Self-assertion and pampering…the “understandable causes” of Nana Mori’s “stagnation

The leading actress of her generation, who won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Newcomer last year, is at a crossroads.

On August 31, her 21st birthday, Nana Mori released her first album “Album,” and in September she will hold one-man live concerts in her hometown of Oita and in Tokyo under the title “Nana Mori LIVE 2022 ‘Ai no Shirushi’ (Sign of Love),” a cover song of PUFFY’s “Ai no Shirushi,” and her signature songs “Smile,” “Yoyokobi,” and “Yoyogobi. She performed a cover of PUFFY’s “Ai no Shirushi (Sign of Love),” her signature song “Smile,” and “Shinkai (Deep Sea),” for which Ayase (28) of YOASOBI wrote the lyrics and composed the music.

At one point during the live performance in her hometown of Oita, she broke down in tears, saying, “I’ve always wanted to come back to Oita, and I’ve always wanted to perform live and meet everyone there.” Her first album also included “Tall Stretch,” with lyrics by director Makoto Shinkai (49), and “bye-bye myself,” with lyrics and music by Naotaro Moriyama (46), making it a gorgeous album with all the top creators in one place.

In addition to her acting career, Mori is active in a variety of fields, focusing on her musical activities. However, behind the scenes, she is said to be at a crossroads in her entertainment activities. A senior executive at an entertainment company revealed, “She has decided to transfer to her current agency.

The furore over her transfer to her current agency is still lingering, and a negative image of her has taken root. As a result, there are almost no offers for new dramas, movies, or commercials. The agency is also desperately trying to increase exposure through barter appearances, but the results are not as good as they would like. It seems that as a way to break through the current situation, she has decided to turn her attention to music.

However, she has also been struggling in her artistic activities. According to Oricon, her debut album ended up at No. 16 in its first week, with estimated sales of about 3,775 copies. Distribution also had a tough start, ranking at No. 22 in its first week with 238 downloads. A senior executive at an entertainment company commented that these results were “predictable” and had harsh words to say about them.

The executive of an entertainment company said, “This was to be expected,” and he had some harsh words to say about the results. She is famous for being a “stage mom” who visits the scene and exchanges contact information with the office without asking, and for meddling in the content of TV programs. It is said that her mother’s dissatisfaction with her financial situation and treatment was one of the reasons for her transfer to an office last year.

However, even Ms. Mori has her share of pushiness. The jacket for this album was decided at Mr. Mori’s request. He has to deal with the phone calls that come in at all hours of the day and night, each time. Furthermore, the staff members around him are also said to be in tune with him and only try to curry favor with him, avoiding any harsh treatment. It can be said that the sluggishness of his music career is the result of his strong self-assertiveness and the pampered nature of those around him. If Ms. Mori wants to make a great leap forward as a celebrity, she needs to be humble, and the staff around her needs to be mindful of her.

Mori is going through a period of grace in both her acting and music careers. Will she be able to once again become a representative of her generation and of Japan? We look forward to seeing her rise again. ……