Fuelled in part by the success of TV hit Shogun, foreign studios are hungry for quality Japanese content and local creators are adapting to meet demand.
Fans of Japanese manga and anime cartoons have often criticized foreign adaptations that are unfaithful to the original material. But Shogun, based on the 1975 novel by Australian-British writer James Clavell, broke the mold when the period drama series – mostly in Japanese and hailed for its authenticity – won 18 Emmy awards in September.
Other recent Japanese works have also become worldwide hits. Franco-US-Japanese show Drops of God, based on a manga of the same name, won best drama series at the International Emmy Awards in November.
Netflix’s 2023 adaptation of the manga superhit One Piece – starring Mexican actor Inaki Godoy as the lead – was hailed by viewers and critics alike and will return for a second season.
More adaptations of major manga and anime hits are in the works, including the superhero adventures of My Hero Academia and the ninja escapades of Naruto.
“Demand from Western markets is clearly increasing,” said Kaori Ikeda, managing director at TIFFCOM, the content trade fair affiliated with the Tokyo International Film Festival.
But Japanese companies lack “know-how” when it comes to things like negotiating rights, she told AFP.
So TIFFCOM has organized Tokyo Story Market, a space to facilitate networking and meetings between international producers and Japanese publishers. AFP
