Asian Drama

There is an old, but special hospital in the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Because of the surrounding entertainment district, the hospital receives people that are different than the average Japanese person. The patients that visit the hospital include homeless people, foreign residents, hosts, and sex workers. One day, a mysterious woman named Nishi Freeman Yoko appears at the hospital. She is a doctor with a U.S. citizenship and military medical experience from the U.S. She begins to work at the hospital and becomes a presence that brightens up everything around her. Meanwhile, Takamine Toru is a beauty dermatologist, but he studies anesthesia at his uncle’s hospital where Nishi Freeman Yoko begins to work. Takamine Toru dreams of remodeling his uncle's hospital and opening a cosmetic surgery hospital, but, after he meets he meets Nishi Freeman Yoko, his life changes.

(Source: AsianWiki)

Tags: Hospital Setting, Dermatologist Male Lead, Doctor Female Lead, Emergency Service (Vote or add tags)

Episodes: 10

Duration: 54 min.

Country: Japan

Airs On: Wednesday

Aired: Jul 3, 2024 - ?

Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Sakuragi Miyabi is a high school student in Aomori. She lives with her lawyer grandfather and she receives special education from him in the field of law. Sakuragi Miyabi soon becomes the youngest person to pass the bar exam on their first try. A decision is then made to send Sakuragi Miyabi to her grandmother in Tokyo, who works as a director of a law office. Sakuragi Miyabi begins to work as an apprentice lawyer at her grandmother’s law office. Despite her position, she still has the mindset of a teenager and she sometimes has disagreements with senior lawyers. Meanwhile, Sakuragi Miyabi begins classes at her new high school in Tokyo. She hides her lawyer job from people at her high school, but she eventually begins to give counseling at her school on law matters.

(Source: AsianWiki)

Episodes: 10

Duration: 60 min.

Airs On: Friday

On an early morning, two dead bodies are found at a house. One deceased person is a senior citizen and the other deceased person is their caregiver. Shiba Munenori works for the same home health care agency that the deceased caregiver worked. Shiba Munenori is known as a kind and devoted caregiver. Yet, the police begin to target him as a suspect. While investigating the case, Prosecutor Otomo Hidemi learns that the home health care agency has an unusually high mortality rate. To uncover the truth, Otomo Hidemi confronts Shiba Munenori.

Adapted from the novel "Lost Care" (ロストケア) by Hamanaka Aki (葉真中顕).

Shiro Miura , an architect, suddenly returns to Marukin Onsen, the public bath house left behind by his late father. The reason for his return is to tell his younger brother Goro, who manages the store, that he will fold the old public bath and rebuild it into an apartment. Goro reacts coldly to Shiro, who runs away from his parents' house and lives freely in the city. On the other hand, Yokoyama a postal worker who is nearing retirement age, is fascinated by Yudo, which is said to give him deep thoughts about bathing.

(Source: Filmarks)

Adapted from the novel "Shylock no Kodomotachi" (シャイロックの子供たち) by Ikeido Jun (池井戸潤).

Akira works as a lawyer. One day, he meets with Rie who was his client. She asks Akira to perform a background check on her late husband Daisuke. After Rie got a divorce, she raised her child alone and returned to her hometown. There, she met Daisuke and married him. She enjoyed a happy family life with Daisuke and their 2 children. Suddenly, Daisuke died in an accident. While she was grieving, Daisuke’s older brother Kyoichi visited his funeral. The two brothers had been estranged for many years. When Kyoichi saw Daisuke's picture, he stated that the person in the picture was not his brother.

Adapted from the novel "A Man" (ある男) by Hirano Keiichiro (平野啓一郎).

30-year-old Kakioka Tetsuro returns home for the first time in 10 years to save his family’s traditional inn Niji no Ya after he hears that his father has been hospitalized. But he is lost for words when he sees that it has completely changed. The dignity and service of the inn, which boasts a 100-year heritage, has totally vanished. It has transformed into a haunt where employees who are not easy to deal with linger around. There is Terakado Lucy Kazuko, a flamenco dancer who says a stream of offensive things; Kageshima Shunsaku, a germaphobe manager who hates hot springs; Asatsuki Momoyo, the head waitress who is a single mother devoted to her son Ringoro; Ringoro, a boyish employee who loves his mother and unicycle; Uno Kanata, a chef who has a UNO addiction; and Umekoshi Hifuji, an old-timer who has clung on to the inn for 40 years. Not knowing that such formidable enemies are waiting for him, Tetsuro is told to leave when he arrives at the inn. Despite his attempts to enter using various means, he bounces off the impregnable defences and breaks down crying at the entrance, and a mysterious big man shows up. Will Tetsuro be able to enter the inn and will the day come when the employees will accept him?

