In the newest issue of Metropolis (a popular magazine intended for foreign audiences in Japan), they are featuring Aoi Sora. Basically, Metropolis claims that the JAV industry has gotten a lot better since its Yakuza driven days. Headlined by stars like Aoi Sora, popular AV stars are using AV as a spring board to other ventures such as J-Drama. If you didn’t know, Aoi Sora did that in 2006 in the drama called “Glory Days.”

An excerpt:

“Indeed, Aoi is the first of a new breed, a symbol of the AV industry that was rocked in 2000 by actress Ai Iijima’s tell-all book, Platonic Sex, which revealed the business to be as seedy as everyone had suspected. According to Iijima, AV was awash with girls picked up off the streets, unable to say no to lurid propositions or simply in need of cash. Platonic Sex inspired a change in the industry and propelled Iijima to stardom as a TV commentator, while new, “clean” companies revolutionized the business with no yakuza involvement at all.”

More: http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/721/feature.asp