Prestige Publishing

Prestige Publishing (株式会社プレステージ出版) is a Japanese publishing company based in Shibuya, Tokyo, and an affiliate of the adult video producer Prestige. It was established in January 2005 under the name Lastras (株式会社ラストラス), originally operating as an adult video label that mainly handled omnibus compilations of Prestige works. In April 2021 the company changed its trade name to Prestige Publishing Co., Ltd. and shifted its business toward publishing. The company's publishing activities began around 2017 under the trade name "Prestige Publishing," initially as a secondary use of the large volume of still photographs taken during adult video production. Early electronic publications focused on sexual scenes shot on set, but the company found that non-sexual content sold better, and around 2021 it began seriously increasing original photo books. In January 2023 it expanded into gravure idol photo books, with a first wave featuring Yui Furukawa, Biru Otsuka, Kae Tani, Kaoru Miyanaga, and Ayana Nishinaga. It also releases paperback editions through Amazon Kindle. In June 2023 it held a rare publishing event for digital photo books with four models: Misaki Aihara, Seina Shinomi, Teruru, and Mami Hizato. According to Prestige's Kano, the adult video market was shrinking while the number of makers and titles was too high, leading the company to enter the paper book market. The company emphasizes sales through buy-back video retailers rather than consignment bookstores, with many photo books priced in the 4,000-yen range to convey credibility and cover location costs. Prestige Publishing's Sato noted that while adult video releases require at least five months from contract to release under the AV appearance damage prevention and relief law, photo books can be shot and released quickly, and they can sell over a longer span. The company has about 500 trading retail stores and estimates it can sell 700–800 copies per title, with signing events potentially selling about 300 copies in a day. The feedback from photo books has also benefited the adult video side, with successful leg-focused photo books influencing video package compositions and photo book buyers going on to purchase the models' adult videos. The company is headquartered at Spline Building 5F, 1-19-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing a building with Prestige. Its representative director is Hikaru Horii. Its business includes the production and sale of books and photo books.

Prestige Publishing was established in January 2005 as Lastras Co., Ltd. (株式会社ラストラス), an adult video maker affiliated with Prestige. It primarily handled omnibus compilations of Prestige works and was funded by Prestige. Its office was located in the same building as Prestige. Many of its titles were for rental. Around 2017, Prestige began publishing under the trade name "Prestige Publishing." The initial purpose was secondary use of the large amount of still photographs taken during adult video production, which were otherwise rarely made public. Early electronic publications centered on sexual scenes shot on set, but the company noticed that non-sexual content sold better and changed course. Around 2021, it began seriously increasing original photo books. In April 2021, the company changed its trade name from Lastras Co., Ltd. to Prestige Publishing Co., Ltd. and converted to the publishing business. On January 27, 2023, it expanded into gravure idol photo books, with the first wave featuring Yui Furukawa, Biru Otsuka, Kae Tani, Kaoru Miyanaga, and Ayana Nishinaga. It also began releasing paperback editions through Amazon Kindle. On June 24 of the same year, it held a rare publishing event for digital photo books with four models: Misaki Aihara, Seina Shinomi, Teruru, and Mami Hizato (effectively a cheki photo session). According to Prestige's Kano, the adult video market was shrinking while there were too many makers and titles, and he thought adult video would not survive in the future, so the company entered the paper book market. He reasoned that DVDs were not selling in video stores, and when considering what to put on the empty shelves, photo books came to mind; data showed that one or two copies would definitely sell per store, and assuming about 500 trading stores, 700–800 copies could be sold. In addition, if a popular actress held a signing event, about 300 copies could be sold in a day. Prestige Publishing's Sato added that under the AV appearance damage prevention and relief law, adult video requires at least five months from contract to release, while photo books can be shot and released quickly. Also, while adult videos cannot expect growth if they do not sell within three months of release, photo books can be sold over a long span. Regarding paper books, the company emphasizes sales through buy-back video makers rather than consignment bookstores, and prices are mainly in the 4,000-yen range, higher than typical gravure photos. This is intentionally set high to give credibility to the content, and costs are actually spent on locations. Kano also said that focusing on photo books had a feedback effect on adult videos: because a photo book emphasizing legs sold well, similar compositions were used in adult video packages, and data showed that buyers who entered through photo books purchased the models' adult videos.

• Established as Lastras Co., Ltd., an adult video maker affiliated with Prestige.

• Began publishing under the trade name "Prestige Publishing," initially for secondary use of still photos.

• Changed trade name from Lastras Co., Ltd. to Prestige Publishing Co., Ltd. and converted to publishing business.

• Expanded into gravure idol photo books with first wave of five models.

• Held rare publishing event for digital photo books with four models.

Publisher of gravure photo books and comics, leveraging Prestige's adult video production resources and retail network.

• Gravure idol photo books

  Photo books featuring gravure idols, launched January 2023.

• Original photo books

  Newly shot photo books, increased from around 2021.

• Comics

  Comic publications, with new releases announced on the official website.

• Digital photo books

  Electronic photo books, including paperback editions via Amazon Kindle.

1. 1プレステージ出版 公式サイトprestige-publishing.co.jp
2. 2プレステージ出版 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Prestige Publishing - Wikidatawikidata.org