My Favorite J-Dramas (2015-Present)
updated 08/2024
[2017]
Kahoko Nemoto is an unusual girl- she’s been brought up in a completely sheltered environment with an overprotective mother Izumi (Hitomi Kuroki) who decides every move and choice for her daughter,and a helpless father Masataka (Saburo Tokito), who, though he knows they are spoiling their daughter terribly, cannot bear to see her sad and will say anything to make her smile.
Her world gets shaken one day when, at the school office, she meets a young man named Mugino (Ryoma Takeuchi) who tells her that spoiled little girls like her are what is wrong with the world.
“Parents spoil their children, the school pampers the parents, companies spoil employees, the government spoils officials… the country itself is becoming an overprotected kingdom!” he smirks, and Kahoko takes it hard.
Harsh as he is, it looks like Mugino is the only one in Kahoko’s life who will give it to her straight. He invites her to help with his part time jobs, and as her parents worry away, Kahoko spends the night passing out flyers and delivering pizzas. And though he did it partly as a joke, Mugino comes to see that despite her being sheltered and pampered, she has a pure heart and is eager to work hard.
The story of the "Overprotected" girl who learns to break out of her confined, pampered way of living and blossom into an outgoing and assertive young woman had me charmed throughout its 10 episode run, and the conclusion was as satisfying as could be!
The perfect balance of seriousness and silliness was perfect! The balance of Kahoko's innocent ineptness and her unwavering love of her family made every scene great with her childish and yet powerful and moving dialog as she mended the problems of her loved ones.
49. Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
[2018]
A drama following the lineage of rakugo telling performers told through the eyes of the elderly master as he is about to take on a new disciple.
The scope of this drama, traveling through three generations of rakugo storytellers through childhood to manhood, from teacher to student, is massive, and often felt like I was watching an NHK Morning drama compressed into 10 episodes!
VERY engaging drama with heartfelt acting throughout, especially from Masaki Okada, whom, playing key character Yakumo, ran the gamut from wide-eyed teen to seasoned pro and bitter senior with little effort! As well the energetic performance by Ikusaburo Yamazaki who played the bombastic scene-stealing Sukeroku, and the gentle and captivating Aya Oomasa as the show's doomed love interest Miyokiochi....
In the "present day" we had Riko Narumi and Ryo Ryusei as the young generation of aspiring tellers hoping to make the stage the home for their tales, giving closure to the overall story and ending the drama on a strong and sombre note!
This was one very involving drama, one that I will remember for a long time!
48. Yameru Toki mo, Sukoyakanaru Toki mo
[2020]
From earlier this year, “Yameru Toki mo, Sukoyakanaru Toki mo” tells the tale of a struggling furniture designer named Sudo Ichiharu (Taisuke Fujigaya) working through his art to come to terms with a tragedy that causes him to lose his voice every year.
He happens to meet Advertising Agent Sakurako Motohashi (Nao) at a wedding, though the two are too drunk to remember each other that well, but fate steps in when she ends up being his agent for a brochure he is making for his first exhibit!
Though the two have huge emotional baggage, they find kinship in each other and as they develop affection for each other, are slowly working their way up to a real relationship…
MAN, I was so excited when I found out about this drama, and after watching just the first episode, was so involved that I ended up watching the ENTIRE series in one afternoon!!!
Nao was soooo great in this- though there were times when you couldn’t be sure if Sudo is in love with Sakurako, you NEVER doubt that SHE is in love with HIM! Just take a look at Nao’s face in this scene of them meeting in town. My heart just melts, she looks so happy!!
This was a sweet little romance drama which further solidifies my belief that Nao is one of the best of the new wave of Japanese Actresses out there and that I can still expect great things from her!
47. Ishiko to Haneo
[2022]
As most of you have figured out by my constant posts about the show, the courtroom drama Ishiko To Haneo was pretty much my favorite show of the past season, and tonight the final episode wrapped in the same way it has been throughout its run- intriguing and FUN and with a whole lot of HEART!
Everyone in this show was great, from the spazzy Oideyasu Oda, to the “puppy-dog nice guy” Eiji Akaso, and the doddering but kind and thoughtful Masashi Sada, but the duo of Tomoya Nakamura as Haneoka and Kasumi Arimura as Shoko might be the best pairing ever!
From the beginning it was hilarious watching the two butt heads and bicker about their very different sensibilities, but it was even better as the two grew to respect and look up to each other, as as the show progressed, they became a true “ii combi” who, when partnered up, became a team no one could stop!
A drama that really made me feel good, and I’m sure you will too!
46. Okusama wa, Tori Atsukai Chui
[2017]
Ayase Haruka stars as Nami, a top field agent for an un-named organization who fakes her death and starts a new life in a bid for a “regular’ life with a husband and family in a quaint house in a quiet neighborhood. She meets the man of her dreams at a goukon and once married, they move to the small town where she meets her new best friends (Ryoko Hirosue) and Honda). She enjoys doing her housework and seeing her husband off each morning for work, but there is apart of her that craes the excitement of her past life. So when a fellow housewife has a problem with domestic violence, Nami secretly reverts back to her covert operative agent self to uncover the evils and mete out punishment as she sees fit!
As expected, I really liked this new show and Haruka Ayase continues to reinvigorate my love for her- as you may recall, it was she who single-handedly brought me back to the world of J-dramas (after I had lost interest in 2000) with “Hotaru No Hikari” in 2007 and with this show she continues her winning streak!
45. Radiation House
[2019]
After years of hearing about Radiation House, I finally got around to checking out BOTH the first and second seasons (as well as the SP) , and I am happy to report that it has been WELL worth it!
I’ve long gotten burnt out watching medical dramas as they always seem to follow the same beats, but this one focusing on the radiology department of a huge hospital had such great characters that I really enjoyed watching them in action! True, the cases themselves were still the main point of each episode, but as the team worked together to solve the diagnoses, you really began to admire their passion and drive, especially lead Masataka Kubota, whom, as the seemingly irresponsible and carefree Igarashi, really touched you with his pure heart and dedication!
This was a show I was always going to have to check out, as it featured actresses Sayaka Yamaguchi, Tsubasa Honda and Alice Hirose, three gals whom I always try to make time for, and though Hirose was woefully underused, Honda was great and ohhh, Yamaguchi...so SEXY!!!
44. Hakozume~Tatakau Koban Joshi
[2021]
Wrapped up the Erika Toda/Mei Nagano Buddy Cop drama “Hakozume Tatakau Koban Joshi” today and it sent off in fine fashion! Usually not a fan when these detective dramas feel obligated to add an overarching backstory/mystery to the character’s story, but this one worked out fine, wrapping things up with a spirited finale to an entertaining little show!
Such great characters in this drama- Mei Nagano and Erika Toda have great chemistry together as the "Two Peas in a Pod" but even the other players like Shohei Miura, Yuki Yamada and Muro Tsuyoshi as fellow detectives/superiors helped make it into a fully developed show!