When Kosuke was 14 years old, his mother died. As a young gay person, he spent his adolescence in a rural village and suppressed his feelings. Now, Kosuke is all grown up and he works as a fashion magazine editor in Tokyo. He meets Ryuta, who works as a personal trainer. Ryuta's mother raised him alone and he is close to his mother. Kosuke and Ryuta become attracted to each other and they sometimes spend time with Ryuta's mother. Kosuke is happy to share time with Ryuta and his mother, which makes him remember his late mother. Kosuke and Ryuta make an appointment to go for a drive together, but, on that day, Ryuta does not show up.

Adapted from the autobiographical novel "Egoist" (エゴイスト) by Takayama Makoto (高山真).

Release dates: Oct 27, 2022 (Festival) || Feb 10, 2023 (Cinema)

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A story about a high school full of delinquents, and its elite class that has clones of famous warlords from Japan's Warring States period fighting it out.

When Kirisawa Shogo was a high school student, he was a brilliant amateur boxer. He won 4 boxing tournaments and he seemed to have a bright future in the sport. During his university student days, he quit the sport of boxing. Life went on for Kirisawa Shogo. But, after his beloved wife died, has life has now become a total mess. He doesn't have any hope or desire to live. He just spends his days working part-time jobs to make a living. One day, his friend asks him to coach the boxing team at the high school where they attended. Kirisawa Shogo accepts the coaching position. Being around the young boxers, who work extremely hard, Kirisawa Shogo begins to feel alive once again.

Shishikari is a remote island, which is behind the times. The island suffers from a decreasing population and declining industries. Keita Izumi (Tatsuya Fujiwara) begins to produce black fig on Shishikari Island. Because of his well received product, the island is close to receiving a 5 billion yen grant from the government, which is part of the goverment's policy to reinvigorate rural economy. The residents of the island are excited, but their peaceful days changes by the appearance of Mutsuo Komisaka. Keita Izumi and his friends Jun Tanabe (Kenichi Matsuyama) and Rookie Police Officer Shinichiro Moriya are suspicious about him. One night, Keita Izumi's daughter goes missing. Due to that, Keita Izumi, Jun Tanabe and Shinichiro Moriya happen to kill Mutsuo Komisaka. They decide to hide Mutsuo Komisaka’s murder to protect the future of the island and their families. It turns out Mutsuo Komisaka was a psycho killer. Police officers come to Shishikari Island to catch Mutsuo Komisaka.

Adapted from the manga series "Noise" (ノイズ) by Tsutsui Tetsuya (筒井哲也).

Toshizo Hijikata, the “Baragaki'” of Bushu Tama, heads to Kyoto with Isami Kondo, Souji Okita, and other comrades, with the dream of becoming a samurai in his heart. Under the auspices of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he formed the Shinsengumi, with Kamo Serizawa as its chief, to protect the city.

As vice-commander, Hijikata leads the organization with unparalleled skill and strict laws, and the Shinsengumi shows all-around success in suppressing the anti-shogunate forces. Hijikata had a fateful encounter with Oyuki and was attracted to each other, but the tide of the times is tilting towards overthrowing the curtain. The unknown love and battle of the men who burned their lives with swords now open the curtain.

Adapted from the novel "Moeyo Ken" by Ryotaro Shiba.

Aoba Ippei, a police officer in the Police Dog Section of the Forensics Division, and his police dog buddy, Oliver, take on a series of inexplicable cases. As they try to solve the cases, they find themselves in the midst of various conflicting incidents...

(Source: NHK)

Episodes: 3

Duration: 45 min.

Aired On: Friday

Kei Watanabe is a 5th grade elementary school student. He has inherited the hunter's blood to hunt yokai. To save the world from being destroyed, Kei Watanabe challenges a war against the yokai.

