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Too hot to handle: Ex-Takarazuka talent targets porn premiere

Josei Seven Dec. 19
Josei Seven Dec. 19
On December 2, adult video (AV) label Soft On Demand announced the upcoming release of a new DVD with the following enticing ad copy: “A talent that comes along once every 100 years! The beginning of a new legend!”

Following intense bullying while at a “popular music school,” the 21-year-old star of the film, a stunning beauty who stands at 176 centimeters with long black hair and a G-cup bust, has decided to change career paths.

She goes by the name of “Rena Takatsuka,” and weekly tabloid Josei Seven (Dec. 19) quotes a writer covering the AV business who says the institution in question is none other than the Takarazuka Music School, located in Hyogo Prefecture.

(Soft On Demand does not give the real name of the actress in the promotional material for the film, titled “Rena Takatsuka: AV Debut,” though one may wish to note the similarity between Takatsuka and Takarazuka.)

In April of 2008, Takatsuka entered the Takarazuka Music School. An article appearing on an Internet site determined that she was the most beautiful pupil in her class, a pronouncement that led to significant bullying within the academy.

Following an accusation by a classmate that she had shoplifted items from a store, the school announced she had dropped out. In November of 2009, she decided to take the school to court since the claim was groundless. She sought 10 million yen in compensation.

During the court session, Takatsuka described continuous intimidation, including having her clothes thrown in the garbage and requests that she “die” and “return to her parent’s home.”

“Nobody in my class would keep company with me,” Takatsuka told the court.

In July of 2010, the school offered that her dismissal be cancelled and she graduate from the Takarazuka Music School in exchange for her not continuing on to the Takarazuka Review, the lavish all-female performing troupe.

Numerous popular stars in the Takarazuka Review, including Hitomi Kuroki, 53, and Yuki Amami, 46, have later moved on to careers in the entertainment industry.

Kyosuke Yamashita is author of “The Trial of Takarazuka Bullying: The Current Young Girl’s Flower Garden,” a synopsis of trial proceedings that resulted from the false accusations made by students — presumably including Takatsuka — at the Takarazuka Music School. In the book, the author says that young performers face tremendous amounts of stress.

After her “graduation,” Takatsuka returned to her home in the Tohoku region. But she was quickly ostracized by the local population.

“When she entered school, a newspaper ran a big story on her,” says one of her friends. “She was a celebrity. But after the court case, people would see her walking in the street and point in a derisive way. The treatment she receive was similar to that of a person touching a tumor.”

Takatsuka then came to Tokyo, where she was scouted by an AV company. She decided to debut thereafter.

“Even after leaving the world of Takarazuka, she wanted to stand in the limelight,” says the aforementioned AV writer.

In life, one might have only one chance, she thought, and the world of AV might be her chance, according to the writer.

“Of course, appearing nude was a consideration,” continues the writer. “But she wanted to chase her dream and decided to make her AV debut.”

In the future, she would like to tailor her career after that of Mitsu Dan, the 33-year-old erotic pin-up model and actress, and Ai Iijima, a former AV star and television commentator who passed away in 2008.

“She wants to appear in roles on television and in film where eroticism is a weapon,” says the writer.

When reached for comment by Josei Seven, Soft On Demand refused to offer confirmation of the real identity of Takatsuka. (K.N.)

Source: “‘AV debyuu’ wo ketsui suru made,” Josei Seven (December 19, pages 158-159)