Asian Drama

Aspiring university student Aiba Takashi is studying in order to try again for the university examination. One midday time seems to stand still for everyone and everything around him. Moreover, this phenomenon repeats daily. Yet, he is not the only one who is aware of the situation. There is an explanation and there is someone who holds the key to that explanation. Aiba Takashi failed to get into a university and studies to take his entrance exam again, while he isn't really interested in anything particular. One day, at 12:15 PM, time seems to stand still for everyone and everything around him for a whole 1 hour. Takashi then encounters a golden-brown eyed girl, Shinomiya Tokine, who can also move when everything else is stopped. Since then, at 12:15 PM every day, everything stops for 1 hour. During this "loss time", in a world where only two people move, the distance gradually decreases and so as his feelings for her grow.

But Tokine seems to have a big secret, related to this magical phenomenon, and Doctor Issey Asami holds an important key to it.

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.

Tsutomu Madara (Kento Nakajima) is a rookie detective at the #3 investigation section of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. The #3 investigation section deals with minor crimes like theft. Tsutomu Madara loses enthusiasm for his job. One day, Tsutomu Madara meets master thief Garasu Kemuri (Kenichi Endo). Tsutomu Madara does not know why, but Garasu Kemuri helps him solve cases.

Kazuhiko Hoshino (Kengo Kora) will soon take a bus ride. Before taking the bus ride, he meets his five girlfriends one by one and says goodbye to them. Kazuhiko Hoshino dated the five women at the same time. Mayumi (Yuu Shirota) is large woman. She follows him as a observer and makes Kazuhiko Hoshino get on the bus.

Onuki Hajime was a thief, but he now works as a welder and lives happily with his girlfriend. Hajime Onuki is threatened by a former partner in crime. He forces Onuki Hajime to break into the mansion of a picture book writer to steal. He is caught by others while in the act, but they keep mistaking him for someone else. Hajime desperately keeps up the ruse to not get caught.

~~ Based on the play “Dorobou Yakusha” which was written and directed by Masafumi Nishida. The play was performed in 2006.

Matsumura Ryouko is a popular novelist in her 50s who has just found out that she has Alzheimer’s disease. In order to gain some fulfilment in her life, she decides to be a guest lecturer at a university. Through one of her students, she meets a South Korean exchange student, So Chan Hae. As they become closer, they fall in love.

In 1921, Kenji Miyazawa (Ryohei Suzuki) left a wealthy family and went to Tokyo. Standing on his own two feet, he lived there for 8 months. Late summer, Kenji received a telegram from his family. Worried about his younger sister Toshi, Kenji returned to his family. What waited for Kenji there, was Kenji's father Masajiro. His father had deceived Kenji about the health of his younger sister, because he was worried about Kenji living alone. Meanwhile, Kenji has still not found his true calling in life. Kenji makes korokke (potato croquettes), which he tasted in Tokyo, and shares it with his family. He realizes that sharing his happiness is ideal for him. In accordance with Toshi's wish, Kenji becomes a teacher at a newly created agricultural school.

In 1921, Kenji Miyazawa (Ryohei Suzuki) left a wealthy family and went to Tokyo. Standing on his own two feet, he lived there for 8 months. Late summer, Kenji received a telegram from his family. Worried about his younger sister Toshi, Kenji returned to his family. What waited for Kenji there, was Kenji's father Masajiro. His father had deceived Kenji about the health of his younger sister, because he was worried about Kenji living alone. Meanwhile, Kenji has still not found his true calling in life. Kenji makes korokke (potato croquettes), which he tasted in Tokyo, and shares it with his family. He realizes that sharing his happiness is ideal for him. In accordance with Toshi's wish, Kenji becomes a teacher at a newly created agricultural school.

Dr. Tameyori Eisuke has a gift. He is able to tell from one look at the patient, what is the underlying cause of their illness. Since the death of his wife, he finds it inhumane to try selling cures to the terminally ill for it is just a waste of their money. He left the major hospitals to open his own little clinic in a cozy little corner of a residential area. His gift does not only allow him to see through the patients' illnesses, it also allows him to tell when someone is about to commit a crime (he can read their aura). It is for this that Detective Hayase Junichiro always approaches him to help him solve his cases. Although Eisuke is not keen to do it, he still helps out as he is a kind person who cannot turn down a plea for help. --by Fuji TV

Shizuru (Mariko Goto) is a mysterious woman who only thinks about eating. People, who have various worries, meet Shizuru and their worries are solved by eating together, even though she does not actually give them advice.

Tokuzo Akiyama is a young man from a rural area who is married with a child along the way. One day, he eats a delicious breaded cutlet which inspires him to strive to become a chef, specializing in Parisian cuisine. He travels to Tokyo, then Paris, France to learn the culinary arts. Despite facing discrimination and prejudice, he becomes a chef at the Hotel Ritz in Paris. At the age of 26, he becomes the Emperor of Japan’s personal chef.

Haruna Tsubame, an inconspicuous high school girl, is always sensitive to people’s moods and keeps the peace in school. One day, she gets pushed to become the president of the student council by the people around her. Tsubame's encounter with a man who is a genius speechwriter, leads to a revolution in school. She struggles to change a school full of irrationality and dissatisfaction with the power of words.

