My Favorite J-Dramas (2001-2014) updated 09/2020
40. Cupid No Itazura
[2006]
What if you found you could only have sex seven more times in your life? That’s the dilemma facing Mutsuki “Muu-chan” Tomoya in the comedy drama CUPID NO ITAZURA when he finds he’s afflicted with an illness that gives him just seven times left to “get it up” whereupon his equipment will cease to perform forever after!
Now, with a zany premise like that, you just KNOW you are in for a fun and WACKY comedy, but while there is surely enough of that here, this drama was SURPRISINGLY thoughtful and touching, and for me, I believe it all comes down to the AWESOME acting talents of actress Kitagawa Hiromi-
As Muu-chan’s best friend Asami, she’s been his pal since childhood, and he knows he can rely on her whenever he’s in need of encouragement or consolation, but the rub is that she’s been in love with him since they were in primary school together, and he’s only ever seen her as a friend. This is, of course, a tried and true j-drama storyline, but MAN, Kitagawa plays Asami SO believably and sweetly, she is INSTANTLY likeable and by the end of the first episode, you realize that SHE’S the character you care about the most, and find yourself TOTALLY ENGROSSED in finding out what happens next!!
39. Anna-San No Omame
[2006]
Though she’s recently gone the more serious route with her starring vehicles, there was a time when Becky was the zaniest celebrity/geinokai out there, and none showcased this more that the highly wacky Anna San No Omame.
Story premise is that there is a beautiful girl named Anna Saionji with an ultra-wierd best friend named Lily Momoyama. Everyone loves Anna and tries to avoid the eccentric Lily, and you’d think that this would get Lily down. But far from being insulted, lily is actually VERY conceited and naive and thinks all the adoration showered upon her friend is meant for HER!
Whenever anyone tries to approach Anna, they have to deal with the deluded Lily, but Anna has laid down an unspoken rule that NO ONE can insult Lily. seems that when anna was young and being bullied for her beauty, Lily was the ONLY one who backed her up and protected her. And now, g rown up into society, Anna intends to protect Lily the same way!
Seems sweet, but OH! the situations she and her hapless suitors get INTO dealing with the larger-than-life and conceitedly confused Lily turns EVERY meeting into a FUN free-for-all!!!
TBH, when I first began watching this show, Becky was so damn irritating that I almost stopped watching it. But I soon found myself laughing my butt off in every scene and before you knew it, I was championing Lily, cheering her on!
38. Last Friends
[2008]
“Last Friends”, that acclaimed (and sometimes controversial) show starring Ueno Juri, Nagasawa Masami, Eita, Mizukawa Asami and Nishikido Ryo. Initially, I decided to watch this one simply because I liked Ueno Juri in Nodame Cantabile. But after just the FIRST episode, I couldn’t believe how good it was. Fresh and original, it was a FAR CRY from the Harlequin Romance story I was expecting!
Really, I didn’t know ANY details of the story going in, so it really had an impact on me when I realized what heavy topics they were addressing in this drama. Domestic Violence and Homosexuality hardly seem like the subject matter you would anchor your latest drama on, but they did, and what a moving drama they turned out with.
37. Haruka 17
[2006]
Now, with a zany premise like that, you just KNOW you are in for a fun and WACKY comedy, but while there is surely enough of that here, this drama was SURPRISINGLY thoughtful and touching, and for me, I believe it all comes down to the AWESOME acting talents of actress Kitagawa Hiromi-
As Muu-chan’s best friend Asami, she’s been his pal since childhood, and he knows he can rely on her whenever he’s in need of encouragement or consolation, but the rub is that she’s been in love with him since they were in primary school together, and he’s only ever seen her as a friend. This is, of course, a tried and true j-drama storyline, but MAN, Kitagawa plays Asami SO believably and sweetly, she is INSTANTLY likeable and by the end of the first episode, you realize that SHE’S the character you care about the most, and find yourself TOTALLY ENGROSSED in finding out what happens next!!
39. Anna-San No Omame
[2006]
Story premise is that there is a beautiful girl named Anna Saionji with an ultra-wierd best friend named Lily Momoyama. Everyone loves Anna and tries to avoid the eccentric Lily, and you’d think that this would get Lily down. But far from being insulted, lily is actually VERY conceited and naive and thinks all the adoration showered upon her friend is meant for HER!
Whenever anyone tries to approach Anna, they have to deal with the deluded Lily, but Anna has laid down an unspoken rule that NO ONE can insult Lily. seems that when anna was young and being bullied for her beauty, Lily was the ONLY one who backed her up and protected her. And now, g rown up into society, Anna intends to protect Lily the same way!
Seems sweet, but OH! the situations she and her hapless suitors get INTO dealing with the larger-than-life and conceitedly confused Lily turns EVERY meeting into a FUN free-for-all!!!
TBH, when I first began watching this show, Becky was so damn irritating that I almost stopped watching it. But I soon found myself laughing my butt off in every scene and before you knew it, I was championing Lily, cheering her on!
38. Last Friends
[2008]
Really, I didn’t know ANY details of the story going in, so it really had an impact on me when I realized what heavy topics they were addressing in this drama. Domestic Violence and Homosexuality hardly seem like the subject matter you would anchor your latest drama on, but they did, and what a moving drama they turned out with.
37. Haruka 17
[2005]
Hirayama Aya stars as Haruka Miyamae, a girl who has just graduated from college but can’t seem to find a job. Dejected, she is thrilled to find she’s been hired by the Doumu Agency as talent manager. What she DOESN’T realize is they’ve ACTUALLY hired her as a model and it is only by convincing/tricking her that they manage to get her into a bikini and onto a photo shoot.
Though confused as to exactly WHY she’s in a bikini, the shoot goes well, and the struggling agency realizes they have stumbled upon a gem that they can pin their hopes on. Although angry at the trickery, Haruka is pleased to find that she is needed and appreciated by everyone at the agency, and agrees to model for them until they can get on their feet. Going through the motions each day, Haruka slowly begins to enjoy what she’s doing, and with the love and support of her family and protective nurturing form her Agency, we see her grow not only as an idol, but as a person as well!
36. Himitsu Chouhouin Erika
[2011]
Kuriyama Chiaki stars as Erika Takahashi, a former government agent who has retired and become a part of a father and his young son’s family. Her former bosses, however, still have need of her services, so when she isn’t cleaning house, cooking dinner or picking up the kids from school, she’s out canvassing crime scenes and duking it out with the bad guys, righting the wrongs for the people of Tokyo!
Each episode begins with Erika going about her motherly duties looking as dorky as all-get-out, worrying about the various things that plague housewives like wrinkles and PTA meetings while taking her son to school, a slightly mousey and insecure looking woman…
Soon enough, however, she gets a call from the agency, and we are introduced to the nature of this week’s crime. She learns the basic schematics of the case, and then we are treated to Erika in her latest elaborate disguise for the day as she prepares to infiltrate the criminal’s base of operations, whether it be posing as a hot young socialite, a working OL, or (my personal favorites here) a cute and bubbly nurse or a sexy Hostess:
After some top-notch spywork by Erika and her fellow agents, the crime is exposed and the perpertrators revealed, and we move on to the final stage of the show: Erika goes to confront the villain of the piece, and this time she’s shed costumes of any kind, and what we see is the cool and lethal agent she really is! And of course, no bad guy worth his salt would give up without a fight, so we get to see her secret agent skillz in action!
Epilogue: Peace is restored once more, and we leave the show with Erika happily enjoying life with her innocent family, Hubby and Son never once suspecting that those nights when she’s out having coffee with fellow housewives is actually spent kicking the butt of the underworld!
I’ve been trying to nail down just what it is about this drama that I love so much, and I think it ultimately comes down to the basic formula of the show where we get to see Kuriyama go through three different outfit and personality “changes” for each respective act. So cool to see her go from shy housewife to smart investigator, and ultimately the deadly and icy agent, Chiaki Kuriyama rocks the house!35. Hungry!
[2012]
The drama that I dubbed “Nodame Cantabile Meets Gourmet Cuisine”, adorable Takimoto Miroi channels her best Juri Ueno as the spastically sweet food-lover Chie who comes across a wonderful young chef named Eisuke (Osamu Mukai) who creates the most dazzling of dishes, all of which simply blow Chie’s mind and palate away!
Seems Eisuke was guitarist for a now-defunct band who, until he can resume his music career, has resorted to his original passion, cooking. As the son of one of Japan’s finest chefs, he has lot to live up to, but until he decides which path he wants to really take, he’ll probably succeed in neither!
34. Zettai Kareshi
[2008]
After watching the powerful, emotional drama Last Friends, I really needed something light to “clear my palate”, and the comedy “Zettai Kareshi” seemed to fit the bill! A quirky story of a shy, plain girl who inadvertently finds herself in the possession of a robot boyfriend (played by Brother Beat alum Hayami Mokomichi), this story’s success laid squarely on the lead actress’ shoulders, and Aibu Saki performed admirably! Innocent and cute while at the same time tomboyish and frazzled, she channeled the best “Yamaguchi Tomoko” I’ve seen in years!
33. GOLD
[2010]
Geez, been so long since I dropped Gold that I completely forgot everything about this drama and had to stat all over again!
