Netflix has unveiled its Japanese content material slate for 2025, headlined by “Final Samurai Standing,” a interval drama that includes 300 samurai warriors gathered at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto, lured by the promise of a 100 billion yen prize. The sequence stars Junichi Okada, who serves as lead actor, producer and motion choreographer.
“When most individuals take into consideration samurai, they give thought to this very glamorous interval in Japanese historical past,” says Netflix Japan content material head Kaata Sakamoto. “However what lots of people don’t notice is that, in direction of the top of the Edo interval, the samurai misplaced numerous their glamour and their energy. ‘Final Samurai Standing’ is about what would occur if these warriors — the hardest and greatest in Japan — impulsively turned frequent folks and needed to struggle for his or her lives. Suppose ‘Shōgun’ meets ‘Squid Recreation.’”
The streaming large’s lineup consists of “Alice in Borderland” returning for its third season in September, promising to take the survival thriller past Haro Aso’s manga origins with stars Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya. Director Shinji Higuchi’s “Bullet Prepare Explosion,” premiering April 23, reimagines the 1975 movie that impressed “Pace,” with unprecedented entry to precise bullet practice services and starring Tsuyoshi Kusanagi.
“Glass Coronary heart,” debuting in July, options Takeru Satoh and Yu Miyazaki in a music drama showcasing large live performance scenes with 1000’s of extras. “Romantics Nameless” adapts the French movie “Les Émotifs Anonymes” with Japanese star Shun Oguri and Korean actor Han Hyo-joo as uniquely challenged lovers – he can’t contact folks, she will be able to’t make eye contact.
The violent revenge story “Demon Metropolis,” premiering Feb. 27, adapts Masamichi Kawabe’s manga with Toma Ikuta as a hitman in search of vengeance after dropping his household. December brings “10Dance,” directed by Keishi Otomo and starring Ryoma Takeuchi and Keita Machida as rival dancers forming an unlikely partnership.
Already streaming is “Asura,” a contemporary household drama from director Kore-eda Hirokazu about 4 sisters coping with their father’s suspected infidelity, starring Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yu Aoi, and Suzu Hirose. The romantic drama “Soul Mate,” premiering in August, options Hayato Isomura and Okay Taec-yeon of the Korean boy band 2PM in a Berlin-set story a few Japanese man’s fateful encounter with a Korean boxer.
In unscripted content material, “Last Draft” marks Netflix Japan’s first survival actuality sequence, that includes 25 former skilled athletes competing for a JPY30 million prize ($195,000) to fund their second careers. “Offline Love” (Feb. 18) sends ten contestants to Good, France, for a tech-free relationship expertise, whereas “Badly in Love” explores romance amongst Japanese “yankees” (delinquents), produced by former yankee Megumi. Comedy followers can look ahead to “Welcome, Now Get Misplaced,” hosted by Koji Higashino, bringing the viral YouTube hit to streaming.
The slate marks Netflix Japan’s tenth anniversary, with Sakamoto emphasizing their dedication to pushing artistic boundaries and elevating manufacturing requirements throughout genres. “We’re devoted to creating never-before-seen tales by collaborating with Japan’s prime creators and rising expertise with modern concepts,” he says.
