Netflix Announces Original Series ‘First Love’, Inspired from Songs by Hikaru Utada

Netflix has announced a new Japanese original series, “First Love” that will launch on Netflix in 2022. 

Developed and produced by Netflix, the scripted series was inspired by Hikaru Utada’s seminal chart-toppers “First Love''(1999) and “Hatsukoi” (2018), which were released nearly two decades apart. Utada, who debuted at the tender age of 16, instantly became one of the most popular singer-songwriters of her generation, and First Love went on to become Japan’s best-selling album of all time.

An original love story, First Love follows a young couple who meet their first love in the late 1990s, growing up in the 2000s, and ultimately lead up to the present day as they discover what had made their relationship unforgettable despite the twenty-something years that have passed. Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh are attached to co-star. Mitsushima, who is acclaimed for her subtle yet bold performances, will play Yae Noguchi, an aspiring flight attendant who finds out that fate has other plans for her when she is struck by a tragic accident in the midst of realizing her dreams. Satoh, who has demonstrated a tremendous range in performances ranging from action to romance, will play the earnest Harumichi Namiki, who was at one time a pilot for the self-defense forces but no longer pursuing that career path. 

The director and writer for the series will be Yuri Kanchiku, known for her work in not only scripted features, but also documentaries, scripted dramas, and music videos since her debut in 2004. 

For Utada, who has written several songs for scripted dramas and films in the past, this will be the first-ever scripted series directly inspired by her songs. 

First Love is scheduled to launch worldwide in 2022.