From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
Marking its 10th anniversary in the country this month, Netflix has unveiled three new Japanese series set to premiere next year.
Comedy series Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? is in production, starring Koji Yakusho, who won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 for his performance in Perfect Days.
The Netflix series follows Gen Takasegawa (played by Yakusho), the first Japanese actor to play the lead role at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, who has been unable to return to Japan for some time. After two years, he finally makes his way back home, only to find out that he is suddenly and completely forgotten by the entire world.
Slated for release next year, the series is written by Kankuro Kudo and produced by Akira Isoyama, who both worked together on Let’s Get Divorced and Extremely Inappropriate!.
Yakusho said: “Based on Mr. Kankuro Kudo’s brilliant script — which is intricate, wild, funny, and strangely moving — I’m having a great time filming with the cast and crew, even in the intense summer heat. This is the second time in my life that I’ve been given the role of an ‘actor.’ The shoot will be a long one, spanning into the next year, but I’ll do my best until the very end to make this a work that everyone can enjoy.”
Another series unveiled on Netflix’s upcoming Japanese slate is Steel Ball Run, based on the popular manga series “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.” The manga first appeared in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1987 and racked up a cumulative circulation of over 120 million copies.
Steel Ball Run is an epic saga that chronicles the bloodline and destiny of the Joestar family, beginning with the fateful encounter between two young boys: Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando. Set in the 19th century, the story follows the first-ever cross-continental horse race across North America. The protagonist, Johnny Joestar, is a former genius jockey who became a paraplegic. He forms an alliance with Gyro Zeppeli, a mysterious outlaw, and the two embark on a grueling race across the continent together.
Director Yasuhiro Kimura said: “Steel Ball Run is a story that depicts characters running through a grand race, staking their own beliefs. My heart is pounding with excitement to be entrusted with directing this anime adaptation. The entire staff shares this feeling and is pouring their passion into daily production. I look forward to sharing our enthusiasm for this work with all of you and hope we can ride this journey together.”
Starring Erika Toda (Death Note), drama series Straight to Hell tells the story of one of Japan’s most well-known real-life fortune-tellers, the late Kazuko Hosoki. The series is directed by Tomoyuki Takimoto (Grasshopper) and Norichika Ohba.
“I knew of Kazuko Hosoki, but I didn’t know what kind of person she really was,” said Toda, in a statement. “I just thought a flashy fortune-teller had shown up on TV. People must really like fortune-telling — that was all it meant to me.
“Who would have imagined that I’d be the one to play this loud, big-laughing fortune-teller I had no interest in? She felt like someone far away, nothing like me at all. Some of you may think it’s amusing that I’m playing her, but this story portrays the real life of Kazuko Hosoki from not so long ago — one you don’t know — and I’m certain it will draw you into this world and toss you around,” added Toda.
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