Stories International Partners Up With TBS to Bring J-Dramas to the World

In an update sure to please J-drama fans, Stories International has partnered up with TBS, or Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, to remake a curated selection of its programming for international audiences. The news comes out of today’s press release confirming their strategic collaboration, with the aim of English-language adaptations of beloved properties with similar wide appeal to Eye Love You, Tokyo MER, and Unnatural. The official plan is to select 40 of TBS’ 500+ dramas to recreate their stories but with a Hollywood production budget and bring their critically acclaimed stories to a global audience. Stories International, with their offices offices in Tokyo and Los Angeles, acts as a crucial connection in making this happen.

Stories International has created productions ranging from TV shows to ads to branded entertainment and now aims to bridge an accessibility gap by bringing Japanese dramas to a wider audience from one of its biggest names. Given the prevailing success of Netflix’s Alice in Borderland and the demonstrable international presence of TBS’ Unnatural, there is potential for Japanese dramas to captivate audiences similarly to the K-drama juggernauts of recent years. With the cooperation of a network that regularly ranks among Japan’s top five most-viewed television channels, Stories International could be building up to something big.

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Stories International and TBS Plans to Bring 40 J-Dramas to Global Audiences

While the most current information doesn’t yet show which 40 TV shows will make the cut, Stories International’s partnership with TBS sets the stage for an impressive array of content in the coming years. With TBS being the network host of Ninja Warrior and Takeshi’s Castle, it’s already an established and highly popular name in Japanese TV before factoring in its vast library of drama content. For eagle-eyed readers, this is the same Takeshi’s Castle that was repurposed for American audiences and branded as MXC; make no mistake, this partnership will be a more ambitious undertaking than a simple (yet admittedly hilarious) dub.

Stories International CEO Tomoya Suzuki issued his remarks on the partnership, “We are honored to join forces with TBS, a trailblazer in Japanese television drama.” Discussing the undertaking with the goal of bringing TBS’ storied catalogue to the world, “We look forward to working with distinguished showrunners and producers to create stories that inspire audiences worldwide.”

Jun Fukai, Director with the Global Business Development Department at TBS, also shared his remarks, stating, “TBS has a legacy of delivering compelling scripted content, and we are confident that our collaborative approach to development—and Stories team’s dedication to authentic storytelling—will help our IPs shine on the global stage.”

With recent international smash hits like Squid Game stirring up hopes for an English adaptation helmed by David Fincher, similar approaches for Japan’s esteemed television dramas are certainly a worthwhile play to make. In all likelihood, it will also result in greater awareness directed to TBS’ library of programming an increased international interest in Japanese dramas as a whole.

Source: Press Release