Tokyo, Aug 11 (UNI) The alluring yet ethically fraught corridors of Japan’s aesthetic surgery industry is set to probe with “Plastic Beauty”, a forthcoming live-action drama fronted by two of the nation’s most luminous talents, Mayu Matsuoka (Shoplifters, Tremble All You Want) and Riisa Naka (Alice in Borderland, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time).
The series, scripted by Junga Ikegami (The Blood of Wolves, The Queen of Villains) and directed by Yuki Saito (Unmet: A Neurosurgeon’s Diary), is produced by K2 Pictures with Harue Miyake and Katsuhito Motegi, alongside development producer Shinichi Kudo. The creative team previously collaborated with Netflix on provocative, industry-exposing projects like “The Naked Director” (adult film world) and “Tokyo Swindlers” (real estate fraud).
Plastic Beauty is set in the glamorous and shadowy world of plastic surgery, and follows Matsuoka as Fumi Numata, a gifted surgeon whose circumstances push her to shift from general surgery to aesthetics. She finds herself at odds with Naka’s character Rin Tohyama, a celebrity cosmetic surgeon who views beauty as a form of salvation, reports DEADLINE.
“What is beauty, really? That fundamental question became the starting point for Plastic Beauty,” said Shinichi Takahashi, Director, Live Action Creative for Japan at Netflix.
“Through rigorous research, this series explores the often untold realities of the glamorous plastic surgery industry, including the procedures many are curious about but hesitant to try. Together with Mayu Matsuoka, Riisa Naka, and director Yuki Saito, we delve into the complex, deeply personal, yet universally relatable pursuit of beauty. Join us on this journey to discover what beauty truly means to you,” said Takahashi.
Saito, the director, said the series would explore “both the light and the dark sides of the increasingly popular world of plastic surgery,” adding: “Having two actors as distinct as Mayu Matsuoka and Riisa Naka face off, challenge each other, and ultimately find mutual understanding — if we can capture even the subtlest emotional shifts in their performances, I believe it will deeply resonate with our viewers.”
