Why No One from the Same Agency Could Fill Mei Nagano’s Shoes in Morning Dramas

The anticipated successor to Mei Nagano

Mei Nagano (25), who was reported by Shukan Bunshun (Bungeishunju) to be involved in an alleged affair with Kei Tanaka (40), starred in the film Kaku Kaku Shikajika, which has surpassed 400 million yen in box office revenue and attracted over 300,000 viewers in its second week, according to distributor Warner Bros. Japan.

Due to the reports, Nagano was unable to do promotional appearances, and the opening day stage greeting was held without media presence. However, once the film opened, it enjoyed a steady start.

“Nagano’s previous film, Cells at Work, co-starring Takeru Satoh (36), released last December, grossed over 6 billion yen. Her lead film And, the Baton Was Passed (2021) alongside Tanaka also earned 1.72 billion yen. As a lead actress known to draw numbers, she delivered the expected result this time as well. Still, it’s disappointing that the scandal interrupted what was expected to be an even brighter career ahead,” said a film industry insider.

Nagano continues her heroine role in TBS’s Sunday drama Caster as scheduled. However, sponsors have been rapidly removing her videos and images from their commercials and advertising. She stepped down from her role in next year’s NHK Taiga drama Toyotomi Brothers!, where she was set to be one of the main cast, and also left her position as personality of Mei Nagano’s All Night Nippon X on Nippon Broadcasting, which had just started on March 31.

“Though both Nagano and Tanaka’s agencies denied their relationship, the affair rumor remains unresolved. However, many sponsors effectively treated it as confirmed. Nagano is likely to enter a de facto hiatus for a while,” noted an entertainment reporter.

In this situation, attention has turned to finding a post-Nagano actress within the same agency — but it appears difficult.

“The agency has many talents, but honestly, there’s no actress around Nagano’s age poised for a major breakthrough. Among the actors, Nagano had risen to the position of one of the agency’s faces alongside Kento Yamazaki (30), Ryusei Yokohama (28), and Taiga Nakano (32),” the insider added.

Mei Nagano’s agency, which has a lineup packed with Asadora heroines

After landing the heroine role in the live-action film adaptation of the popular manga My Love Story!! (2015), Mei Nagano steadily climbed the ranks, achieving a major breakthrough as the heroine in the first half of 2018’s NHK morning drama Half, Blue.. Within Nagano’s agency, Yuika Motokariya (37) played the heroine in Fight (first half of 2005), Miori Takimoto (33) starred in Teppan (second half of 2010), and Wakana Aoi (26) led Warotenka (second half of 2017). However, none of them managed to truly break out after their respective Asadora runs. Although Aoi, from Nagano’s generation, has since starred in a string of lead roles, it’s still difficult for her to fill Nagano’s shoes.

Entertainment journalist Kazuhiko Futada offers the following analysis:

“While Asadora heroines naturally attract attention, it wasn’t until around Amachan in the first half of 2013 — when Non (then known as Rena Nounen, now 31) starred — that those stories began consistently generating widespread buzz online and in public discourse. In the eras when Motokariya and Takimoto held heroine roles, simply being an Asadora heroine didn’t automatically translate into a post-Asadora breakout.”

After inheriting the Asadora heroine baton from Aoi, Nagano quickly outpaced her in terms of workload and prominence.

“Nagano intentionally stayed out of the spotlight for a while after her Asadora to shed the lingering image of her character. Then, in January 2019, she took on a dramatically different role in NTV’s Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom. On the other hand, Aoi jumped straight from Warotenka (which ended in March 2018) into a heroine role in Black Pean (April 2018, TBS Sunday Theater). As a result, many viewers probably still associated her with her Warotenka character while watching Black Pean.

Of course, an actress’s personal ability is a significant factor, but it’s fair to say that Nagano’s strategic timing eclipsed Aoi’s and created a clear gap between them. This agency, in particular, seems to manage its male actors with meticulous strategy, consistently cultivating future leading men. That same level of strategic foresight wasn’t quite applied to their actresses,” says Nida.

It appears that while Nagano’s professional career benefited from shrewd management, it’s unfortunate that this careful control didn’t fully extend to her private life.