Asa Akira, born Asa Takigami on January 3, 1985, in New York City to Japanese immigrant parents, is a renowned American pornographic actress, director, author, and podcast host. From an upper-middle-class family, she attended elite private schools in Manhattan and lived in Tokyo for four years during childhood, returning to the US as a teen. Dropping out of college, Akira worked as a dominatrix at 19 and a stripper before debuting in adult films in 2006 with girl-girl scenes.
She amassed over 689 credits by 2023, signed exclusive contracts, and directed Gangbanged 6. Winning AVN Female Performer of the Year in 2013—the third Asian to do so—she entered multiple Hall of Fames including AVN, XRCO, and Brazzers. Her memoirs Insatiable (2014) and Dirty Thirty (2016) became bestsellers.
Co-hosting the DVDASA podcast, she appeared in mainstream media like Family Guy and Cosmopolitan. Married to performer Toni Ribas (2012-2017), the 5'2" bisexual-leaning heterosexual feminist remains a industry icon.