A cop drama that played it mostly straight, it had no qualms about deviating into some hilarious slapstick moments when the situation allowed, making for an even MORE fun romp!
Another one I’ll miss now that it’s over!
[2018]
“Survival Wedding” stars the always engaging Haru as Sayaka Kuroki, an almost-thirty magazine writer who leaves her job to get married, only to find herself cheated on and dumped by her fiancé Kazuya (Shunsuke Kazama), and suddenly without a job and mounting bills to pay!
She tries to get her old job back, but of course the position has been filled. “I’ll do anything!” she pleads, and so it is that she is introduced to Hiroto Usami (Yusuke Isaya, last seen by me in the hilarious “Kangoku No Ohimesama”), the Chief editor of a high-class magazine RIZ who tells her he can hire her for his magazine…but it will be to write a column for 30-ish women seeking marriage…and if Sayaka HERSELF doesn’t get married in six months, she will be FIRED!
Sayaka at first refuses. she says she can’t possibly do such a job, and even if she could, she can’t get over Kazuya so soon. Usami suggests she try getting back with her fiancé and marrying him. But Sayaka doesn’t have the confidence to win him back, and it’s here that Usami takes the reins of the situation, and, using marketing brand techniques and schemes used in the high-fashion world, begins schooling Sayaka in ways she can “upgrade her value” and ultimately win back her man, get married, and keep her job!
Survival Wedding takes me back to the more innocent days of J-drama storylines circa 1993-1995 where they take a whimsical plot of romance, add in a few charismatic actors and actresses, and then set it off running. You can almost guess where the story is going most of the time, but you are always charmed and engaged!
Sayaka is a very lovable character, and even in her capacity as a gofer, her sweetness shines through, but it’s her interactions with her boss Usami that really steals the show- the two are such polar opposites and their banter is fun and interesting, and ultimately become the “heart” of the drama!
42. Takane No Hana
[2018]
I was quite taken by this Satomi Ishihara drama with its classic take of the rich-socialite girl who falls for the kind, humble and poor man (A twist on Satomi’s drama Rich Man, Poor Woman!) and it’s backdrop of the refined world of Ikebana (Flower Arranging) was a fresh, new take on it!
Satomi stunned as usual with her portrayal as the beautiful, elegant Momo Tsukushima, add in the sincere performance by Kazunobu Mineta as the guy-with-the-heart-of-gold Bicycle Repair Shop suitor Naoto Kazama and you had all the makings of another “Summer Snow” (Hey, that was set in a bicycle repair shop, too!) romance!
Gotta say though, that this drama was as topsy turvy as riding a bicycle without training wheels for the first time with all the plots, sub-plots, twists, reverse-twists, break-ups and make-ups (frankly this was, in my opinion, Satomi’s most cruel and callous drama character ever!) but throughout it all, you never stopped caring about the people in the story, and in the end, Takane No Hana left me with characters who will stay with me for a long time!
41. Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba
[2021]
Just finished the extremely dark “Higashino Keigo Samayou Yaiba” the story of a grieving father who takes matters into his own hands to seek revenge when his teenage daughter is brutally drugged, raped and murdered, and though I initially worried about the tack the writers might take (i.e. focusing on the murderer delinquents’ side of things, painting them in a sympathetic light), in the end it came down to a moralistic judgment of the Father returning murder with murder rather than leaving it to the authorities to sort out. And with a full cast of characters falling to one side or the other of the argument, it resulted in a rich, thought provoking drama a tragedy that left you with lots to think about.
The cast, as I mentioned before is excellent. Both Yutaka Takenouchi as the grieving father, and Yuriko Ishida as a bystander caught between doing what the law says and following what her heart wants. Very little dialog, most passages expressed with looks and head nods, but very powerful.
Kumi Takiuchi was compelling as the reporter determined to get the truth of what actually went down, as well, Kanji Furutachi and Takahiro Miura were great as the detectives tasked with tracking down both the teen delinquents and the revenge-seeking father. Been seeing so many drama with incompetent detectives lately, was good to see one where the men on the case were thoughtful, methodical and full of empathy for the victims.
[2017]
Mi wo Tsukushi Ryouricho tells the tale of a girl named Mio (Haru Kuroki) without any family who comes to Edo from Osaka and becomes a cook, and though very skilled, her unusual cuisine style (as well as ignorance of Edo ways and customs) makes her journey a slow and difficult one.
She is employed by the kindly Taneichi (Fumiyo Kohinata) at his restaurant where he once served Soba…but with a bad back he has given the cooking reins over to his young charge. Though she is flustering the regular patrons with her unfamiliar dishes and ingredients, Taneichi believes in Mio and always supports her decisions and food choices.
Each episode shows her creating a new kind of dish to try, and with the mysterious and gruff samurai Komatsubara (Mirei Moriyama) to critique and guide her, she slowly but surely is able to make a small foothold in the town.
Been awhile since I watched either an NHK asadora OR an NHK Taiga Drama, and Mi wo Tsukushi Ryourichi reminds me so much of those shows. In fact, what it REALLY makes me feel like I’m watching are the old 1980’s “Abarenbo Shogun” series, and I really, really loved those...When they show Mio outside of the restaurant looking out into the village, it takes me right back to those days! Very nostalgic feel!
[2015]
Kokoro Ga Pokitto Ne tells the very wacky story of a man named Kojima (Sadao Abe) who hates interaction with others and refuses to love…but his life of solitude is shaken to the core when he meets the explosively lively, loud and energetic Miyako Hayama (Kiko Mizuhara)!
For Kojima, despite his efforts to be alone, finds that not only is his entire time occupied with her, he even feels the twinges of attraction~this cannot be! He tries to keep his distance, and fight his feelings, but Miyako is too full of life to resist!
Furthering the stress, his home life is shaken when hia boss and landlord Otake’s (Fujiki Naohito) fiancee moves in upstairs. and he finds that Otake’s fiancee Shizuka (Tomoko Yamaguchi) is none other than his ex-wife! And when Miyako (who conversely has a crush on Shin) is ALSO invited to live at the Otake house, all manner of wacky hijinks ensue!
Watch with delight as the four characters attempt to have a nice dinner and pretend nothing is going on when beneath the skin every person (save the simple minded Shin) is raging with nervousness! LOLOL
Well! This is one ZANY show! Very entertaining as an all-out comedy, and Kiko Mizuhara is a whirlwind of spazzy energy in every scene she's in!
[2017]
Kyoko Koizumi stars as an ex-convict named Baba Kayo who is dreaming up revenge for a corrupt individual named Ishibashi (Yusuke Iseya). Creating a team of ex criminals, including Celebrity author Chinatsu Katsuta (Miho Kanno), Socialite Akemi Adachi (Aiko Morishita), would-be Actress Yoko Daimon (Maki Sakai) and even the personal assistant to Itabashi himself, super-efficient Futaba Wakai (Hikari Mitsushima), they work in and out of the joint to extract their devious plans....
