“I hated her regular TV program. The moment she appeared on screen, I would switch the channel. So when I received the offer, my honest reaction was, ‘There’s no way I can do this,’” says acclaimed director Tomoyuki Takimoto (59), known for films such as “Brain Man” and “Grasshopper,” with a wry smile.

What he took on this time is the life story of the “strongest fortune teller,” Kazuko Hosoki, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 83. The Netflix series “Straight to Hell,” beginning worldwide exclusive streaming on April 27, depicts the light and shadow of Hosoki’s life, which dominated Japan’s Heisei-era television landscape, on an unprecedented scale.

“Straight to hell!”

With this powerful catchphrase, Hosoki captivated audiences. However, what this series portrays is not limited to the image seen on television. Takimoto explains (all comments below are his):

“We reconstructed her life based on both her autobiography ‘Onna no Rirekisho’ (Gendaishorin) and ‘Majo no Rirekisho’ (Kodansha), a biography by Atsushi Mizoguchi that exposed her hidden side. The present timeline of the drama is around 2005–2006—her career peak, when her past was exposed through weekly magazine serialization, and she ironically entered the ‘Great Misfortune’ period defined by her own Six Star Astrology. We felt that was the most fitting starting point.”

As his research progressed, Takimoto says his initial “aversion” turned into fascination.

“She is one of the symbolic figures of postwar Japan. Rising from the black markets of the burnt-out postwar ruins, succeeding with a Ginza club, and eventually discovering fortune-telling while carrying debts equivalent to one billion yen in today’s value—her journey is filled with overwhelming narrative power that makes you want to keep watching.”

The script also incorporates the director’s input, and Hosoki’s darker aspects are depicted without restraint.

“I never hesitated to depict the darker side. Her ties with organized crime, for example, would likely be rejected on terrestrial TV with a ‘please reconsider,’ but Netflix said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ However, we still drew a line at what even in fiction audiences would not want to see. We selected and omitted excessively dark episodes, refining her into a character the audience could still, in a sense, love.”

In the series, the famous singer Chiyoko Shimakura (died at 75), who plays a key role in the story, also appears under her real name. There had initially been plans to use a fictional name, but Takimoto insisted, “If we used a pseudonym, it would ruin the drama,” and the portrayal was made possible after obtaining permission from her bereaved family. With that level of resolve, the complex relationship between Shimakura and Hosoki is depicted without reservation.

At the time of the casting announcement, what drew attention was the physical difference between lead actress Erika Toda (37) and Hosoki. How would the slender Toda portray the fuller-figured Hosoki?

“There was also the option of using special makeup to make her appear larger, but if it became something like a costume, it would distract the audience. I believed that if she portrayed Hosoki Kazuko’s mentality, then the physical difference would stop mattering after two episodes. In the end, that judgment was correct. Toda’s performance was far beyond what I had imagined.”

Takimoto recalls being overwhelmed by Toda’s explosive acting.

“The delicacy of her performance in subtle scenes, and the way she shifts gears when expressing raw emotion—only Erika Toda in the world could have played Hosoki Kazuko. She also seemed to enjoy acting alongside a series of glamorous male co-stars. Every time she finished filming with one actor, she looked slightly reluctant, but when the next ‘man’ appeared, she would again spark fresh energy as an actress.”

He adds that he had more discussions with Toda on set than usual.

“Before each scene, we would talk extensively until she fully understood it. Once she committed, she would literally transform into a witch in front of the camera.”

The production budget was also extraordinary. To recreate Shinbashi in postwar 1940s Japan, Ginza during the high-growth era, and Akasaka, entire city blocks were built as massive sets.

“Just recreating the postwar ruins and Showa-era streets cost enough to make a small film on its own. We prepared around 30 period-accurate vehicles for each era, and styled the hair of about 100 extras individually according to the fashion of the time. If anything false appears on screen, it breaks the immersion.”

What, then, was Takimoto trying to depict through such effort?

“I grew up during the era of school violence, so frankly I dislike figures of authority like her. But her raw life force—living purely for desire, deceiving and even humiliating others to survive—is something I have to acknowledge as extraordinary. She is a controversial figure in every sense, but I’m curious how audiences will receive the fact that such an intensely energetic woman once existed. I look forward to it.”

Desire and hell. The truth of the legendary fortune teller is about to overwhelm us.

【From April 27】Netflix series “Straight to Hell” now streaming worldwide.

Takimoto Reveals Behind-the-Scenes of “Straight to Hell” Starring Erika Toda and Kazuko Hosoki Story

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