Netflix vies to be a cut above in TV production

Netflix's "Plastic Beauty" is an unflinching look at the plastic surgery industry and the people at its center. The multinational entertainment company typically provides bigger production budgets and longer timelines compared to terrestrial TV networks, but the limitations of the labor pool in Japan are an ongoing challenge. | COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Oct 11, 2026

According to Netflix, its new show “Plastic Beauty” embodies everything that the streamer is trying to do with content made in, and for, Japan. Over eight episodes, the series delves into a provocative topic — cosmetic surgery — with dramatic flair, encouraging reflection and dialogue among viewers while aiming to shift perspectives more broadly.

“It’s really about telling those stories that have not been told before,” says Shin Takahashi, a content executive at Netflix Japan who also served as executive producer on the series.

Offering an unflinching look at Japan’s narrow beauty standards, “Plastic Beauty,” which debuted Sept. 17, dives into the plastic surgery industry and the players at its center, eschewing what could have easily been a prototypical and flat moral arc against the practice.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information,
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.