Now, this plot doesn’t seem like something to base a comedy around, but Baba Kayo and her team are so inept at what they do that their shenanigans are more like Wile E. Coyote’s attempts at catching the Roadrunner than any real crime drama, at one point even kidnapping the wrong boy and then hilariously having to get rid of him when they get the real child, LOL!
This was one show that charmed me with its wacky humor, great characters and a touching storyline about camaraderie in the most unlikely of places and building friendships that can stand the test of time.
37. Yuru Camp
[2019]
Following an intrepid group of girls who love nothing more than to pack it all up and go camping out in the wild wilderness! In much the same way as the Tina Tamashiro train drama Tetsu Ota Michiko 2Man Kiro, detail is given for both the places they stay and visit as well as the local foods and little shops that pepper the countrysides!
So relaxing to watch Rin Shima (Haruka Fukuhara, in one of her cutest roles yet) taking in the rustic backwoods to find that perfect place to pitch her tent for the night... This is a show that doesn't mind (and in fact encourages you) to slow down and smell the roses once in a while! When they say that a drama is a "feel-good" show, Yuru Camp is EXACTLY the kind of drama that they're talking about! You just CAN'T walk away from this show without a huge smile on your face!
36. Satsui No Michinori
[2020]
Though I felt that the last episode seemed a bit rushed, if I thought of the 7 episodes of the Bakarhythm/Iura Arata crime comedy “Satsui No Michinori” as a long movie rather than a drama, it worked out pretty darn good!
Despite its abrupt (in my opinion) conclusion, I really loved the journey of these two shleppy but sincere guys set out for revenge and murder who meet two cool and savvy girls who happily join in on the ride, and I even liked the way they tied things up in the end with a nice little bow!
Of course a big part of my enjoyment of this drama came from the saucy Mayu Hotta (as well as Yui Sakuma, whom I only JUST realized was Yuka in Jikuu Tantei Oyu!), the scenes with the boys interacting with them really made the show, the dialog, the pacing and the humor!
PS: And even as I was thinking how the drama would work better as a movie, they announced post credits that a feature movie is INDEED in the works, the be released February of next Year. I remember they did this with Ito Kun A to E, will definitely have to check out the Satsui No Michinori treatment!!!
[2019]
Awwww MAN, you all know how much I loved Haru Kuroki’s fine drama Mi Wo Tsukushi Ryoricho, and, in much the same way that drama took the time to convey the atmosphere, Nagi No Oitama seems like a successor, with lots of long shots just showing Nagi looking at plants, excitedly shopping for groceries and fixing up broken appliances.
And Nagi's character is just like Mio in Ryorichi...very sweet, gentle and thoughtful. (I had such a time liking her selfish character in Kemono ni Narenai Watashitachi!) Makes you feel so good watching her rediscover herself and you cheer when she makes new acquaintances and applaud every time she stands up for herself! Love this show- just made for the Haru Kuroki lover in me!
34.Wadake No Otokotachi
[2021]
While watching Wadake No Otokotachi, it occured to me how much it was like an old KIKU TV program from my golden era of jdrama watching: family-oriented show with likeable characters and situations where kindness and thoughtfulness is rewarded, all topped off with delightful dialog!
At first I wasn't sure how much I was gonna like this show of three generations of newsmen in a family, but it quickly grew into one of my BIG faves! Oh, and it definitely stirred up my love thang for Ren Ishikawa who, though not a major character, captivated throughout!
33. Tengoku to Jigoku: Psychona Futari
32. IQ246
31. Fragile
[2016]
Take Emi Takei’s surgeon character Matsumoto Mao in “Zero No Shinjitsu” and team her up with Nagase Tomoya’s Keita Kurokouchi from “Kurokouchi”, shake it all together and let simmer, and the end result would look an awful lot like the awesome medical drama “Fragile”, the show focusing on the true heroes of the hospitals: the pathologists who examine all the tissue and data so that the doctors can make the correct decisions regarding their patients' maladies and their well being!
I love both Emi and Nagase, and they’re here doing what they do best: Nagase as a gruff, loud-mouthed figure and Emi as the gentle and caring nurturer. Add in their crackerjack team (including Nomura Shuhei as Morii, Kinya Kitaoji as Nakaguma Kaoru (Kishi’s mentor), and a sexy-as-usual Koyuki as a fellow doctor Hosoki Madoka who, though not on the pathological staff, is definitely on their side!) and you've got the making of a seriously kick-butt drama!
Another thing that I really love about this show is the DIALOG, and I’m not just taking about the doctor-patient-diagnosis stuff, but also the everyday patter between the four, so fun, quick and witty, with Nagase and Koyuki assaulting Emi with a barrage of comments and poor Emi’s stuttering and befuddled replies, meanwhile Mori sittin' back and bemusedly remarking on the situation…too good!
28. Harassment Game
27. Repeat
[2021]
The tale of a determined detective who switches bodies with the psychotic serial killer she is chasing took the best acting efforts from both Haruka Ayase and Issei Takahashi, and I have to say that by the show’s conclusion this may be some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen by either of them!!!
Also props to the supporting cast like Junpei Mizubata and especially Kazuki Kitamura, the brash, arrogant and yet highly intelligent and motivated detective Mitsuo Kawahara who is always hot on the heels of the body-swapped duo as they try to wrangle themselves out of their predicament- This was a character that I never quite knew what to expect from and he surprised me every time!
I was excited about this ever since first hearing about it in the new drama announcement, blown away by its first episode and throughout its entire run, Tengoku to Jigoku has ALWAYS been my #1 favorite drama on the air! A definite 10/10!!!
[2016]
At first a goofy, goofy show with hairbrained crime scenarios worthy of “Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato De” (the kind where you go “how in the world could ANYONE deduce such a complicated murder plan from such mundane clues???), halfway through the series, the drama seemed to make a break from its earlier chapters, taking a darker shift in tone and trading the usual silly and wacky situations in for a more melodramatic and gripping plot!
And from there, the show just got darker and darker, with MORE intense and violent situations, as the show built up to its climactic final arc where Homonji (Oda yuji) finally has his showdown with his arch enemy Maria T (Miki Nakatani)!! So many suspenseful situations as well as rather touching moments...Who would have thought that this show would end up as a 10/10 rating for me when I barely even knew if I LIKED it much when i first began watching it!!! Ya just NEVER know!!!
[2016]
Take Emi Takei’s surgeon character Matsumoto Mao in “Zero No Shinjitsu” and team her up with Nagase Tomoya’s Keita Kurokouchi from “Kurokouchi”, shake it all together and let simmer, and the end result would look an awful lot like the awesome medical drama “Fragile”, the show focusing on the true heroes of the hospitals: the pathologists who examine all the tissue and data so that the doctors can make the correct decisions regarding their patients' maladies and their well being!
