jo]Style (Jo)Style [Jo]Style is a Japanese adult video director who has supervised more than 300 productions during his career.-Life and career:[Jo]Style began his profession directing AV at the Waap Entertainment studio which also fostered the careers of Alala Kurosawa, KINGDOM and K*WEST...	June 15, 2004
Semen Mania Slut 2	Milky Cat CZM-02		August, 2004
The Erotic Party With Koyuki Morisaki, Moe Kimishima, Nana Natsume Nana Natsume is an award-winning former AV idol and a well-known celebrity in Japan.-Life and career:Natsume was born on January 23, 1980 in Sakai, Osaka, Japan...  & Yuria	SOD Soft on Demand , often known as SOD, is a Japanese adult video group of companies which has its headquarters in the Nakano ward of Tokyo. SOD was founded in December 1995 by Ganari Takahashi, who retired from the company in March 2005 and is currently working in agriculture... SDDM-526	[JO]B-TYPE	December 4, 2004
Slave Secretary Special 10 With Mizuki Shiraishi, Senna Kurosaki & Yui Sarina	CineMagic CineMagic Co. , is a Japanese adult film studio, producing and distributing its own films, usually of the bondage, S&M and simulated rape genre, as well as those produced externally.-Company information:...  Collect VS-771 (VHS) DVS-024 (DVD)	Tatsuro Mishima	March 18, 2005
Beautiful News Reporter	Next11 Image IMGS-096	Rei Ozaki	April 20, 2005
Exposure - Big City Tokyo 3	IEnergy BKSP-017	Shinsuke Inoue	May 4, 2005
Tokyo Virtual Vol. 15 With Sakura Sakurada Sakura Sakurada is a Japanese actress, model and adult video star who has also used the name for still photo shoots. Her long and prolific career and international recognition mark her as an AV Idol.-Early career - "Uncensored Movies":...  & Yui Kawai Uncensored	FantaDream FDD-1715		May 20, 2005
Fairy Story: Akira Watase Uncensored	Fairy FAI-003		June 19, 2006
Yukata Angel Vol.4 With Haruka Mizuki & Arisa Hagetsu Uncensored	FantaDream FDD-2050		November 15, 2007

External links