Netflix Marks 10 Years in Japan, Announces Three New Series That Will Keep You Hitting The "Next Episode"

Straight to Hell (Drama Series)

Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? (Comedy Series)

STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Anime Series)

This September, Netflix celebrates a decade since launching in Japan - ten years of bringing bold, high-quality storytelling to audiences across the country and around the world. Guided by our mission to Entertain the World and a commitment to individuality and bold ideas, we have continually expanded our slate with high-quality stories that defy the norm and spark fandom.

Looking ahead to the next decade, Netflix will continue to push boundaries and bring unforgettable entertainment from Japan to the world. To mark this milestone, we are announcing three standout titles coming soon: the drama Straight to Hell, comedy series Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?, and the anime STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

And this is just the beginning. We remain dedicated to creating stories that seize attention, move hearts, and inspire fans, ushering in the "Next Episode" that no one has seen yet.

Straight to Hell

Japan's most famous fortune-teller, Kazuko Hosoki, once held the nation in her thrall. Was she a savior or a devil? Wealth, fame, romance - she had it all. But what shocking, untold half-life lay behind it?

From the Shōwa through Heisei eras, Hosoki became Japan's most renowned fortune-teller, dominating the media and igniting national fervor. With unforgettable predictions like "You'll die" and "You'll go to hell," she reigned as a "dark hero." Her books set a Guinness World Record as the best‑selling fortune‑telling publications worldwide, and in the 2000s, she became a full‑blown social phenomenon. Yet before becoming a fortune‑teller in her mid‑forties, she forged a path by means that defy belief. Now, the long‑obscured, blacked‑out half of her life is finally revealed.

Erika Toda brings Kazuko Hosoki to life with piercing intensity and striking presence, portraying a woman who would stop at nothing for desire, captivating and unsettling those around her. Directors Tomoyuki Takimoto - renowned for incisive portrayals of human nature and weighty, socially conscious direction - and Norichika Ohba, who helped shape Hosoki's formidable character through exhaustive research from the project's earliest days with Netflix, depict Hosoki's whirlwind half‑life with meticulous, powerful imagery. Following The Naked Director and Sanctuary, Netflix introduces a bold new antihero in its roster.

Straight to Hell streams in 2026, only on Netflix.

Talent quotes:

Erika Toda (as Kazuko Hosoki)
I knew of Kazuko Hosoki, but I didn't know what kind of person she really was. I just thought a flashy fortune-teller had shown up on TV. People must really like fortune-telling - that was all it meant to me. Who would have imagined that I'd be the one to play this loud, big-laughing fortune-teller I had no interest in? She felt like someone far away, nothing like me at all. Some of you may think it's amusing that I'm playing her, but this story portrays the real life of Kazuko Hosoki from not so long ago - one you don't know - and I'm certain it will draw you into this world and toss you around. I want you to witness why this fortune-teller became a social phenomenon and captivated so many.

Director Tomoyuki Takimoto
I disliked Kazuko Hosoki. Whenever she appeared on TV, I changed the channel. And yet I accepted this reckless project for two reasons. Hosoki wrote an autobiography titled "Onna no Rirekisho" ("A Woman's Résumé"). There are plenty of exaggerations and untruths, but taken together, her little-known rise from post-war poverty is immensely compelling and overflowing with classic drama: love, betrayal, ambition, ill intent, and self-preservation. In today's world, bound so tightly by compliance, the energetic figure of a woman who lived true to her desires at each moment looked incredibly magnetic to me.

The second reason was the powerful partner I had in Erika Toda. It's no easy task for an actor to convincingly embody someone's life - let alone Hosoki's, from age 17 to 66. She delivered even more ferocity than I expected. Through her performance, I discovered how that once-in-a-generation trickster came to be. When you finish the finale, I promise you'll be overwhelmed by the duel between two monsters: Kazuko Hosoki and Erika Toda.

About Straight to Hell
Cast: Erika Toda
Directors: Tomoyuki Takimoto, Norichika Oba
Screenplay by Manaka Monaka
Director of Photography: Taro Kawazu
Production Designer: Mitsuo Harada
Sound Recordist: Yasuo Takano
Set Decorator: Junichi Ishigami
Edited by: Nobuyuki Takahashi, Masaya Okazaki
Music by: Hibiki Inamoto
Stylist: Haruki Kouketsu
VFX Supervisor: Yoshinori Makino
Producers: Tatsuya Banno, Tomoo Fukatsu
Line Producer: Koji Harada
Production Companies: Django Film, Corp.
Planning and Produced by: Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/straighttohell

Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?

Screenwriter Kankuro Kudo and producer Akira Isoyama are teaming up once again for Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? The pair, who have produced a string of hits such as the Netflix series Let's Get Divorced and Extremely Inappropriate!, will take on the theme of "the desire for recognition" with a completely original script.

The story follows Gen Takasegawa, the first Japanese actor to play the lead role at London's Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, who has been unable to return to Japan for some time. After two years, he finally makes his way back home, only to face the greatest tragedy for someone driven by a need for recognition: he is suddenly and completely forgotten by the entire world! Gen will be played by Koji Yakusho, who has received numerous accolades both in Japan and internationally across film, television, and stage - including winning Best Actor at the 76th Cannes Film Festival for PERFECT DAYS.