Megumi Soutome is a contract employee in the editorial department at a publishing company. She is invited by her colleagues to join them for a drink get-together, but Megumi Soutome declines their offer. She leaves quickly after work. The reason why she is in such a rush, is so she can have a "solo katasu." She enjoys solo activities like eating alone at restaurants, having her own party, and staying at love motels.

Kida and Makoto have been friends since childhood. Later they befriend Yocchi, the new transfer student. Neither of them have parents, so they spend time with each other daily, essentially growing up together. An incident occurs when they are twenty and that tears their world apart. Years later, both boys are employed in the criminal underworld, with Kida as a negotiator and Makoto as a trading company’s CEO. It has now taken them ten years to get revenge on the world that changed their fates, so many years ago.

Adapted from the novel "The End of the Tiny World" (名も無き世界のエンドロール) by Yukinari Kaoru (行成薫).

"Underdog" follows three boxers who are all underdogs. Suenaga Akira is a boxer, who struggles to succeed as a boxer. Omura Ryuta is a young boxer, who grew up in an orphanage. Miyagi Shun challenges a boxer, following the plans of a TV program.

In consequence of his professional mistakes and declining career, Shuji and his family, the Sasaya’s, are forced to leave the wealthy suburb of Tokyo. The move is slow, long and heartbreaking, and the two Sasaya children, an old teenager and a young adult, unwittingly turn the grieving process into an exuberant and unpredictable farewell party!

Naomi works for a small publishing company, located outside of a city. One day, her parents suddenly die. Due to her uncle’s arrangement, she lives in a high-rise apartment building in the city. She is surrounded by people who are close to her, but she suffers from loneliness due to her parents’ deaths. Naomi happens to meet popular actor Morinori, who lives in the same apartment building. They develop a romantic relationship.

Based on novel "Sora ni Sumu" by Masato Odake.

In 1994, a human skeleton is found in the mountain of Saitama. A shogi game piece is found with the skeleton. The shogi piece was made by a master craftsman. Veteran detective Takeshi and rookie detective Naoya begin to investigate the owner of the shogi piece.

Keisuke is a genius professional shogi player. While doing an interview with a shogi magazine, Keisuke recalls his childhood. In 1972, Keisuke was an elementary school student and he lived with his father. His father was violent and did not even give Keisuke a proper meal. Keisuke happened to meet Koichiro, who was a retired teacher. Koichiro was nice to Keisuke and, because of him, Keisuke became fascinated with the game of shogi.

Detective Takeshi and Detective Naoya go to see Keisuke. Is Keisuke the killer? Who is the dead person?

Himokura Tetsu is a scientist who specialises in the study of parasites. He loathes people and is very sadistic. Tetsu bought a huge botanical garden in Hakone which he converted into his home and lab. He holes up in the conservatory where he researches his favourite parasites. His right arm is fitted with a black robotic hand. However, it is not known how this artificial hand came about. He is an eccentric genius who solves a series of difficult cases with astounding scientific methods.

Hanazawa Kazuma has worked for the Crown Hotel Group, Japan’s leading hotel chain, for 25 years. He gets his long-coveted title of manager and triumphantly arrives at the hotel which he has been posted to. However, Hanzawa is welcomed by fierce-looking men and foreign workers. The hotel’s owner Kido Nakazo is a big-shot yakuza. Even the guests are yakuza. Then it hits Hanazawa; the hotel is being run by Nakazo’s henchmen as a hotel that caters to the needs of yakuza who are not generally welcomed by hotels for group events, and they are unable to enjoy the large communal baths along with other people due to the attention their tattoos attract. In fact, people call this place “Prison Hotel”.

Nagatsu Ryoko, who belongs to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, is found dead in the mountain. One month ago, she discovered a Buddha statue at a mountain shrine. Her death seems accidental, caused by Ryoko slipping, but Itomura Satoshi determines that her death was not accidental.

Transport company president Akamatsu doubts that poor maintenance a trailer truck's wheel-separation accident and asks customer strategy head Sawada at manufacturer Hope Cars to investigate. Meanwhile, Izaki at Hope Bank's head branch sales division has doubts about Hope Car's business plans and embarks on an independent investigation. They both discover that this corporate powerhouse has been hiding vehicle recalls.

