Interview: I’ve got to ask Shinonome-san #02

June 25th, 2023
interviewed with Reiya Shinonome, edited by Mew

November 7th, 2024
translated by Mio

Reiya: After I joined the company as the next generation leader, I became a project manager from 1^st year and managed 2 projects to build the business. Then, I was able to manage one of them pretty well soon that you could achieve sales target, and realized that this could be managed by someone else, so I took over the business to other person. Next, the company decided to create subsidiary company, and assigned me as sales director there. Then, I worked there creating new business and it was also pretty successful…

−−Hold on… it’s still your 1^st or 2^nd year!?

R: Yes! However, soon after, I started to feel there would not be much more I could learn, at the same time I was kind of burnt out…  All what I could experience was worthwhile, and I would want to repeat the same if I were born again, yet I wasn’t sure what else I could learn if I stay in this company…. Then, I decided to leave the company and pursue other interest. Then at that timing, I became the host.

−−Why host? At that timing?

R: I was scouted from famous individual in the industry. My Twitter account was pretty popular (*he created the account as “Ego-pla”, before he became Reiya Shinonome) and they told me that I could debut as apprentice to legendary host. That sounded very attractive, so I tried! However, as a result when it came about the girl and money, I offered more than what was expected, and it didn’t fit with my stance, so I quitted immediately. Around the same time, I went out for drink with previous business partner, and their company was thinking of launching new business and he invited me, so I joined which was my last company.

−−I see…. Well, I already got too much information and not sure where I should deep dive….

R: Laugh…. At the last company, I launched the new business with other members. I enjoyed a lot and it was great time that I could work together with talented people. In parallel, my Ego-pla account in twitter became even more popular, and the industry invited me to debut as a porn actor and/or if I were interested in being model. Actually, being porn actor would be very unique opportunity, which “usual” people would not be invited, so I was curious and tried, then it became a hit!

−−That was the “phantom of debut work” before you got the name of Reiya Shinonome. By the way, did you create Ego-pla account as hidden account?

R: No, I actually created only because I wanted to share anything interesting, so I was not even hiding myself. One day, when I did the model as work and got some photos for twitter use, it brew up!

−−Do you have photo of that?

R: It may not have been this one….

−−Well…. Beautiful photo…. Thank you so much!  Then, those who held hidden account loved and started to follow you….

R: Yes, where it brew was for those who held hidden accounts, and this account also became like a hidden account, without intention.  I was scouted as the therapist for the sex business for women because of me having good numbers of follower in twitter.

−− I see. Hearing your stories…quit the office worker and become the host and therapist in sex business sounds very challenging from my perspective…. It wouldn’t be like “OK, sounds interesting, and lets try…”  You didn’t feel hesitated to do?

R: Why I was interested in these were because of my experience during the university – I got teacher’s license for health and physical education, and I got to know what has been covering in the study at school. But knowing them, I realized sex education in Japan is behind from the world and I felt uncomfortable about that. So, I originally thought it would be totally different thing from my world, yet, at the same time, I felt I may be able to contribute if I became successful with some of my work, then, I said “I would do”.

−−You were open to the activities without much hesitation.

R: Right, as I had nothing to lose.  Also, simply I felt it would be very unique experience as not many people have tried.

−−When exactly you joined this industry?

R: I debuted in September 2021, so when I took interview first was around a year ago, September 2020.

−−Was it SILK LABO?

R: Yes. I wanted to debut with the label which is for female and also well established, and I tried.

−−You debuted with label for female because you thought this would be the area you could perform the best?

R: Well…, I thought I could perform in any areas, such as for the gay individuals or kinds of acts to show girls attractively, yet if I continue, I needed to motivate myself. I started to work for sex business because of my realization and uncomfortableness towards sex education, so I imagined that I could become the influencer and approach further by being porn actor.

−−I see…. Since I got to know you, I have always been thinking that you wouldn’t show your own ego to be the porn actor.  And I find it interesting that you’re seeing things with 3rd eyes, or stand as an influencer. How has your view point been developed?

R: There was no single event for that, but we are aware that Japan is very behind on sex education, at the time Adult industry is huge and is known as sacred place for Erotic. That all said, the market for female is very limited. If I were to be involved, I could contribute and I want to expand the market for females and can support someone due to the market being very limited.

