Netflix has signed an exclusive five-year partnership with renowned Japanese director Hitoshi One, marking a significant collaboration in the world of streaming. Under the agreement, Netflix will produce and distribute all of One’s upcoming films and series, further solidifying its commitment to bringing diverse global content to viewers. The deal was finalized just two weeks after the release of Tokyo Swindlers, One’s latest hit series.
Speaking about the rapid turnaround, One expressed surprise at how quickly things progressed. “I was surprised at how quickly I responded, but I realized that I was drawn to the distribution medium, a genre that is not yet as established as film and TV dramas,” he said.
Tokyo Swindlers, a thrilling drama about real estate scammers attempting to execute a 10 billion yen scam without getting caught, premiered on Netflix in July. The series quickly gained traction, landing on the Global Top 10 (non-English) chart and holding the #1 spot in Japan’s Top 10 for six consecutive weeks.
Kaata Sakamoto, Netflix’s Vice President of Content in Japan, praised One’s creative vision, said, “Mr. One has generously demonstrated his creative talents in Tokyo Swindlers, a thrilling story with quirky characters full of humanity. The series has become one of the most-watched shows in Japan on Netflix. Through Mr. One’s one-of-a-kind perspective, we will discover stories that have yet to be told and deliver entertainment that will captivate viewers around the world.”
One’s career began in 2011 with the film adaptation of Moteki, which earned him the Japan Academy Award for Most Popular Title. Since then, he has amassed an impressive portfolio, winning the Best Director Award for Bakuman and the Grand Prize at the Galaxy Awards for Elpis: Hope or Disaster. His other notable works include SCOOP!, Tornado Girl, Sunny: Tsuyoi Kimochi Tsuyoi Ai, Kyouen NG, and the animated feature New Dimension! Crayon Shinchan the Movie: Battle of Supernatural Powers Flying Sushi.
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