I love both Emi and Nagase, and they’re here doing what they do best: Nagase as a gruff, loud-mouthed figure and Emi as the gentle and caring nurturer. Add in their crackerjack team (including Nomura Shuhei as Morii, Kinya Kitaoji as Nakaguma Kaoru (Kishi’s mentor), and a sexy-as-usual Koyuki as a fellow doctor Hosoki Madoka who, though not on the pathological staff, is definitely on their side!) and you've got the making of a seriously kick-butt drama!
Another thing that I really love about this show is the DIALOG, and I’m not just taking about the doctor-patient-diagnosis stuff, but also the everyday patter between the four, so fun, quick and witty, with Nagase and Koyuki assaulting Emi with a barrage of comments and poor Emi’s stuttering and befuddled replies, meanwhile Mori sittin' back and bemusedly remarking on the situation…too good!
30. Mystery to Iunakare
[2022]
Cannot stress enough how much I liked this drama of the afro-adorned reluctant detective Totono and his investigative adventures! Already a fun, quirky character and in each episode you got to know him better as they kept introducing new elements to the show.
The drama pages had initially listed Mystery to Iunakare as a 10 Episode show, and in fact it said at the beginning of Episode 10 "Last Episode". And what a last episode it was- the way they wrapped things up was perhaps one of the BEST endings to a drama I've seen in recent months, one which I watched over and over, it was so good!!!
But after that, then they announced two MORE episodes, this time continuing a storyline from earlier in the series, and THIS time it didn't have the closure of episode 10, and in fact, felt more like a movie or special and even ended on a "to be continued" vibe, leaving us hanging!!!
Not the wrap-up I wanted, especially after that awesome Episode 10 ending. But I guess I will have to wait for a Special, Movie or Sequel Series to find out what happens next...
29. Shoujiki Fudousan
[2022]
Story of a cold-hearted Real Estate Agent named Nagas (Tomohisa Yamashita) who thinks nothing of deceit and deception to con his clients into bad home purchases...who suddenly is cursed with the inability to lie and has to deal with landing his sales when he can ONLY tell the truth!
Wonderful dynamic between Yamapi as the crooked realtor who suddenly can only tell the truth and Haruka Fukuhara as Tsukishita, his naive and wide-eyed kouhai who earnestly believes not only in honesty, but that there is some innate goodness in Nagase waiting to come out!
A nice set-up each episode with a "bad" agent (Ichihara Hayato) showing a devious example of selling using lies and tricks, and then Nagase (Yamapi) "forced" to do things the honest way, inadvertently SEALING the deal and becoming a positive influence in newbie Tsukishita's growth!
[2018]
Wataru Akitsu was once a powerful director of the huge Supermarket Chain MARUO, but when an underling accused him of power harassment his team turned against him and he was demoted to grocery manager in one of the store’s small-town markets.
There he meets his new team, smart and determined Makoto Komura (Alice Hirose), who schools the old-fashioned Akitsu about all the many new and lesser known kinds of harassment there are, and the cool and collected Lawyer Kotaro Yazawa (Yuki Furukawa) who at first doesn’t trust Akitsu but soon realizes how passionate Akitsu is about helping those in need and joins the team fully.
Man, I loved this drama! Karasawa was one of the very first actors I knew when I first got into Japanese dramas, and he shows he still has the warmth and charisma to turn any character into one you really care for and want to follow!
A gripping drama that I’ll be sure to re-watch again!
[2018]
Ayumi Shinozaki (Shihori Kanjiya) lives a quiet life as a librarian. when, one night, she receives a strange phone call telling her that there will be an earthquake in Tokyo in a few hours. She doesn’t know who the caller is, and decides that it must be a prank of some kind.
But she is shocked when, that evening, there is indeed an earthquake, at the exact time the caller predicted. She then gets a call from the mystery man who tells her that he told her his predication so she’d believe him when he said he could time jump from the future to the past via an experience he calls REPEAT. She meets up at a certain restaurant where she meets other prospective jumpers (who, like Ayumi, seem to have been chosen at random) as well as the mystery leader, a man named Kazama.
Kazama explains that his “Repeat” system is not so much physically Time Traveling, but instead the ability to jump your MIND back into your past self. Thus you can’t bring along anything with you. Furthermore, it is a set time frame of 10 months you can go back!
But will changing things that already happened make things better, or is one’s life planned out for them and will fate step in to keep what has already transpired as fact...and what PRICE will they ultimately PAY for this meddling? Only by jumping will she learn!
Holy CRAP, did Repeat end on a high note! This drama of a group of random people chosen to jump back 10 months into the past had me constantly guessing what was going to happen next, and just when I thought I had it figured out, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the turn of events!
I've always liked Shihori Kanjiya, and she was sooo, sooo good as the sweet and kind-hearted Ayumi. You could easily see why she was so well-liked by her time-travelling partners (well, at least the ones that weren't trying to kill her!) and by the drama's end I had really grown attached to her!
[2019]
Adorable Kano Nakamura (Fuka Koshiba) is a peppy and ordinary working OL on the outside, but what her co-workers don’t knows is that Kana is a closet Tokusatsu Geek who spends her every free moment at home watching Japanese Sentai shows and her whole paychecks go to purchasing Superhero CDs, DVDs and Magazines!
But her obsession comes with casualties, not least of which is dealing with her Super-Sentai hating mother,( Yuki Matsushita) who has come to Tokyo to visit. Mom is bent on making sure Kano is living right and working towards marriage. What will she say if she sees Kano’s apartment filled with toys, trinkets, posters, CDs and DVDs of her childhood obsession that she believes she’s grown out of?!
I love, love LOVED this drama! It took a keen look at all the foibles and tropes of being a rabid tokusatsu fan, while at the same time reminding us all of the many wonderful reasons we fell in love with the genre in the first place! Throughout the entire show I kept going “Oh, man, that’s TOTALLY how it is!!!” They really got it right!!
Special mention MUST be made of Fuka Koshiba whose cute, spazzy expressions and excitable demeanor kept the show bright and happy- she reminded me so much of why I first fell in love with Keiko Kitagawa way back in 2009’s “Mop Girl” (which she did right after coming off Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon). Yes, Keiko is a rather dour and low-key actress of late, but Fuka Koshiba reminded me of Keiko’s cute and FUN beginnings!
25. Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san
[2023]
“The Makanai~Cooking For The Maiko House”, An absolutely touching and moving drama, following two 16 year old girls who move to Kyoto to become maiko (apprentice geisha) and the futures their destinies hold, one to become a true Geisha while the other to become the cook for the house. A slow-paced, thoughtful slice-of-life type drama with focus on Cooking, geisha culture, and above all, the unbreakable bond of the two friends through thick and thin.
