I don't even know if I should participate in this thread, I do miss many old timers, Yuma Asami, Maria Ozawa, Takako Kitahara, Bunko Kanazawa... But I don't really want to see them come back to make AV again, for her sake, for my sake. And I can be accused of preferring the new over the old. If the idol of my heart went away for 5+ years and make a comeback? Compare to some unknown 20 years old newbie? No question I prefer fresh meat.
But anyway tossing in my two-cents on the ongoing argument. In my dictionary, a "veteran" is anyone who has unbroken AV career of at least 12 months plus a day, and also either at least 6 solo works or at least 15 AV of any kind if her name doesn't appear on cover.
Yes the bar is very low. It doesn't take much, never take much to earn the title. In standard English, it just mean "one who has or had a military full time job", say he peel potatoes as a soldier for 2 years. So maybe the 12 months (or more) compulsory service in Taiwan and South Korea doesn't count.... maybe ....
A "real porn actress" is just a non-fake sex performer. That bar is even lower than veteran, just means someone who performed in sex video for pay, let's say on at least two separate shoots.
What
@darksider59 wants to say is something like "an old legend" or "mega star".
Anyway... many comebacks only lasted for couple months. I think it's not about if the idol wants some urgent cash vs. return to career. I think it's lack of fan support. Actually lack of fan support was probably 80% of reason most AV idol retired and stay retired. I think a lot of "real" "veterans" wouldn't mind making a living on performing porn until they are 50-60 years old. A girl makes some porn, either she is quitting after a few months, if not, she is probably accepting AV as long term career/lifestyle so at least some of them, maybe a lot of them are willing to do AV until a normal retirement age, like 60 or even 65. Except the market wouldn't support that career choice, so instead of retiring at 60, most of them retired after only 2-5 years in AV. It's not "retirement" actually, it's "being forgotten".