Netflix Inks Exclusive Five-Year Partnership with Acclaimed Director Hitoshi One

Netflix has partnered with award-winning Japanese director Hitoshi One in a first-of-its-kind deal. The five-year agreement will see the global streaming platform exclusively premier new series and films from One, as per a statement from Netflix. The deal marks Netflix’s continuing dedication to creating new and original Japanese content to entertain viewers around the world.

The partnership comes on the heels of One’s latest hit series Tokyo Swindlers, which debuted in July to immense success. The series quickly climbed Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) list, where it remained for five consecutive weeks. In Japan, Tokyo Swindlers dominated the Netflix Top 10 TV list for six weeks, securing the No. 1 spot and showcasing One’s storytelling prowess.

Hitoshi One, known for his distinctive directorial style and diverse body of work, has long been a prominent figure in Japan’s entertainment industry. In 2022, his critically acclaimed drama Elpis: Hope or Disaster earned Japan’s prestigious Galaxy Award, further cementing his reputation. His 2011 film Love Strikes! also won the Japan Academy Award, a testament to his versatility in both film and television.

Reacting to the Netflix deal, One shared his surprise at how quickly the partnership came about. “Two weeks after Tokyo Swindlers started streaming, I received a proposal from Netflix for an exclusive contract. I was surprised at how quickly I responded, but I realized that I was drawn to the distribution medium, a genre that is not yet as established as film and TV dramas,” One explained.

The filmmaker expressed excitement over the creative environment Netflix offers, saying, “The high level of awareness toward filmmaking among the Netflix staff, whom I worked with for the first time on Tokyo Swindlers, and the ideal creative environment they presented, which I had never experienced in films or TV dramas before, left a strong impression. I am very excited about the new projects and productions that I will create with Netflix.”

Kaata Sakamoto, Netflix’s Vice President of Content in Japan, praised One’s unique creative vision, saying, “Mr. One has generously demonstrated his creative talents in Tokyo Swindlers, a thrilling story with quirky characters full of humanity. The series has become one of the most-watched shows in Japan on Netflix. Through Mr. One’s one-of-a-kind perspective, we will discover stories that have yet to be told and deliver entertainment that will captivate viewers around the world.”

Netflix’s expansion into Asian markets continues with a strategic partnership with acclaimed director Hitoshi One. This exclusive agreement will bring a new slate of original Japanese series and films to the platform, solidifying Netflix’s commitment to global storytelling and catering to the growing demand for Asian content.

Stay tuned for more updates on Hitoshi One’s upcoming projects as the partnership unfolds.