This was EASILY my number one drama of the season!!! There is nothing I can say about amazing Hirokazu Koreeda’s style of gentle storytelling that hasn’t been said before, suffice to say that Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san is yet another wonderful feather in his cap!I loved everything about this drama- the slow pacing, the kind friendship and respect between the girls, (especially the caring nurturing Momoko has for Sumire into helping her blossom), and, finally, the simple and yet so sweet ending song(with just a piano, a sparse backing score, and Kiyo humming along) that had me in tears at the end of so many episodes!
[2016]
Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai tells the story of a naïve 30-something girl named Michiko (Fukada, playing another one of her signature type roles, think Toko from "To Heart" and you've got it) whom, because of her too-trusting outlook and ditzy demeanor, finds herself desperately trying to find a job to support herself and her good-for-nothing younger boyfriend!
By chance she comes across her former supervisor Ayumu (Dean Fujioka) who she considers her adversary; he had gotten her fired from her previous OL job because of her ineptness, but now, seeing her obviously struggling with monetary problems, offers her a job- seems the only reason he was so cross with her at the office was because it wasn’t a place he really wanted to be, and in fact he’s since quit and has started up a small café and invites her to join his work team.
Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai tells the story of a naïve 30-something girl named Michiko (Fukada, playing another one of her signature type roles, think Toko from "To Heart" and you've got it) whom, because of her too-trusting outlook and ditzy demeanor, finds herself desperately trying to find a job to support herself and her good-for-nothing younger boyfriend!
By chance she comes across her former supervisor Ayumu (Dean Fujioka) who she considers her adversary; he had gotten her fired from her previous OL job because of her ineptness, but now, seeing her obviously struggling with monetary problems, offers her a job- seems the only reason he was so cross with her at the office was because it wasn’t a place he really wanted to be, and in fact he’s since quit and has started up a small café and invites her to join his work team.
23. Nami yo Kiite Kure
[2023]
Another one from a few seasons back, Nami yo kiite Kuru was always on my back burner and has finally wrapped up, to glorious appeal! Gotta say, for a show that started out nutty (and, admittedly, irritating) as hell, I have to say how much this drama grew on me until the point where I just LOVE it to death! Funny how a show can hit one way and then end up being one of your favorite shows of the season. Fuka Koshiba excels as radio personality Minare but I think it's the development of her friendship/partnership with the AD Mizuho (played by Hara Nonoka) that really sold me on the show- such a joy watching them interact each episode, you can tell they really adore each other and it always puts a smile on my face!
22. Kakenai!? Kyakuhonka Yoshimaru Keisuke no Sujigaki no Nai Seikatsu
[2021]
Anna San No Omame, Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo, these are all dramas that I initially wrote off as being too over-the-top wacky and irritating, only to have the show grow on me and eventually become some of my favorite dramas of all time, and now we can add the Toma Ikuta-led ensemble comedy “Kakenai?” to that list!!
How did THIS drama turn into such a great show?? In my original post I had written about how much I disliked it, how one-dimensional and incompetent every character was, little did I know how each chapter would show each person’s good qualities and comedic timing, til I ended up loving them all! This was one drama where I felt every character was an integral element of this zany drama, from main characters down to secondary and supporting roles, EVERY one charmed and was a welcome sight in each episode!
21. Bishoku Tantei Akechi Goro
[2020]
Well, after an enigmatic beginning and an agonizing pause in the middle due to COVID19, the tale of the Gourmet Detective Akechi Goro and the Bento Chef Kobayashi Ichigo who assists him finally came to a close, and what a ride it was!
A mumbly Tomoya Nakamura as the titular Goro Akechi with a radiant performance by Fuka Koshiba as the eternally sunshiney Ichigo Kobayashi, this was a perfect team!
Also an awesome villain in Eiko Koike as the mysterious Mary Magdalene, the former client who becomes Akechi’s arch enemy, she just got better and better as the series progressed! I love the way that the innocents she ‘corrupts” (or saves, depending on which view you are taking) become steadfast supporters of her, and by the time of the final showdown, she had amassed a veritable Legion Of Doom of her own, and when it came for the heroes and villains to have their final showdown, I was feeling like I was watching a superhero comic come to life!!
Lots of thrills and chills, with romance and heartfelt confessions thrown in for good measure, and it became quite serious in tone towards the end, with Ichigo finally coming face to face with the enemy and her cohorts! This was a true "Wrap Up”!
[2019]
An absolutely engaging drama, Haken Uranaishi Ataru tells the story about a former child TV fortune teller psychic who, in her 21 year, enters the real world and begins working as a temp in an advertising agency.
The drama begins with a girl who is dealing with having to tell her no-good ronin boyfriend that she is pregnant. Fretting over the problems on the platform, she almost misses her train, getting stuck in the doors, but is saved when a mysterious girl in dark glasses reaches out and pulls her in. Kazumi is grateful but the girl makes no reaction. And heading to work, Kazumi is stunned to see the mysterious girl riding up the elevator with her and enter her workplace!
Come to find out this girl is the office’s new temp hired to take care of the work overflow. Bright and cheery, her name is Ataru Matobu (Hana Sugisaki) and though the employees don’t know it, she’s here to shake their formerly mundane and predictable lives up!
Man, this drama just GRABBED me from its very first episode with its unusual premise and wonderful, sympathetic and engaging characters and it never let down throughout the entire run! Hana Sugisaki steals the show as the insightful, cheery and downright ornery clairvoyant Ataru and I haven't had so much psychic fun since Satomi Ishihara's "Reinoryokusha Odagiri Kyoko No Usso"!
19. Roppongi Class
[2022]
I’ve long said that what makes a good movie to me (or drama series), is the amount of scenes and passages that I just have to watch again. If there’s a drama that has lots of scenes that I like and want to rewatch, you can bet it will become a fave, and Roppongi Class has it in SPADES! This drama is simply OVERFLOWING with incredible dialog, gripping scenes and emotional moments!
Not just story arcs, but the characters themselves- absolutely NO ONE was wasted in this show. Every character who is introduced in this show, from the Cops, Criminals, Businessmen and Con Artists, all of them “go” somewhere within the story, and I was impressed how they managed to tie it ALL up for a HIGHLY and WONDERFULLY satisfying conclusion!
And I can’t finish this praising of Roppongi Class without gushing about incredible Yurina Hirate, the sole person whom, to me, was the absolute “heart’ of the show, and it was so sweet to watch her go from a flighty and arrogant waif to someone who becomes the rock of the group!!!
This is a wonderful, wonderful show, one that I will be rewatching for years to come!
[2017]
Quartet follows a group of four string musicians and their relationship with each other as well as the people around them. They live separately in town, but all four of them come together to stay in a secluded cabin up in the mountains where they can practice and hone their craft as they work their way up to performance deals.
Though they all are very gifted when it comes to their instruments and craft, the four are all rather quite flawed individuals who have issues and quirks of their own- outside of the quartet, they live mundane and lonely lives where there seems to be no real reward.
