Youtube partners with Japanese film studio Toei to create jidaigeki

Japanese film studio Toei is partnering up with Google’s YouTube. The aim is to help video bloggers create content in the style of ‘jidaigeki’, literally meaning “period drama” complete with sword wielding samurais and elaborate costumes.

Asahi Sasaki is one of the first participants. She uploads make-up tutorial videos

Asahi Sasaki is one of the first participants. She uploads make-up tutorial videos

Head of Youtube Space in Asia Pacific, David Macdonald, says, “We hope that YouTube creators will learn from the genre, will make it their own, and create great content that their audiences will love, and new audiences will love too, not just here in Japan but also around the world.”

Video bloggers will have access to YouTube Space in Tokyo, which is converted into a Samurai drama set.

They will also get technical assistance from Toei, and a selected few can even use their studio park in Kyoto.

Asahi Sasaki is one of the first participants. She uploads make-up tutorial videos and has more than a quarter of a million subscribers.

Video Blogger Dressed as a Period Courtesan, Asahi Sasaki, says

“The great aspect about YouTube is its ability to reach viewers from all over the world. I believe there are many viewers who are interested in Japan, making it a great channel to spread the culture, and for more female YouTubers to gain exposure.”

As YouTube celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, it hopes more people like Asahi will use their studio to create greater numbers of high-quality videos.

The project is for a limited time only, and will end in May.

Ventuno