Netflix Green Lights Yuji Sakamoto’s Japanese Romantic Comedy In Love and Deep Water

Netflix has unveiled its next big-budget feature for Japan, a major growth market for the global streaming business. The company released a tense romantic comedy titled In love and deep waters From veteran playwright Yuji Sakamoto (A love story in Tokyo, Cadin). Sakamoto describes the project as a “romantic comedy delivered on an unprecedented scale” for the Japanese film industry.

Directed by Yusuke Taki, Nikatsu and Django will produce the film locally for Netflix.

In love and deep waters Located on MSC Bellissima, a massive luxury cruise ship bound for the Aegean Sea. While sailing, Bellissima’s loyal butler Suguru and a mysterious woman named Chizuru cross paths as they try to uncover a shocking murder mystery that occurred earlier in the voyage.

Ryō Yoshizawa (sakura, Kingdom) starring Suguru and Aoi Miyazaki (future family, birthday card) is played by Chizuru. The all-star cast also includes Yo Yoshida as the newly appointed Captain Hatsumi; Rinko Kikuchi as a treacherous film producer named Aina; Kento Nagayama as Shintaro, a young actor who wants to appear in a film shown at the Cannes Film Festival; Yuki Izumisawa as Ryuki, a former member of the yakuza; Aju Makita as Shiori, the daughter of a yakuza boss; Hatsunori Hasegawa as Sohei, the godfather of the medical world; Ken Yasuda as his son Michihiko; and Saki Takaoka as Michihiko’s wife Misaki. Other appearances include young stars Yunho as Kanato, the son of a housekeeper, and Rumika Ogai as Misaki and Michihiko’s daughter.

“I’ve always wanted to make a movie like this, but I never thought I’d be able to do it,” Sakamoto explained in a statement. “With this film, the dream I rejected has come true. I believe the audience will be able to have a dream time with the beautiful music, beautiful costumes and charming people that the final cast, starting with Ryo Yoshizawa and Aoi Miyazaki, will bring to life. Hope you enjoy this rich and romantic ocean cruise.”

Subscription streaming services in Japan totaled 48.4 million subscribers at the end of the first quarter of 2022, with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video accounting for nearly half of the market, according to a report by regional research firm Media Partners Asia. Disney+ has also been gaining ground in Japan since its local launch about two years ago, but it still trails Netflix and Amazon, which debuted years ago, by a wide margin.