Minato Shindo has savant syndrome. His memory is amazing, but he has difficulty communicating with other people.

When Minato Shindo was little, he dreamed of becoming a doctor. He met Doctor Akira Shiga and he wanted to become a paediatric surgeon. Akira Shiga was surprised by the 7-year-old's memory of the human organs and he decided to support Minato Shindo in achieving his dream. Eventually, Minato Shindo graduated from medical school and passed the national exam for medical practitioners.

Now, Akira Shiga works as a director at a large hospital. He suggests to Minato Shindo to work in the pediatric surgery department at the hospital where he works.

Kuki Fumihiro is a son from a wealthy zaibatsu (conglomerate) family. His father raises him to become pure evil. Kuki kills his father to protect his adopted sister Kaori.

Afterward, Kuki disappears. He undergoes plastic surgery and takes the identity of Koichi Shintani. He watches Kaori and faces the great evil that exists within the Kuki family.

Saigo Takamori, the hero of the Meiji Restoration, was born to a poor, low-ranking samurai family in the Satsuma domain (present day Kagoshima Prefecture). His simple honesty caught the attention of its charismatic feudal lord of Satsuma, Shimazu Nariakira. Nariakira’s assertion that the love of people is what will enrich and strengthen the nation captivated Saigo who took on Nariakira’s secret mission and eventually became a key person for Satsuma. Not a portrait of him survives today and much of his life is a mystery. He is a man who was twice exiled and thrice married. He overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate with exceptional bravery and action. Although he accomplished the restoration, he lost his life in a fight with the new Meiji government.

Based on the novel "Sego Don" by Hayashi Mariko.

When a worldwide electrical outage occurs, everything that requires electricity comes to a stop. Yoshiyuki Suzuki decides to escape with his family from Tokyo, that is nearly ruined.

Four years after her journey with Chagum ended, Balsa has become an outlaw. Concealing herself in the kingdom of Rota to the west of the New Yogo Empire, she continues to be a bodyguard. One day, Balsa saves a young girl Asura who has the ability to summon Taru Hamaya, the god of devastation. Spies of the royal family are mobilised in an attempt to eliminate her. Meanwhile, in the New Yogo Empire, Chagum who is now the crown prince, has set out on a sea voyage. The Trush Empire to the south is trying to invade the north and wages war against the seafaring kingdom of Sangal as a beachhead. Chagum leads reinforcements, but this is the emperor’s ploy to expel the crown prince. Sangal falls into the hands of the Trush Empire and Chagum ends up becoming a captive.

Adapted from the novels by Uehashi Nahoko, Kami no Moribito and Sōro no Tabibito, the 5th and 6th books in her Moribito series.

Mizuki’s husband Yusuke went missing for 3 years. He suddenly comes back home one day and asks Mizuki to go on a trip with him. Their trip consists of visiting the people that helped Yusuke on his previous travel. While...

After Sugihara Oto’s mother passed away when she was young, she was raised by adoptive parents in the Hokkaido countryside. Although she gave up having dreams, she lives cheerfully and bravely. But she is troubled by her adoptive parents attempts to force her into a marriage with a wealthy man 20 years her senior to save the family from poverty. Soda Ren lost his parents early and was brought up in the great outdoors in Fukushima by his grandfather. However, his grandfather gets swindled and Ren leaves for Tokyo in order to earn money to recover the farmland. He dreams that he will be able to live with his grandfather some day, but reality is harsh. By coincidence, Oto heads to Tokyo too. This is the story of love and growth of six young people from the rural areas who gather in Tokyo.

Pharmaceutical student, Keiko witnesses her boyfriend having an affair. Shocked and disappointed, she jumps on a train ("destination anywhere, east or west, she don't care") and ends up in a town named Masao in Tokyo's remote suburbs. There, she gets a part-time job at a newly opened drugstore. What do ya know.. The local shopping district's middle-aged men all fall for the young girl's charms, and they start practicing lacrosse once they have found out that that's her favourite sport.

