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Japan’s real-life characters making waves
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WITH stories that aim to depict real life, Japanese scriptwriter Ryota Kosawa has Japanese and Chinese audiences hooked on his film and TV shows. “Dating: What’s It Like To Be In Love?,” “Legal High,” “Detective in the Bar” and “Always: Sunset on Third Street,” are just a few of the scripts that Kosawa produced for Japanese screens.
The scriptwriter and illustrator was recently in Shanghai to work with a team from SMG Pictures on the Chinese remake of the successful series “Dating: What’s It Like To Be In Love?”. Kosawa offered suggestions on how to adapt the script for Chinese audience.
SMG Pictures and Fuji Television Network Inc will produce several Chinese remakes of successful Japanese series. The light-hearted romance “Dating: What’s It Like To Be In Love?” will be the first in line.
The original series was hailed by both critics and the Japanese audience when it was shown on Fuji Television last year. The series tells an urban love story of a young man and woman who have no previous dating experience.
To them, marriage is like signing a contract. They go on a number of awkward dates with the goal of getting married, but both of them lack the social skills to nurture a romantic relationship. In the end, they unexpectedly fall in love.
“There used to be a lot of classic love stories on Japanese TV but many productions in recent years are plain and lack novelty,” Kosawa, 43, said.
“I want to write stories about interesting characters who hold different opinions toward marriage and love. They may have their own weakness and extreme personality traits. But they represent the voice of some young Japanese people today who are confused about the purpose of dating and marriage.”
The scriptwriter said he wanted to portray love and relationships in a more realistic way than most TV shows and movies do, including all the challenges and hurdles that modern couples face.
“I usually spend a lot of time conceiving characters and the story structure before I start to write,” he said.
In “Legal High”, a popular legal comedy series, Kosawa created a main character unlike the stereotypical lawyer. The protagonist is sarcastic, stubborn and moody, and loves money and fame. However, he’s a talented bargainer and has never lost a case.
“Legal TV dramas are common in Japan, but what I want to create is a very different lawyer who has his own distinctive charm,” Kosawa said. “I never follow the majority to write scripts on hot subjects or topics. What I care about is a really interesting and creative story.”
Compared with American series, Kosawa notes that Japanese TV series are very subtle in depicting delicate feelings and emotions of ordinary people.
In the 1990s, Chinese were hooked on Japanese TV series like “Tokyo Love Story,” “Long Vacation” and “Stars’ Coins,” and Japanese TV shows have been popular here ever since.
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