Nippon TV Heads to Series Mania with Three New Formats

Nippon TV has been officially invited to be the first Japanese company to attend the Series Mania Forum, and it plans to highlight a list of scripted titles at the event, including three new formats.

The scripted titles on Nippon’s Series Mania slate include Mother, Woman –My Life for My Children– and Abandoned. The company also plans to introduce three of its newest scripted formats, Top Knife, Off the Record and Our Dearest Sakura.

Top Knife is a drama about surgeons who handle the mystery of the brain on a daily basis and are constantly forced to ponder the meaning of life and the immense struggles of the brain. This series follows elite surgeons who make countless sacrifices to acquire the best skills in their field and to obtain the most coveted title given only to the finest “Top Knife” surgeons.

Off the Record, meanwhile, is a drama about a successful tabloid reporter who dishes the inside scoop on all celebrity news. One day, she receives shocking news of her own when her dying mother reveals a big secret. For the first time, she finds out that her absent father is, in fact, a Hollywood star.

Our Dearest Sakura is a drama series that follows the story of a young woman who works for the largest general construction firm in Japan. She transitioned to Tokyo with the dream of building a bridge to her hometown. Her persistent efforts in achieving this goal against all odds show her colleagues the importance of standing your own ground to achieve your dreams. So when a shattered dream and a lost loved one plunge her into the depths of despair, they stand up for her.

In addition, Nippon TV will be hosting a one-hour showcase focusing on how its award-winning drama series, led by Mother and Woman –My Life for My Children–, were created and went on to sell around the world. On stage during the showcase will be the producer Hisashi Tsugiya from the production department of Nippon TV, who is credited with creating and producing both series along with many others. Also on stage will be Édouard de Vésinne, CEO of Incognita, who is the producer of the upcoming French version of Mother. The showcase is set for Wednesday, March 25, at 3:15 p.m., at the Salle Artois, followed by networking cocktails at the Lille Grand Palais Matisse space cocktail room.

“Since moving to Lille in 2018, Series Mania Forum has truly become the place in Europe where scripted professionals can find the best talent and projects in development, discover new trends, and connect with the top industry players,” said Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania. “This is why we are so pleased that Nippon TV accepted our invitation for this year’s event as the first Japanese company officially attending Series Mania Forum and hosting a showcase. We look forward to putting a spotlight on Nippon TV’s content for all of the industry leaders in the global scripted world and welcoming the team to Lille.”

“I am delighted to represent Nippon TV as the first Japanese company to host a showcase at Series Mania,” stated Tsugiya. “When I create my series, I have always focused on the theme of family and its relationships through my dramas such as Mother, Woman –My Life for My Children– and anone. I think this is a theme that is relatable throughout the world at any time. With the big win for Parasite at the Oscars this year, it is a wonderful time to create drama series from Asia. I firmly believe that strong stories from Japan are relevant today and I look forward to meeting many creators from around the world at Series Mania.”

“We are delighted to have been invited to Series Mania Forum,” added Kako Kuwahara, managing director of international business development at Nippon TV. “Our series Mother and Woman –My Life for My Children– are both universal stories that have garnered us a wide recognition in the international market, and we are proud to be able to showcase all of our series to the industry leaders attending Series Mania. Our producer, Mr. Tsugiya, is very much looking forward to talking about his creation process and we welcome all participants to join the discussion. We also believe this is the perfect venue for unveiling our three new scripted formats.”