The four musicians find that they're only content when they are together practicing up in their secluded cabin and only really feel alive when they are playing for the public as the "Quartet Doughnut" in whatever venue they can secure...
MAN, love this show…from the first episode I was immediately hooked already, the characters are SO interesting and the direction is done with a very crisp and precise style. And the music scenes of them performing are always captivating, as well.
There were a few nail-biting episodes with lots of tribulations and trials (some quite literally) and lots of exciting developments, but ultimately, the show ended the way it began: four entirely sweet and caring people doing everyday things where the main point was to be together and be there for each other! SUCH A SWEET SHOW!
17. Motokare no Yuigonjo
[2022]
Motokare ni Yuigonjo~My Ex-Boyfriend's Will tells the story of an able (if utterly money-motivated) lawyer named Reiko Kenmochi (Haruka Ayase) and her affable assistant Keitaro Shinoda (Yo Oizumi) taking on a multitude of high-profile cases with the goal of striking it big.
A lively show with witty, fun and fast-paced dialog and interactions (and EATING...LOTS and LOTS of EATING!) , it was a joy watching the principle characters tackle the mystery case of each week in their own unique way!
Ayase Haruka proves once again why she’s one of my all-time favorite actresses out there with her wonderful take on the gluttonous lawyer Kenmochi- just too good!
This was a drama that started off in the middle of my seasonal ranking list, but as each episode aired, it kept moving up higher and higher as I began loving it more and more!!!
16. Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho
[2020]
Not since Rodney Dangerfield's "Back to School" has the sight of an old geezer catchin' up on his schoolin' been so much FUN!
The story of an overprotective Father who ends up enrolling in classes to watch over his college-bound daughter sounds like it would have the feeling of “Kahogo No Kahoko” or "Hanayome to Papa”, but after watching about halfway through, I think the drama is more like Super Salary-Man Saenae-shi or Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou No Shiro with its eccentric and manic-paced wackiness!
Prepped I was, and silliness I got! VERY fun situations and interactions as you might expect from a show about a dad who enrolls in all his daughters classes, activities and even after class get togethers, but the HEART of this show is with his sheltered daughter Sakura (a sweet and sincere portrayal by actress Mei Nagano) and her vibrant and life-lovin’ schoolmates, each one with his or her own distinct quirk, and in a sweet cameo of sorts, it’s been nice seeing Yui Aragaki as Sakura’s Mother in the flashback scenes. Very small role but so heartwarming- every time she’s on screen, she just lights up the place!
15. Boku, Unmei, No Hito Desu
[2017]
Boku, Unmei, No Hito Desu is a fantastical drama of two people, Haruko (Fumino Kimura) and Makoto (Kazuya Kamenashi) who are fated to be together…or not!
One evening, Makoto is greeted at his home by an apparition of a mysterious man cloaked in black who tells Makoto that he is destined to meet, marry and have a child with the woman named Haruko. This child will save the world 30 years in the future from a fiery death with a meteor and so it is of optimal importance that they meet, get married and have that fateful child!
Aft first Makoto can’t believe the prophecy. but when the mystery man shows him proof after proof, he slowly begins to accept it. But even when he learns that this girl works right on the other side of the wall from his workplace, he can’t go right up to her and say they’re destined, can he?
Looks like getting the girl of your destiny isn’t going to be as easy as it seems, and from here on out Makoto’s going to have to use all his courage and tenacity to follow the road fate has planned for him and convince Haruko he really is the person she is meant to spent her future with!!
Holy Heck, this was such a great show, and it’s wonderful to see Fumino Kimura in her first lead romantic drama, I am so used to seeing her as the tomboyish types, and though she IS a bit “rough” around the edges, this is easily the PRETTIEST and most FEMININE I’ve EVER seen her in YEARS!
This drama is also a reunion of the "Nobuto Wo Produce" Duo Kazuya Kamenashi and Yamashita Tomohisa AKA “Shuuji To Akira” of “Seishun Amigos” fame, and once again they’ve come together to do the drama’s ending theme song, “Senakagoshi no Chance” under the moniker “Kame to YamaP”
14. Tetsu Ota Michiko, 2-man Kiro
[2022]
A show more like a little travelogue than a drama proper, Tetsu Oto 2 Man Kiro uses the structure of railfan otaku Michiko’s train-riding ventures (visiting obscure and celebrated trains stations all over Japan) to take the viewer on a calm, relaxing trip of their own!
Little dialog is said during the shows outside of Tina Tamashiro’s gentle narration introducing the the charms and specific allures of the places she goes to, and the rest of the show is simply wide angles of her walking around the town, peeking 'round corners and investigating hidden pathways before sitting down to have her meal of the day (it in itself another travel-specific point to share!), going back to the station and summing up the experience with a thoughtful quote for her magazine essay.
Not sure I’ve seen another drama like it- You as the viewer are really allowed to sit back and take in the sights and sounds, making you feel like you’ve been on the journey with Michiko all along.
[2017]
Following in the footsteps of time-slipping historical dramas like “JIN” and “Nobunaga Concerto” comes Ashi-Girl (Ashi-Gyaru, playing on the pun of the Japanese foot soldiers called Ashigaru), the story of a high school runner named Yui Hayakawa (Yuina Kuroshima) who gets inadvertently transported back to the Sengoku Warring period via her brother’s time machine where she falls in love with the young lord Hagi.
After one month living in the past, during a full moon, she abruptly slips back to present day, where her brother informs her that the machine is synchronized with the moon patterns and one can only travel back and forth during those times.
Yui goes back to school and, now with a keen interest in the fate of the young lord, begs the teacher for information about the past.
She’s excited to learn of the historical events which happened in the very lands they’re living in now…but her excitement turns to despair when she finds out that the entire castle, soldiers and men had all perished in a battle shortly after she’d returned home! She just HAS to get back to the past to warn them!
Hahaha, this was a really fun story to watch, and despite its high-school setting, you just can’t go wrong with these time-traveling kind of shows! And though this is the first time I’m seeing Yuina Kuroshima, I’m already a big fan of hers. Her portrayal of Yui/Yuinosuke is so likable and FUN!
[2018]
At once reminding me of the Keiko Kitagawa drama “Ie Uru Onna” with its “strong female lead who is a genius at her job but lacking social skills”, the story of Miss devil tells the tale of a cutthroat Human Resources Agent whose specialty is going to an ailing company and ruthlessly cutting out all the unnecessary workers by laying them off and advising them to turn in their resignations (thus the evil nickname)…
But as she vets out the ne’er do wells and the foot-draggers in the company with her naive but hard-working underling Saito (Sexy Zone’s Shori Sato), we realize there is a darker side to the insurance company that Tsubaki is trying to uncover!
Nanao was simply AWESOME in this role, as we’ve seen from many, many shows, she has the flair for playing both pretty working girls AND psychotic killers, and the role of HR Rep Mako Tsubaki is a combination of BOTH!
