Mission to Mars
Japanese sci-fi drama Queen of Mars looks to the future with a story set between Mars and Earth. Executive producer Satoru Watanabe and chief director Takegorō Nishimura tell DQ about making this ambitious yet timeless project.
Produced as part of celebrations marking 100 years of Japanese broadcaster NHK, Queen of Mars opens in the year 2125, four decades since human habitation began on the Red Planet.
Here, stability is a foreign concept. Under authoritarian rule by ISDA (the Interplanetary Space Development Agency), discontent is brewing. Mars is silently in turmoil. In this atmosphere, “it” suddenly appears – and with it comes inexplicable supernatural phenomena. Who created it? Why is it here? And what does it mean for humankind?
Lili E1102 (played by Taiwanese actor Suri Lin) is visually impaired. Born and raised on Mars, she endured gruelling training to board a spaceship bound for Earth, where she is determined to meet someone: Shiraishi Aoto (Suda Masaki), the young Earthling ISDA scientist. The two have a secret pact no one knows about. But on the day of departure, Lili is struck by a disaster that triggers events on both Earth and Mars, and all is connected to “it.”
Airing in December on NHK, the drama unfolds in three feature-length episodes, with a story by Satoshi Ogawa and scripts by Reiko Yoshida. It is produced by NHK Drama Productions, with NHK Enterprises handling international distribution.
Here, Queen of Mars executive producer Satoru Watanabe and chief director Takegorō Nishimura tell DQ about how this ambitious project came together, hiring Lin after an international talent search and the challenge of creating a realistic futuristic world.
What are the origins of the project?
Watanabe: When NHK launched a project for the 100 years of broadcasting in Japan, chief director Takegorō Nishimura envisioned not a retrospective of the past 100 years, but a forward-looking sci-fi drama set 100 years into the future. To bring this vision to life, he approached one of Japan’s leading science fiction authors, Satoshi Ogawa, and commissioned him to write the original story that would become the foundation of this series.
How do you tell the story over three feature-length episodes?
Watanabe: The story of Queen of Mars unfolds through three interwoven threads: the kidnapping of Lili, a blind protagonist preparing to travel to Earth; the scientific quest of researcher Kawanabe to uncover a mysterious object; and the political struggle over how that object should be used. These narratives intertwine with the fate of 100,000 people living on Mars.
Episode one begins on the day Lili is set to depart for Earth, when she is abducted by an unknown group. This incident leads to a strange connection with Kawanabe, who has long been searching for a certain object hidden on Mars. Throughout the episode, NHK’s knowledge and expertise in science programming is reflected in its depiction of daily life on Mars a century from now.
In episode two, the story deepens as Lili’s abduction and Kawanabe’s scientific discoveries unfold, revealing a horrific incident buried in Mars’ past. The third and final episode captures a dynamic turning point as the immense power of the discovered object begins to reshape the future of both Earth and Mars.
How have you adapted Satoshi Ogawa’s story for the screen? Is it a faithful adaptation or have you taken creative risks?
Watanabe: The writing of the original novel and the development of the script overlapped at certain stages, allowing both creative processes to inspire and complement each other. This synergy gave birth to both the novel Queen of Mars and its television adaptation. As a result, the drama is not merely a visual translation of a completed novel – it features many original settings and portrayals unique to the screen. While deeply respectful of the exceptional creativity of Satoshi Ogawa, we believe the drama successfully brings out the full potential of the story through the distinct strengths of visual storytelling.
What was the writing process on the series?
Watanabe: The creative process began with field research conducted by Ogawa, screenwriter Reiko Yoshida and the directing and producing team. Together, they travelled to Tanegashima to witness the launch of the H3 rocket, building a shared understanding of the project’s vision. Following this, Ogawa wrote the initial draft of the original story, which served as the basis for the screenplay. This took place about a year before filming began.
Ogawa continued to participate in script meetings from time to time, and NHK’s science research team also joined the development process. We also had creators from overseas provide additional input, helping to incorporate elements that would appeal to international audiences.
How did you come to cast the star, Suri Lin, through an international audition?
Nishimura: When we envisioned the protagonist, we wanted to cast someone from overseas – not a foreign resident living in Japan, but someone who actually lives in their home country.
Our thinking was that for the actress playing Lili, it would be easier to capture the emotional distance between Mars and Earth if she could relate it to the real-life distance between her own country and Japan.
The role required fluency in her native language, as well as English, and the ability to perform in Japanese. Considering the need for cultural familiarity with Japan, we decided to hold auditions in Taiwan.
Suri is truly a queen of overwhelming talent. Honestly, at first, her Japanese was completely lacking, but language can be learned. What really struck us was her innate ability as an actor and the unique aura she carried – it was extraordinary. On top of that, she brought a fresh energy and an incredible ability to give birth to a character and express it with depth.
What was it like working with Suri and Masaki Suda on set?
