Japanese Story Adaptation for Screen
Bridging Japanese Stories with the World — Through Screenwriting, Cultural Insight, and Narrative Adaptation
Are you crafting a story that touches on Japan — whether it’s historical, fantastical, or deeply personal — but feel unsure how to bring its nuance and authenticity to life for a global audience?
Whether you’re:
- a global production team developing a samurai-era screenplay,
- an indie filmmaker creating a documentary on Miyamoto Musashi,
- a YouTube storyteller exploring Japanese culture,
- or a creator building a game, anime, or novel set in Japan…
I can help bring your project to life with cultural precision, emotional depth, and narrative clarity.
🎬 What I Do
I specialize in creative adaptation and story consultation, specifically focused on bringing Japanese stories to international audiences.
This includes:
- Screenplay Adaptation / Script Consultation
Ensuring your dialogue, character arcs, and narrative beats feel true to Japanese context while resonating globally. - Cultural & Historical Research
On-the-ground access to locations like Ganryu-jima, local archives, and nuanced knowledge of periods like Edo or Meiji. Not just facts, but felt truths. - Narrative Localization
Whether your script began in Japanese or is written in English, I help shape a version that retains the soul of the original while speaking to today’s audience across borders. - Story Development Collaboration
I love working with teams from early concept stages — acting as a bridge, sounding board, and cultural storytelling partner.
🌍 Why Work With Me?
I bring a rare combination of:
- Bilingual Expertise: Fluent in Japanese and English — not just in language, but in emotional register, genre conventions, and audience expectations.
- Cultural Insight: A Japanese native with the global sensibility to mediate between worlds.
- Storyteller’s Mind: As a YA fantasy author myself, I understand character development, pacing, and the art of transformation.
- Authentic Access: I live in Japan and can travel to historical sites to enrich your work with true local flavor.
This isn’t just about translation or research — it’s about collaborative storytelling that honors Japanese culture and moves international audiences.
🧭 Sample Project Ideas
- Screenplay / Concept Review: “Does this feel authentically Japanese?”
- Historical or Location Consulting: “What was it like on Ganryu-jima during Musashi’s time?”
- Cultural Character Coaching: “Would a woman in 16th-century Japan speak like this?”
- Adaptation of Japanese Materials: You’ve optioned a Japanese book and need it adapted for an English-speaking audience.
