‘Last Children of Tokyo’ Series Coming From NHK, Flash Forward Entertainment, Betula – TCCF

As a film enthusiast with a penchant for dystopian narratives that delve deep into societal issues and human emotions, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of anticipation towards “The Last Children of Tokyo.” Having spent years immersed in the cinematic exploration of worlds gone awry, I find myself drawn to stories that challenge the status quo and provoke thought.


An adaption of the acclaimed novel “The Last Children of Tokyo” by Yoko Tawada is being prepared as a joint production from Japan’s NHK and Taiwan’s Betula Films and Flash Forward Entertainment, with filming scheduled to start in spring 2026.

Edmund Yeo’s project, which won him the best director award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for “We, the Dead,” is set in a future Japan where the elderly no longer age but children die young. The narrative centers around a 108-year-old man struggling to care for his frail great-grandson in a society that has secluded itself from the rest of the world.

The creative team is made up of Itagaki Maiko, a producer from NHK, who has worked with Yeo before on their short film “Kingyo,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Also part of the team is Patrick Mao Huang, a seasoned producer from Taiwan, founder of Flash Forward Entertainment. This production company is renowned for creating films such as “Pierce,” which won at Karlovy Vary, and “Tiger Stripes,” which received an award at Cannes.

The project is being showcased at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF). Here, it’s one of the pitches under the collaboration between TAICCA (Taiwan Creative Content Agency) and Series Mania.

In a conversation with EbMaster, Yeo shared that the thoughts in the book were both disturbing and thought-provoking, leaving an impression. When the worldwide pandemic occurred, the actual world seemed to align more and more with Tawada’s dystopian vision.

The series builds upon Tawada’s initial creation, delving into how Japan arrived at its current state and examining the effects on its people. As viewers follow a boy and his great-grandfather through a dystopian Japan, which can be both absurdly humorous, frightening, and heart-wrenching, the series unfolds as a sprawling family epic. In a world teetering on the brink of chaos, love endures, and as we hold tightly to our shared humanity, there remains always a glimmer of hope. This is the sentiment that we aim to convey.

Ivy Shen Yu-Hua, who has previously worked on award-winning productions like “The Sunny Side of the Street,” has acquired the adaptation rights from author and publisher Kodansha. The project is now being developed at the script stage, with plans to start fundraising in 2025.

Speaking about the essence of this venture, which aims to depict people yearning for freedom and reaching out to the world beyond, Shen described it as a collaborative production project on an international scale. By leveraging the benefits that come with international collaboration, he intends to broaden the usual boundaries set by traditional Japanese TV networks. The producers are actively searching for more creative minds and financial backers from Taiwan, Japan, and globally at TCCF.

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2024-11-05 03:16