Atsushi was a dedicated and serious worker for all of his adult life. Now retired to the northern territory of Hokkaido with his wife Ryoko, Atsushi is at a loss with what to do with all the time on his hands. As Atsushi busies himself with erecting a stone gate to surround their new home, a local lad is recruited to help, the couple's reconciling daughter comes to visit and Ryoko holds a secret close to her bosom.

On April 5, 2007, a couple married in a church. At first glance, it was a typical wedding. The bride, however, was suffering from late-stage breast cancer and had been given only a month to live.

Sister Ann - a British Royal Air Force transport plane is forced to land near the tiny village of Takachi on Sado Island (in Japan) due to bad weather. It has been only 5 months since the end of World War II between both countries, so the islanders are scared and have variety of mixed feelings in their mind due to the landing of their former enemy plane. Yet everyone (especially the Mayor and the Police Chief), decides to follow and set a new future (filled with peace and hope) for the upcoming generation by providing the unknown guests with food, staying facility (at their inn) and helping them to fly again with utmost friendliness, respect and hospitality. -- Written by The Simple Boy

This 1992 Japanese film tells the story of a scientist who sets out to create the new "super Adam and Eve", humans who cannot be controlled by their emotions. Of course, the end result it not exactly what the good doctor expects.

The bedding shop that Terashima Yoshitaro (Emoto Akira) runs counters the flashy bargain sale of a large store with quality service. It steadily boosts sales. This is all thanks to Terashima whose only purpose in life is stashing money away. Even his wife, Mitsu (Watanabe Eri), is disgrunted with his stinginess, but carries out her duties as an obedient wife. One day, an attractive young female customer called Sugita Rieko (Ono Machiko) comes to Terashima’s shop. It is love at first sight for him. He ends up handing her the bed sheets that she wants with the words, “Pay next time.” As a result of his visit to Rieko’s apartment, their relationship deepens rapidly. Rieko goes to the salon where she works. On the way back, the two of them drink and have sex. However, as Rieko puts her body in Terashima’s hands, she is reminded of her late mother, Takako (Fueki Yuko). Her mother had been in the arms of a string of men in the small port town that was Rieko’s hometown. Although the young Rieko loathed her mother for being that way, she has been involved with men like her mother and obtained money after coming to Tokyo. This time, it is Terashima who is before her …One year later, Terashima only has aptitude for work and is a completely changed man. He neglected his business while the money he had saved has vanished in support of Rieko. Mitsu complains to him, but he holds his passbook, which no longer has any money, in his hand and declares, “What I do is my business!” At that moment, Rieko’s attention is captured by a newspaper article. It is about her first love, Kawazoe Naoki (Ozawa Yukiyoshi), who has become a university’s associate professor. Her love with Naoki had vanished like a bubble due to her mother. However, the sight of his face brings an unusual peace of mind to Rieko who has lived alone ever since she came to Tokyo. Despite the “dark past” between Rieko and Naoki that cannot be erased, Rieko has deliberately disassociated. Wanting to see Naoki, she shows up in front of him. This sudden reunion renders him momentarily speechless. Rieko regains her love for Naoki. However, Terashima is sensitive to the subtle emotional change. A hell that none of the three had imagined is about to descend upon them.

Sawa Yamagishi worked as a nursing-care helper. The family of an old man asked Sawa to sleep with him, which led her to eventually lose her job and house. Now, she has nowhere to go. Sawa finds elderly people in trouble and gets involved in their lives. Meeting them, their lives change and Sawa's own wounds start to heal.

The beautiful mystery buff Umizuki Chinami and career elite has been assigned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division as a rookie detective. However, on her first day of work, she is told that she is not in their future plans. Chinami ends up partnered with the handsome detective Shitara Kyosuke who has a black belt in karate. The First Investigative Division’s ace, Kyosuke had a promising future until he winds up having the blundering Chinami as his partner. Even though the two of them are scolded by veteran detectives and made to feel like a burden, this curious duo confront and solve difficult cases, and save Japan. ~~ Based on original work 'Senryokugai Sousakan Hime Deka Umizuki Chinami' by Nitadori Kei.

