Amazon MGM Studios has doubled its investment in original content made in Japan, the company’s new head of Japan, Buddy Marini, said. The expanded slate includes live-action films and series, as well as anime.
Marini spoke on a panel on the opening day of TIFFCOM. He said Amazon MGM is working with partners including Japan’s Credeus, Toho, TV Tokyo and Wowow, and South Korea’s Studio Dragon, to increase production. The projects are primarily intended for Japanese audiences, with the aim of reaching viewers worldwide as well.
Among the titles introduced by Marini is a live-action adaptation of the light novel series The Apothecary Diaries, starring Mana Ashida as Maomao. Co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Toho, the series will stream exclusively on Prime Video worldwide in 2028.
Marini also noted recent projects made with Japanese partners. Chloe And Emma, produced with Wowow, has been streaming on Prime Video since June 2026. Criminal (Hanzaisha), made with TV Tokyo and directed by Daishi Matsunaga, arrived on the service in March.
The panel also featured One Piece showrunner Steven Maeda and producer Shinzo Matsuhashi. Maeda discussed adapting a long-running manga into an eight-episode live-action series, including the challenge of staying faithful to the source while drawing in viewers unfamiliar with it.
Matsuhashi, CEO of Japanese production company Credeus, said the company formed CK Works, a joint venture with Blue Lock publisher Kodansha, to hold rights for the manga’s feature adaptation. He said production companies’ involvement in holding intellectual property rights is becoming more common globally.
TIFFCOM runs from October 28 to 30 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho.
