Face to Face with Desire: Female-Friendly Pornography and Fandom in Contemporary Japan

• In Event: Ambivalent Hopes, Gendered Desires: The Potential of Japanese Pornography

Abstract

As the pornography industry in Japan struggles in the face of increased competition from free online content, producers have been forced to turn to new markets, one of which–female-friendly porn–has proven remarkably lucrative. Central to the marketing strategy of female-friendly content is a new twist on ‘meet the idol’ events at which women are encouraged to get up close and personal to male porn stars known as eromen (a portmanteau of ‘erotic’ and ‘men’) who are coached to look and behave more like members of Japanese boy bands rather than traditional porn actors. With their boyish good looks and unintimidating personas, these eromen provide not only a gateway into pornography consumption for female viewers who are well versed in the idol culture ubiquitous in the Japanese media landscape, but also encourage long-term connection to the brand as fans follow their favorite actors’ careers. This paper draws upon fieldwork conducted with female-friendly pornography production house Silk Labo to reveal the role of male stars. I discuss how the linking of pornography to idol culture plays an important role in making it more palatable to a wider range of women, while also representing an example of the commodification of female desire. Despite this, I argue that we should not lose hope as this process in turn allows for the creation of an active sexuality through the provision of spaces in which women can explore their desires both for, and beyond, the eromen they love.

Author

• Alexandra Hambleton, Bunkyo Gakuin University