It was announced on February 5th that ABEMA will be producing an original drama, "Gravure," themed around gravure idols of the Heisei era. The drama will be planned and produced by Megumi, who won the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actress as an actor and is the producer behind the Netflix romance reality show "Love First" and the film "FUJIKO," which is scheduled for release this year. This will be Megumi's first time planning and producing a streaming drama. Auditions will be held for the lead actor, with the aim of streaming the drama in 2027.
The drama is set in the entertainment industry in the 2000s, when the lingering scent of the bubble economy and the recession were intertwined, and is an original story inspired by episodes that Megumi herself has witnessed and experienced. It depicts the brilliance of gravure idols who desperately survived in the midst of overwhelming energy, wanting to "become someone," before the word "compliance" became widespread.
The executive producer will be director Michihito Fujii (BABEL LABEL), who won the Best Director Award at the 48th Japan Academy Awards for the 2024 film "Seitai" and whose Netflix series "Ikusagami" is also a hit.
MEGUMI commented, "In the entertainment world, which is chaotic but filled with overwhelming energy, the gravure idols of that time, while harboring their own weaknesses, were living their lives with a strong desire to become someone. While everyone has the potential to become someone, I think there are many who are unable to move forward, bound by compliance and the words of others. I wanted to create this film to convey the amazing way of life of the gravure idols of that time, who survived in a down-to-earth, desperate way, trying to grasp for something, especially in this modern age."
"We will be holding auditions for people who will play this gravure idol. Let's create this powerful story together! We look forward to hearing from you," she said. To be eligible to audition, applicants must be women between the ages of 18 and 29 as of February 5, 2026, and able to act in a swimsuit. Applications are due by March 1.
