Early Life
Born in Manhattan, Asa Akira moved to Tokyo when she was nine after her father relocated for work, though she returned at age 13, moving to Brooklyn (and later, Clinton Hill). She attended the United Nations International School via scholarship, as her grandfather spent 45 years as a Japanese diplomat. For her sophomore year, she enrolled in Washington Irving High School, later transferring to the City As School. At 19, she began working as a dominatrix and then as a stripper at the Hustler Club, until becoming the "Show Whore" on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show. It was there that she met Gina Lynn, who offered her work in the porn industry.

Career
After performing several scenes with Gina Lynn Productions, Asa Akira became a freelancer six months after a short contract with Voyeur Media. Since then, she has worked with top studios like Hustler Video, Adam & Eve, and Zero Tolerance; and, in fact, has even signed an exclusive contract with Wicked Pictures (debuting in Asa is Wicked in 2013). That same year, she also made her directorial debut with Elegant Angel in Gangbanged 6. In 2019, Asa Akira hosted the Pornhub Awards show.

Mainstream Appeal
Asa Akira made a cameo appearance in the 2012 independent film Starlet. Often the subject of listicles, Akira has appeared in CNBC's annual "Dirty Dozen" list of top porn stars for 2012, 2013, and 2014, as well as Complex magazine's "Top 100 Hottest Porn Stars Right Now," and "Top 50 Hottest Asian Porn Stars of All Time." LA Weekly listed Akira among the "10 Innovative Porn Stars Who Could Be the Next Sasha Grey." In 2013, Akira and artist friend David Choe started a popular podcast called DVDASA, discussing sexuality, career, and relationships. In January 2014, Akira was featured in a Cosmopolitan magazine article, "4 Porn Stars on How They Stay Fit." In May 2014, Akira's memoir Insatiable: Porn, A Love Story was released by Grove Press, followed up by her second book Dirty Thirty: A Memoir which was published in fall 2016 by Cleis Press. In October 2017, Akira made a cameo appearance on the popular cartoon sitcom Family Guy.

Porn Awards
    2011 AVN Best All-Girl Three-Way Sex Scene Buttwoman vs. Slutwoman
    2011 AVN Best Anal Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable
    2011 AVN Best Double Penetration Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable
    2011 AVN Best Three-Way Sex Scene (G/B/B) Asa Akira Is Insatiable
    2011 Urban X Best Couple Sex Scene Vajazzled
    2011 Urban X Porn Star of the Year
    2012 AVN Best Anal Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2
    2012 AVN Best Double-Penetration Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2
    2012 AVN Best Group Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2
    2012 AVN Best Tease Performance Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2
    2012 AVN Best Three-Way Sex Scene (Boy/Boy/Girl) Asa Akira Is Insatiable 2
    2012 AVN Best Solo Sex Scene Superstar Showdown 2: Asa Akira vs. Kristina Rose
    2012 NightMoves Best Ass
    2012 XBIZ Female Performer of the Year
    2012 XRCO Female Performer of the Year
    2012 XRCO Superslut
    2012 AEBN VOD Award Performer of The Year
    2012 Galaxy Best Personal Website (North America) AsaAkira.com
    2013 AVN Best Double-Penetration Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable 3
    2013 AVN Best Group Sex Scene Asa Akira Is Insatiable 3
    2013 AVN Best Three-Way Sex Scene (Girl/Girl/Boy) Asa Akira Is Insatiable 3
    2013 AVN Best POV Sex Scene Asa Akira to the Limit
    2013 AVN Female Performer of the Year
    2013 XRCO Female Performer of the Year
    2013 NightMoves Best Ethnic Performer
    2013 Galaxy Award Best Female Performer (America)
    2013 Sex Award Porn Star of the Year
    2013 Sex Award Porn's Perfect Girl/Girl Screen Couple
    2014 AVN Best Porn Star Website AsaAkira.com
    2014 AVN Best Solo/Tease Performance Asa Goes to Hell
    2014 NightMoves Best Body
    2015 XRCO Mainstream Adult Media Favorite
    2017 XBIZ Best Supporting Actress DNA
    2018 XBIZ Best Actress - Couples-Themed Release The Blonde Dahlia
    2018 AVN Mainstream Star of the Year