TOKYO (TR) – Adult video (AV) actress Minamo, who recently announced her impending retirement, has opened up about her harrowing upbringing, describing her mother as a “curse” during a promotional event for her new book.
Celebrating the release of her semi-autobiographical novel “Haha no Dorobune” (Mother’s Mud Boat), published by Kadokawa, the 26-year-old AV star held a candid discussion with veteran manga artist and commentator Mayumi Kurata, reports News Post Seven (Oct. 23).
The novel offers a dark glimpse into Minamo’s childhood, depicting a household fractured by a perpetually enraged father and an emotionally unstable mother. In the story, the protagonist is forced to constantly read her father’s explosive moods to protect her mother, eventually making her mother’s happiness her sole purpose in life.
When Kurata asked how she views her mother today, Minamo gave a chillingly blunt assessment: “To me, my mother is a curse, and a hope.”
Family’s dark secrets
Minamo admitted she struggled while writing the book, fearing the backlash of exposing her family’s dark secrets. “I worried about how much I should reveal and if it would make my family sad,” she said.
Despite the toxic history, the actress noted that her current relationship with her parents has stabilized. After announcing she would step away from the adult entertainment industry at the end of 2026, she said her parents accepted the decision calmly. “Now is actually the best our relationship has ever been,” she revealed.
In a post-event interview, the conversation took a bizarre turn when the topic shifted to romance. Kurata, famous for her manga depicting relationships with damenzu (deadbeat or problematic men), pressed the young actress on her love life.
Minamo shocked the veteran manga artist by admitting she isn’t interested in wealthy men and might actually seek out a partner similar to her abrasive father. “Recently…coming full circle, I think a man like my father might be good. Even as a husband,” Minamo confessed.
Kurata quickly shot down the idea, pointing out the father’s verbally abusive nature depicted in the book. “Based on your novel, your father is the type to yell, ‘Why can’t you do this?’ at a child. That is not good,” Kurata warned.
Prioritizing happiness
Drawing on her own experiences with her late husband, Shuntaro Kanai, who left behind a mere 200,000 yen in savings and credit card debt when he died at 56, Kurata emphasized that emotional support trumps everything else. She advised Minamo to prioritize her own happiness and the family she chooses to create over the one she was born into.
“I just want your happiness,” Kurata urged the young actress. “Please, be careful of deadbeat men.”
The trauma of her upbringing, however, may not be fully laid to rest. Before concluding the interview, MINAMO hinted that she is not done exposing her family’s past, stating, “Actually, there may be an opportunity for me to write about my father in the future.”