Japanese content creators are riding unprecedented demand driven by global streaming platforms, a voracious appetite for new ideas, and seemingly boundless energy for cross-border cooperation. 

“Every day we get contacted by big Chinese investors or Korean producers saying, ‘let’s make a show together for Amazon Prime or Netflix’,” says Fuji TV’s head of formats, Ryuji Komiya. 

“A decade ago, I could never have imagined this kind of cooperation between Japan and other countries... Without a doubt we are at the beginning of a golden age of storytelling for the global community,” he adds. 

Against this backdrop and along with saturated opportunities at home, Fuji TV has tapped the power of social networks and a stay-at-home world for its two new formats – quiz show Quiz Pinch Hitter and food series Idea Chef.  

Quiz Pinch Hitter was created to challenge the effectiveness of social networking sites, says producer, Yuki Matsumoto. The show is overseen by Yasushi Akimoto, best known for creating/producing the AKB48 idol franchise. 

“We thought it would be interesting and fun to create difficult quiz questions and use SNS (social networks)/internet to solve them... especially during Covid-19 because contestants can participate remotely,” Matsumoto says.

The unique element is that contestants do not have to answer the questions themselves. Rather, friends and followers do, so success depends on personal connections. The show is also broadcast live, which adds an element of uncertainty. 

The pandemic also inspired Idea Chef, which asks contestants to cook dishes with a limited selection of ingredients, challenging chefs’ ingenuity.

“This is not a cooking show that only cooks delicious cuisine,” Matsumoto says.  

“When Covid-19 hit, people were asked to stay at home... I thought why don’t we make a cooking battle show that uses ingredients from our surroundings,” he adds. 

Quiz Pinch Hitter’s greatest challenge was to create difficult enough questions across a range of subjects – and to figure out pacing given that the show is broadcast live. 

Expert advice was sought, from anime to gourmet “otaku” (“maniacs”), but even so, Matsumoto says some of the contestants answered the questions very fast, leaving producers with an instant answer and little or no footage to create a show. Other answers took a long time, which made the live broadcast nerve wracking... if exciting for viewers.     

Idea Chef’s challenge was to choose chefs with free-flow ideas and knowledge of multiple cuisines.   

The Quiz Pinch Hitter pilot aired live at 12.55am-2.55am and garnered a #1 spot with a 20.3% share. Idea Chef aired at 1.35am-2.35am and ranked 2nd with 16.8% share. Both programmes are returning for second episodes.

Komiya says the network has sold more than 60 titles to over 50 countries during the last 35 years. The best known perhaps are Iron Chef, which sold to eight countries, and Hole in the Wall, which was remade in 50 countries.  

Traditionally, Japanese formats were created primarily for domestic prime time audiences. Ageing audiences mean variety shows these days are talk shows with comedians, “which makes it very hard for us to sell new formats globally,” he says, adding: “But because our domestic market has reached its limit, we need to seek additional income from international markets”.

Komiya says domestic shifts as well as the pandemic have created an unprecedented situation for format distribution.

Fuji TV’s three-pronged strategy involve safe and secure TV production, lower budgets, and high ratings among viewers between 13 and 49 years old. The aim, he says, is to create a slew of new formats that fit this “new normal” environment.  

He is optimistic about the path ahead. “In 2022, 43% of global SVOD subscribers are forecast to be in China, South Korea and Japan. So I think without a doubt we are at the beginning of a golden age of storytelling for the global community. The power of 3 countries’ creative could be the trigger for the next “new normal” market.”


Published in ContentAsia's Issue Three 2020, October 2020