Amazon Japan Unveils 12 Original Series

Amazon Japan on Tuesday unveiled 12 Japanese original series, including dramas, documentaries, variety shows, anime programs and children’s shows, which will be made available to members of the company’s streaming video service Prime worldwide.

“We’re excited to add a great lineup of original Japanese programming to supplement the English-language series we’ve already created in the U.S.,” said Roy Price, vp Amazon Video and head of Amazon Studios. “When we introduced Prime Video in Japan last year, we said we would be bringing 20 original series and we’re thrilled to introduce the first 12 of those.” 

Included in the 12 programs are Magi, a historical time-travel drama, two dramas following the manga adaptation path, which is popular in the country, a documentary series about Japanese culture shot in 4K, spinoffs from the live-action kids’ hero franchises Kamen Rider and Ultraman, as well as two variety shows.

The manga adaptations are teen romantic comedy Baby Steps, about a would-be tennis star, and Businessmen vs. Aliens.

Some of the originals unveiled are already streaming in Japan, while other programs will become available in June, later in the year or in 2017.  

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