Based on the same-titled novel, the drama is set in the year 1964, the year the Olympics were held in Tokyo. A nation trying to rebuild its economy post world war II, Japan was eager to show the world what it had to offer. Amidst all the excitement and enthusiasm, two fires had broken out consecutively; at the private residence of the Chief of Police, Suga Shuichiro, and then at the Nakano Police Academy. However, both incidents were hushed up, and even Detective Ochiai Masao, from Division One MPD (Metropolitan Police Department) had to find out about it from his fellow colleague. Ochiai was puzzled as to why no investigations were being carried out and it soon came to light that prior to the first fire at the Chief's home, a threatening letter had been sent to the MPD. In view of the upcoming Olympics, everyone at the MPD were feeling jittery over the letter and the arson, and thus a team was set up to ensure the safety of the public during the event. Ochiai and his team mates were to carry out the investigation secretly. Information came to Ochiai, that some 25 tubes of dynamite were stolen from a gunpowder factory. While questioning the owner, Ochiai was introduced to Shimazaki Kunio, a poor student from Akita prefecture, attending Tokyo University and working part-time there. Suspecting him of the crime, Ochiai started digging around into Shimazaki's life and was surprised to find out that his own sister, Yumi, was actually dating Shimazaki!

The drama is based on the best-selling same-titled novel by Shigematsu Kiyoshi. It tells the story of how a widower brought up his only son, after the death of his beloved wife. Ichikawa Yasuo, or Yasu as he is known, is a baka, with no paper qualifications to his name. However, like all normal parents, he dotes on his only son, Akira. Having grown up without his parents around, Yasu himself knows next to nothing of what parenting is about. With his wife, Misako, by his side, he had spent many happy days together with his little family.

However, when Akira was 3 years old, Misako passed away suddenly from an accident. Heart-broken, and filled with regrets, Yasu pulled himself together, in order to care for his little son. Together with the help of his friends, Yasu overcame it all, and Akira grew up to be a bright and successful young man.

"With nothing but love for his son... that's all there is"

Yamazaki Tetsuro (Oizumi Yo), an elite salaryman with Yotsui Corporation, returns to his hometown of Midorihara for the first time in years when his childhood friend, Kumazawa Kenji (Hirayama Koji), invites him to the class reunion. However, he can hardly recognise the Midorihara that he arrives at. The local town is experiencing a cash crunch. Tetsuro is asked by Kenji and others to rebuild Midorihara. He makes up his mind, resigns from his company and assumes the post of Midorihara’s mayor. Midorihara continued to inject money into financially unviable public work projects since the bubble era and now in debt to the tune of 15 billion yen. Tetsuro’s plan to save the town is to build a theme park for the elderly. It is an unprecedented proposal that Kamata Takezo (Emoto Akira), a senior town councilor, challenges. Tetsuro plunges ahead with transforming Midorihara into a ‘Platina Town’ where the elderly can live as they like, even as he faces a whirl of ulterior motives from proponents and opponents of the plan.

In the late 1930's (Show Period 14), two sides in Japan are conflicted between joining Germany and Italy in a military alliance. At this time, Isoroku Yamamoto, who strongly opposed the alliance, is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet. The following year, on September 27, Japan, Germany and Italy form the Axis alliance.

Isoroku Yamamoto leads the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack's main purpose is to gain an early peace settlement. The surprise military strike appeared successful and caused massive damage, but US aircraft carriers were not damaged in the assault. After the attack, the Axis alliance initially saw advances without any defeats.

By April 18, 1942 (Show Period 17), formations of U.S. B-25B bombers, flown from an U.S. aircraft carrier, attacked the Japanese mainland for the first time. The Japanese military responded by carrying out their Midway operation, but the mission failed, and the Japanese military lost 4 aircraft carriers.

The U.S. army were encouraged by their victory at Midway and proceeded to carry out a landing operation on Guadalcanal. The Japanese and U.S. military fought fiercely. Besides the toll from fighting the U.S. military, the Japanese military suffered from starvation, dehydration and diseases while on Guadalcanal. The Japanese military were nearing collapse on Guadalcanal before Isoroku Yamamoto gave the order to withdraw to save more lives.

After the completion of the withdrawal from Guadalcanal, Isoroku Yamamoto flew on an airplane to make moral boosting visits to soldiers on the front line. His plane would be intercepted by the U.S. military.

