Manga "You Can't Stand at the Budokan" adapted into short drama starring Tomoko Asai

It has been announced that the new short drama app "BUMP" will be released at 7pm on July Getsuku, titled "You Can't Stand at the Budokan". Based on the manga of the same name by Motoo Tada (Core Mix), the story is about an underground idol on the brink of failure who believes the words of a talented producer and falls into the dark side of the entertainment world, such as paid drinking and sexual favours, in a tale of human desire and betrayal.

The lead role will be played by Touko Asai, who has appeared in Netflix's romance reality show "Offline Love" and the drama "I'm at the Mercy of a Younger Virgin" (MBS and others), and she will be taking on the role of an idol who is forced to engage in sexual favors.

Asai plays the main character, Narushima Sayaka, an underground idol who has not been successful for years. Sayaka believed the words of a talented producer who said, "I will definitely make your dream come true," but what awaited her was "dirty work" such as paid drinking and prostitution, where she had to sell her soul in exchange for her dreams. The story depicts the cruelty of chasing dreams, and the despair and revenge of young people exploited by the dark side of the entertainment world. There are 30 episodes in total, each 3 minutes long.

Oyama Maeko plays Nishizawa Ibuki, the talented producer who pushes Sayaka to hell, Ogura Fumiya plays Masanori, Sayaka's longest-serving fan who genuinely supports her, and Kimura Tomotaka plays Hamamoto Iwao, a big-name presenter who holds the key to the story.

Asai, whose first lead role in a drama is this one, commented, "This is the first time I've been offered a lead role so I was honestly happy. When I read the original work, I was surprised by the fact that it was heavier than I'd imagined, about an idol's fall into darkness."

She said that she has some things in common with Sayaka, the character she plays, saying, "For example, we both love idols. I've always loved idols like AKB48 and Nogizaka46, and I followed them for about five years. We also both work seriously toward our dreams, and our casual clothes are kind of lame... (laughs). We discovered that we had so many things in common, so I didn't feel like she was far away from me at all. In fact, somewhere inside me, I still haven't given up on my dream of becoming an idol. I was also happy to be able to play an idol through this role."

Original author Tada commented, "I am very honored that 'You Can't Stand at Budokan' has been made into a short drama! I am deeply grateful that the cast and staff have breathed new life into the 'pain of continuing to believe in your dreams', depicted through the story of one idol named Sayaka. The charming cast, led by lead actress Asai Hitomi, have expressed the world of underground idols and the wavering hearts of those clinging to their dreams with overwhelming persuasiveness. I hope everyone enjoys the different expressions from the original work and the atmosphere that can only be conveyed through video!"