Already pretty, I love how they accent her coldness by giving her heavy black mascara around her eyes and an almost white foundation, giving her an immediately startling and ghoulishly striking look, LOL!
Once I started watching this show, I just couldn’t stop and only by sheer will did I manage to stretch it out to three days, and, having just finished the last episode, I can safely say that Miss Devil is once of the most enjoyable dramas I’ve recently seen!!!
[2016]
Kumi Kanda is having a bit of a problem with her love life! Things start off fine when she's first being wooed by Kaze Matsukichi,(Funakoshi Eiichiro) a successful TV producer where she works as a receptionist...But it all comes crashing down when she finds that Kaze, her so-called perfect guy, is a MARRIED MAN!
It’s then that another woman enters the picture and begins arguing with the mature Kayo-san. Her name is Miwa Yagami (Hitomi Sato), and after the two cool down and resume a more civilized tone, Kumi is stunned to find that THIS woman is a lover of Kaze’s, too! Kumi is FURTHER shocked when the two seasoned women casually tell her that besides the two of THEM, Kumi is actually the 9TH of Kaze’s lovers! Wrapping her head around this news is hard for Kumi, and even harder to comprehend is the way these other lovers of Kaze’s are not only FRIENDLY with each other, but seem to regard each other as part of a group…and want HER to join in!
It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen Riko Narumi in anything and it's a joy to see her in such a spirited show, but really, EVERYONE is pulling their weight here, each and every character is so much fun to watch! Such a wacky and spastic storyline, this show reminds me of the classic "Noises Off" in its' sheer screwball style, I was so entertained!
It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen Riko Narumi in anything and it's a joy to see her in such a spirited show, but really, EVERYONE is pulling their weight here, each and every character is so much fun to watch! Such a wacky and spastic storyline, this show reminds me of the classic "Noises Off" in its' sheer screwball style, I was so entertained!
[2018]
Just have to take some time out to mention how much I loved Kareshi wo Loan de Kaimashita …this had to be one of the best written comedies out there- been awhile since I saw a drama where I laughed so freaking HARD!
The story of a Pretty receptionist named Tae who strives to be the perfect and cool girl to catch a high profile salaryman but stresses so much on the inside that she secretly hired a side boyfriend named Jun to vent out her frustrations on seemed like a crazy idea to begin with, and the show didn’t disappoint- this was like watching a manga come to life!
Seriously, I found myself cracking up with laughter from beginning to end of each show- the drama is so wildly zany with so much incredulous situations that the laughs just keep hitting you from every side-
The exaggerated and discombobulated reactions Tae gets when she is cheated on, put down and belittled by her boyfriend- the way her air-headed co-workers continually warp the cheating boyfriends actions into positive points and of course the hilarious sessions each night when Tae unloads all her anger and aggressions on poor Jun—these were just TOO FUNNY and I loved it all!
As the journey of Tae and her intrepid Loan Boyfriend Jun played out, a thought occurred to me- …you know what this drama reminded me of? It reminded me of those classic John Hughes movies of the 80’s, fun, hilarious and heartfelt, and indeed, has left me with this warm feeling in my heart!
[2020]
Wrapped up Shiranakute Ii Koto and it was a very good drama indeed, in my opinion one of Yuriko Yoshitaka’s best! The story of a journalist who discovers her Father is a convicted murderer and her search for the truth was a gripping one to be sure, but more than that it was the individual episodes showing Kate at her best, tracking down the leads and cracking the cases that MADE the show!
Kate Makabe is surely one of Yuriko Yoshitaka’s absolute best roles ever- she embodied the gung-ho journalist with such cute eccentric tics that only she could bring to the character and I found myself rewinding scenes just to hear the engaging way she delivered her lines!
And the other characters in the show were great, too- I mentioned earlier how much I loved the way her workplace really respected Kate, including her fellow journalists supervisors and boss, and I always looked forward to seeing them do their thing!
8. Uchi no Musume wa Kareshi ga Dekinai
[2021]
Uchi no Musume wa Kareshi ga Dekinai was SHEER DELIGHT to watch from the very first minute and never let go til the last episode’s final beat!!
Featuring a fine little cast, this was an ensemble-led drama where everyone shone, and yet, the heart and soul of the show was the love between this eccentric Mother and Daughter as they go about life and romance!
I cannot tell you how many times I was just sitting there crying my eyes out with how wonderfully touching the scenes with Mom Aoi and daughter Sora, their each and every moment showing you how much these two loved each other.
And the writing…There were so many zippy, fun and witty scenarios as well as incredible, wonderful lines of dialog that warmed me, inspired me and just flat out BROKE MY HEART!(sadly most of them I can’t quote without giving away important story points!)
This is one drama I will really have to sit on and decide where I want to place it in my list of all-time faves, because, oh boy, this was a HUGE one!!! One of the most satisfying dramas I’ve seen, and DEFINITELY one to go alongside all of writer Eriko Kitagawa’s other amazing dramas!
[2016]
Jimi Ni Sugoi tells the tale of a pretty young fashionable woman named Kono Etsuko who has dreamed all her life of becoming an editor for her favorite fashion magazine Lassy, unfortunately the company isn’t ever hiring new editors and it has been a solid six times since graduating that Etsuko has come in interviewing for a spot with the publishers with no luck!
This time however, Etsuko manages to strike a chord with Shoon Takeyama, (the always fun and goofy Goro Kishitani) the head of the proofreading department, when she asks him where he got his unusual necktie pin. Such a strange girl, he thinks, but at least he'll remember her! Etsuko leaves crossing her fingers that the seventh time will be the charm!
When Etsuko gets the call from the company that evening telling her she’s been hired, she is in seventh heaven! She strides in to work the next day beaming with charisma and confidence, ready to meet the team…but she is rudely awakened when she finds that she HASN'T been hired for the fashion editing room at ALL...but the dour and drab dungeon of the company’s PROOFREADING department!
Like shows such as “Underwear” or even “Ie Uru Onna”, the show is very dense with actual facts and information about its business. Whereas Underwear introduced you to the world of Lingerie Designing and Ie Uru Onna taught you the fundamentals about real estate, Jimi Ni Sugoi teaches you about proofreading, the procedures, the implementation and the research points of the job, and it is a thrill to see Etsuko not only learning the ropes, but finding she has a passion for it as well!
A fun, properly intriguing drama showing a dazzling Satomi Ishihara at her very best, this IS Satomi Ishihara in Full Bloom!
6.Toto Nee-Chan
[2016]
As someone who’s only seen a handful of NHK Asadoras (10 by my count, and a couple of those I only watched a portion of), I’m hardly in the position to state such lofty declarations, but having just wrapped up the Mitsuki Takahata-led show, I have to say that TOTO NEE-CHAN is one of the BEST asadoras I've EVER SEEN!