The plot revolves around a young man named Nagashima Kyohei who has felt emotionally detached due to a traumatic incident in his high school days. However, when he takes a job sorting through the personal belongings of the deceased, he's forced to face the concept of life and death. He eventually develops a relationship with a co-worker named Yuki Kubota, which allows him to open up a little more, but he soon discovers she has a dark past of her own.

~~Adapted from the novel by singer and writer Sada Masashi.

Bem, Bella and Bello are ugly monsters that are neither human nor animals, but they are peace-loving, righteous heroes who feel compelled to help humans in trouble. Because they are monsters, they are feared and detested by humans, and on top of that, pursued by the police. However, a friendship develops between them and a detective by mere accident. Through their contact with humans, Bem, Bella and Bello's earnest wish to become human grow increasingly stronger. They battle evil for the sake of mankind, in the belief that they will be able to become humans one day.

The 45th NHK Taiga Drama is Komyo ga Tsuji.

Kazutoyo lived during the end of the Sengoku period (1546-1605). He was the first feudal lord of the fief of Tosa on the island of Shikoku. He served Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Chiyo (1557-1617) was his wife, and was known in history for her dedication and devotion to her husband (like Matsu was to Toshiie in Toshiie to Matsu). She is the daughter of a samurai who served the feudal lord Asai.

Yokai are major figures of Japanese folklore, spirits that occupy virtually everything in the world around us. Some, such as the turtle-like Kappa, are relatively well known, but there are hundreds of others, maybe even thousands. They are the spiritual element of everything in the world around us, and as such they deserve to be treated with respect. But humanity isn't much good at respect. We consume, destroy, wear out and discard with no thought to anything but ourselves, a situation very distressing to the yokai, so distressing that the villainous Kato - accompanied by his deadly assistant Agi, played by Battle Royale and Kill Bill's Chiaki Kuriyama - has concocted an extreme response. Kato is gathering up yokai of all sorts, preying upon the harmless and the weak, and forcibly fusing them with discarded metallic junk to create vicious killing machines that he plans to unleash on humanity. And who must stop Kato's evil plot? Young Tadashi, a pre-teen boy gone to live in the country following his parents' divorce. Tadashi is crowned the Kirin Rider at a local festival, a title everyone assumes is honourary until it turns out no, it falls to Tadashi to travel to find the Great Goblin and retrieve the magical sword that is the only hope of defeating Kato.

Grade-school teacher Shinichi just can't get any respect. His wife treats him like a nuisance, his daughter ignores his every word, his coworkers think he's pitiful. His students regard him as a bore and an imbecile, and mercilessly bully his son, who wants nothing to do with him as a result. The only place Shinichi can find any confidence and self-esteem is alone in his room, where he's secretly sewn together a costume. It's a perfect replica of the suit worn by Zebraman, the hero of a third-rate 1970s superhero show that nobody remembers except Shinichi -- and much to his joy, the new, wheelchair-bound student at his school.

At the same time, strange things are occurring throughout the area. The citizens are nervous, and the military has dispatched agents to uncover - or perhaps cover up -- the source of the danger. Shinichi's urge to sneak out and prowl in his costume, to feel what a hero feels when guarding the night from evil, soon has him dragged into an increasingly bizarre mystery.

A young woman's husband apparently commits suicide without warning or reason, leaving behind his wife and infant. Yumiko remarries and moves from Osaka to a small fishing village, yet continues to search for meaning in a lonely world.

A hilarious comedy about Shuhei Yamamoto, a college student, who must join the school's sumo team in order to graduate

The life story of Ashikaga Takauji, the founder and the first Sei-I-Tai-Shogun of Ashikaga Shogunate. He was born in the late Kamakura Period, during the time of discontentment with the Hojo clan's monopoly in the Shogunate administration. Emperor Go-Daigo took this opportunity to restore back Emperor's power. After some failed earlier attempts, he succeeded eventually with the help of a few independent Samurai Lords and Takauji's betrayal of the Hojo clan. However, it was not long before the Samurai class revolted due to unfair treatment and discontentment with the Nobles' domination in the new government. As the head of Minamoto descendants, Takauji took responsibility to confront Go-Daigo and establish Ashikaga Shogunate.

Adapted from the novel "Shihon Taiheiki" by Yoshikawa Eiji.