Amazon MGM Studios Japan says it is doubling investment in original content
At the TIFFCOM market in Tokyo, Amazon MGM Studios Japan head Buddy Marini said the studio is doubling its investment in original content to meet global standards. He gave no figure.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Buddy Marini, head of Amazon MGM Studios Japan, said on 28 October 2026 that the studio is doubling its investment in original Japanese content so that its quality meets global standards. VarietyLC “Amazon MGM Studios Japan is doubling its investment to bring its content up to global standards” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “High-quality content is in demand so we’re going to double our investment to reach an international standard and attract global audiences” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2He spoke on the opening day of the TIFFCOM market, held alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival, at a session on unlocking the global potential of Japanese IP, organised by the Motion Picture Association and UniJapan. DeadlineN “The panel Marini was speaking on, ‘Unlocking the Global Potential of Japanese IP’, organized by the Motion Picture Association and UniJapan” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “organized by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and UniJapan” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1Marini did not put a figure on the investment. Deadline describes it as already doubled, including an expanded slate of live-action films and series, while Variety reports it as under way. DeadlineN “While he didn’t put a number on the investment”“says the company has doubled its investment in original Japanese content” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2Marini was appointed in March. Deadline calls him a former head of Warner Bros Japan, while Variety says he was managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan and CEO of Hulu Japan, and founded Mangamo. DeadlineN “a former head of Warner Bros Japan who has been in his new post since March” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “He previously served as managing director of Warner Bros. Discovery Japan and CEO of Hulu Japan, and founded Mangamo.” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1Marini said Prime Video had acted as an aggregator of content and that the company now wants to focus more on originals, in Japan and worldwide. He named partners including Korea's Studio Dragon and Japan's Credeus, Toho, TV Tokyo and Wowow, and said the slate is made mainly for Japanese audiences but intended to travel globally. DeadlineN “Amazon Prime has been acting as an aggregator for content, and we grew that business very successfully, but going forward we wanted to focus more on original content”“While the slate is primarily made for Japanese audiences, the intention is that it will also travel globally.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Projects he cited include the live-action "The Apothecary Diaries", starring Mana Ashida and co-produced with Toho for worldwide streaming on Prime Video in 2028, according to Deadline. Variety also lists the manga adaptation "Bless" and the earlier hit "The Silent Service", of which Marini said it is difficult to maintain that level of quality. DeadlineN “the series will stream exclusively worldwide on Prime Video in 2028” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC ““Bless,” a live-action adaptation of a hit manga about an aspiring makeup artist”“it’s difficult to maintain that level of quality” Read at Variety ↗
Mixed · 2Marini said scripts are the key element, with creative executives, writers and development executives working to give projects global appeal. Deadline adds that the studio is flexible on theatrical or streaming release. DeadlineN “script is the most important element” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “the creative staff works closely with the screenwriters to develop the scripts” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2The same panel featured Credeus CEO Shinzo Matsuhashi, producer of "Kingdom" and "Kokuho", and Steven Maeda, showrunner of Netflix's live-action "One Piece". Matsuhashi spoke about retaining IP rights and success fees for producers. Maeda described fighting for a budget that would satisfy fans while drawing new viewers. DeadlineN “Credeus set up a rights holding company, CK Works, as a joint venture with the publisher of the manga, Kodansha.”“So we wrote three versions of the show” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “has also negotiated a success fee for all of his projects” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1TIFFCOM runs from 28 to 30 October at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho. DeadlineN “TIFFCOM is running for three days (October 28-30) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho.” Read at Deadline ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the doubling as a drive to reach global standards, then gives most of the article to profiles of the panellists.
- Emphasis
- Marini's career and strategy quotes, plus Matsuhashi's box-office record and the Kingdom origin story.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not say the investment figure was withheld, name the co-production partners, or give the 2028 Apothecary Diaries date.
- For example
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“Amazon MGM Studios Japan is doubling its investment to bring its content up to global standards” — Variety
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Trade-report lead on Amazon's investment, with the rest of the piece on partners, titles and the other panellists' IP strategies.
- Emphasis
- Co-production partners, the slate of titles and release dates, and the lack of a stated investment figure.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Bless or Marini's Hulu Japan and Mangamo background.
- For example
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“While he didn’t put a number on the investment, Marini explained how Amazon MGM is working with partners” — Deadline
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Buddy Marini, Amazon MGM Studios' head of Japan since March, said the studio is doubling its investment.
- He spoke at a TIFFCOM session organised by the MPA and UniJapan.
- Credeus CEO Matsuhashi and One Piece's Steven Maeda were on the same panel.
- The Apothecary Diaries is among upcoming live-action projects.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the investment has already doubled
- Left
- Variety says the studio "is doubling" its investment, which describes it as ongoing.
- Centre
- Deadline says the company "has doubled" its investment, while noting Marini gave no figure.
Amazon MGM Studios organisation
Through Marini, it presents the doubling as a shift from aggregating content to making originals, built on Japanese creators, strong scripts and global appeal.
“Our long-term goal is to work with Japanese creators to make content that appeals to the world.” — Deadline
“So, we’re doubling our investment to ensure that quality meets global standards.” — Variety
Left1 article
-
Neutral Event report that leads on the doubling, then profiles the panellists and their track records.
Centre1 article
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Neutral Straight trade report on the investment announcement and the panel, noting that no figure was given.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 28 Oct 07:14 First DeadlineN Amazon MGM Studios Japan To Double Investment In Original Content; ‘One Piece’ & ‘Kingdom’ Producers Talk IP Strategies – TIFFCOM
- 28 Oct 10:08 +2h 54m VarietyLC Amazon MGM Studios Japan ‘Doubling’ Investment to Meet Global Standards, Local Chief Buddy Marini Reveals at Tokyo Market
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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