Shotaro Mamiya leads the Japanese reimagining of CJ ENM’s hit Korean mystery drama Quiz From God, arriving exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories on Friday, December 4, 2026.
Prime Video announced the project on September 24, 2026, confirming that the streamer will release all eight episodes worldwide on the same day. The series is a reboot of the Korean drama Quiz of God, which aired on OCN for five seasons between 2010 and 2019 and became a cultural phenomenon in South Korea. The original show followed genius medical examiner Han Jin-woo, played by Ryu Deok-hwan, as he solved unexplained deaths tied to rare diseases. The Japanese version moves the story to present-day Tokyo and gives the lead character a new name and backstory while keeping the core medical mystery format.
Shotaro Mamiya Plays a Genius Forensic Pathologist With a Secret
Shotaro Mamiya stars as Haruto Hatsushima, a former neurosurgeon who leaves surgery behind for reasons that remain unclear and becomes a forensic pathologist at the National Forensic Autopsy Center. People around him call him a genius chosen by God, but his colleagues mostly see him as eccentric. Each episode brings him a body connected to a strange death in Tokyo, from an underground idol who collapses mid-performance during an online controversy to a young person pulled into organized crime through illegal gig work and a sudden death during a couple’s first date at a movie theater. Behind these deaths, Haruto finds rare diseases that standard medical exams cannot detect, and he works to piece together what actually happened.
Haruto has his own mystery to solve. He lives with a rare illness and never knows how much longer his body will hold up. A secret from his past also hangs over him throughout the series. The Japanese adaptation keeps the human drama and unpredictable twists that made the Korean original popular while giving the story a fresh setting and a different mood.
A Role Mamiya First Heard About a Decade Ago
Mamiya said his manager first mentioned the role to him when he was in his early twenties, more than ten years ago. That conversation led him to watch the Korean original. He shared his thoughts in a statement released with the announcement.
“About ten years ago, when I was in my early twenties, my manager first told me that they wanted me to take on this role in this drama. That was what led me to watch the original Korean series. After many twists and turns along the way, once the project officially got underway last autumn, we moved into production in no time.”
Mamiya also spoke about working with the three producers on the project, all of whom have known him for years. He said this was his first time working with director Shunki Hashizume, but the two built a relationship of trust through meetings, script readings, and filming.
Shunki Hashizume Directs With a Focus on What Makes Someone a Genius
Shunki Hashizume, who previously directed the Netflix Japanese series Soulmate starring Ok Taec-yeon, directs the adaptation. He also co-wrote the scripts with Takayuki Ichikawa, Sayaka Shito, and Sayaka Abe. Shu Kanematsu composed the music.
Hashizume said he had always seen Mamiya as an actor with remarkable range, able to move from tough delinquent roles to fresh-faced young man characters to comedic parts. When they started working on this project, Mamiya was tasked with playing someone others call a genius, which led them to discuss what that label actually means.
“At first, Haruto appears as an unapproachable ‘genius,’ but as the story unfolds, he gradually reveals himself as ‘Haruto the human being.’ I believe it is thanks to Mamiya-san that we were able to bring this portrait of Haruto to life.”
Hashizume also talked about the title and what he wanted the series to explore through its cases. He said he struggled with how to connect the powerful title to the substance of the story. What he arrived at was the idea that God exists precisely because human beings exist. He hopes the story carries a sense of imagination toward all things and a gentle warmth of spirit.
The Korean Original Ran for Five Seasons
The original Quiz of God was Korea’s first medical investigation drama. It aired on OCN from 2010 to 2019 across five seasons, including seasons one through four and Quiz from God: Reboot. The show was created by Park Jae-bum and produced by Studio Dragon, with distribution by CJ ENM. Its unpredictable plot twists drew a devoted following, with viewers who called themselves Quiz from God addicts because they could not stop watching once they started.
Keisuke Oishi, Country Manager for Prime Video Japan, said the team is thrilled to bring the series to audiences worldwide with Mamiya in the lead role and described the Japanese reimagining as an incredible entertainment experience.
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Production Details and Global Availability
Quiz from God is a Prime Original drama produced by Kansai Television Co., Ltd., with The Icon handling production. Takashi Yoneda, Hiroko Okamitsu, and Akihiko Takaishi serve as producers. The series will stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories starting Friday, December 4, 2026. All eight episodes will be available at launch. Viewers in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and worldwide can watch the series on Prime Video from the release date. The first teaser visual featuring Mamiya as Haruto Hatsushima was also released with the announcement.
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Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on Quiz From God and other international streaming releases.
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