JAV Porn – Kaoru Oshima Opens Up About His Experience as an Otokonoko [Femboy/Crossdresser] AV Actor

"Many people have probably come across a particular genre of adult films that, although not mainstream, is regularly produced in Japan. DAS, in particular, is one of the production companies that has consistently invested in this genre. These are adult films featuring otokonoko (男の娘), a Japanese term that can be literally translated as 'male girl' and refers to men who dress as women. In English, two terms frequently used to describe this type of content are crossdresser, referring to someone who wears clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex, and femboy or shemale, terms used in certain contexts to describe people with feminine appearances who still have male genitalia.

Today, many female AV actresses become writers after leaving the industry, publishing books or writing columns for magazines. Many share their experiences in the adult entertainment business. Most recently, Kaoru Oshima, an AV actor specializing in the otokonoko genre, also became a writer and gave an interview to the online media outlet Encount, in which he discussed his life and career.

Before entering the otokonoko AV scene, Kaoru Oshima had already appeared in gay pornographic films. In 2014, he switched genres and made his debut in a production released by Real Work, a label under the KMP group. He was the first male performer to join a mainstream AV production company without ever having used female hormones.

He explains that he grew up with internet access at home, which allowed him to discover various forms of pornography and different types of Japanese adult films. He also discovered the world of otokonoko, which broadened his horizons regarding clothing and personal expression. By the age of 15, he had realized that he enjoyed this style.

“When I was in junior high school, the only thing I was interested in was sex. Back then, I was short, fat, and naturally had curly hair. I had a pessimistic outlook on life and was convinced that I would never be able to get a girlfriend. Then I came across an online forum about men who dressed as women. I saw men in their thirties being pampered by others and treated as if they were young girls. I thought that if I did the same thing, I might become popular, too. Or, to put it more accurately, I felt that dressing as a woman was the only option I had.”

He had his first sexual experience at just 15 years old with a middle-aged man he had met through an anonymous online forum.

However, during high school, he also began dating women. Although he had no aversion to having sex with men, he acknowledged that his genuine romantic and sexual attraction was directed toward women. According to the original article, this situation is not unusual in Japan, where many men who work in the sex industry serve male clients while continuing to identify as heterosexual.

'If you ask whether I’m a man or a woman, I’m definitely a man. I've never undergone surgery or used hormones, and I have no desire to legally change my sex, either. However, my sexual preferences may be somewhat different from those of other men. I live honestly and stay true to myself, accepting the fact that I don’t want to be a woman.'

At the age of 18, Kaoru decided to apply for work in adult films aimed at gay audiences to earn money. He took an overnight bus from his hometown of Osaka to Tokyo, where he filmed three productions in just three days. He received approximately 200,000 yen, an amount equivalent to the monthly salary of someone in their early twenties.

'It was a new and interesting experience to see that even productions like these had directors and assistant directors who took their work seriously. At first, I intended to do it just once and leave it at that. However, the other actors performing alongside me were terrible—so terrible that we had to hold back our laughter during filming. The atmosphere was a bit like working on a school project. In fact, I actually enjoyed it. I didn’t think there was anything sad or shameful about selling my body, so I started accepting filming jobs from time to time.'

The major turning point came when he was 23. At the time, he supported himself by working part-time at a call center while continuing to appear in gay pornographic films.

His opportunity came when he was cast in his first full-fledged adult video dedicated entirely to the otokonoko genre. The production was a collaboration between a mainstream AV production company and a studio specializing in gay adult films. The video became an enormous success, and numerous offers for similar roles began pouring in.

'I'm not gay. I simply have no aversion to having sex with men. For me, performing in adult videos aimed at gay audiences is just acting—it’s a job like any other. On the other hand, when I put on a full face of makeup and dressed completely as a woman, hearing people compliment my appearance felt as though a switch inside me had been turned on. I began wanting to step into the spotlight and make a name for myself.'

Kaoru began dressing as a woman in his everyday life as well, seeking to refine his appearance. He then applied to an AV production company and began attracting attention on social media through photographs of himself shirtless.

In 2014, he signed an exclusive contract with a major production company and made a high-profile debut in the AV industry. Over approximately two years, he appeared in more than 30 productions.

Nevertheless, he knew that a career in the industry would not last forever. When his contract expired, he had to choose between continuing to accept an increasing number of offers as an independent AV performer and using his existing fame to pursue a new career path. He chose the latter and decided to leave the adult entertainment industry. He subsequently published a photobook and began a new career as a writer.

“My photobook contains no images of genitalia and wasn't even rated for adults aged 18 and over. Nevertheless, it was overlooked and stigmatized as nothing more than an erotic book. Bookstores refused to stock it, online retailers classified it as adult content, and even an appearance on a television program was canceled at the last minute. These experiences made me painfully realize that once you have worked in the AV industry, society no longer sees you as an ordinary person.”

In 2023, Oshima filed a lawsuit against the production company responsible for his previous work, seeking to stop the sale and distribution of his older productions. Such legal action became more accessible to performers following the introduction of new Japanese legislation concerning the adult film industry, as well as precedents established by lawsuits brought by other performers. Oshima's case was settled through mediation in February 2026.

He also has a warning for anyone considering entering the AV industry: do not rush into making that decision.

'I wouldn't go so far as to say that I regret having appeared in adult films, but I was still very naive back then. The AV industry is more organized than most people think, but there's no denying that it operates outside the conventional boundaries of mainstream society. If you aren't well prepared for what you might have to face, this isn't a place you should enter simply out of curiosity.

'One problem is that the barriers to entering the industry have become lower. There are cases in which agencies pay for performers' plastic surgery to help build their careers, but some of those performers eventually become deeply involved in nightlife and develop a dependency on frequenting host clubs.'

Kaoru believes that speaking candidly about his negative experiences is a responsibility he has to fulfill.

'Being able to talk about the hell I've witnessed firsthand and what other people have to go through is one of the things I can do at this point in my life.'"

Source: Hitomitokushada

CODE: HVG-004