Asian Drama

The 77th NHK Asadora is Chiritotechin. Location includes Fukui prefecture. This renzoku is about Wada Kiyomi (referred to as Kiyomi-B), a girl brought up in Fukui who moves to Osaka in search of her soul. In Osaka, Kiyomi-B becomes enchanted with rakugo, a Japanese traditional form of comic storytelling, and pursues a career in rakugo. In the summer of 1982, Kiyomi-B and her family move to Obama of Fukui, her father's hometown. Kiyomi-B's grandmother and uncle welcome the family, but Shotaro the grandfather does not allow Masanori to take over the Wakasa lacquer chopsticks making. One day, Kiyomi-B listens to rakugo at Shotaro's factory and becomes fond of it. Shotaro and Kiyomi-B become close through rakugo.

Ayamecho Complex is a public housing complex that was built in the suburbs of Tokyo in the 1970s. Back then, it was a lively place and a desirable address for people. But now the number of residents have declined and both the building and people have steadily aged. One day, 62-year-old Terauchi Seiji and his 6-year-old granddaughter Honoka move to Ayamecho Complex. Terauchi tells residents curious to know why he has relocated here now, that he adopted Honoka after his son and daughter-in-law died in a fire a year ago. He believes it will be good for her to live in the place where he spent a happy childhood. Terauchi’s elderly father Hitoshi also lives with him. The arrival of the family of three stirs the stagnant air of the complex. Terauchi immediately visits housewife Sakurai Eriko and her husband Takashi who live next to him, to give his greetings and enthusiastically declares, “We’re starting a new chapter of our lives in this “dream new town” from today”. He politely goes around to every unit in the complex and even proactively shows up at a gathering of the residents association where he seeks interactions within the place. However, it does not work out as intended with an unmotivated chairman, Kaneda Teppei, and residents who show no regard for rules and greetings. Terauchi gets into action in an attempt to steer Ayamecho Complex back to the good old times for the sake of his granddaughter. However, is he a savior who will save the public housing complex? Or is he a devil?

Hatoko (Mikako Tabe) goes back to her hometown of Kamakura for the first time in 8 years. She has inherited her grandmother's store "Tsubaki Stationery Store." The store actually functions to write beautiful letters on behalf of its clients. At first, Hatoko, being new to the business, seems like a rookie, but she begins to display her talent for writing letters. She gets more requests.

Yuri Ishikawa and her team try to crack unresolved cold cases in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

The Japanese version of Warner Bros ‘Cold Case'.

The 95th NHK Asadora is about Sumire, a girl born in the uptown of Kobe in the early Showa period. In the wake of wartime devastation, she works hard toward making children's clothes for a living, and later establishes a first-ever children's goods store in Japan. -- NHK

Mai used to live in a messy room, but now has an obsession with decluttering. She wants to live a "Nannimo Nai" Lifestyle. However, when friends visit, they are shocked by her extreme lack of belongings. Her habits also conflict with her mother, Fumi, and her grandmother, Hatsuko, who prefer not to throw anything away. Mai finds emotional support from her husband, Tsutomu, and two cats as she examines the relationship between her possessions and her life.

Based on the manga with the same name Yururi Mai.

Episodes: 6

Serizawa Hitomi works in the apartments development team of a prestigious real estate company, and is holding her own in a department that is predominantly male. She was raised singlehandedly by her father, Kensuke, after her mother, Kashiwada Kanako abandoned them 28 years ago. Currently engaged to be married to Dr. Sonoda Yuichi, she is looking forward to her wedding and her new life ahead.

100 days prior to her wedding, Hitomi is told that she has a tumor in her brain, and her chances of survival is indeterminate. Upon hearing the news, Yuichi is hesitant about going forward with the wedding, especially since his mother, Kyoko, objects to the wedding in the first place due to the two families difference in status. At the same time, Hitomi's mother, Kanako, suddenly appears in her life again. Kanako had heard of Hitomi's impending nuptials and decides to return to Japan as she is fully confident that her daughter will welcome her to her wedding. Kanako is a free-spirited unconventional woman, and she thinks nothing of bullying her daughter to fight for her life and her man...

After a car accident kills both her parents, 16-year-old Ayumi (Fukada) and her brother are adopted by their aunt and uncle respectively. Their nightmares begin after they move in with the two families. Ayumi is forced to quit school and work in Water Inn, which is owned by her aunt's husband, who seems to be filled with hatred for Ayumi. In the inn, Ayumi is surrounded by people who seems to either hate her or dislike her. Her only friend is Ri (Chen) who is an illegal foreign worker. When she runs into troubles, she has 3 guardian angels who takes turn to help her: her aunt, Ri, and Sasaoka Yuzuru, the son of a politician and who has a promising future. Yuzuru's interest in her, however, incurs the jealousy of her cousin and the wrath of her uncle who loves his own daughter Yuriko (Nakamura) very much. In the meanwhile, she also has to find ways to bring her brother under her own protection, after she finds out that the Aomori family does not welcome him at all... --Le Chateau de Jo

At the time Tokugawa Ieyasu won the battle of Sekigahara, the Uesugis had their vast 1,200,000 koku holdings in Aizu drastically curtailed to 300,000 koku in Yonezawa, Dewa Province. Great numbers give up on the future and leave Yonezawa. In the midst of this, Maeda Keiji remains in this place and chooses to live with people facing difficulties. Over 60, he lives in a shabby, secluded hut and contemplates the “right time”. On the other hand, his son, Shinkuro, objects to Keiji being fond of drinking and absorbed in the cultural pursuits such as poetry, painting and calligraphy, and nothing like the brave general he is famed to be. However, Keiji “performs” when it comes to the crunch. Although he has considered retirement, he is willing to sacrifice himself in order to protect the Uesugis. Shinkuro is gradually fascinated by his broad-mindedness and his way of life.

