Starting this month, Netflix will exclusively produce and distribute new series and films by prominent Japanese hitmaker Aki Isoyama for the next five years.
Her most recent hit, the time-traveling comedy Extremely Inappropriate!, topped Netflix’s most-watched list in Japan for three weeks running. Last June, Let’s Get Divorced, which she produced with a screenplay co-written by Kankuro Kudo and Shizuka Oishi, and was exclusively distributed by Netflix worldwide, garnered significant attention.
Isoyama has worked with acclaimed screenwriter Kankuro Kudo on many of the dramas she produced, including Extremely Inappropriate, Let’s Get Divorced, Ikebukuro West Gate Park and Kisarazu Cat’s Eye. Their collaboration on Story of My Family!!! won her the 2021 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize.
She will once again team up with Kankuro Kudo for her first title to be produced under the new Netflix deal — billed to be in a “never-before-seen style”.
“Netflix offers many kinds of local stories, and I saw this partnership as an opportunity to add more uplifting works from Japan,” Isoyama shared. “I want to share a different side of modern Japan beyond period dramas and traditional imagery often seen in foreign films. With streaming amplifying our stories to global audiences, cultural barriers are breaking down, diversity and freedom in storytelling are increasing, and even Japan’s traditional business practices are evolving. I want to create optimistic, human-centered works that reflect today’s reality. This new format builds on my experience as a terrestrial TV producer, and I’m thrilled by the daily discoveries and look forward to partnering with Netflix.”
Noting how Ikebukuro West Gate Park continues to draw audiences 20 years later, Kaata Sakamoto, Vice President of Content at Netflix, commented: “Isoyama’s work always captures the zeitgeist, posing deep questions while remaining captivating and charming. She is a master storyteller who showcases Japan and its culture in an uplifting and entertaining way. We’re excited to see what new stories Aki Isoyama will create with Netflix, highlighting Japan’s allure to a global audience.”
Stay tuned for the upcoming original series and films from Aki Isoyama, exclusively on Netflix.
About Aki Isoyama
Aki Isoyama was born in Tokyo and graduated from the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Literature at Sophia University. She joined Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. (TBS Television) and began her career as a producer with Campus Note in 1996. She won the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for Story of My Family!!! In 2021. In July 2024, she established a.i. Inc.
Her notable productions include:
- Ikebukuro West Gate Park (2000)
- Kisarazu Cat’s Eye (2002)
- Tiger & Dragon Special (2005)
- Ryusei no Kizuna (2008)
- Saving My Stupid Youth (2014)
- An Incurable Case of Love (2020)
- Extremely Inappropriate! (2024)
(Source: Netflix)
