There is a kind of power in inexperience. When one doesn’t know how things are “supposed” to be done, it opens the mind to a world of possibilities and innovations experts might miss. That’s one of the themes of “Teen Regime,” a five-episode, live-action NHK series with an anime soul about a dystopian future where Japan’s declining birthrate has tanked the economy, resulting in the government turning to young people for answers.
Transforming one city into an experimental independent municipality, Japan allows an artificial intelligence to choose this so-called Utopi-AI’s governing body, all of whom turn out to be in their early 20s. All except the mayor — here called a prime minister — whose role falls to 17-year-old Aran Maki (played by Fuju Kamio), who uses his newfound power to try and bring his vision of a happier and more egalitarian society to life.
“Teen Regime” episodes one to three are free to watch on NHK Drama Showcase until August 2023. Episodes four (airing Sept. 11) and five (Sept. 18) will be shown once on the regular NHK World-Japan channel before moving to video on demand. NHK Drama Showcase aims to deepen global understanding of Japanese culture by offering shows from Japan’s public media organization through video on demand with English subtitles or dubbing. Versions in Indonesian and traditional Chinese will be available soon.
The selection for this platform covers a variety of genres and time periods, ranging from “Kurara,” a story set in the 19th century about Katsushika Oi (also referred to as Oei), the daughter of the famous artist Hokusai, to this futuristic “Teen Regime,” which, despite taking place in the year “202X,” feels especially relevant nowadays. And not just for the people of Japan.
It’s true that “Teen Regime” is based on a problem currently transforming Japan: a shrinking and rapidly graying society. At this time, people over 55 make up more than 40% of the Japanese population while 15- to 24-year-olds barely account for 10%. But “Teen Regime” doesn’t get bogged down in the details of this issue, instead crafting a story about the disconnect between a broadly defined old guard and new guard, making its message much more universal.
A clash between generations and ideologies is something people of all ages and nationalities can identify with, from the “forgotten” Generation X to the millennials, so often blamed in mass media for all the ills of the world, plus Gen Z, whose “great resignation” saw many leave the workforce during the pandemic to seek a better work-life balance. For decades now, those groups have taken turns being criticized for their inexperience or for not doing things the traditional way, i.e., how they were “supposed” to be done.
It would have been so easy to tap into those frustrations and come up with, essentially, a remake of “Battle Royale.” And that’s actually what Reiko Yoshida (“Violet Evergarden,” “Girls und Panzer”), the show’s writer, wanted to do in the beginning. Her initial idea was to devise a brutal dystopian show where “17-year-olds were cutting down adults.” But then she decided to try and provide a little hope for the future, ultimately coming up with a story about idealism and the power of one’s convictions, which seem to be stronger among the inexperienced.
The younger generation is something of a specialty for Yoshida. Her writing credits include such anime shows and movies as “Maria Watches Over Us,” “Bakuman” and “A Silent Voice,” which dealt with teens being cast into adult roles, making their mark on the world or dealing with problems like love, mental health and societal pressure. In a way, “Teen Regime” feels like a culmination of Yoshida’s work, a lineup of the most believable, zealous young characters thrust into the most adult and challenging situation ever: the intransigent world of politics. The show is worth a watch to see how they fare.
To watch “Teen Regime” via video on demand, visit NHK Drama Showcase’s official website. To watch regular broadcasts, visit https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/howto/