RIP AltStar Hall of Famer Masuimi Max

When Masuimi Max was inducted into the AltStar Hall of Fame, AltPorn wrote, “The legendary Masuimi Max was mixing burlesque and fetish and punk before altmodel was even a term. Her electrifying live performances changed expectations and she has been on more magazine covers than any other altmodel.”

When someone passes away, people often say they were one of a kind, but Masuimi Max truly was one of a kind. Her contributions to the alt genre are so important that she genuinely helped shape the vibrant space where alt now flourishes. I personally enjoyed working with her, even at her whirlwind most force of nature danger level, maybe especially then. She won so many AltStar Awards and even performed on our event stage. Her excellent advice helped us decide to move the AltStar Awards to Las Vegas.

Mainstream coverage of her untimely passing is all “she was published by Playboy and Maxim and here is a hot photo of her” which is fine, but her accomplishments were so much more than just that. She designed her own websites, ran the Vegas Chaos events with bands and burlesque, performed all over the world with very creative routines, modeled for a who’s who of alternative clothing brands, was a muse for many legendary artists and photographers, and created beautiful artistic shoot after shoot in partnership with Morat. A non-exhaustive list of her magazine credits also includes Varla, Skin Deep, AVN, DDI, Strip LV, Picture, Exotic, Tattoo Society, Femme Fatales, Cosplay Culture, Leg Show, Retro Lovely, Skin & Ink, The Picture, Urban Ink, Bizarre, Tattoo Life, People, Skin Two, Bazowie, and, of course, AltStar

We are making the digital editions of issues of AltStar where Masuimi had a pinup feature or interview free with code masuimi at AltStar Magazine 5 and AltStar Magazine 3. There are only a few copies left of the print edition of AltStar 5 and none of 3, but, for every one purchased, we will make a donation to the Masuimi Max Memorial Fund. You can also donate to the GoFundMe directly.

I’ve gathered up over a hundred photos of Masuimi Max at the AltStar Awards, aka AltPorn Awards, over the years, along with a sampling of her music video appearances below. Thank you to M Pao, Chris King, Brian Erzen, Steven Sandler, Conrad McKinney, Jxpaz, Mordred Lafey, and Jay’s Playhouse, and to everyone who ever shot a photograph of the inimitable Masuimi Max. At least, we are left with the photographs and her enormous body of work and the impact of her powerful influence.