‘Why don’t we see Komatsu Nana more often in series or drama?’ is a question that often comes up in her fandom. Interviewed by Cinema Today in May 2019, the actress told the reporter it was basically a choice as she much preferred being on a film site for much longer periods of time. She’s been in a few drama though (see Filmography) and among those, Yume wo ataeru (2015) was a memorable one.
The four episodes of this Wowow production were broadcast in May and June 2015 and tell the story or rather the rise and fall of a young star and idol. On top of a family drama, it is also a rather strong criticism of the media and showbiz combo. It is quite universal as Japan is far from being the only country where stars are made so that people worship them at first and then crucify them at the first misstep. Great acting there and Rinko Kikuchi (the mother) and Nana Komatsu (the daughter) steal the show.
Plot by Asian Wiki staff: 13 years ago, the Abe family moved to a town in the suburbs, surrounded by nature. The Abe family consists of their French father Toma (De Lencquesaing Thomas Nozomi), his Japanese wife Mikiko (Rinko Kikuchi) and their beautiful daughter Yuko (Kanon Tani). They appear like the perfect family. Mikiko managed to get her daughter Yuko to take part in a CM audition and she was picked by Murano (Joe Odagiri), director of the advertising agency. Yuko is now in show business.
Several years later, Yuko (Nana Komatsu) transfers to a large entertainment company. As her mother wishes, Yuko is now popular and appears on the cover of magazines, variety shows and drama series. Yuko, though, feels an uncomfortable imbalance between her public image and her real self. During this time, she meets a dancer, Seiko (Mackenyu), who marches to the beat of his own drum, and falls in love with him. The nightmare begins.
The DVD is no longer available from most, if not all, online stores. From time to time, pre-owned copies surface on Ebay or Amazon but more often than not, prices can exceed $100 ! The best option is to look for it on Yahoo Auctions Japan or, if you’re a resident in Japan, try a Book Off store. Streaming available from Amazon Japan Prime.