How long ago was this? So long ago that it was before my Love Thang for Emi Takei really blew up! I think at the time I had only seen her in Otomen. Kind of funny watching it now and knowing her so well. Actually I was surprised how star-filled this drama was upon revisit! It’s an all-star cast!
Yuki Amami always seems to play the same kind of character, but I dunno, I seem to find her characrter of Yuri Saotome very sympathetic depsite them painting her as a stubborn hard-headed person.
Also been awhile since I saw Masami Nagasawa in a role I like, her role of meek and spazzy Rika Niimura is a winner! Really enjoying this one second time around.
EDIT: Holy TOLEDO, was that drama great!When they say a dram a is “heartfelt”, this is what they’re talking about! Probably cried my eyes out in every episode! 10/10
32. Ninkyo Helper
[2009]
During the early days of online digital drama sharing, one dama that kept coming up as a MUST SEE was the Tsuyoshi Kusanagi drama Ninkyo Helper, a story about a group of yakuza gang leaders whom, under the instruction of the new Big Boss, must work undercover at an elderly care home.
What the Big Boss’ reason is no one can fathom, but though it is degrading and trying at first, Hikoichi Tsubasa (Kusanagi) and his fellow covert leaders like Riko Yomogi (Meisa Kuroki) soon learn the worth of caring for the elders of their community.
A drama that mirrored the 2006 Nagase Tomoya My Boss My Hero to a degree (Yakuza undercover at an establishment, only the owner knows, big fight with rival gang at the end, etc) was sure to entertain, and I thoroughly loved it!
31. Change
[2008]
Takuya Kimura stars as an introverted Teacher named Keita Asakura who wants to be kept out of his Politic-driven family. But when his Father passes away just before a huge election, his party needs someone to take his place, and they decide that, come hell or high water, that it's GOT to be him!!!
Tasked with turning this stuttering bumpkin of a guy into a suave candidate that people will vote for falls into the hands of aide Rika Mayama (Eri Fukatsu) and election-manipulator Katsutoshi Nirasawa (Hiroshi Abe). The team certainly has their work cut out for them, but where honesty and integrity makes up for office inexperience, their candidate might just make it!
Ah, so far been a great drama, after seeing Fukatsu and Abe as the troublemaking co-workers in Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s “Narita Rikon” , they are back to do their meddling magic with yet another SMAP member!
I dunno why I loved this drama so much- might be that I've been seeing so many “episodic” kinds of dramas lately (the kind where it’s one mystery or job per episode) that when I happened to dig out “Change”, I was refreshed by its singular story and ended up really LOVING it!!! Really, this seemed like one long story with 11 chapters and I found I just could not stop watching it!!!
30. Nagareboshi
[2010]
I always thought I had watched this drama, but at best I might have watched just the first few of them, because I don’t remember anything from this. I think I might have mixed it up with Suizokukan Girl???
Funny that I dropped this because it's actually quite a compelling story, following a kindhearted guy (Yutaka Takenouchi) whose sister needs a liver transplant and needs someone who can be a donor, and, after only arriving at dead ends, meets up with a suicidal and desperate girl (Aya Ueto), with the promise of financial reward, agrees to marry into his family and become his sister's donor...
Finally finishing the drama, I gotta say: I REALLY loved it!!! A very turbulent drama with its ups and downs, but you hung on because you cared about the characters. Great scenes and AWESOME acting!
Takenouchi was usual low-key calm persona as usual, and Aya Ueto’s character was one of the best I’ve ever seen- every sweet, vulnerable, tough and sympathetic, all in one. Now I remember why there was such a buzz about her back in the day, she's so good in this.
Thank Goodness I made an effort to finish up this- would be so sad if somehow I cheated myself out of it and it ended up being unwatched forever!
EDIT: OKay, I remember why i stopped watching this: ‘Cause Goro Inagaki as Ueto’s jackass mooching brother is the most irritating character I’ve ever seen and I can’t STAND watching any scene with him in it. Have to hit the 3x speed whenever he’s involved, otherwise I won’t be able to get through this again.
29. Strawberry Night
[2012]
After watching the Strawberry Night SP and then the 10 episode drama,I finally watched the 2013 movie and have completed the series! Collectively, this was one HELL of a show, a cinematic-quality crime drama following the haunted Reiko Himekawa as she takes on the evils of the night with her loyal crew of detectives.
As I watched this, I marveled at the character of Reiko Himekawa, whom must be one of the greatest roles I've ever seen Yuko Takeuchi perform. So cool, focused and stone-cold, she reminded me more of hard-boiled characters like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch or John Sandford's Lucas Davenport- no fancy j-drama gimmicks where the main detective is an oddball with one magical trait which helps him solve cases, just true, old-fashioned detective work, canvassing the crime scenes, interviewing witnesses and suspects, and going over the facts over and over and over again.
There was one scene where Himekawa is interviewing a witness (Takao Osawa) and she is relentless with her skills- with every word the guy says, she is there to question and probe every answer he gives, scribble down every fact he reveals so she can investigate those leads further, and I was like, WOW...this is a real detective working here!!!
And when it comes to standing her ground when faced with the superiors and colleagues who cloud the issue with their single mindedness (or even outright evil intent), Himekawa has NO PROBLEM barking BACK at those who try to silence her!
PS: The more I watch it, the more astounded I am that they'd ever dare to reboot this drama so SOON with an actress which, while I do like her, can't EVER hope to achieve the kind of intensity Yuko Takeuchi brought to the table. Just perfect!
28. Rich Man, Poor Woman
[2012]
Maybe it’s predictable at times, but at heart I’m just a guy who loves a story without any hidden meanings or shock endings. All I want to see is a good story with good actors, and they are very good indeed! Starring Oguri Shun as the titular “Rich Man” Toru Hyuga, a genius programmer with all the riches and successes of life but lacking a caring heart, and the adorable Satomi Ishihara as the perpetual “Poor Woman” Makoto Natsui who enters his life and, through gentleness and sincerity, slowly but surely begins changing him for the better!
Spawning a television SP as well as an entire Korean remake, this highly popular show is probably THE drama that sent Satomi into a certified A-Lister of dramas, she certainly did a NUMBER on me! Fell hopelessly in love with her and have never stopped!
27. Riso No Musuko
[2012]
“I am NOT a Mama’s Boy…I simply Love My Mother!!” Such is son Daichi’s battle cry against bullies who try to torment the gentle lad about his unnatural attachment to his Mom. Little do his adversaries know, when he gets his anger up, his mystical kung-fu like powers come out, making him the tuffest kid in class!
Another drama-that-reads-as-comic, this whimsical story of a school full of fightin’ teens all possessing special “animal themed” street-fighter powers battling over school turf was like watching your weekly episode of Kikaider…or at least Thundercats!
Ryosuke Yamada plays the role of kind son Daichi to the T, and having babealicious Suzuki Kyoka as his aforementioned Mama just places this drama into the higher ranks!
PS: It’s so weird seeing actresses that I knew from playing teenagers now playing the mothers of the kids in dramas! Besides Kyoka Suzuki, Riso No Musuko also features pretty Anju Suzuki as one of the students’ mothers! It was then that I thought to myself, “We are getting older.”LOL!
26. Border
[2014]
For all the seriously dark dramas I’ve seen over the years like Alice No Toge or JOKER, they’ve all been aware to not go too far off the deep end- All the “victims” in both Alice and Joker all are revealed to not have really been killed or only moderately punished, far from the ultra-violent punishments we are led to believe the recieve.
In that, BORDER stands out from the rest in its absolute dedication in showing a righteous man (in this case, detective Ishikawa, played by Oguri Shun, who through a brush with death, is able to communicate with the dead) who finds that the only way to combat the horrific evil he faces each day is to go down to their level and become as dark as they are.
I’m so used to the final episodes of these shows like Alice or Joker where goodness wins out in the end, that I was shocked at the unapologetic resolve they had to show Ishikawa’s total and final transformation into an agent as black as his villains.
Besides the strong script and tone of the show, another thing I really loved is the Haru character of forensic doctor Mika Higa. Her character alone could propel an entire series (and she even warranted her own special) and her smart and sassy demeanor was a nice counterbalance to the cold and driven Oguri character!
A gripping drama that I’ll be sure to re-watch again!
25. Yasashi Jikan
[2005]
Kazunari Ninomiya plays Takuro, a young man who hasn’t seen his father since his mother’s funeral. It was Takuro who was behind the wheel when the car spun out of control and killed her, and since then, there has been a void between Father and Son.
Father Yukichi (Terao Akira ) has retreated to the mountains where he owns and maintains a small café, but when Takuro begins a pottery apprenticeship in the nearby hills, their paths will surely cross. How will each other react and can the pain of the past years be repaired?
As a general rule, Ohno Satoshi is the actor out of ARASHI that I like the most, but MAN, Kazunari Nino in Yasashi Jikan is definitely my favorite out of anything anyone in Arashi have done! A very dark and dramatic story, yet very soothing and relaxing, and Ayaka Hirahara “Ashita” as the drama’s ending song perfectly captures the show’s gentle theme.
24. Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou No Shiro
[2011]
Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro drama stars Yamada Takayuki as the titular "Hero" Yoshihiko on a magical Dungeons and Dragons-ish quest to rid the world of the evil forces of MAOU in a self titled "Low Budget Action-Adventure Story"!
