Japan remakes internet drama "Prom Queen"

[Tokyograph News]

"Prom Queen," an internet drama series that became popular through MySpace last year, is getting a Japanese adaptation. Like the original, "Tokyo Prom Queen" will be presented in 80 daily installments, each lasting only 90 seconds.

The story follows a group of college students (high school students in the original drama) who experience love, friendship, and betrayal in the events surrounding a pre-graduation "prom." Director Futoshi Sato ("Indian Summer") said that it was difficult to adjust the story, particularly because Japanese people are not very familiar with proms.

Viewers will be able to watch the series for free on the internet and on mobile phones. Several video sites such as YouTube will carry the show, but its center of operations will be the community site Mixi, which will release each episode at midnight. The cast members will also keep journals on Mixi, giving fans the potential to interact with them. The show will also be tied in commercially to fashion magazine JJ and to Coca-Cola.

Leah Dizon is doing the show's theme song, titled "Under the Same Sky." Dizon will also make a guest appearance in the show as the character Naomi, the previous year's prom queen who makes her singing debut.

The main cast includes Shinobu Otsuka ("The Longest Night in Shanghai"), Kiki Sugino, Hidenori Tokuyama, Yurei Yanagi, Kyoko Tsujisawa, and Haruna Yabuki. Episodes will start being released on May 7.

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