Japan’s New Era of Global Content Collaboration Takes Center Stage at Mip London

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A group consisting of Japanese media professionals and their international partners convened at Mip London for a discussion about the changing terrain of Japanese content distribution on worldwide platforms, focusing on reality shows, documentaries, and scripted series.

The discussion underscored the innovative approach Japan takes to achieve international acclaim by forming strategic alliances and tailoring its content for worldwide consumption.

I had the pleasure of sharing insights about my company’s exciting partnership with Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Japan and innovative Korean firm DiTurn, founded by the brilliant mind behind “The Masked Singer,” Park Wonwoo. This collaboration is for our music-focused show, “100,” which boasts a fresh format: contestants group together with an age total of exactly 100!

Paraskakis clarified that it’s a joint effort in music production, which is a unique musical game show produced by ABC Japan, DiTurn, and us. It’s one of the first unscripted collaborative projects between Korea and Japan, with our team serving as the international partner.

Nami Komo from ABC Japan emphasized the narrative prowess that Japanese producers contribute to these partnerships. “Our specialty lies in storytelling,” said Komo, “and at ABC Japan, we produce many heartwarming stories that resonate with our audience in Japan. We believe that blending gamification with our storytelling creates a highly relevant connection.

The show has already been a hit in Japan and South Korea, with each adaptation specifically designed for its audience. In Japan, the focus is on heartwarming human narratives and festivities, whereas the Korean version leans more towards grand-scale game mechanics.

Shin Yasuda, the executive producer at NHK, is traveling to Los Angeles for Emma Ryan Yamazaki’s Oscar-nominated short documentary “Instruments of a Beating Heart”. In a discussion about their journey, he highlighted the achievements of collaborative documentaries like “The Making of a Japanese”, which was a joint effort between NHK and independent filmmaker Yamazaki.

Yasuda stated, “This documentary is an exceptional case of a 50/50 partnership, as it was created collaboratively.” This lengthy film focuses on kids attending a public elementary school in Tokyo, delving into the ways Japanese identity and cultural practices are shaped via education.

As a movie critic, I’ve observed that collaborative productions like this one, spearheaded by NHK, serve to enhance our creative horizons and broaden our narrative perspectives. This is because these partnerships enable us, creators, to draw from diverse ideas and methods, tailoring our content for both domestic and international audiences.

For Japanese viewers, this documentary underscores the importance of education amidst COVID-19 constraints, while for global audiences, it delves deeper into the intricacies of Japan’s educational system itself.

Fumi Nishibashi from the production firm The Seven, which is part of TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), detailed how Japanese manga adaptations are achieving worldwide recognition via streaming services and collaborative agreements with international partners.

In the past, Japanese scripted shows may have faced obstacles when it came to global travel, but thanks to factors like the rights of global streaming platforms, technological advancements such as VFX, and international partnerships, we can now bring these Japanese IP or companies to a global audience, Nishibashi explained. The Seven, founded only three years ago, has already produced successful shows for Netflix like “Alice in Borderland” and “Yu Yu Hakusho,” both of which are manga adaptations with impressive visual effects that have reached the top 10 lists in many countries.

Nishibashi emphasized that The Seven consistently works together with partners from America and Korea, such as the “Face/Off” producer David Permut and Korean filmmaker J.Q. Lee on the Netflix zombie show “All of Us Are Dead.

The panelists collectively recognized the hurdles in tailoring Japanese content for worldwide viewers. Paraskakis pointed out discrepancies in narrative techniques: “In Japan, you can often present numerous elements, much of it is amusing, and it doesn’t necessarily need to make sense because it’s enjoyable. However, internationally, there is usually a need for a clear purpose or rationale behind the presentation, such as ‘What is the reason we are doing this?’

She mentioned that although firms such as The Seven excel at creating elaborate adaptations with advanced visual effects, there’s a vast number of relatable tales that can be filmed in the immediate future or even today. These stories are simply exceptional, presented in various forms.

The conclusion noted the continued need for dialogue on divergent expectations, budgets, and business conditions between Japan and foreign markets as Japan’s strategy in global content partnerships continues to adapt and progress.

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2025-02-26 11:18