Like Arakawa Under The Bridge, the show is heavily steeped in sparkling fantasy, featuring a bevy of colorfully costumed characters whose magical kingdom seems to be integrated into the "modern" world... I mean, where else are you gong to have Nomads who'll instantly stop trying to kill you once the whistle blows and it's time to quit work for the day, revenge-seeking killers armed with plastic toy daggers, or a Mystical Buddha who can only be seen by the hero of the show if he's wearing crude 3-D glasses? LOL!
To top things off, the show is wrapped up with two wonderful song themes, the ending "Aishi Tsuzukerukara" sung by TEE and an absolutely kick-ass opening song "Evo Revolution" by Mihimaru GT which I actually thought was Shakalabbits the first time I heard it, so exciting!
23. Utahime
[2007]
I began watching Utahime primarily for my love of Aibu Saki, but this drama, centered around a Movie House in the 1950’s really touched a nostalgic nerve in me, the old film posters, the art deco façade, the rustic seatings and even the malt shop in the lobby- gosh, the vibe of this show took me back to childhood running around OUR local theaters!
With the theater as its backdrop, Utahime tells the tale of a family named Kishida who find a young man (Nagase Tomoya) washed up on the beach shore with no memory of who he is and take him in and raise his as one of their own. As he grows, the young man (named Taro by the Kishidas) becomes a beloved member of the village and slowly wins the heart of the Kishida’s daughter Suzu. As he helps run the family theater.
Life is wonderful for all of them- full of love and warmth, but always in the background there is the possibility that one day Taro will regain his real memories and leave them. Additionally, there are people from his past that are trying their hardest to find him and bring him back to their world…
Utahime really captivated me with its nostalgic aura, and even after I’d finished watching it, I’d sometimes think of a certain scene and would want to go back to the island and “visit” the town and its theaters, LOL!
22. Papa To Musume No Nanokan
[2007]
(Aragaki Yui) doesn’t get along with her Father (Tachi Hiroshi) but when a freak accident switched their bodies, the two MUST learn to cooperate with each other to get through each day! Father must learn to get along with her classmates and go to school, while Daughter must go to work at her father’s advertising business!
This is the drama that really set me head over heels for Aragaki Yui, she was so cute and spastic in that manic-pixie way, I remember not being able to stop screencapping the episodes as I watched them! Too bad this show was only 7 episodes long, I wanted it to last a bit longer!!!
21. Kekkon Dekinai Otoko
[2006]
This wonderfully wacky tale of an eccentric architect Shisuke Kuwano whose motto is that marriage is for losers…and meets his match when he suddenly finds himself dealing with three different women, is a magnificent amalgam of interesting characters,captivating dialog, and the zany situations, making for a THOROUGHLY engaging tale!
Truthfully, this drama was so good that it originally places in my top five dramas of 2000-2014, it was so doggone great, but when they made a sequel in 2018, they retroactively wrote out the happy ending of the first series, destroying the thing that really wrapped up the drama in a neat bow. So though i still love the drama, as an overall story, all I can think is “what’s the sense of re-enagaing in the show if I KNOW they’re going to just write out the ending?” Thus the drama , though still listed here, ranks significantly lower than previously.
20 .Kimi Hannin Janaiyone?
[2008]
Such a hilarious comedy- Kanjiya Shihori plays a would-be mystery novelist named Morita Sakura who, because of her keen eyes of observation and a freakish photographic memory, is invaluable to hapless Police Investigator Udagawa (played by Jun Kaname) who pays her to help him solve cases so he can “save face” within his troupe. Only problem is, she’s an utter realist, and Udagawa’s a romantic fool who falls in love with all of his suspects, leaving the two to bicker almost non-stop! Additionally, the other police team members (who don’t realize Morita is helping solve the crimes) think she’s just a wannabe novelist snooping around for book inspiration and frequently berate her! Sounds mean, but it’s all done is such a comically silly way that ya just GOTTA laugh!
I really fell for Shihori Kanjiya in this drama. While not one of the ‘ravishing beauties”, she is definitely cute, and her spazzy and nutty ways in this drama really endeared her to me.
This is one drama that I find myself re-watching certain episodes from time to time, really fun to go back just to enjoy some!
19. Arakawa Under The Bridge
[2011]
ARAKAWA UNDER THE BRIDGE! This movie, with its weird, colorful fairy-tale characters set against a decidedly realistic backdrop had such a disorienting "Alice In Wonderland" feel to it, I immediately thought to myself, "Whoa, the Stoners would've REALLY dug THIS one!"
The story of a strange girl named Nino (played with effective poutiness by cutie Kiritani Mirei) who claims to be from the Planet Venus saves the Heir (Hayashi Kento) to a huge Corporation from drowning, and as payment for saving his life, has him live among her and her "people" under the Arakawa Bridge. And what People they are!
A colorful menagerie of magical alien folks all led by a gruff Kappa named Soncho, (wonderfully played under green makeup by Oguri Shun doing his best Kenichi Endo imitation here) a machine gun toting Nun played by Yu Shirota as well as the welcome return of Natsumi "Nattchi" Abe as cutesy "P-Ko"!!
PS: In case it isn't clear, I TOTALLY enjoyed this! I know nothing about the original manga it was based on or even the anime that followed, but something about this show is so much FUN to watch! Supremely wacky indeed, yet somehow the art direction and look of this show really turns to nuttiness of the scenes into something quite endearing. And a BIG Bonus Points for the cute ending credits where the whole motley crew of the town does their daily exercises to the extremely catchy tunes of Gallileo Gallilei's "Sayonara Frontier" (Did I get that right), Oh My Gosh, this ending made me SMILE!!!!
18. Youkami No Semi
[2010]
Meant to download the Mao Inoue Movie but ended up getting this DRAMA version which ended up being one of the BEST freaking shows I’ve seen in YEARS! I’m not kidding- Youkami No Semi was so awesome, so emotional, and so SOUL-CRUSHINGLY HEARTBREAKING, it has become one of my favorite dramas of ALL TIME!
Youkami No Semi (The Cicada’s Eighth Day) tells the story of a woman named Kiwako having an affair with a married man from work. When she tells him she is pregnant with his child, he persuades her to abort it, so he has time to leave his wife properly, promising they can have another child when he is free. Because of troubles during the operation, however, Kiwako learns she can no longer have children, but is satisfied knowing she will be with the man she loves. When the man finds out his wife is ALSO pregnant, he abandons Kiwako. Distraught, she abducts THEIR baby and escapes into the night, leaving the town to raise the little girl as her own...
A grim story for sure, but the second act of the drama brightens as it tells the story of the life Kiwako and the child she names Kaoru live, running from town to town, always one step ahead of the law. Kaoru, of course, knows nothing of the crime, and grows up as a happy child surrounded by love and warmth from this woman she believes is her mother.
This could have been boring, but I’m telling you, the scenes with the mother and daughter just living life and loving each other was so, sooooo sweet, and it help that Dan Rei as Kiwako and Kobayashi Seiran as Kaoru are so fantastic in their roles. Whenever you see the two of them interacting, it is so heartwarming , you can truly feel the love they have for each other.
17. Otenki Oneesan
[2013]
I began watching the new Jdrama "Otenki Oneesan" for, as you may have guessed, Emi Takei as the eccentric and morose weather girl Abe Haruko, a peculiar girl with the uncanny knack for weather patterns. Emi is cute in her role and despite her usual dour outlook and appearance in black raincoat and gear, when she’s on the air as the Weather Girl, she's always dolled up in the cutest and girliest outfits, looking adorable as heck and sending me to Emi-Takei Heaven!
I have to say that Otenki Oneesan was a pretty fun romp!! Individual episodes were your usual “Person-of-eccentric-abilities-solves-strange-crimes” formula, but by gosh, you really liked the characters, and the development of Haru as a person throughout the series was done so well!
Something about this show really touched me- very moody atmosphere and carefully crafted scenes which were very pleasing to the eye! The show had a very abruptly cut ending which makes me think they’re gearing up for a Special, which I would totally be up for! An abrupt but altogether satisfying ending to a really sweet and gently-paced series.
16. One Pound No Fukuin
[2008]
One Pound Fukuin, what a fun and hilarious show this one was! A wacky show along the lines of Renai Kekkon No Rule or Tiger and Dragon, One Pound Fukuin tells the tale of a kooky but good-hearted boxer named Hatenaka (Kamenashi Kazuya) who falls in love with a soft spoken Nun named Sister Angela.
Such great chemistry between the two, you can really feel they both care for each other, though most of the time Hatenaka's obsessive cloying for Sister Angela is driving her crazy! No matter, when they're together, they always find a way to get into the most nutty situations! Really a fun, fun drama!
Everyone in the show was great, especially a scene-stealing performance by Kobayashi Satomi, (one of THE funniest actresses out there) as Hatenaka's Gym Coach Mukoda, but the one who really made it for me was Meisa Kuroki! Man, her portrayal of Sister Angela just warmed my heart! Admittedly, when I first saw her in that habit, I was pretty skeptical that I'd believe Meisa as a Nun, but you know what? She played it so well that I totally fell into step by the second show!
