As a seasoned movie connoisseur with a penchant for global storytelling, I can’t help but be intrigued by the upcoming six-part series “The Aosawa Murders.” With its roots deeply embedded in Japanese crime literature and boasting an international production team, it promises to deliver a riveting mystery that resonates beyond cultural boundaries.
The core of the upcoming six-episode series “The Aosawa Murders,” an exciting collaboration between the U.S. and Japan, is a gripping murder-mystery inspired by a highly acclaimed Japanese crime novel. This captivating production is being showcased this week at Rome’s MIA Market.
Based on the novel penned by renowned Japanese author Riku Onda, this show is being brought to life by Upgrade Productions, a company founded in 2021 by Jonathan Kier – a former president at Sierra/Affinity – and Matt Brodlie, who previously worked for Disney Plus and Netflix. Additionally, it’s being produced by Takeo Kodera from the esteemed Japanese publishing house and media conglomerate, Kadokawa.
The investigation into the Aosawa Case, a chilling mass poisoning from 1973 involving the Aosawa clan, begins for freelance writer Yuko in the picturesque coastal city of Kanazawa in 2004. This tragic event unfolded when 17 family members perished after consuming tainted sake and soft drinks during a festive gathering.
In this scenario, Yuko encounters Makiko Saiga, an enigmatic writer who penned “The Forgotten Festival,” a book centered around murders. However, when Makiko remains tight-lipped about the infamous case, Yuko becomes determined to explore the past on her own. She tracks down the elusive Hisako Aosawa, the sole survivor of the tragic event who, at 12 years old, was blind, and aims to uncover more about a shadowy incident that seems to deepen with each new discovery.
In 2005, “The Aosawa Murders” was initially published in Japan and went on to win the Mystery Writers of Japan Award for best novel. This captivating mystery novel caught Kier’s attention when it was released in an English translation in 2020, receiving widespread praise from critics.
The veteran producer said he was drawn to Onda’s evocation of the “beautiful,” “mysterious,” brooding region where the story is set — a place he likened to the Pacific Northwest and coastal Maine (noting that Onda, fittingly, has been described as the “Stephen King of Japan”). The book also opened the door for a collaboration with his longtime friend and business associate Takeo Kodera, whose Kadokawa publishing house owns the rights to the novel.
Kier mentioned discussing methods for collaboration and potential projects in Japanese,” he said. As Kodera and his team from the large publishing company were growing more interested in translating their collection into English, Kier proposed the idea of jointly producing a show to his Japanese partner.
This intricately constructed series, labeled by a New York Times critic as a “persistently complex narrative” when it made the newspaper’s Best Books of 2020 list, unfolds across six episodes. It jumps back and forth through time as Yuko works to solve the mystery behind the mass poisonings. The show is penned by Naoko Adachi, who is renowned as one of Japan’s most prominent TV writers, according to Kier.
He shared that it’s truly wonderful collaborating with her,” he stated. “Our team is entirely composed of creative minds from Japan, and our aim is to infuse a global viewpoint into the project’s evolution.
Since its launch in 2021, Upgrade Productions has always prioritized the creation of high-quality, locally-focused content aimed at a worldwide audience. This commitment is reinforced by their partnership with German heavyweight Constantin Film.
Brodlie mentioned that they’ve been seeking projects with potential for global reach, so that if they are successful in their home countries, they can collaborate with local producers to make them appealing to international viewers. Regarding ‘The Aosawa Murders’, he expressed his enthusiasm as it is a well-known property that enjoys both domestic and international popularity.
The pair suggested that the crime drama might benefit from similar acclaim as “Shogun,” the critically and popularly adored FX series set in feudal Japan, which broke records by winning an impressive 18 Emmy Awards this year.
Kier expressed his satisfaction when ‘Shōgun’ succeeded at the Emmys, stating, “It feels really validating to witness such success.” He added, “Seeing a project like this perform so well is fantastic, and it gives us hope for our upcoming Japanese projects like ‘Aosawa’, and others in development.
The MIA Market takes place Oct. 14 – 18 in Rome.
Read More
- W PREDICTION. W cryptocurrency
- AAVE PREDICTION. AAVE cryptocurrency
- Rob2628: The Best Builds to Play in Season 5 Diablo 4
- PRCL PREDICTION. PRCL cryptocurrency
- NUUM PREDICTION. NUUM cryptocurrency
- Top Gift Ideas for Your League of Legends-Obsessed BF on a Budget
- PENDLE PREDICTION. PENDLE cryptocurrency
- CGO PREDICTION. CGO cryptocurrency
- VRA PREDICTION. VRA cryptocurrency
- DFL PREDICTION. DFL cryptocurrency
2024-10-16 11:17