Crystal-Eizou or Crystal-Eizō (クリスタル映像), known in English as Crystal Image or Crystal Video, is a Japanese corporation involved in the production and distribution of adult videos.

Crystal-Eizou
IndustryPornography
Founded1984
Headquarters,
ProductsPornographic films
Number of employees
23
Websitewww.crystal-eizou.jp

Company history

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Crystal-Eizou was founded in October 1984 and was incorporated in June 1985[1] at a time when home video recorders were beginning to significantly penetrate the Japanese market and actresses were being elevated into AV Idols.[2] A number of significant figures in Japanese adult video (AV) history have been associated with the Crystal-Eizou company during its long history. Among these was the innovative and controversial director Toru Muranishi (村西 とおる) who later left to start his own company Diamond Visual.[3] Muranishi launched the career of Kaoru Kuroki who debuted at Crystal-Eizou in October 1986[4] and went on to become Japan's "first high-profile AV actress".[3] Kuroki left Crystal-Eizou to join Muranishi at his new company but a few years later the company found another main draw in Ai Iijima who debuted with them in 1992[5] and soon became acknowledged as the top AV actress of her time.[6] Another early AV Idol who performed for Crystal-Eizou was Yumika Hayashi who appeared as early as 1989 in the video Gansha 6 renpatsu! gaburi hime Hayashi Yumika.[7] The company inaugurated a major new label, Venus, in June 1997.[8]

By December 2007, the company had 23 employees and a capital of 200 million yen (about $2 million) with an annual revenue of 2.6 billion yen (about $26 million). The company President is Tadaharu Nishimura (西村忠治) and the corporation headquarters are in Tokyo's Toshima ward.[1] Crystal-Eizou operates its own website, Crystal-Online, where DVDs are sold and streaming videos are available through membership.[9] Their video products are also available in a large network of dealers throughout Japan.[10] The website also contains an archive of Crystal-Eizou actress interviews dating back to 2001.[11] The company specializes in single actress featured videos and "big-bust" genre productions.[12]

JVPS

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As one of the older Japanese AV companies, Crystal-Eizou is counted as one of the "pro" studios as opposed to the more recent "indie" companies. Japanese AV producers belong to one of a number of voluntary ethics organizations which set standards for content and the extent of the mosaic pixelation used to censor the genitals required by Japanese law. Crystal-Eizou and most of the older "pro" studios such as h.m.p., Kuki and Alice Japan belonged to the group known as Nihon Ethics of Video Association (NEVA, AKA "Soft-rin" and "Viderin") whose censorship standards were more conservative than those used by the "indie" studios.[13] However, in 2005 Crystal-Eizou left the organization to form its own ethics group—the Japan Video Production Software - Sales Ethics Group (JVPS) or in Japanese 日本映像ソフト制作・販売倫理機構 (Nippon Eizou Sofuto Seisaku. Hanbai Rinri Kikou). The executive director of the Tokyo-based organization is Crystal-Eizou President Tadaharu Nishimura.[14]

Awards

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At the 4th Takeshi Kitano Awards held in 2003 for movies released in 2002, the Crystal-Eizou production Battle Without Foreplay? (前戯なき戦い?即入かましてヨカですか?) was given the award as the Best AV Title.[15] In 2007 Crystal-Eizou took part in the second AV Open contest. Their entry Celebrity Debut - Misa Kikoden (芸能人★デビュー!! きこうでんみさ) directed by Yukihiko Shimamura and labeled OPEN-0706 won the 2nd Place Award in the main contest.[16]

Labels

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Crystal-Eizou has issued videos on various labels over the years:[17][18]

  • Venus (ヴィーナス)
  • Grace (グレース)
  • Madam Maniac (マダムマニアック)
  • Maniac (マニアック)
  • Messiah (メシア)
  • Great Confidence (グレートコンフィデンス)
  • Fan (ファン)
  • Super
  • Crystal EX
  • MMC
  • e-KiSS
  • Hermes (エルメス)
  • Five Star

Actresses

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A number of prominent AV Idols have been featured in Crystal-Eizou videos during the company's extensive history:

Series

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  • The Costume Play Maid (コスプレ召使い)[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b "会社案内 (About Us)" (in Japanese). www.crystal-eizou.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  2. ^ Otsubo, Kemuta (2009-03-27). "アダルトビデオクロニクル 86'~90'/ 1 (Adult Videos Chronicle 86 'to 90' / 1)" (in Japanese). allabout.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-08-18.
  3. ^ a b Fornander, Kjell (July 1992). "A Star is Porn". Tokyo Journal. Archived from the original on 2006-05-16. Retrieved 2007-02-18.
  4. ^ "1986" (in Japanese). AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Archived from the original on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  5. ^ "1992" (in Japanese). AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Archived from the original on 2006-10-28. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  6. ^ "TV Stars - Ai Iijima". Japan-Zone. Archived from the original on 2007-03-16. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  7. ^ "ガンシャ6連発!がぶり姫 林由美香". www.arzon.jp. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
  8. ^ "1997" (in Japanese). AV 研究所 (AV Research Laboratory). Archived from the original on 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
  9. ^ "CRYSTAL-ONLINE" (in Japanese). www.crystal-eizou.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-07-08. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  10. ^ "販売店リスト (List of Dealers)" (in Japanese). www.crystal-eizou.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-06-22. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  11. ^ "女優情報 (Actress Information)" (in Japanese). www.crystal-eizou.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-07-03. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  12. ^ Otsubo, Kemuta. "自主規制のAVメーカー(あ・か行)(AV Manufacturers)" (in Japanese). allabout.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-12-28.
  13. ^ Leongolo. "Bad Girl-Ami Ayukawa". JMate. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  14. ^ "日本映像ソフト制作・販売倫理機構(略称 制販倫)(JVPS)" (in Japanese). www.seihanrin.jp. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  15. ^ "東スポ映画大賞 過去の授賞一覧 (Tokyo Sports Film Awards - Summary)" (in Japanese). Tokyo Sports. Archived from the original on 2009-04-06. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  16. ^ "2nd AV Open Results" (in Japanese). japan.dmm.co.jp. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  17. ^ "Movie Makers - Crystal Image". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  18. ^ "レーベル (Labels)" (in Japanese). www.crystal-eizou.jp. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  19. ^ "JAV Film Series - Crystal Image". Urabon Navigator. Archived from the original on 2010-12-02. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
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