Can a man who has lost his reputation, family, and money ever step back into the spotlight? In this comedy, a man consumed by the desire for recognition tries to make a comeback after his life is forcibly reset. Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? is currently in production and streams in 2026!

Talent quotes:

Koji Yakusho (as Gen Takasegawa)
Based on Mr. Kankuro Kudo's brilliant script - which is intricate, wild, funny, and strangely moving - I'm having a great time filming with the cast and crew, even in the intense summer heat. This is the second time in my life that I've been given the role of "an actor." The shoot will be a long one, spanning into the next year, but I'll do my best until the very end to make this a work that everyone can enjoy.

Screenwriter Kankuro Kudo
Koji Yakusho pours his heart and soul into even the most trivial lines I write. Ms. Isoyama on set reports to me in detail, saying things like, "He was amazing again today." As a screenwriter, there's nothing more gratifying than this. Whether you're an actor, a screenwriter, or just someone with a social media account, everyone has a surplus of desire for recognition - they perform, exaggerate, edit themselves, and sometimes tweet unnecessary things late at night and end up feeling self-loathing. It can't be helped. Once the show is streaming, I'm sure I'll be ego-searching to see if anyone is saying anything about Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? That troublesome human tendency - I've portrayed it as a comedy, without denying or affirming it. I hope you enjoy it.

Aki Isoyama (Planning / Producer)
There are some slightly sci-fi elements to the setting, but at its core, this is a very straightforward comedy. It's the story of a man in his sixties, burdened with an oversized "need for recognition," who, due to certain circumstances, gets a chance to start his life over and gradually discovers the meaning of living. When we first started thinking about this project with Mr. Kudo, I never could have dreamed that Koji Yakusho would end up taking the role. But now, the more I think about it, the more I realize that there was no one else who could have played this part. He has taken on an incredible number of challenges, shown us so many different sides of himself, and turned this into an unmissable drama. Please look forward to it.

About Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?
Cast: Koji Yakusho
Screenplay: Kankuro Kudo
Planning / Producer: Aki Isoyama
Directors: Fuminori Kaneko, Takuya Sakaue, Atsushi Watabe 　
Music: Shin Kono
Cinematographers: Shu Kawashima
Lightning Director: Hiroumi Honma
Sound Recordist: Daisuke Nakayama
VFX Supervisor: Satoshi Akabane
Production Designer: Yasuyo Takahashi
Costume Designer: Nami Shinozuka
Hair & Make Designer: (For Koji Yakusho) Katsuhiko Yumi
Editor: Shigeki Matsuo
Producer: Kazuya Shimomura
Line Producer: Yuki Nakajima
Production: THE SEVEN
In Association with: ROBOT
Produced by: Netflix
Did Someone Happen to Mention Me? streams in 2026, only on Netflix.

https://www.netflix.com/didsomeonehappentomentionme

STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

A masterpiece by Hirohiko Araki, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure began its serialization in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1986 and has since gained immense popularity worldwide. The series is an epic saga that chronicles the bloodline and destiny of the Joestar family, beginning with the fateful encounter between two young boys, Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando. With a cumulative circulation of over 120 million copies, its one-of-a-kind universe has garnered fervent support across the globe. The characters' unique poses, innovative onomatopoeia, and memorable lines have come to symbolize the series' originality. Its popularity has led to a wide range of adaptations, including anime, games, musicals, and live-action films. The ninth part of the manga series, The JOJOLands, is currently being serialized in Ultra Jump.

STEEL BALL RUN is a story set in the 19th century and follows the first-ever cross-continental horse race across North America. The protagonist, Johnny Joestar, is a former genius jockey who became a paraplegic. He forms an alliance with Gyro Zeppeli, a mysterious outlaw, and the two embark on a grueling race across the continent together.

The anime adaptation of this highly anticipated title is coming to Netflix worldwide! The crew who worked on the previous seasons have reunited to form an all-star creative team to tackle this latest anime adaptation.

Director Yasuhiro Kimura shared his excitement, stating, "STEEL BALL RUN is a story that depicts characters running through a grand race, staking their own beliefs. My heart is pounding with excitement to be entrusted with directing this anime adaptation. The entire staff shares this feeling and is pouring their passion into daily production. I look forward to sharing our enthusiasm for this work with all of you and hope we can ride this journey together."

A new information announcement event for the anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run presented by Warner Bros. Japan is also set to be held on Tuesday, September 23rd. Please look forward to this new chapter of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime!

About STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Director: Yasuhiro Kimura, Hideya Takahashi
Series director: Toshiyuki Kato
Series Composition: Yasuko Kobayashi
Character Design / Chief animation director: Daisuke Tsumagari
Music: Yugo Kanno
Sound director: Yoshikazu Iwanami
Animation production: david production

https://www.netflix.com/steelballrunjojosbizarreadventure