So cute to watch her frazzled expressions when something crazy happens, wonderful to follow her as she's shyly spying on Hatenaka (as her interest in him and his silly ways begin to grow on her), and hilarious to watch her befuddled behavior when she's confused or embarrassed! As the show wrapped up, I found myself thinking, BOY was that Meisa Kuroki just the Sweetest Little Thang! Yes, I believed.
15. JIN
[2007]
[2009]Though I really liked this show when I watched it, that dubious ending disappointed me so much that I wrote if off as a so-so show! But you know, over time, scenes that I loved kept creeping back into my mind and I found myself wanting to watch certain episodes over and over, til I could no longer ignore the fact that JIN is indeed one of the best historical-type dramas out there!
Time travelers and time slipping is nothing new in dramas, but this tale of a modern day doctor who time-slips back to the Edo period and uses his knowledge to help people in need was a first! Great blend of history, medical matters and romance, and this is yet another drama where Ayase Haruka broke my heart…
14. Proposal Daisakusen
Watching the wacky Sanma Akashiya drama Hatachi No Kekkon (co-starring old fave Koizumi Kyoko!) just made me more and more attracted to her (and YES, I loved that scene where she’s crawling around the hotel floor in a maid’s outfit), but it was her portrayal of Yoshida Rei in the awesome Proposal Daisakusen that it finally came to a head, and I had to say out loud: “I LOVE MASAMI NAGASAWAAAAA!!!”
Every scene she was in was just killing me, she was so darn adorable in this drama!!! She looked absolutely fantastic, wearing some of the prettiest outfits ever, and special mention must be made of how she looked in Episode (I think) Five. See pic below. I have to say, I think this is my VERY FAVORITE look out of everything I’ve EVER seen her in!! Gahhh, she looks like the living embodiment of every girl I’ve ever had a crush on in Grade School!!! CUTE OVERLOAD!!
13. Nodame Cantabile
[2006]
Taking the idea of the manic pixie to the nth level, Juri Ueno stars as Noda Megumi, a hopelessly dizzy and slobby misfit who just happens to be a natural genius when it comes to piano playing and improvisation. Enter Chiaki, a staight laced conductor from the exact opposite end of the spectrum- classically educated, harshly trained and an unforgiving perfectionist, when fate throws the two of them together, the end result can either be pure magic- or a tragic mess!
Man, watching Nodame Cantabile was such a gas- this show was so zany that it really felt like watching an animated cartoon come to life- having so much of the supporting cast wearing wigs and costumes didin’t hurt either- this is the drama that put Juri Ueno on the map, and deservedly so! So FREAKING CUTE!
12. Tokyo Zenryoku Shojo
[2012]
Because I needed a little nuttiness in my j-drama watching diet, I decided to start watching the zany drama Tokyo Zenryoku Shojo, and I can strongly attest that this is what the doctor ordered- I hadn’t seen a drama this wacky since Mizukawa Asami’s Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo, and seeing as how that turned into one of my very favorite dramas of all time, I had high expectations for this one too!
Emi Takei stars as Urara, a strongheaded yet naïve and easily fooled young girl making her way through Tokyo in search of her long lost father who abandoned her and her mother when she was but 5 years old. I love Emi and knew from reading the drama synopsis that she would be a fun character, but her sweetness and cuteness is off the meters! She is so darn adorable in this drama and with all the crazy situations she gets in, each scene is loaded with the funniest physical reactions and loveable over-the-top expressions! I’m using a lot of exclamation points here!!!
Besides Emi, the drama is chock full of other great actors and actresses making up the rogues gallery of eccentric people filling this show. With Atsuro Watabe as the aforementioned Father, pretty Manami Higa and Ichikawa Yui as possible obstacles, and Shohei Miura and Takashi Tsukamoto as possible romantic interests, there are times when the show feels more like an ensemble show, but make no mistake, this show is PURE, adrenalized Emi Takei!
[2012]
Seems Eisuke was guitarist for a now-defunct band who, until he can resume his music career, has resorted to his original passion, cooking. As the son of one of Japan’s finest chefs, he has lot to live up to, but until he decides which path he wants to really take, he’ll probably succeed in neither!
34. Zettai Kareshi
[2008]
33. GOLD
[2010]
How long ago was this? So long ago that it was before my Love Thang for Emi Takei really blew up! I think at the time I had only seen her in Otomen. Kind of funny watching it now and knowing her so well. Actually I was surprised how star-filled this drama was upon revisit! It’s an all-star cast!
Yuki Amami always seems to play the same kind of character, but I dunno, I seem to find her characrter of Yuri Saotome very sympathetic depsite them painting her as a stubborn hard-headed person.
Also been awhile since I saw Masami Nagasawa in a role I like, her role of meek and spazzy Rika Niimura is a winner! Really enjoying this one second time around.
EDIT: Holy TOLEDO, was that drama great!When they say a dram a is “heartfelt”, this is what they’re talking about! Probably cried my eyes out in every episode! 10/10
32. Ninkyo Helper
[2009]
What the Big Boss’ reason is no one can fathom, but though it is degrading and trying at first, Hikoichi Tsubasa (Kusanagi) and his fellow covert leaders like Riko Yomogi (Meisa Kuroki) soon learn the worth of caring for the elders of their community.
A drama that mirrored the 2006 Nagase Tomoya My Boss My Hero to a degree (Yakuza undercover at an establishment, only the owner knows, big fight with rival gang at the end, etc) was sure to entertain, and I thoroughly loved it!
31. Change
[2008]
Tasked with turning this stuttering bumpkin of a guy into a suave candidate that people will vote for falls into the hands of aide Rika Mayama (Eri Fukatsu) and election-manipulator Katsutoshi Nirasawa (Hiroshi Abe). The team certainly has their work cut out for them, but where honesty and integrity makes up for office inexperience, their candidate might just make it!
Ah, so far been a great drama, after seeing Fukatsu and Abe as the troublemaking co-workers in Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s “Narita Rikon” , they are back to do their meddling magic with yet another SMAP member!
I dunno why I loved this drama so much- might be that I've been seeing so many “episodic” kinds of dramas lately (the kind where it’s one mystery or job per episode) that when I happened to dig out “Change”, I was refreshed by its singular story and ended up really LOVING it!!! Really, this seemed like one long story with 11 chapters and I found I just could not stop watching it!!!
30. Nagareboshi
[2010]
Funny that I dropped this because it's actually quite a compelling story, following a kindhearted guy (Yutaka Takenouchi) whose sister needs a liver transplant and needs someone who can be a donor, and, after only arriving at dead ends, meets up with a suicidal and desperate girl (Aya Ueto), with the promise of financial reward, agrees to marry into his family and become his sister's donor...
Finally finishing the drama, I gotta say: I REALLY loved it!!! A very turbulent drama with its ups and downs, but you hung on because you cared about the characters. Great scenes and AWESOME acting!
Takenouchi was usual low-key calm persona as usual, and Aya Ueto’s character was one of the best I’ve ever seen- every sweet, vulnerable, tough and sympathetic, all in one. Now I remember why there was such a buzz about her back in the day, she's so good in this.
Thank Goodness I made an effort to finish up this- would be so sad if somehow I cheated myself out of it and it ended up being unwatched forever!
EDIT: OKay, I remember why i stopped watching this: ‘Cause Goro Inagaki as Ueto’s jackass mooching brother is the most irritating character I’ve ever seen and I can’t STAND watching any scene with him in it. Have to hit the 3x speed whenever he’s involved, otherwise I won’t be able to get through this again.
29. Strawberry Night
[2012]
As I watched this, I marveled at the character of Reiko Himekawa, whom must be one of the greatest roles I've ever seen Yuko Takeuchi perform. So cool, focused and stone-cold, she reminded me more of hard-boiled characters like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch or John Sandford's Lucas Davenport- no fancy j-drama gimmicks where the main detective is an oddball with one magical trait which helps him solve cases, just true, old-fashioned detective work, canvassing the crime scenes, interviewing witnesses and suspects, and going over the facts over and over and over again.
There was one scene where Himekawa is interviewing a witness (Takao Osawa) and she is relentless with her skills- with every word the guy says, she is there to question and probe every answer he gives, scribble down every fact he reveals so she can investigate those leads further, and I was like, WOW...this is a real detective working here!!!
And when it comes to standing her ground when faced with the superiors and colleagues who cloud the issue with their single mindedness (or even outright evil intent), Himekawa has NO PROBLEM barking BACK at those who try to silence her!
PS: The more I watch it, the more astounded I am that they'd ever dare to reboot this drama so SOON with an actress which, while I do like her, can't EVER hope to achieve the kind of intensity Yuko Takeuchi brought to the table. Just perfect!
28. Rich Man, Poor Woman
[2012]
Spawning a television SP as well as an entire Korean remake, this highly popular show is probably THE drama that sent Satomi into a certified A-Lister of dramas, she certainly did a NUMBER on me! Fell hopelessly in love with her and have never stopped!
27. Riso No Musuko
[2012]
Another drama-that-reads-as-comic, this whimsical story of a school full of fightin’ teens all possessing special “animal themed” street-fighter powers battling over school turf was like watching your weekly episode of Kikaider…or at least Thundercats!
Ryosuke Yamada plays the role of kind son Daichi to the T, and having babealicious Suzuki Kyoka as his aforementioned Mama just places this drama into the higher ranks!