−−I guess a lot of people are aware that sex market for female is limited, but you wanted to go beyond and expand by contributing to it yourself.

R: To be very honest, because no one has done previously, so I could be the hero if I try! Also, there would have been someone who thought about it but had some reason didn’t try, or maybe someone tried and gave up. Any case, I felt not many has tried yet, so I thought “Its now my turn”.

−−I see. While this is my personal perspective, from men’s eyes, it’s difficult to understand women’s sexual identity or concerns even as a professional porn star.  Even among females, it’s very difficult to understand, so I would imagine male may feel fear to share their perspective in their own words.  Yet, in your case, you have a knowledge, and you are courageous enough to share directly, so I admire you.

R: Not only concerns related to sex, each individual has different concerns. Someone may not be able to accept what I do, and ignore, like you do whatever…. So, it’s not possible that everyone to love me, but it would be win-win at least if there are someone who loves me and they find meaning to my work. I’m using “female” as the subject, but it dosn’t have to be female and I would be happy if there are someone, even small numbers, find my work is helpful. I also learn from these people, and make a movement together.

−−Now I get your stance. It’s because you have great talent of understanding yourself objectively as well as what’s expected to you. On top you have great talent to self produce.

R: In general, I want to be cool!  Branding is very important in whatever you do.

−−Your great Eromen friend Hoshi-san (Kento Hoshi) was complementing you as “the one who self produce well”. Has it been always the case?

R: Well, I’m not sure. But when I was the athlete, I had no time to play with girls, and my experience with the girls was very limited, compared with ordinary uni students.  Therefore, I leveraged dating apps to meet multiple girls, and learned there were no “common answers” to satisfy all girls.  Then, I became very curious in how to be successful in meeting girls’ expectation, and I read a lot of books about love psychology.  From there, I learned some human nature reactions, but even though I knew these, there’s one-fits-all answer, so I would focus on someone who likes me, which would make me happy.  And to do so, I first need to share from my end what kind person I am for people to judge whether they like me or not.  All in all, I learned the importance of branding, and the reality that there would be people who wouldn’t like me anyway, and no point to be disappointed.

−−You’re amazing that you reach to that thought from dating apps experience….

R: You’re right…it’s like I felt enlightened…. And, actually, when I was participating into Junior athlete program, I took some training about thinking and communication how to appropriately respond.  For example, I actually wanted to say “I’m tired”, but it’s not the expected answer.  We were trained to respond back based on my position, so this learning is still leveraged.

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−−From now, I would like to ask you as a porn actor.  I understood your POV by listening all your story.  When you decided to be a porn star, how did the people around you reacted?

R: I first told my friends, and any of them didn’t have any negative reactions, rather they were supportive as “You have great body, good looking and hansome, so why not!”.

−−You had good supportive friends.

R: I assume everyone felt that I was born under the lucky star. We spent some time together as friends and they would have thought I would live differently from others.

−−Your story tells that it has been consistent than, sudden change.

R: Right. What I do has changed, but my mindset and thinking stays the same. Then, for family, I first told my mother. I told her that “ I quitted the company, and I will live as porn actor”. Then, she first said, “Really? You must be kidding?” and took it as joke, but I told “It’s true, please search “Reiya Shinonome”.

−−I see.

R: Then, she searched and realized it was true. She has kept quite for some time and she searched how famous I was through the internet. After that, her first word was “Indeed, I knew that you wouldn’t live as usual occupation”, so I assume she also knew I live differently from others.

−−Well… your mom’s word is pretty serious…. She wouldn’t have known how to accept the reality….

R: I can imagine so…. After that, she asked how much I earn with what I do, how I would like to spend my career and so on. So, I explained and she finally accepted and said “As long as you’re popular and it helps someone, and you find it fun without much stress, it can be good choice”.

−−Given your mother was the actress, and she understand what it means to be an actor, she would have said so.

R: Maybe.  Then, next day, I told my father. Both my parent’s opinion was, “We will support you as long as it can be of the help for someone, but we both know this is the challenging industry, thus we would worry you that you go for that path which is unstable than usual Salary man while you would have sustainable life if you continue. All that said, if you still say you would do, we will support. Please just promise that you wouldn’t try too hard”.

−−I see. You were sharing your parents’ story at the beginning of this interview, and now I understand your parent’s opinion very well. Great family.

