Japanese Broadcaster Wowow Announces Live-Action Series Based on Best-Selling Mystery Novel

Japanese broadcaster Wowow has announced that it’s producing a live-action series based on Riku Onda’s best-selling mystery novel ‘The Aosawa Murders’ (Eugenia), set to star Yukino Kishii. The six-episode series is scripted by Naoko Adachi, known for her work on ‘What Did You Eat Yesterday?’ and ‘Welcome Home, Mone.’

The story follows a mass poisoning at the home of a prominent family in a Japanese coastal city and the impact it has on a novelist, a blind girl who was the family’s sole survivor, and a writer investigating the case. The series will premiere on Sunday, November 8, airing and streaming weekly on Wowow.

Yukino Kishii, known internationally for her role in the recent Cannes title ‘All The Lovers In The Night,’ plays the role of Makiko Saiga – a woman who witnessed the mass poisoning at the age of eleven and later wrote a novel about it. Kishii’s portrayal of Makiko spans two different time periods: in the 1980s when she went from door to door listening to the people whose lives the case had upended, and in the 2000s, when she is confronted about the truth of the case by a freelance writer.

Kishii commented on her casting in the series: ‘I had been reading Onda-sensei’s novels since junior high school, so the offer made me very happy – and put just as much pressure on me. When I heard the scripts would be by Naoko Adachi, who always renders the world from so many angles, I felt that with her I might be able to dive into this story.’

The novel ‘The Aosawa Murders’ has been a huge success in Japan, selling a cumulative 380,000 copies and winning several awards, including the 59th Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Novel in 2005. The novel has also been translated into six languages and was selected as a New York Times Notable Book of 2020.

Naoko Adachi, who has adapted the novel, is one of Japan’s most highly regarded screenwriters. In addition to ‘What Did You Eat Yesterday?’ and ‘Welcome Home, Mone,’ her credits also include the upcoming historical drama ‘Gyakuzoku no Bakushin.’

Wowow has revealed first-look photos of Kishii in this challenging role, showcasing her portrayal of Makiko in two different time periods. The series is being produced in cooperation with Kadokawa Daiei Studio, and international rights are being handled by Wowow. The series will be presented to buyers at the upcoming TIFFCOM and ATF markets in Tokyo and Singapore later this year.

Naoko Adachi commented on the adaptation: ‘I feel Eugenia is a story that drags readers and viewers out of the safe seat of the ‘bystander.’ You are pulled into the case whether you like it or not, and as the story goes on you can no longer say for certain that what you saw is the truth exactly as you saw it.’

Riku Onda, author of the novel, said: ‘Since publication in 2005 I had received many offers to adapt the novel, including from overseas, so for the adaptation to be decided in the book’s 20th-anniversary year – just as the complete edition was published – is deeply moving.’

The cast and crew of the series are looking forward to bringing this gripping story to life. With its talented cast, experienced crew, and thought-provoking storyline, ‘The Aosawa Murders’ is sure to captivate audiences worldwide.