Watanabe: Suri plays Lili, who lives on Mars, while Masaki portrays Shiraishi Aoto, who lives on Earth. Because of this, they rarely had the chance to be on set together. Interestingly, their characters are ‘lovers who can hardly meet,’ so this separation added a sense of realism to the drama. On the few occasions when they did share a set, the atmosphere felt like two lovers reuniting after years apart – tinged with a subtle tension and charming miscommunications that made for a wonderfully sweet dynamic.
Nishimura: There was also a rehearsal for a scene where they play guitar together. In real life, the roles were reversed: Masaki, who is skilled at guitar, patiently taught Suri how to play. This heartwarming moment even inspired the expansion of that scene in the final script.
Where did you film the series and how have you recreated Mars and a futuristic Earth?
Watanabe: Filming was primarily conducted on location. Our talented creative team scouted sites around the Kanto region that could convincingly resemble the Martian landscape. These locations were then transformed into Mars by our art department, and captured as stunning visuals by world-renowned cinematographer Takuro Ishizaka, who was brought in from Hollywood.
The base footage was further enhanced by a VFX team led by Katsurō Onoue, an expert in special effects known for his work on the Godzilla and Ultraman series. Using cutting-edge techniques, they created a flawless depiction of the Martian world. In addition, we went on international shoots. Because the terrain in Saudi Arabia closely resembles that of Mars, we filmed supplemental material there.
Nishimura: Traditionally, Martian landscapes in films have often been shot in places like Jordan or Iceland, but we chose a previously unused area in Saudi Arabia, near Jordan, achieving a strikingly authentic representation of Mars’ surface.
How would you describe the visual style of the series, and how was this achieved?
Nishimura: We aimed to balance two contrasting tones: the dark, suspenseful atmosphere of a sci-fi mystery and the youthful, almost tender tone of two young people longing for each other across Earth and Mars. Visually, this meant combining a serious look with a sense of luminous hope.
For the Martian colour palette and tone, the cinematographer, VFX supervisor and colourist conducted extensive research and studied how Mars has been portrayed in previous works. They considered how light would behave under an atmosphere completely different from Earth – how sunlight would appear, how its intensity would change – and the resulting look reflects these scientific considerations.
Does the series lean into its futuristic, sci-fi setting, or does it seek to upend genre expectations and stereotypes?
Watanabe: If a ‘stereotypical sci-fi worldview’ implies a purely fantastical setting, then our answer is that we aimed to break away from that mould. While the drama does depict a world that does not yet exist, it is built on NHK’s research capabilities and author Satoshi Ogawa’s imagination to explore a vision that could realistically exist 100 years from now. Even the mysterious object’s power is not based on complete fantasy, but rather on an extension of scientific reality as understood in 2025. In that sense, we see this as a bold attempt at creating sci-fi grounded in reality.
Nishimura: A century ago, Mars itself stood as a symbol of distant, futuristic science fiction. But today, things have changed – companies are seriously considering Mars colonisation, and we receive images from Mars almost daily. Against this backdrop, we aimed for a future that is tangible, and a form of sci-fi that feels connected to the present.
What challenges did you face in development or production?
Watanabe: For a television broadcaster to take on a full-scale sci-fi drama was a major challenge given the current economic climate and the media industry’s struggle against the rise of streaming platforms.
Nishimura: Sci-fi demands building an entire world from scratch. The depth and resolution of that world determine how convincing the characters’ stories will be. Everything – from historical context to laws, rules, and even the atmosphere that people intuitively understand – must be created anew. This was the first and greatest difficulty in the process.
Every element, from the design of spacesuits to the layout of Martian research labs, required creativity and painstaking effort. Yet these very challenges are what make sci-fi so exciting and rewarding.
Are there any scenes or moments from making the series that stand out?
Nishimura: There are so many moments, but I can’t share much without giving away spoilers. If I had to choose, I would say every scene in the final episode. Each character pushes beyond their limits and takes a bold step forward – and that, to me, is truly beautiful.
Why do you think the series will appeal to audiences in Japan and overseas?
Nishimura: Beyond the immersive visuals and high-quality VFX, the series offers a compelling balance between what might change and what might remain the same 100 years from now, posing questions like, ‘Could this really happen?’ and, ‘Will humanity still be the same?’
Watanabe: At its core, however, the story is about timeless human themes: parental love, how people react when encountering the unknown, and the ways we confront invisible fears. This combination of the grandeur of sci-fi and the depth of human drama is, we believe, its greatest appeal.
Like that? Watch this! Suggested by AI, selected by DQ
Alice in Borderland: Thrust into a deserted, alternate Tokyo, a group of young adults must compete in deadly games to survive – battling both external and internal dangers, and unraveling the mystery of their predicament as society falls apart around them.
3 Body Problem: When scientists across the globe begin dying under bizarre circumstances, a young researcher uncovers a decades-old secret and a cosmic threat that could reshape humanity’s fate forever.
Mars: Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru: A troubled high-school student with a dark past forms a fateful connection with a mysterious girl, leading them into psychological intrigue and the unknown – mixing emotional turbulence and dark secrets.
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tagged in: NHK, NHK Drama Productions, NHK Enterprises, Queen of Mars, Satoru Watanabe, Takegorō Nishimura