At the 2026 Series Mania Forum, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK is set to present a dynamic selection of scripted series to the international market. During the «What’s Hot From Japan» showcase scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, the network will highlight its commitment to transcending cultural borders through universal storytelling.
The event will provide a rare opportunity for industry professionals to hear directly from the producers and directors behind these projects, offering firsthand insights into their creative visions and processes.
Featured titles and international premieres
NHK’s diverse lineup ranges from science fiction epics to uplifting slice-of-life stories. Leading the presentation are two titles officially selected for festival screenings: Queen of Mars, a sci-fi fantasy set on the red planet a century in the future, and Hirayasumi, a series providing an unfiltered look at the everyday lives of Japanese youth.
The showcase will also mark the international debut of the sisterhood comedy Kaedama Bravo!, which will be unveiled to an overseas audience for the very first time.
The broader slate reflects the network’s wide-ranging genres and narrative formats, including: 30,000,000 Yen (Suspense / Thriller); Themis’s Uncertain Court (Crime / Inclusion); Brothers in Arms (Success Story / Costume Drama); The Ghost Writer’s Wife (Romance / Costume Drama); I Want to Die Alone (Humor / Satire).
The panel will feature key figures from NHK and NHK Enterprises, including Taku Kato, Shin Yasuda, director Takegoro Nishimura, and producers Koji Sakabe, Kaoru Ishizawa, and Shintaro Kanbayashi.
