Sarah Nakamura

Sarah Nakamura in 2019, showing her WoT tattoo

**Sarah Nakamura** is a research consultant for *The Wheel of Time* television series. She is an expert on *The Wheel of Time* book series, and she helps the showrunner Rafe Judkins, the writing team, and other cast/crew members adapt the books to the television series accurately and with acceptable changes.

Nakamura's involvement in the series was announced on October 10, 2018 by Judkins on Twitter.

Nakamura was also credited for her involvement the 2015 short *Winter Dragon*, which she was not aware of until someone informed her on Facebook.

## General overview

Nakamura has read the book series over thirty times. According to Judkins, he has "yet to stump her with a question" about the book series. Her work with the writing team includes creating a document "that breaks down every scene in the episode and gives specific dialogue and scene references from the books for it", discussing possible changes with Judkins and the writing team, and reviewing scripts and changes made.

Nakamura has been praised by crew members for her help and expertise in adapting the series.

## Credits

* *Winter Dragon*, 2015 short film - production consultant

* *The Wheel of Time* TV series
	+ Season 1 - research consultant
	+ Season 2 - research consultant
	+ Season 3 - research consultant

* Events:
	+ JordanCon, April 22, 2023

## Quotes

When Rafe Judkins had a Q&A in December 2020 on changes made for the television series, Nakamura submitted a question which Judkins responded to:

> **Sarah Nakamuara**How many times did i give you blank stares when discussing possible changes?**Judkins**This one is obviously from Sarah N. There were moments when a thrilled room full of writers would go "we've cracked it! It's amazing! But can 'insert book canon person/place/thing' be 'insert noncanon idea' instead?" And Sarah's resounding, withering stare would tell us to go back to the drawing board. RIP Perrin talking to a bear.

Nakamura explained her involvement with *Winter Dragon* to fans on Reddit:

>
> I responded to an email asking about a quote, sometime in late December ‘14 to January ‘15. Done. I didn’t know what the quote was used for until someone told me - on Facebook - that my name was in the credits for the production. Boy was that revelation a surprise, believe me! I wasn’t around for development or preproduction or post production on the project for that matter :) However I was invited down to watch the production the day before it was shot. Other prominent members of the WoT community had actually gotten opportunities to pitch an EoTW film treatment to a major studio. I’d never done anything HUGE like that or signed any paperwork, I always felt I was on the outskirts of that group occasionally contacted to get coffee and talk for hours about The Wheel of Time and visual media (I did have to sign an NDA on the WD set that kept everyone from talking about it until after it aired) I knew there was a group of fans that had been involved with the company who made WD so didn’t think anything much of the invite other than it’d be amazing to see a part of Wheel come to life :) That’s it! I hope this answers any lingering questions and perhaps I’ll get an opportunity to talk more about my job one day!
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> My tattoo says „The Wheel Weaves” and I got it the last time I was in Prague!
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On her Ajah affiliation, Nakamura said: "I would say that I’m a Blue with Brownish tendencies :) I made this show my cause!"

From an interview with production designer Ondrej Nekvasil on Nakamura's involvement in *The Wheel of Time* series:

> And to ensure they stay true to the mythology, the show had the help of a researcher who knew the novels inside and out. “She knows the books so well that she’s actually able to tell you that this detail appears in book 3 and in book 10 and in book 8. She was kind of like our Wikipedia of the story, so we could always ask her about this prop,” Neksvasil says. “‘Is it only in this book or do we need it later? Do we have any more description of that? We are in this room. Do we have more description in this chapter?’ She was always very helpful in that.”
>
>

> **Sarah Nakamura**One thing I’ve learned today - after big global media pushes the strange gatekeepers come out. That’s the hill you wanna die on bro? The things I’m learning on the fly are wild & also really funny. The trolls have my pity 😂#TwitterOfTime**Vance (@redhandbard)**Right? It’s like all of a sudden other things weren’t right. I noticed that it appears to crossover with that other crowd of negative folks.**Sarah Nakamura**It’s truly funny & also sad. The inability see that the Wheel is turning. That somehow head canon is more important than a good show? That metaphorically we are playing w/ the same deck of cards this Age, just the deck is shuffled & the hand might be dealt differently? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️**Hype Mori (@Moridin1024)**It’s baked into the lore for Creators sake!**Sarah Nakamura**It certainly is! The Wheel is a perfect representation & how ages coming again the perfect example of how to approach adaptation..the show is the book Age come again. Helllllooooo???!— Sarah Nakamura with fans indicating that the TV series is another turning of the wheel, Twitter, Aug 18, 2021

## Gallery

### Images

Sarah Nakamura on the Amyrlin Seat
Twitter, February 2, 2023
### Video

LIVE with Sarah Nakamura & Daniel Greene Talking Wheel of Time TV!July 22, 2020Wheel of Time TV Show Consultant Sarah Nakamura!March 27, 2020Sarah Nakamura Talks The Wheel of Time Show and Series Opinions!April 3, 2020Wheel of Time Looney Theories Panel 2020 Edition, Live!April 17, 2020
## Navigation

Season 1 cast and crew •
Season 2 cast and crew •
Season 3 cast and crew •
Writers •
Directors •
Musicians •
***browse all crew***

## External links

* Sarah Nakamura at the Internet Movie Database
* Follow Sarah Nakamura (@sarahenakamura) on Twitter
* Follow Sarah Nakamura (@sarahenakamura) on Instagram
* Sarah Nakamura on Reddit

## References

1. ↑ Nakamura's Twitter bio states she is a "WoT Show Consultant". Her Instagram bio states she is a "Wheel of Time TV Show Research Consultant". Retrieved January 14, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Tweet by Rafe Judkins: Introducing another member of the Wheel of Time team - Sarah Nakamura, our LA-based book expert. They say 10,000 hours makes you a master, and she’s read the entire series THIRTY TIMES (about 12,600 hours of WoT). I’ve yet to stump her with a question. #WoTWednesday". October 10, 2018.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Reddit post by Nakamura here. August 13, 2020.
4. ↑ Tweet from Nakamura: "A little insight for #TwitterOfTime from Rafe on some on the specifics of my job." Includes an image of Rafe Judkins' Q&A. December 23, 2020.
5. ↑ Rafe Judkins Q&A: Rafe Judkins/Quotes#Changes from the books Question #8.
6. ↑ Rafe Judkins Q&A: Rafe Judkins/Quotes#Changes from the books Question #3.
7. ↑ Rafe Judkins Q&A: Rafe Judkins/Quotes#Changes from the books Question #6.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 *Gold Derby*: Why ‘The Wheel of Time’ production designer Ondrej Nekvasil took inspiration from the cast (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW) by Joyce Eng. November 17, 2021. Nakamura confirmed this was her in a Tweet on November 17, 2021.
9. ↑ Reddit post here. August 13, 2019.
10. ↑ Exchange on Twitter, August 18, 2021.