TOKYO (TR) – In the results of a poll conducted last year by adult video (AV) label Soft On Demand to determine the industry’s most popular actresses, Riku Minato ranked eighth.
She appears to have boosted her stock since then.
On Monday evening, the 21-year-old starlet topped a field of 10 contestants to receive the Best Actress prize at the DMM Adult Awards 2015.
Last year’s winner, Ai Uehara, was on hand to present the award to Minato, who admitted that getting to this point was a bit of a struggle.
“At one point, it seemed as if everyone had given up on me, and I had given up [on myself],” said Minato, attired in a blue gown, during the proceedings, held on May 4 in front of hundreds of fans at the Toyosu Pit hall in Tokyo’s Koto Ward. “But I entered the industry with determination, and, little by little, I became a star.”
The winners of the event, which proclaims to “decide who the real goddesses are,” were determined by a combination of Internet fan voting and sales data for titles distributed by DMM in 2014. A total of 20 actresses strode through the hall via a red carpet in hopes of garnering accolades for their performances in the industry.
By the end of the night, some familiar faces walked away with other top prizes.
Marina Shiraishi took the Excellent Actress prize — a step up from last year when the 28-year-old was Best New Actress. Shiraishi was on the stage to present this year’s top-rookie prize to Moe Amatsuka.
“Little did I dream that I would happily receive this award from Shiraishi-san, my favorite (actress),” said the 21-year-old, who claimed the same prize at the Sky PerfecTV! AV Awards in March.
Also picking up prizes were starlets Minana Kojima (Media Award) and Aino Kishi (Special Prize), who, sadly for her fans, announced her retirement from the industry.
