https://www.nhk.jp/g/blog/3vwlw8fq1-k/
Synopsis
In 1936, Toshiko Onodera (Kotone Furukawa) moves to Tokyo from Iwate and auditions for the Moulin Rouge theater in Shinjuku to become a star. On the spot, she catches the eye of manager and producer Sasaki Chisato (Shiina Kippei) and the theater's signature actress Takanawa Yoshiko (Manaki Reika), and begins working at the theater as a member of the troupe.
Toshiko continued her life as an underling, sparing no time for sleep and spending most of her day rehearsing and performing on stage. One thing led to another, and Toshiko ended up singing and dancing in the center of the stage.
Six months later, Toshiko changed her name to "Matsuko Ashita" and formed a young group with her colleague Koyanagi Nanako (Tamura Meimi) and others, which became overwhelmingly popular. The theater was packed with fans, and the place was filled to capacity every day. Matsuko became the center of the group and became the "idol" of each and every fan.
Meanwhile, Japan was at war, and the effects of the war reached the Moulin Rouge. The red windmill that had been the symbol of the theater was removed, and the signature actor Shotaro Yamaguchi (Ikuzaburo Yamazaki) left for war.
"Idols" have always excited and thrilled young people.
From the early Showa period to the end of the war, the Moulin Rouge Shinjuku theater continued to operate without a single day off in wartime Japan. It was also a theater where one could go to meet idols.
Matsuko Ashita grew up together with her fans and became the absolute ace of the theater.
Even as Japan went to war, she continued to sing and dance on stage, answering the cheers of her fans with a smile...
The theme of this program is "Entertainment in Wartime." It is both a drama depicting the coming-of-age of an idol named Matsuko Ashita , and a music stage show that lavishly incorporates singing and dancing in the theater into the story. It is an original work based on characters and theaters that existed at the time.
Tamura Meimi (Koyanagi Nanako)
She joined Moulin Rouge at the same time as Matsuko, and they grew up together and competed with each other, becoming best friends and good rivals. They eventually become idols and support the theater in its heyday.
<Comments>
I am very happy to be cast in this production as Koyanagi Nanako, and I enjoy filming every day. Through this work, I was able to experience the history of Japanese idol culture, and I myself have become more captivated than ever by its depth and charm. I would like to do my best to fulfill my role as an idol of Shinjuku Mulan Rouge as a close friend who shares the same dream with me, while casually and softly supporting Ms. Matsuko (Machan), played by Kotone Furukawa, by my side.
