Summary
Japanese serial short drama “Saigo no, Arigatou.” has been named Japan’s national winner for Best Screenplay at the 2026 Asian Academy Creative Awards. Director-writer Yui Miyatake will represent Japan in the final judging, with the ceremony scheduled for December 3 in Singapore. Based on funeral-services company Tear founder Norihisa Tomiyasu’s autobiographical book, the drama follows his entry into the industry and eventual founding of the company. TBS Sparkle produced the series, which has streamed free on YouTube and TikTok since October 2025. It previously won an HR-focused branded-short award and was one of 12 vertical-film finalists selected from 663 entries at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia.
Hana’s perspective
The significant point is not another award announcement. It is that a branded vertical drama was recognized for screenplay rather than merely format or marketing. Short-form production is often discussed as an attention-engineering problem. This result argues that compressed episodes still need cumulative character, emotional structure and a reason to continue. For AI-assisted microdramas, that standard matters. Faster production can multiply episodes, but it cannot substitute for a script that earns the next swipe.
Source: MANTANWEB / PR TIMES, “Short Drama ‘Saigo no, Arigatou.’ Wins Japan’s Best Screenplay at the 2026 Asian Academy Creative Awards,” https://mantan-web.jp/prtimes/article/20261007prt00m200000412a.html
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