PS: It’s so weird seeing actresses that I knew from playing teenagers now playing the mothers of the kids in dramas! Besides Kyoka Suzuki, Riso No Musuko also features pretty Anju Suzuki as one of the students’ mothers! It was then that I thought to myself, “We are getting older.”LOL!
26. Border
[2014]
In that, BORDER stands out from the rest in its absolute dedication in showing a righteous man (in this case, detective Ishikawa, played by Oguri Shun, who through a brush with death, is able to communicate with the dead) who finds that the only way to combat the horrific evil he faces each day is to go down to their level and become as dark as they are.
I’m so used to the final episodes of these shows like Alice or Joker where goodness wins out in the end, that I was shocked at the unapologetic resolve they had to show Ishikawa’s total and final transformation into an agent as black as his villains.
Besides the strong script and tone of the show, another thing I really loved is the Haru character of forensic doctor Mika Higa. Her character alone could propel an entire series (and she even warranted her own special) and her smart and sassy demeanor was a nice counterbalance to the cold and driven Oguri character!
A gripping drama that I’ll be sure to re-watch again!
25. Yasashi Jikan
[2005]
Father Yukichi (Terao Akira ) has retreated to the mountains where he owns and maintains a small café, but when Takuro begins a pottery apprenticeship in the nearby hills, their paths will surely cross. How will each other react and can the pain of the past years be repaired?
As a general rule, Ohno Satoshi is the actor out of ARASHI that I like the most, but MAN, Kazunari Nino in Yasashi Jikan is definitely my favorite out of anything anyone in Arashi have done! A very dark and dramatic story, yet very soothing and relaxing, and Ayaka Hirahara “Ashita” as the drama’s ending song perfectly captures the show’s gentle theme.
24. Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou No Shiro
[2011]
Like Arakawa Under The Bridge, the show is heavily steeped in sparkling fantasy, featuring a bevy of colorfully costumed characters whose magical kingdom seems to be integrated into the "modern" world... I mean, where else are you gong to have Nomads who'll instantly stop trying to kill you once the whistle blows and it's time to quit work for the day, revenge-seeking killers armed with plastic toy daggers, or a Mystical Buddha who can only be seen by the hero of the show if he's wearing crude 3-D glasses? LOL!
To top things off, the show is wrapped up with two wonderful song themes, the ending "Aishi Tsuzukerukara" sung by TEE and an absolutely kick-ass opening song "Evo Revolution" by Mihimaru GT which I actually thought was Shakalabbits the first time I heard it, so exciting!
23. Utahime
[2007]
With the theater as its backdrop, Utahime tells the tale of a family named Kishida who find a young man (Nagase Tomoya) washed up on the beach shore with no memory of who he is and take him in and raise his as one of their own. As he grows, the young man (named Taro by the Kishidas) becomes a beloved member of the village and slowly wins the heart of the Kishida’s daughter Suzu. As he helps run the family theater.
Life is wonderful for all of them- full of love and warmth, but always in the background there is the possibility that one day Taro will regain his real memories and leave them. Additionally, there are people from his past that are trying their hardest to find him and bring him back to their world…
Utahime really captivated me with its nostalgic aura, and even after I’d finished watching it, I’d sometimes think of a certain scene and would want to go back to the island and “visit” the town and its theaters, LOL!
22. Papa To Musume No Nanokan
[2007]
This is the drama that really set me head over heels for Aragaki Yui, she was so cute and spastic in that manic-pixie way, I remember not being able to stop screencapping the episodes as I watched them! Too bad this show was only 7 episodes long, I wanted it to last a bit longer!!!
21. Kekkon Dekinai Otoko
[2006]
Truthfully, this drama was so good that it originally places in my top five dramas of 2000-2014, it was so doggone great, but when they made a sequel in 2018, they retroactively wrote out the happy ending of the first series, destroying the thing that really wrapped up the drama in a neat bow. So though i still love the drama, as an overall story, all I can think is “what’s the sense of re-enagaing in the show if I KNOW they’re going to just write out the ending?” Thus the drama , though still listed here, ranks significantly lower than previously.
20 .Kimi Hannin Janaiyone?
[2008]
I really fell for Shihori Kanjiya in this drama. While not one of the ‘ravishing beauties”, she is definitely cute, and her spazzy and nutty ways in this drama really endeared her to me.
This is one drama that I find myself re-watching certain episodes from time to time, really fun to go back just to enjoy some!
19. Arakawa Under The Bridge
[2011]
The story of a strange girl named Nino (played with effective poutiness by cutie Kiritani Mirei) who claims to be from the Planet Venus saves the Heir (Hayashi Kento) to a huge Corporation from drowning, and as payment for saving his life, has him live among her and her "people" under the Arakawa Bridge. And what People they are!
A colorful menagerie of magical alien folks all led by a gruff Kappa named Soncho, (wonderfully played under green makeup by Oguri Shun doing his best Kenichi Endo imitation here) a machine gun toting Nun played by Yu Shirota as well as the welcome return of Natsumi "Nattchi" Abe as cutesy "P-Ko"!!
PS: In case it isn't clear, I TOTALLY enjoyed this! I know nothing about the original manga it was based on or even the anime that followed, but something about this show is so much FUN to watch! Supremely wacky indeed, yet somehow the art direction and look of this show really turns to nuttiness of the scenes into something quite endearing. And a BIG Bonus Points for the cute ending credits where the whole motley crew of the town does their daily exercises to the extremely catchy tunes of Gallileo Gallilei's "Sayonara Frontier" (Did I get that right), Oh My Gosh, this ending made me SMILE!!!!
18. Youkami No Semi
[2010]
Youkami No Semi (The Cicada’s Eighth Day) tells the story of a woman named Kiwako having an affair with a married man from work. When she tells him she is pregnant with his child, he persuades her to abort it, so he has time to leave his wife properly, promising they can have another child when he is free. Because of troubles during the operation, however, Kiwako learns she can no longer have children, but is satisfied knowing she will be with the man she loves. When the man finds out his wife is ALSO pregnant, he abandons Kiwako. Distraught, she abducts THEIR baby and escapes into the night, leaving the town to raise the little girl as her own...
A grim story for sure, but the second act of the drama brightens as it tells the story of the life Kiwako and the child she names Kaoru live, running from town to town, always one step ahead of the law. Kaoru, of course, knows nothing of the crime, and grows up as a happy child surrounded by love and warmth from this woman she believes is her mother.
This could have been boring, but I’m telling you, the scenes with the mother and daughter just living life and loving each other was so, sooooo sweet, and it help that Dan Rei as Kiwako and Kobayashi Seiran as Kaoru are so fantastic in their roles. Whenever you see the two of them interacting, it is so heartwarming , you can truly feel the love they have for each other.
17. Otenki Oneesan
[2013]
I have to say that Otenki Oneesan was a pretty fun romp!! Individual episodes were your usual “Person-of-eccentric-abilities-solves-strange-crimes” formula, but by gosh, you really liked the characters, and the development of Haru as a person throughout the series was done so well!
Something about this show really touched me- very moody atmosphere and carefully crafted scenes which were very pleasing to the eye! The show had a very abruptly cut ending which makes me think they’re gearing up for a Special, which I would totally be up for! An abrupt but altogether satisfying ending to a really sweet and gently-paced series.
16. One Pound No Fukuin
[2008]
Such great chemistry between the two, you can really feel they both care for each other, though most of the time Hatenaka's obsessive cloying for Sister Angela is driving her crazy! No matter, when they're together, they always find a way to get into the most nutty situations! Really a fun, fun drama!
Everyone in the show was great, especially a scene-stealing performance by Kobayashi Satomi, (one of THE funniest actresses out there) as Hatenaka's Gym Coach Mukoda, but the one who really made it for me was Meisa Kuroki! Man, her portrayal of Sister Angela just warmed my heart! Admittedly, when I first saw her in that habit, I was pretty skeptical that I'd believe Meisa as a Nun, but you know what? She played it so well that I totally fell into step by the second show!
So cute to watch her frazzled expressions when something crazy happens, wonderful to follow her as she's shyly spying on Hatenaka (as her interest in him and his silly ways begin to grow on her), and hilarious to watch her befuddled behavior when she's confused or embarrassed! As the show wrapped up, I found myself thinking, BOY was that Meisa Kuroki just the Sweetest Little Thang! Yes, I believed.
15. JIN
[2007]
Time travelers and time slipping is nothing new in dramas, but this tale of a modern day doctor who time-slips back to the Edo period and uses his knowledge to help people in need was a first! Great blend of history, medical matters and romance, and this is yet another drama where Ayase Haruka broke my heart…
14. Proposal Daisakusen
Every scene she was in was just killing me, she was so darn adorable in this drama!!! She looked absolutely fantastic, wearing some of the prettiest outfits ever, and special mention must be made of how she looked in Episode (I think) Five. See pic below. I have to say, I think this is my VERY FAVORITE look out of everything I’ve EVER seen her in!! Gahhh, she looks like the living embodiment of every girl I’ve ever had a crush on in Grade School!!! CUTE OVERLOAD!!
13. Nodame Cantabile
[2006]
Man, watching Nodame Cantabile was such a gas- this show was so zany that it really felt like watching an animated cartoon come to life- having so much of the supporting cast wearing wigs and costumes didin’t hurt either- this is the drama that put Juri Ueno on the map, and deservedly so! So FREAKING CUTE!
