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

[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.

[andre2907]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

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.

I think the book was made with some clear intentions in mind: reviving interest in her catalogue and whitewashing Max Matsuura's image + putting to bed some rumors regarding them. It wasn't made with the intent of actually telling the truth and a bunch of details were embellished (the book's promotion said so. It's a mix of "fiction" with real life details). Plus, if some of the things we heard about Matsuura are true then.... well, there's no way a lot of those details could be published in a mainstream book by a mainstream publishing house with AVEX permission lol.

But I personally don't believe in the "true love story" narrative or anything like that lol. It's just a marketing stunt. I mean, a true story about a love affair between a young girl right out of her teens with a the head of a huge record label in his mid-30s would be full of conflict of interests and would raise questions about abuse of power, ethics, etc. Max Matsuura himself is a figure that is rumored to be involved with drugs, the water trade and with some sketchy figures. So I have a hard time believing a romance between him and Ayu would not be a wishy washy romance fit for a broadcast TV drama or very marketing friendly lol.

That said, I am curious to check out the drama. Sometimes some cheesy fun is good. As I said, repercussion in Japan is very very high so I do think it'll benefit Ayu too (I mean, not her new material but...).

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by andre2907

I think the book was made with some clear intentions in mind: reviving interest in her catalogue and whitewashing Max Matsuura's image + putting to bed some rumors regarding them. It wasn't made with the intent of actually telling the truth and a bunch of details were embellished (the book's promotion said so. It's a mix of "fiction" with real life details). Plus, if some of the things we heard about Matsuura are true then.... well, there's no way a lot of those details could be published in a mainstream book by a mainstream publishing house with AVEX permission lol.

But I personally don't believe in the "true love story" narrative or anything like that lol. It's just a marketing stunt. I mean, a true story about a love affair between a young girl right out of her teens with a the head of a huge record label in his mid-30s would be full of conflict of interests and would raise questions about abuse of power, ethics, etc. Max Matsuura himself is a figure that is rumored to be involved with drugs, the water trade and with some sketchy figures. So I have a hard time believing a romance between him and Ayu would not be a wishy washy romance fit for a broadcast TV drama or very marketing friendly lol.

Oh, I totally agree about the shady aspects of it, particularly from Max. However, both things can be true. Their relationship can be shady and dark and it can still be a love story as well (I do believe that Ayu was truly in love with him).

[andre2907]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Oh, I totally agree about the shady aspects of it, particularly from Max. However, both things can be true. Their relationship can be shady and dark and it can still be a love story as well (I do believe that Ayu was truly in love with him).

You're right, I don't disagree at all. It's not that she was in love with him that I doubt, it's just how the love story per se is told and how it evolved according to the book that I actually don't think is true lol.

[FoxyPinkGirl]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

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.

I thought there was an article in 2013 published confirming there was a romance between Max and Ayu and it stated it was common knowledge in avex...an open secret. Apparently it was reported on by a few sites then

[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