The Netflix Original Series “He’s Expecting”, a series produced and planned in collaboration with TV Tokyo, will be released globally in 2022, only on Netflix.
Based on the manga of the same name by Eri Sakai (published by BE LOVE KC/Kodansha), the show humorously reverses the lifestyles of men and women and explores the differences between them, centered around the question, “What if a man became pregnant?” The protagonist is faced with various issues ingrained in society that had been invisible to him until his pregnancy. This is a story of growth as both the people around him and he himself gradually change while he battles these issues. When an elite ad man gets pregnant, he’s suddenly subjected to prejudices against pregnant men, forcing him to rethink everything he knew.
The story takes place in a world where—in rare cases—men can conceive and give birth. Kentaro Hiyama, an elite ad man, suddenly finds out one day that he is pregnant. His partner, Aki Seto, never thought she would become a parent, so the two are at first confused by this unexpected event. As a pregnant man, Kentaro will face the scrutiny of the company and society, and will shed light on the hardships experienced by pregnant women. Challenged by many problems associated with modern pregnancy and childbirth, the two will have to face reality and make the ultimate decision: to have a baby or not.
The series will be directed by Yuko Hakoda and Takeo Kikuchi. Hakoda is an up-and-coming director who began her career working on commercials. She won the Best Director Award in the Asian Newcomer Category at the Shanghai International Film Festival for her debut feature film “Blue Hour” (2019). Kikuchi is a talented director who made his feature debut with “Dear Deer” (2015), and has continued to release feature films since then, winning the Best New Director Award at the 9th TAMA Film Awards and the New Director Award at the Osaka Cinema Festival 2018 for both “Hello Goodbye” and “Bokyo” released in 2017. The screenplay is written by Yoshitatsu Yamada, known for “The Naked Director” series (2019, 2021), as well as Yukiko Sode (”Aristocrats” (2021), etc.) and Chihiro Amano (“Mrs. Noisy” (2020), etc.).
With a screenplay by Yoshitatsu Yamada, Yukiko Sode, and Chihiro Amano based on “The Pregnancy of Kentaro Hiyama” (published by BE LOVE KC/Kodansha) by Eri Sakai, it will have Takumi Saitoh and Juri Ueno in the cast.
Executive Produced by Shinichi Takahashi (Netflix Content Acquisition Manager) and produced by Yuriko Mamiya (TV Tokyo), Yu Ota (TV Tokyo), Tsutomu Hirabayashi (AOI Pro.), “He is Expecting will be released globally on Netflix in 2022.
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