R: True. I have been wondering how I would tell to them and I couldn’t imagine their reaction. Maybe, they could say, you’re no longer my son…. I was thinking of such a worst case, so I really appreciate that they support.

−−Your father doesn’t say much? I would expect same gender parent would share more opinion….

R: All in my life, I always decided things, such as which school to go or which company to join, by myself, and reported afterwards to my mother first, then finally to father. Thus, I can’t remember any situation that that my father shared his opinion to any of my choices.

−−You have such a great family.

R: Indeed, Like farther, like son. I didn’t have any rebellious phase.

−−I heard that episode somewhere, and reason was there’s no merit?

R: Yes, they were the one cooking for me and giving me allowance, so I knew I can’t survive without them as I resist to them.

−−Yet majority still feel annoyed. Is it your characteristic?

R:  Actually, I never felt annoyed. During high school period, as I went for morning practice, my mother work up early and prepared lunch box, did the laundry, so I couldn’t thank enough. To be successful as an athlete, the organization has clearly been telling parents support was the MUST, and there has been program for parents. My mother has been participating them and reflected her learning into the meal.

−−It’s same for majority of family that parents support their kids for growth. Then, usually people take it granted and forget to appreciate….

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−−Let me ask last question. Would you please share what motivates you, experience like, “Because of something, I’m the porn actor”.

R: The moment I felt I deserved is when my work is released and fans share with review that “I’ve been waiting such a work”. Recently, I release the work with Onsen trip, and some comments were like “I have been busy and had no time to travel, but this gave me simulated experience” or “It reminded us as partners 5 years ago”. So when I could recognize the actual moment that I could make an impact to someone, I deserve for my work.

−−Which means you refer to the reviews for the work?

R: Yes, I try to read all the reply or retweet comments to twitter as much as possible. Not only I satisfy with their comment, but understand both good point and some improvement area – for example, I could make out well and they could have immersive feeling this time, but would there be something I could have done better? How I could act? Like that.

−−You are thinking such from your fan’s reaction.

R: Recently, I feel confident during shooting…. Such as, I could perform well with ad live scene, or I notice that I could have said in the different way…. So I notice these moments before the work is released….

−−In fact, you said “I became professional” in your Youtube series with sneak peak of shooting by SILK LABO. In what situation you felt so?

R: Well, I used to have the moment like…”How should I act?”, or “I forgot what to say, what to do?”, but I no longer have these situations, rather, I can sense things like “next scene is such scene, so shooter may want to shoot form this angle…” or “I should continue this movement longer…” or now that camera came back, so “I should say this lines”. So, now I can understand what director or shooter are thinking in this moment, and what they are looking for.

−−So as an actor, you understand what act is expected and you oversee the situation and act by understanding how shooter is shooting you.

R: Right. Also, now I’m more confident and I have a peace in mind, so it makes me come up with better ideas how to act and add some lines even when director or shooter hasn’t noticed. Then, actually, I try to do during the shooting, and check with the director “How was my act?”, then she said “Why didn’t I include in the script, it’s so regrettable!” Then, I feel relieved that I could include my own words into it.

−−So it was not something you’ve been naturally doing since your debut work, rather you equipped by experiencing more?  I’ve been watching several of your drama work, and you seemed very natural even from the beginning….

R: Not really, I had no mind space at the beginning, so I was literary following the script and I was disparately acting. I was thinking, it would be my win, that people around me didn’t notice my feeling, even I would be putting my full effort to act in my heart.

−−I see. On the other hand, is there anything you find as “challenging moment” at work? Of course only; if you could share….

R: Hmmmm. As I act, I get into the role with the emotion, but I need to pause for shooting even I got into good mood and I need to turn down my emotion. I think that is very unique because of AV shooting, but I find it difficult… I mean when I compared with the situation when I have sex in personal life though…. I just shared I got used to the acting, but it has been challenging to remember the shooting angle or lines. If you ask me that I can do it easily now, it’s not yet as I still think and act consciously. So, I wish I could act unconsciously. When I need to say something which I usually don’t use, I feel hesitated and confused. So it’s ongoing journey….

−−AV shooting comes with sex, it would be very different to bring your emotion than usual acting. I see….

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This is all about the interview.  Thank you for reading! 

I feel so happy that I could get to know and understand his personality and experience, as well as, I could share with his fans.  Thank you for sparing your important time to answer questions sincerely.

by Mew