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Netflix has announced an exclusive partnership with Japanese producer Isoyama Aki. Starting this month, Netflix will exclusively produce and distribute new series and films by Isoyama for the next five years.
Her most recent hit, the time-traveling comedy “Extremely Inappropriate!,” topped Netflix’s most-watched list in Japan for three weeks. Last June, Netflix also premiered her “Let’s Get Divorced.” Isoyama produced the comedy-drama series through TBS Sparkle with a screenplay co-written by Kudo Kankuro and Oishi Shizuka.
Isoyama will team up again with screenwriter Kudo for her first title to be produced under the new Netflix deal. Details were not disclosed though the company described it as being in a “never-before-seen style.”
“Netflix offers many kinds of local stories, and I saw this partnership as an opportunity to add more uplifting works from Japan. I want to share a different side of modern Japan beyond period dramas and traditional imagery often seen in foreign films,” said Isoyama in a prepared statement.
“With streaming amplifying our stories to global audiences, cultural barriers are breaking down, diversity and freedom in storytelling are increasing, and even Japan’s traditional business practices are evolving. I want to create optimistic, human-centered works that reflect today’s reality. This new format builds on my experience as a terrestrial TV producer.”
“Isoyama’s work always captures the zeitgeist, posing deep questions while remaining captivating and charming. She is a master storyteller who showcases Japan and its culture in an uplifting and entertaining way. We’re excited to see what new stories Isoyama will create with Netflix, highlighting Japan’s allure to a global audience,” said Sakamoto Kaata, VP of Content for Netflix in Japan.
The partnership with Isoyama follows other Netflix collaborations with Japanese creators, including Sakamoto Yuji and Kore-eda Hirokazu (“Shoplifters,” “Nobody Knows”). In 2023, Sakamoto won the best screenplay award at Cannes for the Kore-eda-directed “Monster.” The streamer set him up with a one-off film “In Love and Deep Water,” involving romance and betrayal on a cruise ship, followed by a five-year deal. Kore-eda delivered his first series “The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House” for the platform.
Netflix has also previously inked deals with well-loved Japanese studios, including Babel Label Studio (“The Journalist”) and The Seven, whose “Alice in Borderland” is now headed for a third season, and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” It has also created significant anticipation with gay male reality dating show “The Boyfriend,” which releases later this month.
