NHK Launching Japanese Version of The Sniffer

CANNES: NHK has done a Japanese version of the Ukrainian drama series The Sniffer, which will debut in prime time on October 22.

The local treatment will broadcast on NHK’s main terrestrial channel. The series will start airing in 4K on NHK’s Super Hi-Vision 4K/8K channel three weeks later. The Japanese 4K version will be distributed throughout Asia by NHK Enterprises (NEP). The 4K series has already been sold to Hong Kong’s TVB.

NHK senior drama producer Tomoaki Iso said: “More than 20 drama serials are aired in Japan every week, so competition for ratings is intense. Detective dramas are very popular in Japan, but so many have been made that producers are running out of stories. We wanted to create something completely new by adding the spirit of a Japanese detective drama to the framework of a great show from overseas. I think we were able to do just that by combining the fresh concept and suspenseful story development of the original “The Sniffer” with the kind of witty acting and sentimental characters that Japanese viewers enjoy. I’m grateful to FILM.UA Group for being open-minded about what we wanted to achieve. Having produced the Japanese version in 4K, I’m excited about distribution in the rapidly growing market for 4K content in Asia.”

The director of the Japanese version, NHK’s Kentaro Horikirizono, added: “When I first saw the original FILM.UA Group series, I was hooked by the exceptionally high production values and the genuinely original concept of solving crimes using a person’s sense of smell.

With the Japanese version, I focused on keeping up the pace. I scattered humor throughout the suspense to create a fast rhythm, and I tried to infuse emotionally touching drama into each 44-minute episode. The Japanese version of The Sniffer is very different from the original. I will be interested to see what viewers outside Japan think of it.”

Victor Mirsky, FILM.UA Group’s general producer, commented: “NHK is a leading Japanese TV network with incredible history, pedigree and international reach, so we couldn’t hope for a better home for our “The Sniffer” series. From the moment I first laid my eyes on the story script, we knew we were onto something, and The Sniffer has proved immensely successful both in Ukraine and internationally. Yet in the current golden age of TV drama, it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. We therefore feel truly honored that NHK believed in the dramatic and creative merits of The Sniffer, making it their first TV drama adaptation for the Japanese audience.”