Amazon MGM Studios Japan ‘Doubling’ Investment to Meet Global Standards, Local Chief Buddy Marini Reveals at Tokyo Market

Amazon MGM Studios Japan is doubling its investment to bring its content up to global standards, studio head Buddy Marini said Wednesday at a Tokyo International Film Festival TIFFCOM market session on unlocking the global potential of Japanese IP.

The session, organized by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and UniJapan, also featured Credeus CEO Matsuhashi Shinzo and “One Piece” Netflix series executive producer Steven Maeda, with entertainment sociologist and consultant Nakayama Atsuo serving as moderator.

Marini, who was appointed head of the Japan studio in March, is in charge of its homegrown film, series and anime productions. He previously served as managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan and CEO of Hulu Japan, and founded Mangamo.

He began by explaining how his platform “manages everything – from the initial idea stage through planning, development, strategy, investment, and all the way to the final product.”

The basic strategy for both Japan and the Amazon studio as a whole, he added, is to “expand into the global market.” “There are all kinds of viewers, so the goal is to reach all of them,” he said. “So we’re handling all kinds of content, regardless of genre.”

That is also true of other platforms, but Marini believes that Amazon is unique in offering various benefits to its Prime members – movies being among them. “Our primary objective has always been to delight the audience in that specific country or region,” he said. “But in doing that we’ve started to make our mark in various places around the world. Since our service is global, our audience isn’t really concerned with which country the content is from. They just think, ‘If it’s interesting, it’s interesting.’ So, we’re doubling our investment to ensure that quality meets global standards.”

Among upcoming projects on his studio’s slate are “The Apothecary Diaries,” a live-action adaptation of a bestselling historical mystery franchise, and “Bless,” a live-action adaptation of a hit manga about an aspiring makeup artist.

Among past Japanese-language hits on Amazon Prime is “The Silent Service,” a live-action series about a rogue Japanese submarine captain who hijacks a U.S. sub, based on a long-running manga that also generated a hit anime series. “We’ve achieved some amazing results with the series,” commented Marini, “but it’s difficult to maintain that level of quality.”

“When it comes to elevating our content to IPs that can resonate globally, I truly believe that the reverse-engineering process is the most important factor,” Marini said. “So, within our team, the creative staff works closely with the screenwriters to develop the scripts and ensure that from a global perspective, we’re crafting a story that’s truly compelling.”

Also on the panel was Matsuhashi, whose credits as producer include last year’s smash “Kokuho,” which set an all-time box office record for Japanese live-action films, as well as the “Kingdom” period action series, the “Gintama” action comedy series, “Blue Lock” and “Golden Kamuy.” He joined Wowow in 1994, made his producing debut with “Battle Royale,” went independent in 2005 and started his present company, Credeus, about eight years ago. “I realized I wouldn’t be able to make the kind of work I envisioned unless I did that, so that’s the choice I made,” he said.

As a producer Matsuhashi has developed what he calls the “right production ratio.” “First and foremost, the story has to be interesting,” he said. “Then it needs to be turned into an interesting script. Then you bring in an excellent director and crew and assemble a great cast. I believe that only when these elements come together does a work come as close as possible to success.”

The proof that this “ratio” is indeed right is Matsuhashi’s sterling track record – the films he has produced passed JPY100 billion ($633 million) in cumulative box office this year.

His breakthrough was the “Kingdom” historical action/drama series, which is set in China’s Warring States period and is based on a popular manga. Launched in 2019, it now totals five feature entries.

The start, Matsuhashi said, came when Sanford Panitch, who was then in charge of international production for Sony Pictures, approached him about making local films for Japan. “I asked him if he wanted to fill a production quota with three films or revolutionize Japanese movies,” Matsuhashi recalled. When Panitch opted for the latter, Matsuhashi brought him a concept for three “Kingdom” films. “I told him that the three-film package was a single business venture, so I wanted him to invest in it. I doubt there are many projects created with this kind of specific plan in mind.”

Panitch signed on and the first three films each earned more than JPY5 billion ($31.7 million) – making them major hits at the Japanese box office. The moral: A bold vision, made with the right elements, can yield big returns.

Starting more than two decades ago, Matsuhashi has also negotiated a success fee for all of his projects. “It was something that hadn’t really been mainstream in Japan,” he said. “I’ve continued using this model for a long time – where the producer, the person actually creating the work, receives a success fee if it becomes a hit – and it’s gradually become established.”

Rounding out the panel was Maeda, executive producer of the Netflix live-action series “One Piece,” which topped the charts in 46 countries in its opening week in 2023 and racked up more than 140 million viewing hours over those first seven days. He also worked on “Lost,” “The X-Files” and “Lie to Me,” and is now adapting “Monstress,” the Eisner-winning graphic novel, for Amazon Prime Video alongside his partner Tiff Greshler and Hivemind Entertainment.

When he was approached by Tomorrow Studios about making a live-action version of “One Piece,” Maeda said he knew nothing about the manga, but “read the first hundred chapters… and I just loved it.” But he also wondered how they could make the series “since it was going to be so expensive.”

When Netflix became involved, Maeda remembered, “they wanted us to make it as cheaply as possible.” But he knew that fans would not be happy with a cut-rate “One Piece.” “They didn’t want us to make a bad version of one of their favorite anime or manga,” he said, “so we had to go in there and really convince (Netflix) that by making a show fans would appreciate, they also would attract a new audience.”

“That’s the battle of a lot of global IP,” he added. “You’re going to have people who love the show, and they want a faithful adaptation of that show. You’re going to have people who have never heard of the show, and you still need to bring those people in as well.”

“And if you succeed, you can have an international success,” Maeda said. “And if you fail, everyone hates you.”