TOKYO (TR) – In a tell-all interview with Nikkan Spa! (Aug. 13), Adult video (AV) actress Ruu Totsuka details her harrowing upbringing in the Japan’s entertainment industry.
In it, she reveals a dark history of severe bullying, “casting couch” propositions, and a toxic relationship that culminated in a four-year legal dispute.
The actress, who goes by the professional name Ruu, made her debut as a child actress in Kagoshima Prefecture at the age of six. While she initially enjoyed performing in local musicals, her early exposure to the spotlight soon made her a target.
During middle school, intense jealousy and relentless bullying from her peers drove her into isolation. The psychological abuse took a severe physical toll; Ruu developed anorexia, at one point becoming so emaciated that she required intravenous nutrition through her legs because the veins in her arms could no longer be used.
Relocated to Tokyo
Her struggles only intensified after she was scouted by a voice-acting agency and relocated to Tokyo. It was there she crossed paths with an industry figure who promised to back her acting dreams. The individual paid for specialized training — including horseback riding and tea ceremony lessons — and aggressively pitched her to publishers and television stations.
However, the arrangement quickly morphed into a campaign of psychological control. Ruu described the ordeal as “brainwashing,” marked by incessant phone calls, demanding messages, and suffocating mental pressure.
When Ruu’s mother recognized the abusive dynamic and intervened to cut ties, the situation escalated into a legal nightmare. The industry figure hired a lawyer and slapped Ruu with a civil lawsuit, demanding the repayment of 7 million yen allegedly spent on her career development.
Rock bottom
The grueling legal battle dragged on for roughly four years before finally ending in a settlement, leaving Ruu at absolute rock bottom.
Having spent her entire life in the entertainment sector, Ruu found herself emotionally drained and uncertain of her future in the conventional corporate world. Desperate for a way forward, she turned to a completely unexpected path: the AV industry.
Initially terrified of the extreme shift, she started by working in swimsuit gravure to test the waters. Surprisingly, the heavily stigmatized industry offered her the stability, safety, and acceptance she had been desperately seeking.
When she finally confessed her career choice to her father, he didn’t reprimand her. Instead, he offered a lifeline of support, telling her, “I’m just glad you found a place where you belong.”
Far from viewing her career as a downfall, Ruu credits the AV world with pulling her back from the brink of despair.
“If it weren’t for the job of an AV actress, I don’t think I would be in this world today,” she said.