With her husband rarely home because of work, Saitou Masako raises her kindergarten son by herself. With a strong sense of what's right, she is never afraid to confront people who violate the rules of society. While her righteousness makes her a heroine among the kindergarteners, their mothers have learned to keep their distance from all the trouble Saitou brings with her. Mano Wakaba, a soft-spoken mother who had problems with her son turning violent at his previous school, soon moves into the neighborhood. Eager to get along with the other mothers at the kindergarten, Mano does her best to please, and pushes her son Takeru to do the same, even if it puts her at odds with Saitou. When Takeru gets burned by a smoker whose cigarette brushes his face, Mano is content to let it go, but Saitou steps in to confront the man, asking for an apology. When the man stubbornly refuses, a scuffle ensues and the man runs away. When the bystanders watching begin clapping their hands, Mano is left in awe. As circumstances push her and Saitou together, Mano must choose between bending over to please the other mothers or joining Saitou and facing alienation.

Aoi Nishimori's (Ayame Gouriki) parents moved to another city for work, but Aoi didn't want to transfer to a new high school. She stays behind and lives in an apartment by herself. Shusei Kugayama (Kento Yamazaki) moves in next to Aoi's apartment. Shusei is a very popular student at their high school. Due to a mistake, Aoi makes the sprinkler go off in his room. Until Shusei's room is fixed, he stays with Aoi. Notes Based on manga series "L•DK" by Ayu Watanabe (published in Monthly Bessatsu Friend from March, 2009 up to now). Filming began July 18, 2013 at amusement park "Yokohama Cosmoworld" in Kanagawa, Japan

Drama version of the live action movie Kinkyori Renai based off the manga Kinkyori Renai by Mikimoto Lin. In high school, Sakurai Haruka, Mirei and Kanata are good friends whom everyone envies. The three of them believed their relationship would remain like this forever. Then Haruka’s stepsister Ririko suddenly returns from overseas. After several years away, she has become beautiful to the extent that classmates call her “goddess”. Although Haruka has often built walls around other people, Ririko deliberately gets close to him. One night, she barges in all of a sudden and starts to cry against his chest. “I have no where to go. You’ll let me stay here, right?” Haruka is baffled by his pushy stepsister, Mirei secretly loves Haruka and Kanata has become aware of Mirei. The distance between Haruka, Mirei and Kanata who had taken it for granted that they would always be close, starts to change little by little.

Based on the manga "Fuan no Tane" by Masaaki Nakayama (published July 6, 2007 by Akita Publishing Co., Ltd.). Somewhere in a city, strange phenomenons take place in succession after a motorbike accident. Yoko (Anna Ishibashi) is a girl who can see see strange things in her daily life. 

Patients are brought in one after the other. Being put in an environment where there is a race against time to save lives, all they can do is stand there doing nothing. Though they still have a lot to grow as a doctor and as individuals, will they be able to overcome adversity and one day be able to proudly identify themselves as being a doctor? --TBS

A group of university students who belong to the same tennis club, Shino Yuta, Sakurada Miki, Sasaki Rinka, Takano Natsu, Fueki Mana, Tachibana Satsuki and Sakurada Wataru, go on a graduation trip to a cottage in the mountains in winter. Although the seven members seem to be good friends, each of them actually has secrets which they cannot tell anyone about; hidden feelings of love and jealousy. Yuta, the cool and brilliant president of the club, is attracted to the sociable and trusting Miki, and intends to tell her about his feelings on this trip, but things do not work out the way he wants. Miki is dating Yuta’s good friend, the free-spirited Natsu and is so into him that she is blind to her surroundings. The seven friends have conflicting positions and when love starts to go down the tubes, a murder occurs like a bolt from the blue. Amid the fear and doubt, hidden emotions begin to come into the open through exchanges which probe each other’s intentions.

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!

Japan has rarely been as politically active as it was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when students took to the streets and formed militias like the Red Army to push for a Communist revolution. Now, director Yamashita Nobuhiro and his frequent screenwriter Mukai Kosuke (Linda Linda Linda, The Matsugane Potshot Affair) explore that period via Kawamoto Saburo's pseudo-autobiographical novel My Back Page. Tsumabuki Satoshi (Villains) stars as an idealistic journalist who gets caught up in the radical student movement when he meets a dangerous activist, played by Matsuyama Kenichi. Based on a real 1971 murder of a Self Defense Force officer, My Back Page is a gripping thriller about one of the most important eras in contemporary Japanese history.

Tokyo, 1968. Tokyo University graduate Sawada (Tsumabuki Satoshi) is eager to become a reporter and begins working at a left-wing newspaper. Intrigued by the political movements happening in universities across Japan, he begins covering the demonstrations as an interested observer. In the process, he meets well-known radical activist Umeyama (Matsuyama Kenichi), whom Sawada believes can give him the story he needs to get ahead. However, the harder police cracks down on the movement, the more recklessly dangerous Umeyama becomes in order to hang on to it. Soon, Sawada discovers that the student revolution isn't as noble as it appears to be.

While researching a story on a school for problem children, Nakahara meets Emi, a college volunteer with a compelling tale of her own. After overcoming her initial reluctance to open up to the writer, Emi talks about her busted leg and her childhood friendship with the chronically ill Yuka. Hiroki steps away from the mature material he's best known for (Vibrator), but focuses the same empathetic gaze on a group of people who don't conform in a perfection-obsessed society and the bonds formed in it.