[Full Article] Spotted in Ginza in a Suit… Mei Nagano’s “Comeback as a Hostess” Role—A Role She Chose Herself—Caught on Set

Making a Comeback as an Actress via Streaming

In the heart of the Obon holiday season, with few people on the streets of Ginza, Tokyo, a beautiful woman walked with her shoulders thrust back, clad in a metallic silver suit with shoulder pads.So dazzling that one might mistake her for a high-flying businesswoman from the Bubble Era who had time-traveled to the present, this beauty is actress Mei Nagano (26).

On this day, filming was underway in a building in Ginza 8-chome—an area where high-end clubs vie for customers—for the DMM TV exclusive drama *The Queen of Himachi*, in which she stars. Kentaro Ito (29), who is reportedly playing the role of Jun, a club host, was also present.

“The original manga is a hit series with cumulative sales exceeding 1.2 million copies. The protagonist, Ayane Ichijo, played by Nagano, is a former top hostess in Kabukicho. She’s an ambitious and competitive character who strives to revitalize her hometown of Tottori by creating Japan’s number-one hostess club.“While there are no explicit love scenes, there are scenes where she seduces customers in revealing dresses and brawls with thugs, so viewers may get to see Nagano’s intense acting,” said a source from the production company.

Lead actress Nagano also serves as a producer and is reportedly involved in everything from the script to casting, so it’s clear she’s deeply invested in this drama. In fact, she was seen several times on set having in-depth discussions with the staff. Still—why did Nagano, who had built her career on such an innocent image, choose to make her drama comeback as a “hostess”?

“Nagano’s manager—whom she trusted enough to travel with in her private life—has gone independent, so it’s unclear when she’ll strike out on her own. Her agency is reportedly covering the massive penalty fees resulting from that infamous affair scandal, and their true intention is to recoup that money as soon as possible. Then a lucrative offer came in from DMM. There’s no reason to turn it down,” said a source at her talent agency.

Nagano will resume her acting career in the Netflix-produced film *My Crazy Feminist Girlfriend*, scheduled for release later this year, but there is still no prospect of a return to her former main arena: terrestrial television.

“Her agency has consistently denied the affair, and Nagano herself has not provided any explanation—not even by holding a press conference. Advertising agencies are too afraid to propose her to clients, and quite a few companies are reluctant to cast her. For the time being, her work will likely be limited to streaming productions.

Nagano’s role model is MEGUMI (44), who made *Love Is Fine* (Netflix) a hit. It seems she believes that if she can dispel her negative image by succeeding as a producer, it will serve as a stepping stone to her return to terrestrial TV,” (ibid.)

Four days after the Ginza location shoot in question, Nagano was hard at work filming a scene in which she greets customers in the entertainment district of Tsuchiura (Ibaraki). She started filming while still holding a towel, and when the scene wrapped, she chatted with the staff, looking a bit embarrassed. The shoot proceeded in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Will the day ever come when we can see this smile on our TV screens again?

From the September 11 & 18, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*