Kalen Anzai cast as Ayu in the drama adaptation of "M 愛すべき人がいて"

[andre2907]

Originally Posted by artcika

Honestly? I've watched a crapton of j dramas back in the day when they were easy to find online, and unless you were watching something like Hana Kimi (which i love BTW) or other comedy stuff that's supposed to be over the top animated, it was always quite well done, the acting and everything else. Even the stuff GACKT was in (and he can be ridiculously over the top with his acting) wasn't bad. Cuz usually the characters fit the acting. I never really stumbled upon a drama that was so bad it was unwatchable because of the acting. I haven't watched anything in YEARS though, so i can't really say anything solid for the stuff they have now. But i wouldn't be surprised if the quality has dropped. Also considering it's not a TV channel that's producing this stuff, i think has a bit to do with the level of quality this got.

It is a TV channel though. It's by TV Asahi, which is Japan's highest-rated network right now (alongside NTV).

I think the reason Ayu hasn't mentioned it is because it's "unauthorized". But she's definitely coyly promoting it. The whole point of releasing a 50 minute "M" video (which she promoted in her social media) was to promote the drama, which is literally called "M", has the song as a central point and had its first episode on the next day. I mean...

[andre2907]

By the way, the drama is pure shit but that doesn't really matter. Some of the most talked about dramas in Japan in the last few years have been pretty bad and Japanese social media still loved it. The Hana Yori Dango sequel, for example, was really really bad and it had low ratings but it was a super successful vehicle for KING & PRINCE, broke records on social media and made Mio Imada one of the hottest it girls in the country.

That's the whole point of "M" too. And so far it's working. The Episode 1 post on Girls Channel is the biggest post for a drama launch ever there and most people are praising it (yes, as I said, Japanese social media users LOVE unwatchable dramas).

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by andre2907

It is a TV channel though. It's by TV Asahi, which is Japan's highest-rated network right now (alongside NTV).

I think the reason Ayu hasn't mentioned it is because it's "unauthorized". But she's definitely coyly promoting it. The whole point of releasing a 50 minute "M" video (which she promoted in her social media) was to promote the drama, which is literally called "M", has the song as a central point and had its first episode on the next day. I mean...

I think it's cause it's TV Asahi x AbemaTV as a collaboration. The production value is more like a net-drama that also got a TV slot.

As far as Ayu promoting it, I don't think she is doing anything about it, it's all Max. Max has to manage all the stuff regarding promotion for it and things involved like the artists who were representing all the acts at the time as part of avex/a victory. I'm not sure if she really addressed the M performances on IG but on Twitter everything is handled by avex staff, so stuff gets promoted there but without Ayu's involvement.

[andre2907]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I think it's cause it's TV Asahi x AbemaTV as a collaboration. The production value is more like a net-drama that also got a TV slot.

As far as Ayu promoting it, I don't think she is doing anything about it, it's all Max. Max has to manage all the stuff regarding promotion for it and things involved like the artists who were representing all the acts at the time as part of avex/a victory. I'm not sure if she really addressed the M performances on IG but on Twitter everything is handled by avex staff, so stuff gets promoted there but without Ayu's involvement.

AbemaTV is from TV Asahi, it's the same company. You're right: it got a lower budget but it's because it's a late night drama.

But while late night dramas often get lower budgets, they can sometimes surpass the buzz from primetime dramas easily. "Ossan's Love" is an example of that: it was a social phenomenon and it was aired at the same time slot, with shoestring budget.

And I am 99% sure she posted about the M performances on Instagram, which was basically promo for the drama. I remember seeing it in her Stories.

I think most of the "love story" told in the book is fiction made to boost interest in her (which worked) and to whitewash the public image of Max (considering most reports on Japanese tabloid media in the last few years are about him being involved with drugs, Yakuza, skeezy treatment of women etc). Ayu knows that and doesn't really want to directly endorse the drama and have it be considered an actual biography of hers but, at the same time, she knows it'll boost interest in her catalogue so it's pretty clear to me she is coyly promoting it.

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by andre2907

AbemaTV is from TV Asahi, it's the same company. You're right: it got a lower budget but it's because it's a late night drama.

I think AbemaTV is a joint partnership between TV Asahi and CyberAgent (owner of Ameba)?

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by andre2907

AbemaTV is from TV Asahi, it's the same company. You're right: it got a lower budget but it's because it's a late night drama.

But while late night dramas often get lower budgets, they can sometimes surpass the buzz from primetime dramas easily. "Ossan's Love" is an example of that: it was a social phenomenon and it was aired at the same time slot, with shoestring budget.

And I am 99% sure she posted about the M performances on Instagram, which was basically promo for the drama. I remember seeing it in her Stories.

I think most of the "love story" told in the book is fiction made to boost interest in her (which worked) and to whitewash the public image of Max (considering most reports on Japanese tabloid media in the last few years are about him being involved with drugs, Yakuza, skeezy treatment of women etc). Ayu knows that and doesn't really want to directly endorse the drama and have it be considered an actual biography of hers but, at the same time, she knows it'll boost interest in her catalogue so it's pretty clear to me she is coyly promoting it.

I mean, the book was written based on interviews with her. I don't think she was lying in those interviews in order to give Max a better image, but who knows?

As for the drama, I had fun with it though it is one of the cheesiest things I've ever seen. It's not "good", but fun to watch anyway. What I don't like is them not using the original songs or names of the other artists (Like what's the point of ELT becoming OTF, et cetera? Especially when you are keeping the songs the same). All of the cover versions of the songs just sound cheap and pale in comparison to the originals which is a bad move since it seems Avex wants to use this drama to promote it's younger talent - all it is doing is reminding people how much better the original stuff sounded IMO. At least the M performance was lip synched to Ayu's original; hopefully that continues for all of the Ayu songs.