12. Tokyo Zenryoku Shojo
[2012]
Emi Takei stars as Urara, a strongheaded yet naïve and easily fooled young girl making her way through Tokyo in search of her long lost father who abandoned her and her mother when she was but 5 years old. I love Emi and knew from reading the drama synopsis that she would be a fun character, but her sweetness and cuteness is off the meters! She is so darn adorable in this drama and with all the crazy situations she gets in, each scene is loaded with the funniest physical reactions and loveable over-the-top expressions! I’m using a lot of exclamation points here!!!
Besides Emi, the drama is chock full of other great actors and actresses making up the rogues gallery of eccentric people filling this show. With Atsuro Watabe as the aforementioned Father, pretty Manami Higa and Ichikawa Yui as possible obstacles, and Shohei Miura and Takashi Tsukamoto as possible romantic interests, there are times when the show feels more like an ensemble show, but make no mistake, this show is PURE, adrenalized Emi Takei!
11. Lunch No Joou
[2002]
A story of a harried work girl who stumbles upon a small but established family-owned restaurant with food that instantly touches her heart the very first time she tastes it, LUNCH NO JOOU reminded me more than a little of Nakayama Miho and Karasawa Toshiaki’s OISHII KANKEI, which in MY book is ALREADY a good sign!
Focusing on both the joy of fine cuisine as well as the relationships between the family and co-workers, this was a show that grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and I remember thinking, “Hmm, I think Lunch No Joou might be the next BIG drama on my list!” And if the drama itself wasn’t gonna be on my list of greats, the lead actress sure was! WOW, for the first time, I finally “Got” Takeuchi Yuko!
I don’t know if it was the way she held herself as a pretty-but-tomboyish girl or the pretty outfits they dressed her up in or the story and acting in general, but BOY the role of confident and sassy Mugita Natsumi seems to have been TAILOR MADE for Yuko’s talents! Yuko manages to steal every scene she’s in, and that’s quite a feat to sustain throughout an entire drama, especially one that ALSO features Misaki Ito!
While getting totally infatuated with Yuko while watching another episode, I remember actually trying to figure out just what it was that made her so darn attractive to me, and one very good reason is Yuko’s ACTING and Line-Delivery. Every line she utters is said in this coy and mischievous tone to it that just makes me smile and think what a cool person this would be to hang out with! When she’s in a zany situation, you have to laugh out loud, when she’s sad, you really feel her pain, and when she’s playful, she’s REALLY playful!
10. Boku To Kanojyo to Kanojo Ikiru Michi
[2004]
Dramawiki’s synopsis gave me the impression that the Kusanagi Tsuyoshi Drama BOKU TO KANOJYO TO KANOJYO NO IKIRU MICHI was going to be about a man and his mid-life crisis. And though there IS a little of that, the heart of the show is about a man suddenly separated from his wife, and in true “Kramer VS Kramer” style, ending up having to take care of their child alone.
I wouldn’t say that I’m a HUGE fan of children-based dramas, ESPECIALLY when they’re of the “bratty because misunderstood” variety which irritates me to no end, but this (thankfully) wasn't one of those, and the little girl they got to play Tsuyoshi’s six year old daughter Rin was so INSANELY adorable and loveable she just melted my heart and won me over and I knew instantly that this drama would become my top viewing priority!
Every scene this girl was in killed me, just watching this cute waifish little thing following grouchy old Tsuyoshi across town practically brought tears to my eyes! What really pierces me is how sweet and innocent she is amidst the wreckage of her parents’ marriage. Tsuyoshi is a businessman and doesn’t want her, so he goes to talk to his wife who, after arguing, says she doesn’t want the girl either. “I don’t love her,” she flatly states. Tsuyoshi goes home, and there’s this TOTALLY heartbreaking scene when he goes into Rin’s room, and silently watches her sleeping. Just seeing this tiny, fragile unloved child sleeping in the bed JUST KILLS ME. Fortunately, it is this revelation that motivates Tsuyoshi to try and make an effort to care for Rin.
A bittersweet show with some real heart-wrenching moments, but also a lot of tender and caring scenes as Father Tsuyoshi learns to become a “Dad” to Rin. And special mention must be made of the beautiful ending song “Wonderful Life” (sung by none other than Tsuyoshi’s SMAP bandmate Inagaki Goro billed under the name &G) which ended each episode on a gentle and thoughtful note!
9. Ashita No Kita Yoshio
[2008]
Kohinata Fumiyo stars as Kita Yoshio, an unlucky man who’s decided to commit suicide but has given himself 11 days to carry out a “bucket List” of things he wants to do before he dies. He gets involved with a mob-like huckster named Heita, (Ryuhei Matsuda) who, although first irritated with Yoshio, upon hearing his suicide proclamation, decides to take him under his wing and help him fulfill his last wishes.
Part of the reason Heita’s being nice to Kita-san is because his girlfriend Rika has incurred a huge debt, and they hope to take an insurance claim out on the soon-to-be-deceased Yoshio, but his goodness slowly but surely starts working on Heita, til he sees him as a true friend.
One of the things on Kita-san’s list is to meet up with his ex-wife Mizuho (Konishi Manami) who left him 11 years ago under unusual circumstances, and when we meet up with her, she already is involved in another sinister situation, as her second husband has just been killed and they have yet to determine if his death was an accident or murder!
Another wish on his list is to meet up with Yoimachi Shinobu (Yoshitaka Yuriko), a pretty idol girl he’d briefly met once years ago, her friendly demeanor she showed him at that time has stuck with him, and through Heita’s underground connections, is able to make plans to have dinner with her...But Kita-san is is for a shock as the sweet young idol he adored so many years ago is far from the pure idol he remembered! But once again, Yoshio’s sincerity comes through, and Shinobu realizes she likes the guy after all!
Yep, the show’s filled with interesting and compelling characters, and a kick ass stable of actors to portray them! Even the second tier characters are solid- Chiaki Kuriyama as Heita’s girlfriend Rika, Jun Kaname as Mizuho’s able assistant, I even got to see an appearance of Muroi Shigeru, an actress I hadn’t seen since her awesome perf on Africa No Yoru!
This drama played out more like one long, continuous story rather than 10 part drama, and my memories of watching this was like watching an epic length cinematic movie! Easily one of the most solid dramas I’ve ever seen!
8. My Boss, My Hero
[2006]
Nagase Tomoya plays Sakaki Makio, the son of bigwig yakuza boss. His father is soon to retire, and Makio believes he’s going to be inheriting his father’s position when he departs, but father has one big caveat- before he can take over anything, he wants Makio to go back to school and get a proper education! When he gets his diploma, that is when he can properly step into the leadership role of the clan. If he should fail to graduate, his younger brother will inherit the gang! And so it is that Makio finds himself back in public high school, where he has to struggle with homework, bullying and all the other problems students face- all without ever letting anyone know who he really is!
Another really FUN drama from TOKIO’s Nagase Tomoya and co-starring Aragaki Yui, Tanaka Koki and a super sexy Kashi Yu! This is the first time I remember liking a character Ren Osumi played- as Makio’s servant and general protector Kuroi, he was such a great guy- usually Osugi played such grouchy old codger roles! LOL
[2002]
Focusing on both the joy of fine cuisine as well as the relationships between the family and co-workers, this was a show that grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and I remember thinking, “Hmm, I think Lunch No Joou might be the next BIG drama on my list!” And if the drama itself wasn’t gonna be on my list of greats, the lead actress sure was! WOW, for the first time, I finally “Got” Takeuchi Yuko!
I don’t know if it was the way she held herself as a pretty-but-tomboyish girl or the pretty outfits they dressed her up in or the story and acting in general, but BOY the role of confident and sassy Mugita Natsumi seems to have been TAILOR MADE for Yuko’s talents! Yuko manages to steal every scene she’s in, and that’s quite a feat to sustain throughout an entire drama, especially one that ALSO features Misaki Ito!
While getting totally infatuated with Yuko while watching another episode, I remember actually trying to figure out just what it was that made her so darn attractive to me, and one very good reason is Yuko’s ACTING and Line-Delivery. Every line she utters is said in this coy and mischievous tone to it that just makes me smile and think what a cool person this would be to hang out with! When she’s in a zany situation, you have to laugh out loud, when she’s sad, you really feel her pain, and when she’s playful, she’s REALLY playful!
10. Boku To Kanojyo to Kanojo Ikiru Michi
[2004]
I wouldn’t say that I’m a HUGE fan of children-based dramas, ESPECIALLY when they’re of the “bratty because misunderstood” variety which irritates me to no end, but this (thankfully) wasn't one of those, and the little girl they got to play Tsuyoshi’s six year old daughter Rin was so INSANELY adorable and loveable she just melted my heart and won me over and I knew instantly that this drama would become my top viewing priority!
Every scene this girl was in killed me, just watching this cute waifish little thing following grouchy old Tsuyoshi across town practically brought tears to my eyes! What really pierces me is how sweet and innocent she is amidst the wreckage of her parents’ marriage. Tsuyoshi is a businessman and doesn’t want her, so he goes to talk to his wife who, after arguing, says she doesn’t want the girl either. “I don’t love her,” she flatly states. Tsuyoshi goes home, and there’s this TOTALLY heartbreaking scene when he goes into Rin’s room, and silently watches her sleeping. Just seeing this tiny, fragile unloved child sleeping in the bed JUST KILLS ME. Fortunately, it is this revelation that motivates Tsuyoshi to try and make an effort to care for Rin.
