Manga artist Shinichi Fukuda's Cosplay-themed series, My Dress-Up Darling, exploded in popularity after its TV anime adaptation aired in early 2022. So when a live-action Japanese drama was announced in late August, starring Riko Nagase and Kota Nomura, fans were cautiously optimistic.
The series has since premiered, and yesterday (October 15), its second episode dropped a bombshell: the iconic scene where protagonist Wakana Gojo takes Marin Kitagawa's measurements. Viewers and netizens immediately slammed the adaptation for its shockingly low fidelity to the original, expressing utter disappointment with the drama's portrayal. The scene quickly became a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter).
▼ The related trends even included "AVの方" (the AV version).
The original poster on X didn't mince words, exclaiming, "Are you kidding me?!" In this pivotal scene, actress Riko Nagase not only failed to wear the same bikini outfit as in the manga, but her makeup also completely missed Marin's vibrant, youthful gyaru vibe, making her appear oddly aged. While it might not be the actress's fault but rather the production team's makeup design, Japanese netizens were decidedly unimpressed with the execution.
Many netizens chimed in, suggesting the production team clearly underestimated what a live-action adaptation entails. They argued that simply enacting the plot isn't enough; a faithful adaptation should honor the source material and deliver its essential elements. This felt more like a mockery of the original work, leaving many to wonder if the drama's writers were even committed to a quality adaptation.
It's almost a given that live-action anime adaptations get compared to AVs, and this time was no different. One netizen even posted a comparison, showing that AV productions often boast better costume accuracy – though, of course, we won't be comparing plotlines there, LOL.
(For those curious, you can search for FSDSS-433 yourself.)
Some even felt the AV actress genuinely loved the source material, capturing Marin's excited spirit.
While Riko Nagase is undoubtedly beautiful, the drama's portrayal in this scene has led to widespread criticism, with many netizens suggesting the AV version showed more "love" and better quality.
Naturally, some netizens pointed out that the production should have cast cosplayer and singer Akase Akari, who performed the anime's ending theme and has famously cosplayed Marin. At the very least, she's proven she can embody the character and clearly has a passion for it.
Of course, with only two episodes aired, it's too early to definitively label this a "butchered live-action." However, with such overwhelmingly negative feedback, the production team might need to seriously rethink their approach to win back disgruntled fans.