From its very first scene (where you see the main characters already grown and succesful as magazine publishers), the stage is set: you are going to hear a tale of a family of three sisters who strive through wars and hardships to one day become publishing giants, and the asadora never wavered. Every arc and challenge the family met became a stone in the foundation of what they would become and what their fortunes and fates would be!
From Tsuneko going to school as a child, learning to use the typesetter, becoming a secretary, joining a publishing house and learning the ropes, to forming their own house, printing their first magazine, all the way to success, you followed her through every step of her life, crying and cheering along the way with her!
5. Brush-Up Life
[2023]
Just wrapped up Brush Up life, the drama with the similar premise of Suteki Na Sen Taxi about a woman who, at death's door, is given the chance to be reborn and re-do her life all over again to "fix" her past missteps and choices, and, as expected, was simply and utterly AMAZING!
From the get go I was entertained by the way main character Asami Kondo (Sakura Ando) took on the task of reliving her life with the intention of getting good points for her inevitable afterlife, and af first the show was very wacky indeed! But as the show went on and the stakes got higher, what developed was an introspective and HEARTFELT drama, one that had me totally engaged and ENTHRALLED all the way to the end!!
Lots of opportunities for wackiness, but what really came through was the love of family and the power of friends and friendship, especially the kind you make when you are very young and carry with you throughout your entire lives. This show made a point of how precious these kinds of things are and are meant to be cherished and appreciated. As those who've seen Suteki Na sen Taxi's more sombre episodes, Bakarhythm has an impeccable talent for mixing the most outlandish ideas with some of the sweetest and touching moments, and Brush up life was yet another fine masterpiece!
[2019]
I can't remember the last time I was so taken by a drama like Ore No Hanashi wa Nagai!
Such awesome, well-developed characters in a drama that takes the time to let you know all about them and their worries, struggles, hardships and triumphs!
As the drama focuses on a family and their problems, I guess you could call this drama a “Slice of Life” genre, but what sets it apart is its use of clever and colorful dialog to get its characters through each scene: Every confrontation is a barrage of melodramatic prose and it is simply fascinating to watch these characters use words to bend their opponents to their will or have their opinions broken down in similar fashion!
Mitsuru (Toma Ikuta) is a 30-ish year old guy still living with his Mother (Mieko Harada) who runs a coffee shop. After an attempt at starting a Specialty Coffee shop of his own fell through after a few months, Mitsuru has seemingly given up trying to get a job and has been living off his mother’s good will. But when Ikuta’s older sister Ayako (Eiko Koike) announces that she is renovating her family home and will be moving back to the home for a few months with Husband Koji (Ken Yasuda) and daughter Harumi (Kaya Kiyohara) in tow, Mitsuru’s life gets turned upside down! Big Sis Ayako is well versed in her brother's laziness and aptitude for talking his way out of anything. She makes it her MISSION while she is there to get him out of the house and back to work!
My GOSH, this drama was a dialog lovers dream! Every scene is filled with such brilliant conversation, and we get the whole spectrum, from angry, to ponderous, and even thoughtful and touching! Another show where I kept re-watching scenes over and over, such a JOY to watch!
3. Oi, Handsome!!
[2022]
My GOSH, was this a WONDERFUL little drama! Oi Handsome really took everyone by surprise, I think. I only grabbed the drama initially out of mild curiosity, little did I know it would become my FAVORITE drama of the winter season lineup!
Though its synopsis was described as "Strict Father has to deal with all three of his daughters moving back home", it's plot actually belied any conventional description! CD JAPAN summed it up as "a drama about food, family and love", and that's about as close as you're gonna get- 'cause it's ALL of those things, and MORE! More than any big over-arcing story, Oi Handsome was one of those shows that was more about all these little moments that make up one's life, small passages that when added up become one of the most CHARMING and WHOLESOME dramas out there!
Kotaro Yoshida steals the show as the kind and caring Father Kentaro who ALWAYS has his daughters' and family's best interests at heart, though he does get a drubbing down from his family when he gets too melodramatic with his heartwarming monologues!
I've now re-watched this for the THIRD time, and I tell you, it just keeps getting better and better!
[2016]
Keiko Kitagawa stars as Machi Sangeya, a cold, chilly and extremely strict woman who is masterful at selling homes to clients (her motto: There’s NO HOME I can’t sell!) but is cold, bossy and unfriendly to her underlings, co-workers and even superiors!
Friendly Dai Yashida (Toru Nakamura) runs a real Estate agency where everyone gets along well and things are low-key. Only problem is, his kid-gloves approach to his workers has resulted in little to no sales from his unmotivated and sometimes downright lazy agents. The head office is sending them their “big gun”, the powerhouse seller Sangeya, who makes millions for the company with her sales, and right away, she shakes things up with her brutal ways of ordering people around, barking out commands and bullying the slackers into submission!
Her new partner Niwano (Asuka Kudo) is shocked by the strong armed and sometimes deceptive methods Sangeya uses to make her sales, even going as far as using actors to trick her clients. It seems like she will do ANYthing to sell off a place, and she even says so, straight to his face!
In reality, however, Sangeya is someone who really understands families and the way a home works within your lives. She uses her cold, unflinching eye to look at the situation the client is going through to get them the best home they can buy, and solve some of their personal dilemmas on the way as well!
AW, such a GREAT show! Granted, Keiko’s role is a very strange one as she seems almost autistic in her actions, but it looks like Keiko’s trying to channel a Yuki Amami kind of vibe (i.e. icy, intelligent woman with zero social skills), and when I think of it like that, it seems perfect! Love watching her in action when she’s own the job, the way she robotically scans the homes as she’s assessing the value of the homes and the situations of the sellers/buyers and the meticulous way she catalogues info, too hilarious!!
1. Okitegami Kyoko No Biboroku
[2015]
This drama tells the story of a detective named Okitegami Kyoko who has a condition where her memories are reset whenever she falls asleep...so it is IMPERATIVE when she's investigating a case that she SOLVE it before the day is done!
Kyoko Okitegami is yet ANOTHER fabulous role of Yui’s, a loveable, fun and dependable character whom you enjoy just watching walk, stop and muse over things; her malady which causes her to lose her memories when she goes to sleep each night makes for a woman who appreciates and is in awe of the multitude of things we take for granted each day, simply because, to her, every wonder is the first time she’s seen it!
At first I thought that Okitegami’s malady was going to be nothing more than a “quirk” of the detective, but they’ve managed to dream up some pretty freaking great plots written around her memory loss. Equally intriguing is the attraction Masaki Okada’s character Kakushidate Yakusuke has for her- he really likes her, and as each episode ends, it really is pretty heartbreaking watching him say goodbye to her after they’ve wrapped up the case, knowing that the next day he will once again be a complete stranger to her!
I've loved this drama from its very FIRST episode and as each episode progressed, I found I only loved it more and more! MAN was this a GREAT FREAKING SHOW!