Tono Risa is a gifted writer in her 30s. She has already made a name for herself, but actually feels that she is at the end of the road. At that moment, Kawahara Yuki, a young woman in her 20s who has come to Tokyo with the dream of becoming a novelist, appears in front of her. Tired of her title as a genius and unable to confide in anyone that she has exhausted her own ability, Risa entrusts Yuki with being her ghost writer. Risa gets distressed about pretending to be someone she is not in the shadows of her glittering career, but continues to act the way the people think of her. The talented Yuki finds the admiration she should have for Risa gradually transform into bitter animosity. Oda Hayato, a rookie editor, is the first person to discover Yuki’s talent, and become the one who understands her the most. He struggles in his attempt to make Yuki stop being Risa’s ghost writer and debut as an novelist.

Story depicts follows a family who runs a winery.

Ao (Yo Oizumi) and Roku (Shota Sometani) are brothers. In the past, Ao abandoned his family to pursue his dream, but his dream was lost. He then returned to his hometown. Now, Ao runs a winery at a grape farm and wheat field, which was left behind by his father. Ao devotes himself to making wine. His younger brother Roku, who holds mixed feelings, supports Ao.

Muto (Jun Kunimura) and Ikegami (Shinichi Tsutsumi) are two gangsters who hate each other, but Ikegami is in love with Muto's actress daughter Michiko (Fumi Nikaido). Meanwhile, Muto attempts to make his wife Shizue's (Tomochika) dream come true which is to have their daughter appear in a movie.

Koji (Gen Hoshino), who is just a passerby, is mistaken for a movie director. Koji then requests to independent film director Hirata (Hiroki Hasegawa) to cast Michiko as the leading actress in his film. Their situation soon goes completely wrong.

1. Screenplay for "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" was first written by Sion Sono 15 years ago as an action film.

The film revolves around two men, Mutoh and Ikegami, who are fierce enemies who feel nothing but hatred for one another. However, Ikegami unexpectedly falls in love with Mutoh’s daughter, aspiring actress Mitsuko.

Mutoh wants to celebrate the release of his wife Shizue from prison by giving their daughter her debut, so he decides to produce his own movie specifically to that end.

Soon, a movie buff named Koji is hired to direct after being mistaken for a filmmaker and an actual indie film director named Hirata is recruited to help.

Complicating matters even further, Ikegami soon injects himself into the chaos of his hated rival’s production.

Kyonosuke Kawamura is the successor to the prestigious Kishima family. He performs as a kabuki stage actor. One day, as he is leaving the theater, Kyonosuke Kawamura hears cheers from girls who are waiting for him. There, Ayame Chiba, who also attends the same high school, approaches him and shouts out "that is not Kagamijishi and I want my money back!"

Due to excessive expectation as the successor of the Kishima family, Kyonosuke becomes sick and tired of kabuki. He plays with best friend Haruhiko Sakamoto and female fans until late into the night. When he arrives back home, his father Yozaemon, who is a master in kabuki, scolds him. An argument ensues. Yozaemon has never acknowledged Kyonosuke's efforts. That is a big reason why Kyonosuke has become estranged from kabuki. He also can't forgive his father for always placing kabuki as his first priority. His father did not show up when his mother became gravely ill and died.

Kyonosuke then meets Ayame at school. She again complains about his performance. Kyonosuke also learns that Ayame has a favorite actor. He's embarrassed by her complaints. For his next performance, Kyonosuke shows up practice, but he is chewed out by his instructor Matsukichi. Others, including Shohei Sawayama, watch this and make fun of Kyonosuke behind his back. Kyonosuke also hears from his rival Ichiya Sawayama that he was shocked at his performance. Kyonosuke feels numb.

Based on the manga series "Pin to Kona" by Ako Shimaki (first published November 2009 by Monthly Cheese!)

Sawatari Goro now works at Akado High School as a vice principal. Although the head director of the school board speficically orders him to handle the problematic class 3-D, the students are just too much for him. So Sawatari goes far away to a southern island to search for Yankumi, and convince her to work for Akado. Yankumi accepts the offer, only to find that her class (again) is full of punks, where two rival groups of students are always at each other's throats. Will Yankumi's strong belief in students and teaching work this time?

Seiji Iwahashi, a member of the Enoki-ya gang. He was recently released early from a 10-year prison sentence for killing the boss of rival Kan’non-gumi. However, he returns to find Kan’non-gumi and Enoki-ya finalizing the process of merging under the careful orchestration of a manipulative politician.

Iwahashi tries to be as supportive of the new changes as possible, even when he’s passed over as new boss, but when a pattern of corruption and assassination is slowly revealed he can no longer sit back and let it continue.