Starting from the Limit

“Starting from the Limit” (Japanese: 限界から始まる, Genkai kara Hajimaru) is a unique feminist dialogue, co-authored by Japan’s most influential feminist scholar Chizuko Ueno and former AV (adult video) actress and current writer Suzumi Suzuki, published in Japan in 2021. The book, in the form of correspondence, records a deep dialogue between two generations of women across age, class, and experience.

Chizuko Ueno (1948-) is Japan’s most renowned feminist sociologist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo. Her works such as “Misogyny” and “Patriarchy and Capitalism” have had profound influence in Japan and throughout East Asia. Ueno represents the intellectual legacy of Japan’s “second wave” feminism, known for her sharp critique of patriarchy, gender discrimination, and Japanese social structures.

Suzumi Suzuki (1983-) has a dramatically different life trajectory. She worked in the AV (adult video) industry during university and later became a journalist and writer. She doesn’t shy away from her past; instead, she uses it as an entry point for thinking about women’s bodies, desires, and choices. Her experiences give her a complex, “from the field” reflection on feminist theory.

This generational and experiential difference is precisely what makes this book most valuable.

Suzuki’s experience in the AV industry naturally became one of the core topics of dialogue. How does Ueno, as a committed feminist, view this kind of “voluntary” sex work? How does Suzuki understand her choices from that time?

Interestingly, the two don’t simply oppose each other on this issue. Ueno acknowledges that early feminism’s absolute rejection of sex work was oversimplified; Suzuki reflects that even “autonomous choices” are profoundly shaped by patriarchal institutions and capitalist markets. Their dialogue reveals the internal tensions and evolution of feminism on this controversial issue.

Their views on love and marriage are also full of tension. Ueno has remained unmarried all her life, a famous advocate of “non-marriage”; Suzuki has experienced love and heartbreak, with more confusion and expectations about intimate relationships.

Ueno asks Suzuki: Why do you desire to be loved? Isn’t this desire itself a result of internalizing patriarchy? Suzuki’s response is both honest and struggling—she rationally agrees with Ueno’s analysis, but emotionally still yearns for intimacy. This split between reason and emotion is perhaps a shared experience of many contemporary young women.

The mother-daughter relationship is an underlying thread throughout the book. Suzuki details her complex relationship with her mother—her mother’s expectations, control, and Suzuki’s rebellion against them. Ueno analyzes from a theoretical perspective the structural dilemma of mother-daughter relationships under patriarchy: mothers are often both victims and agents of patriarchy.

This topic connects closely with their other discussions: Suzuki’s work in the AV industry was, in some sense, a rebellion against her mother’s expectations; and her later struggles and reflections are likewise related to how to face her mother.

Perhaps the most fundamental theme of this book is the intergenerational dialogue within feminism. There is significant tension between the “classic” feminism Ueno represents—emphasizing structural critique, collective liberation—and the individualized experiences of young women of Suzuki’s generation.

Suzuki admits that contemporary young women feel alienated from the label “feminism.” They may agree with specific claims but feel uncomfortable with ideologized movements. Ueno reflects that if feminism cannot dialogue with young women, it cannot continue.

“Starting from the Limit” uses the epistolary form, a choice that is not accidental. Letters allow for thoughtful expression and also allow for disagreement. The two don’t always agree with each other’s views, but they consistently maintain respect and curiosity. This dialogic form is itself a feminist practice—not pursuing unified conclusions, but valuing dialogue within difference.

The intimacy of letters also allows the two to discuss extremely personal topics—sexual experiences, emotional trauma, feelings about one’s own body—without seeming deliberate or performative. This sincerity is what most moves readers of this book.

After the Chinese translation of “Starting from the Limit” was published in 2022, it quickly became a phenomenon-level bestseller. It sparked widespread discussion among young Chinese women, especially regarding:

• Can women achieve some kind of “autonomy” through sex work?
• Is the desire to be loved a weakness of women or a human need?
• How to face complex relationships with mothers?
• What does feminism mean for ordinary women’s daily lives?

These discussions indicate that “Starting from the Limit” touches on universal issues beyond the Japanese context—the eternal questions about women, bodies, choice, and freedom.

For any reader who wants to think about women’s situations or understand how feminism is evolving in the contemporary era, “Starting from the Limit” is essential reading. It doesn’t provide simple answers, but it demonstrates the power of sincere dialogue—even on the most difficult topics.