International Co-Productions
& Global Content Creation

Mighty Monkeys

50min. 2025

The Japanese macaque has adapted to a wide variety of environments in Japan, from subtropical forests to frigid worlds that can dip to -30 degrees Celsius. We succeeded in capturing footage of these animals catching and eating fish from streams — the first time in the world that images of wild monkeys hunting fish have been recorded. In addition, through collaboration with international media, we utilized high-speed cameras and advanced drones, and leveraged years of expertise to document newly-discovered behaviors. We also measured CO₂ emissions throughout this production, ensuring an environmentally-conscious approach.

Produced by NHK/NHK Enterprises and Doclights, in association with NDR, ARTE, ZDFS

Satoyama

2×52min. 2022

Japan — ravaged by natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy snow and rainfall, and volcanic eruptions — has fostered a bountiful and diverse world of coexistence between people and nature called satoyama. How did it come to be? This program explores the Japanese wisdom that transforms nature’s fierce forces into blessings and the supreme beauty of rural Japan through 8K footage. The first episode features Niigata’s beautiful terraced rice fields, where people prevailed over heavy snowfall and landslides to create a vibrant satoyama filled with life, brimming with schools of killifish. The second episode takes us to Aso, where the destructive force of volcanoes is battled with fire. Communities preserve grasslands using controlled burning, drawing prosperity through herds of cattle, and sustaining diverse forms of life.

Produced by NHK in co-production with ARTE

Amazing Dinoworld 2

2×52min. 2023

This series depicts the previously unknown world of dinosaurs through state-of-the-art CGI technology, based on the latest research. The first series, Amazing Dinoworld (2019, 2x49min.), was co-produced with the U.S., Germany, and France, and aired in more than 20 countries. Through our unique network of front-line researchers cultivated over many years of reporting, the second series explores astonishing new findings, including the possibility that dinosaurs could have survived after a massive asteroid impact, which presents a new scenario for extinction. It delves into the enormous dinosaur world of the supercontinent Gondwana that existed in the past. Hyper-realistic CGI created by award-winning Japanese creators brings the prehistoric realm of the dinosaurs back to life.

Produced by NHK in co-production with Bonne Pioche, Curiosity and Autentic

Deep Ocean:　Kingdom of the Coelacanth

52min. 2025

The team that first captured footage of the giant squid in its natural habitat in Legends of the Deep set out to film the living fossil known as the coelacanth. This deep-sea fish can grow nearly two meters long and has remained unchanged for more than 400 million years. However, its behavior is shrouded in mystery. After years of negotiations, the world’s first submersible investigation by the state-of-the-art research vessel OceanX was allowed to proceed. Leading global experts on coelacanths joined the team for an unprecedented 72-hour observation.

Produced by NHK in co-production with ZDF/ARTE and OceanX

Co-production with China

In China, where foreign media coverage is often difficult, NEP has built strong relationships with major broadcasters such as China Central Television (CCTV), Beijing TV, and Sichuan TV, co-producing numerous travel and documentary programs. The Bird’s-Eye View of China series, co-produced with Beijing TV, features drone flights over China’s vast landscapes, showcasing breathtaking vistas and the country’s rich history. The series includes titles such as The Yellow River, The Great Wall, The Records of the Three Kingdoms, and The Ancient Tea Horse Road, filmed with 4K drones flying thousands of kilometers from the Tibetan Plateau to the forests of Yunnan.

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Angel Flight

5×50min. 1×48min. 2024

The story focuses on ‘international remains repatriators’ — professionals who transport remains across borders to bereaved families, overcoming all obstacles to bring not only bodies but also their souls back home. This emotional, entertaining, and heartwarming drama depicts the love and strife between the dearly departed and their surviving loved ones, mixing tears and laughter.
It can be viewed worldwide in 169 countries and regions on Prime Video and was broadcast in Japan on
NHK-BS in 2024.

Produced by NEP

Animation Programs

We produce a wide range of animation (series, feature-length, and short) in collaboration with domestic and international partners, and distribute these globally.

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Alice and the World of Sorrow

Alice and the World of Sorrow is a work of entertainment that uses high fidelity 8K visuals to create an atmospheric storytelling experience. With Dual Projection on the main screen and a floor screen and 22.2ch surround sound, this is the world’s first interactive experience that uses TouchDesigner. By creating an expansive environment that crosses from real to unreal, the situation itself becomes a device used in storytelling.

Major screening achievements
Ars Electronica Festival 2019
Inter BEE 2019
WORLD CONGRESS OF SCIENCE & FACTUAL PRODUCERS

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