A bittersweet show with some real heart-wrenching moments, but also a lot of tender and caring scenes as Father Tsuyoshi learns to become a “Dad” to Rin. And special mention must be made of the beautiful ending song “Wonderful Life” (sung by none other than Tsuyoshi’s SMAP bandmate Inagaki Goro billed under the name &G) which ended each episode on a gentle and thoughtful note!
9. Ashita No Kita Yoshio
[2008]
Part of the reason Heita’s being nice to Kita-san is because his girlfriend Rika has incurred a huge debt, and they hope to take an insurance claim out on the soon-to-be-deceased Yoshio, but his goodness slowly but surely starts working on Heita, til he sees him as a true friend.
One of the things on Kita-san’s list is to meet up with his ex-wife Mizuho (Konishi Manami) who left him 11 years ago under unusual circumstances, and when we meet up with her, she already is involved in another sinister situation, as her second husband has just been killed and they have yet to determine if his death was an accident or murder!
Another wish on his list is to meet up with Yoimachi Shinobu (Yoshitaka Yuriko), a pretty idol girl he’d briefly met once years ago, her friendly demeanor she showed him at that time has stuck with him, and through Heita’s underground connections, is able to make plans to have dinner with her...But Kita-san is is for a shock as the sweet young idol he adored so many years ago is far from the pure idol he remembered! But once again, Yoshio’s sincerity comes through, and Shinobu realizes she likes the guy after all!
Yep, the show’s filled with interesting and compelling characters, and a kick ass stable of actors to portray them! Even the second tier characters are solid- Chiaki Kuriyama as Heita’s girlfriend Rika, Jun Kaname as Mizuho’s able assistant, I even got to see an appearance of Muroi Shigeru, an actress I hadn’t seen since her awesome perf on Africa No Yoru!
This drama played out more like one long, continuous story rather than 10 part drama, and my memories of watching this was like watching an epic length cinematic movie! Easily one of the most solid dramas I’ve ever seen!
8. My Boss, My Hero
[2006]
Another really FUN drama from TOKIO’s Nagase Tomoya and co-starring Aragaki Yui, Tanaka Koki and a super sexy Kashi Yu! This is the first time I remember liking a character Ren Osumi played- as Makio’s servant and general protector Kuroi, he was such a great guy- usually Osugi played such grouchy old codger roles! LOL
7. Hotaru No Hikari
[2007]
Here it is, the drama that re-ignited my passion for J-drama watching, the cute and fun Hotaru no Hikari, starring Ayase Haruka as Hotaru Amemiya, the amazing OL who’s an capable, smart and sharp worker in the OFFICE, but a LAZY, carefree SLOB at home!
This is how she lives her life and it’s been working out pretty well for her…til she finds her landlord’s son (who is recently divorced) is moving back to the house and she needs to move out ASAP. Even more shocking is when she finds the man moving in is her Section Chief ( Fujiki Naohito), who is STUNNED to find that the efficient secretary he knows at work is this seedy and slobby girl ! After a tussle on living rights, they agree to live together on a short-term basis…if he can get around how disorderly she is!
I just loved this show and in no small part thru the antics of Ayase Haruka- Every scene she was in just lit up with her eccentric and hyper behavior!
This is the show that introduced me to Ayase Haruka, who would go on to become one of my most beloved actresses, especially when playing roles like Hotaru Amemiya – shy, naive and ditsy, but a fighter with a good heart! Ah, another show that made me feel lonely and sad when it ended! I wanted more!
[2007]
This is how she lives her life and it’s been working out pretty well for her…til she finds her landlord’s son (who is recently divorced) is moving back to the house and she needs to move out ASAP. Even more shocking is when she finds the man moving in is her Section Chief ( Fujiki Naohito), who is STUNNED to find that the efficient secretary he knows at work is this seedy and slobby girl ! After a tussle on living rights, they agree to live together on a short-term basis…if he can get around how disorderly she is!
I just loved this show and in no small part thru the antics of Ayase Haruka- Every scene she was in just lit up with her eccentric and hyper behavior!
This is the show that introduced me to Ayase Haruka, who would go on to become one of my most beloved actresses, especially when playing roles like Hotaru Amemiya – shy, naive and ditsy, but a fighter with a good heart! Ah, another show that made me feel lonely and sad when it ended! I wanted more!
6. Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo
[2008]
God DAMN, was Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo a good Drama! When I first started watching it, it seemed too silly for me and there was so much screeching and hollering, but my love of Asami kept me watching, and by the third episode I had to admit I had begun to enjoy the show…and by episode 5, it had become must-see television, and by the time the drama wrapped up, it had moved up so high on my list as to become one of my favorite dramas ever! Seriously! So Funny, Touching, Zany and Heartfelt, all wrapped up in Asami Mizukawa goodness, MAN, this was a show I was truly HEARTBROKEN that it had to end!!! QUITE a reversal of opinion, considering my FIRST impression of the show when I wrote:
“I love actress Mizukawa Asami to death, but her fantasy drama Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo is so unbelievable WACKY, it’s actually starting to give me a headache! Too bad, because Asami looks soooooo pretty n sassy here, but when you’ve got a story about a magic elephant god who grants dreams, I guess one should expect things to get a bit…urusei.”
LOL! Who knew that in a little while I’d be re-watching and screencapping episodes of Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo left and right, filling my blog with entries just full of Asami Mizukawa gushing and raving about how GREAT the show was! I was already a pretty big fan of actress Asami Mizukawa before I watched Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo, but this show confirmed it FOR SURE!!
5. Suteki na Sen Taxi
[2014]
What if you could go back in time to the pivotal choices of your life and change them? That’s the question asked on the Takenouchi Yutaka drama SUTEKI NA SEN TAXI, a tale of a yellow cab that can take you back to any point in your life…if you have the right amount of money to pay! At almost 100 dollars to go back a mere 30 minutes, however, the decisions you make have to be the right ones! Fortunately Taxi driver Eda is on hand to give his thoughts and advice on the subjects before sending you off!
Man, what a great fun and sometimes touching show this one turned out to be! Like a lot of shows that follow a “formula” or basic premise, once the lines are established, the writers then go off the charts in creative ways to “play” with the set-up! I’ve already gushed about how much I loved Yoshida Yo and Kimura Fumino’s episodes, but the entire show is a winner. They even had an unusual “last” chapter with all SORTS of time-jumping that really sent the show out with a bang!
[2008]
“I love actress Mizukawa Asami to death, but her fantasy drama Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo is so unbelievable WACKY, it’s actually starting to give me a headache! Too bad, because Asami looks soooooo pretty n sassy here, but when you’ve got a story about a magic elephant god who grants dreams, I guess one should expect things to get a bit…urusei.”
LOL! Who knew that in a little while I’d be re-watching and screencapping episodes of Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo left and right, filling my blog with entries just full of Asami Mizukawa gushing and raving about how GREAT the show was! I was already a pretty big fan of actress Asami Mizukawa before I watched Yume Wo Kanaeru Zo, but this show confirmed it FOR SURE!!
5. Suteki na Sen Taxi
[2014]
Man, what a great fun and sometimes touching show this one turned out to be! Like a lot of shows that follow a “formula” or basic premise, once the lines are established, the writers then go off the charts in creative ways to “play” with the set-up! I’ve already gushed about how much I loved Yoshida Yo and Kimura Fumino’s episodes, but the entire show is a winner. They even had an unusual “last” chapter with all SORTS of time-jumping that really sent the show out with a bang!
4. Tiger and Dragon
[2005]
Unbelievably, one of the actors who appears the most in my Top 30 J-drama list is none other than Nagase Tomoya. For a guy who always seems to be playing the same droll yankee thug character, he sure has utilized his talents to help create some pretty terrific shows and at the top of them is his role of Yamazaki Kotora in the Rakugo drama Tiger and Dragon.
Nagase is Yakuza Debt Collector who, when he learns that one of his boss’ marks is a Rakugo Master, makes a deal with him: teach him rakugo, he will pay him and then he’ll take back the money to give to the bosses!, but the show is done with so much warmth and heart, you just can’t help but love the characters!
I wasn't sure if the drama was going to have any "linear" story to speak of (rather than simply using the formula of telling a rakugo story and re-creating it in the "real" world), and was pleasantly surprised to see that just about every plot-line and sub-plot got tied up quite well by the end. But more than that, the thing that I think really sold it for me was the fact that despite the focus on the conflicts between Ryuji and Tora, this drama knew that the heart of the show was about the relationship between Nishida Toshiyuki's Hayashiatei Donbei and Kotora, and summed it up so nicely!
[2005]
Nagase is Yakuza Debt Collector who, when he learns that one of his boss’ marks is a Rakugo Master, makes a deal with him: teach him rakugo, he will pay him and then he’ll take back the money to give to the bosses!, but the show is done with so much warmth and heart, you just can’t help but love the characters!