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I'm not sure if she really addressed the M performances on IG but on Twitter everything is handled by avex staff, so stuff gets promoted there but without Ayu's involvement.

She teased the M performances on her IG story

[mizuki-7]

According to Oricon the 1st episode had a good start !
What matter is how people are reacting to Ayu and from what I see feedback are good and she was trending on apple music and so on...
If this drama can bring back good memories to people of this period and make Ayumi known to the youngest generation it’s worth (despite the quality) lol

[barisuta53]

Looking forward to watching it when it gets subbed, it looks dreadful in the best way.

[Diego-kun]

Episode 1 has been released by Blitz Fansubs!! I can't wait to watch it although I'm not expecting it to be awesome tbh

[maxikot]

I've just watched the 1st episode and I am very pleasantly surprised. I approached it with zero expectations, ready for the cringe-fest after reading some opinions here and I don't see it as "so bad it's good". And I watched some jdramas in my life.
To be perfectly honest, the only moments I rolled my eyes were with the eye-patch villain secretary. I think this character is very forced and should have been created differently. It's only my opinion, I respect people who enjoy her.
This aside I find the drama genuinely fine and I would recommend it to the people I know.
Kalen is fine and can only get better. I really am getting ayu vibes from her. The final moments even made my eyes wet a bit
I am very glad they spent some time on her "pre- a victory" years, somehow it felt like a good start.
And I must say I adore the music here, TRF (or USG I should say ) songs from that era are sugar-coating my ears ^^, plus the clothes and generally grasping the mood of the 90's, I love it.

To those who haven't watched the episode yet. Don't let the opinions of others discourage you from picking this series up

[Machiko]

Originally Posted by maxikot

I've just watched the 1st episode and I am very pleasantly surprised. I approached it with zero expectations, ready for the cringe-fest after reading some opinions here and I don't see it as "so bad it's good". And I watched some jdramas in my life.
To be perfectly honest, the only moments I rolled my eyes were with the eye-patch villain secretary. I think this character is very forced and should have been created differently. It's only my opinion, I respect people who enjoy her.
This aside I find the drama genuinely fine and I would recommend it to the people I know.
Kalen is fine and can only get better. I really am getting ayu vibes from her. The final moments even made my eyes wet a bit
I am very glad they spent some time on her "pre- a victory" years, somehow it felt like a good start.
And I must say I adore the music here, TRF (or USG I should say ) songs from that era are sugar-coating my ears ^^, plus the clothes and generally grasping the mood of the 90's, I love it.

To those who haven't watched the episode yet. Don't let the opinions of others discourage you from picking this series up

Completely agree! I've spend some years watching over 200+ dramas in my life and am definitely addicted to jdramas and this is very much like any other. I'm really happy with the re-creation of Ayu looks and music videos, I think they made them really well! Really excited for more

[plainity]

have any songs been featured in episode 1? if so which ones?

[ExodusUK]

Originally Posted by plainity

have any songs been featured in episode 1? if so which ones?

Just M.

The other songs are mostly TRF feel like dance and globe's DEPARTURES which 'Ayu' sings twice during the episode.

TK is of course a character too lol

tbf Kalen sang DEPARTURES in such a convincing Ayu style that for a second I thought she was singing two of us or an ASFXX album track until it clicked.

[Evan Odinson]

Just watched it and I actually liked it! I've seen many j-dramas (of all kinds) and this one is in the "decent to good" category in terms of acting and script imo if you watch it not expecting an accurate Ayu biography is actually really fun, I'm excited for the next episode!

[Katsuyuki012]

Originally Posted by Evan Odinson

Just watched it and I actually liked it! I've seen many j-dramas (of all kinds) and this one is in the "decent to good" category in terms of acting and script imo if you watch it not expecting an accurate Ayu biography is actually really fun, I'm excited for the next episode!

That's pretty much how I feel about it, as well! It's nothing that will win tons of awards but it's decent and very entertaining.

[visionfactory]

OMG guys!! I've seen auctions for coasters in which producers signs and write random letters I thought "What is that? Who in the earth would buy that?"

Now that I watched the first episode (with subs) I'm freaking, it all makes sense!!

[Evolution7/4]

Oh my god...TK in this episode
I find the drama entertaining enough! Its campy as hell lol

[mizuki-7]

It was entertaining I will definitely watch the whole thing
It even makes me laugh sometimes lol
Now I was afraid by the storyline but it seems like a lot of things really happened like how Ayu decided of quitting her former agency to joine Avex. It was reported some years ago in a tabloid that Avex had to paye for it because she was still in contract etc...
The feud / revalery between Max and TK did happened back then and how he decided to produce Every little things and Ayu in response to that. It something Max told on her blog like 10 years ago.

It’s quite funny to look for what really happened.

[sitara]

Originally Posted by mizuki-7

Now I was afraid by the storyline but it seems like a lot of things really happened like how Ayu decided of quitting her former agency to joine Avex. It was reported some years ago in a tabloid that Avex had to paye for it because she was still in contract etc...
The feud / revalery between Max and TK did happened back then and how he decided to produce Every little things and Ayu in response to that. It something Max told on her blog like 10 years ago.

It’s quite funny to look for what really happened.

I read a few years ago that avex STILL has to pay royalties to her former agency, because they definitely want to profit off her starpower she gained after getting out of the contract, moving on to better things. Any truth to that? seems unbelievable, after all these years.