Amazon MGM Doubles Japan Investment

Amazon MGM just doubled its Japan content budget, aiming to flood the market with new live-action and anime series. Buddy Marini, Amazon MGM's new head of Japan, revealed the move on the opening day of TIFFCOM, Oct. 28-30. He said the company will work with Studio Dragon, Credeus, Toho, TV Tokyo and Wowow to ramp up production. The slate will include live-action adaptations like The Apothecary Diaries, starring Mana Ashida. It will stream worldwide on Prime Video in 2028. Other projects are Chloe And Emma, a manga-to-screen adaptation, and Criminal, a TV Tokyo drama that debuted in March. The studio also co-produced the Japanese version of Korea's Marry My Husband with Studio Dragon. It also made the anime The Silent Service with Credeus. Like a Dragon: Yakuza, a crime drama from Sega, was made with The Fool, Wild Sheep Content and 1212 Entertainment. Marini said Amazon wants to focus on original content worldwide, not just as an aggregator. He added that high-quality content is in demand. The studio will double investment to reach international standards and attract global audiences. "High-quality content is in demand, so we're doubling our investment to reach international standards and attract global audiences," Marini said.