I wasn't sure if the drama was going to have any "linear" story to speak of (rather than simply using the formula of telling a rakugo story and re-creating it in the "real" world), and was pleasantly surprised to see that just about every plot-line and sub-plot got tied up quite well by the end. But more than that, the thing that I think really sold it for me was the fact that despite the focus on the conflicts between Ryuji and Tora, this drama knew that the heart of the show was about the relationship between Nishida Toshiyuki's Hayashiatei Donbei and Kotora, and summed it up so nicely!
3. Mop Girl
[2007]
[2007]
The drama that introduced me to the wonders of Kitagawa Keiko, whom as you all know would become one of my all time favorite actresses, but at this time she was nothing more than an insanely adorable and ditzy girl filled with wonderful comedic timing and gesturing. I fell in love with her and have never stopped since!
Mop Girl tells the supernatural tale of a cute and goofy girl named Momoko who begins working at a body-removal crime-cleanup unit and finds that when she touches the possessions of the murder victims, is able to jump back to the beginning of the day and change the course of their destinies.
Each episode is like that of a regular cop show, one murder mystery per episode, but it’s the way they utilize Momoko’s ability to re-live her day to solve the crime that is so captivating. Additionally, the incessant bickering between Momoko and her boss (Shosuke Tanihara) makes each episode so hilarious and FUN to watch!
I had just returned to the world of J-drama viewing (with Hotaru No Hikari) and that could have been a one-shot deal, but Mop Girl was very next drama I watched , and I was so blown away by it, I began watching dramas again with great interest, and haven’t left yet!
Mop Girl tells the supernatural tale of a cute and goofy girl named Momoko who begins working at a body-removal crime-cleanup unit and finds that when she touches the possessions of the murder victims, is able to jump back to the beginning of the day and change the course of their destinies.
Each episode is like that of a regular cop show, one murder mystery per episode, but it’s the way they utilize Momoko’s ability to re-live her day to solve the crime that is so captivating. Additionally, the incessant bickering between Momoko and her boss (Shosuke Tanihara) makes each episode so hilarious and FUN to watch!
I had just returned to the world of J-drama viewing (with Hotaru No Hikari) and that could have been a one-shot deal, but Mop Girl was very next drama I watched , and I was so blown away by it, I began watching dramas again with great interest, and haven’t left yet!
2. Loss: Time: Life
[2008]
“What would you do if you were given extra time after you’d died to make things right?”
That’s the scenario presented to these chosen recently passed-away people, and OH MY GOSH, was this ONE emotional show!
Taking a cue from Association Football (Soccer) where a referee awards a game extra time that was wasted due to substitutions or injuries, at the end of these peoples’ lives, angelic referees appear and announce (via digital clock) how much extra time the person has to do whatever it is they feel need to be completed before they leave.
Like Soccer, this “life in additiontime” comes with rules- you can’t change anything that has to do with your actual death and you can’t tell anyone you interact with that you are actually already dead. To make sure rules are followed, the person is accompanied thru his final journey by three referee time-keepers who are quick to “yellow card” you if you break any guidelines!
Every one chooses to use their time differently. A Detective chooses to solve the last case he was working on. A photographer wants to get that one great photo. But it’s the ones where the people choose to be with their loved ones and family that break my heart: a mother uses her time to cook her family one last hot-pot meal, two childhood friends (who both died in a building collapse at the same time) confess their love for each other… man, some emotional stories here!
And if the great stories themselves wasn’t enough, another one of the big reasons I love this show is the way they wrap up each episode. After the person has completed his or her task, he is led back to their point of passing, and placed back into their original dying position and then… the referee then blows his whistle to signal game over, and the judges sprint off-screen into fade out… and then credits roll as it blasts into the awesome ending song “Kimi Station” by Orange Range”… MAN, each and every ending just has me breaking out in goosebumps and wiping away tears!!!
[2008]
That’s the scenario presented to these chosen recently passed-away people, and OH MY GOSH, was this ONE emotional show!
Taking a cue from Association Football (Soccer) where a referee awards a game extra time that was wasted due to substitutions or injuries, at the end of these peoples’ lives, angelic referees appear and announce (via digital clock) how much extra time the person has to do whatever it is they feel need to be completed before they leave.
Like Soccer, this “life in additiontime” comes with rules- you can’t change anything that has to do with your actual death and you can’t tell anyone you interact with that you are actually already dead. To make sure rules are followed, the person is accompanied thru his final journey by three referee time-keepers who are quick to “yellow card” you if you break any guidelines!
Every one chooses to use their time differently. A Detective chooses to solve the last case he was working on. A photographer wants to get that one great photo. But it’s the ones where the people choose to be with their loved ones and family that break my heart: a mother uses her time to cook her family one last hot-pot meal, two childhood friends (who both died in a building collapse at the same time) confess their love for each other… man, some emotional stories here!
And if the great stories themselves wasn’t enough, another one of the big reasons I love this show is the way they wrap up each episode. After the person has completed his or her task, he is led back to their point of passing, and placed back into their original dying position and then… the referee then blows his whistle to signal game over, and the judges sprint off-screen into fade out… and then credits roll as it blasts into the awesome ending song “Kimi Station” by Orange Range”… MAN, each and every ending just has me breaking out in goosebumps and wiping away tears!!!
1. Seigi No Mikata
[2008]
Though I liked this drama since the first time I saw it, in the following years I’ve re-watched it at LEAST two more times and haveLOVED it more and MORE with each viewing - I found that if I even watched just one scene of an episode, I‘d end up watching the whole show, and the next one besides, they are THAT GOOD!
I recently dug up the old discs and while watching the show all over again, I realized that Seigi No Mikata was probably my FAVORITE drama of my “modern” era! Besides the clever, witty dialog, the hilarious slapstick scenes and the awesome, awesome acting of Shida Mirai and Yamada Yu, this drama also benefits from having one of the tightest storylines; in its set-up, its consistency and its superb conclusion, one that keeps me coming back for more!
Seigi No Mikata is the story of a young girl named Yoko who has a dominating, bullying older sister named Makiko, whom, though evil, selfish and vain, always seems to come up looking like a savior to everyone around: When her boss chews her out at work, she wrings a moldy washcloth into his tea- when his stomach begins hurting, she orders him to “leave and get to the hospital!” She is free of him for the rest of the day! Next day, the boss’s wife comes in to gratefully thank Makiko for advising her husband to go to the doctor because they discovered a malady that, since they took care of it so soon, is non-threatening. Makiko has inadvertently saves her boss’s life, and is celebrated for it!
It’s situations like this that drive little sister Yoko crazy. Only SHE can see her sister’s real, evil intentions, but she seems almost helpless as she watches each person, one by one, get accidentally “saved” by Makiko and praise her as a real “Savior of Justice”!
This is a title hard for Yoko to take when she is being persecuted every day by Makiko- made to do her chores, run her errands and help her with her selfish pursuits. But when Makiko sets her sights on a new lawyer at the firm (Mukai Osamu) and enlists Yoko to help snag him, Yoko happily realizes if Makiko succeeds and tricks the guy into marrying her, she’ll be free of her sister forever! But will Yoko’s conscious let her stand by while this innocent guy gets deeper and deeper into Makiko’s deceit?
Well, by the last episode, everything has come to a head, everything has been put on the table and, amazingly, everything gets resolved! And for the last chapter of the story, the person who benefits from Makiko’s selfish ways is none other than Yoko herself, who finds that even in the midst of her evil, narcissistic ways, Makiko’s deceptions bring forth true goodness to all those around her!
[2008]
I recently dug up the old discs and while watching the show all over again, I realized that Seigi No Mikata was probably my FAVORITE drama of my “modern” era! Besides the clever, witty dialog, the hilarious slapstick scenes and the awesome, awesome acting of Shida Mirai and Yamada Yu, this drama also benefits from having one of the tightest storylines; in its set-up, its consistency and its superb conclusion, one that keeps me coming back for more!
Seigi No Mikata is the story of a young girl named Yoko who has a dominating, bullying older sister named Makiko, whom, though evil, selfish and vain, always seems to come up looking like a savior to everyone around: When her boss chews her out at work, she wrings a moldy washcloth into his tea- when his stomach begins hurting, she orders him to “leave and get to the hospital!” She is free of him for the rest of the day! Next day, the boss’s wife comes in to gratefully thank Makiko for advising her husband to go to the doctor because they discovered a malady that, since they took care of it so soon, is non-threatening. Makiko has inadvertently saves her boss’s life, and is celebrated for it!
It’s situations like this that drive little sister Yoko crazy. Only SHE can see her sister’s real, evil intentions, but she seems almost helpless as she watches each person, one by one, get accidentally “saved” by Makiko and praise her as a real “Savior of Justice”!
This is a title hard for Yoko to take when she is being persecuted every day by Makiko- made to do her chores, run her errands and help her with her selfish pursuits. But when Makiko sets her sights on a new lawyer at the firm (Mukai Osamu) and enlists Yoko to help snag him, Yoko happily realizes if Makiko succeeds and tricks the guy into marrying her, she’ll be free of her sister forever! But will Yoko’s conscious let her stand by while this innocent guy gets deeper and deeper into Makiko’s deceit?
Well, by the last episode, everything has come to a head, everything has been put on the table and, amazingly, everything gets resolved! And for the last chapter of the story, the person who benefits from Makiko’s selfish ways is none other than Yoko herself, who finds that even in the midst of her evil, narcissistic ways, Makiko’s deceptions bring forth true goodness to all those around her!