Another mainstream idol group has had to jettison one of its members after she was found to be pursuing a secret porn career.
Nijiiro no Hiko Shojo (虹色の飛行少女) is a seven-member group active since 2018.
Kana Usami (宇佐美花菜), who played the idol “character” Hana Midorisawa in the group, was fired on February 27 and replaced. This is after it came to light that she had performed in a porn release. She made her AV debut under the name Azu Kusunoki (楠木あず) for Soft on Demand Star with a release on January 17 (1stars00176). The publicity claimed she was 20 years old. Another video then quickly followed the next month, which is when her troubles began.
Her secret moonlighting was discovered and she was promptly fired on February 27 by her group’s management. A replacement was announced in early March ahead of a live concert in Shinjuku.
Usami also used to be a member of the idol group Ikoku Palpitante (異国のパルピタンテ). Presumably she will now be free to pursue her adult video career without fear of the repercussions.
It’s an open secret that many idols are doing such porn work on the side or before or after their idol careers, which often pay poorly. Given that another open secret is the “casting couch” aspect to the gravure, seiyuu, and music idol industry, the switch to porn or hostessing or prostitution is not as radical as it might sound. Many members of AKB48 or its sister groups have turned to porn after graduating.
Similar porn pasts have come to light for Japanese YouTubers, beauty contest winners, and voice actors.
