Asian Drama

Adapted from the manga "Ao Haru Ride" (アオハライド) by Sakisaka Io (咲坂伊緒).

Episodes: 6

Duration: 25 min.

Airs On: Friday

At the end of the first year of high school, Yoshioka Futaba meets Tanaka Kou who was her first love. In their middle school days, they attended the same school, but he suddenly transferred to another school. Three years later, he appears in front of her again with the different last name of Mabuchi Kou. His personality also seems to have changed from warm to cold. He is like a totally different person from three years ago. Yoshioka Futaba slowly learns what happened to Mabuchi Kou for the past three years and she become to have feelings for him again.

(Source: AsianWiki)

Adapted from the manga "Ao Haru Ride" (アオハライド) by Sakisaka Io (咲坂伊緒).

Episodes: 8

13 years ago, Nakajou Senri's parents were brutally murdered and his older twin brother Kazuto was taken away by a man with a ‘fire’ scar on his arm. Since then, Senri has lived only for revenge. He continues to search for the ‘fire’ man. Together with his childhood friend Enan (Sakurai Hinako) and detective Wakazono (Nomura Shuhei), he attempts to track down the truth behind the incident and exact his revenge.

(Source: Irozoku.org)

Adapted from the manga series "Yume de Mita Ano Ko no Tame ni" (夢で見たあの子のために) by Sanbe Kei (三部けい).

Episodes: 10

In Kyoto, soon after the war, Ichika strives to save her family's long established ryoten restaurant from financial crisis. In order to do so, she marries Yamaguchi Amane, who is 15 years younger, in a marriage of convenience.

Adapted from the manga series "Nagatan to Aoto: Ichika no Ryourijou" (ながたんと青と -いちかの料理帖-) by Isoya Yuki (磯谷友紀).

Haruno Shotaro and his girlfriend Mimori Arisa get into a car accident. The next moment, when he wakes up, he finds out that he is in the hospital and has a cast on his right foot and left hand. Soon, Haruno Shotaro thinks that something is really strange with the hospital. The hospital has weird patients and the doctors and nurses seem to be hiding something. A mysterious serial murder case also takes place outside the hospital. What is the connection between the hospital and the serial murder case? What is happening in the hospital?

Kohiruimaki Yuichi is a police officer who established the "Science Crime Countermeasures Office", a department that specializes in issues related to cutting-edge science and technology. He welcomes the genius scientist Mogami Yukiko as an advisor and she is in charge of investigating cases related to cutting-edge science. The crimes entrusted to the Science Crime Countermeasures Office are crimes that the legal system and police organization cannot keep up with. The two will unravel the science itself hidden behind the cases and not just the so-called forensic investigation. Hasebe Tsutomu is a detective who is not familiar with science but has a long experience in the field in the former Investigation Division.

Kohiruimaki Yuichi is a police officer who established the "Science Crime Countermeasures Office", a department that specializes in issues related to cutting-edge science and technology. He welcomes the genius scientist Mogami Yukiko as an advisor and she is in charge of investigating cases related to cutting-edge science. The crimes entrusted to the Science Crime Countermeasures Office are crimes that the legal system and police organization cannot keep up with. The two will unravel the science itself hidden behind the cases and not just the so-called forensic investigation. Hasebe Tsutomu is a detective who is not familiar with science but has a long experience in the field in the former Investigation Division.

Tobita Tasuku's father, Jinpei left a letter and disappeared on the day of Tasuku's high school graduation. Due to his father's disappearance, Tasuku is now left with his father's huge debt while he is still unemployed. Tasuku decides to visit the Joker Detective Agency to find his father but the cost of investigation is too high. Tasuku later finds out that the tuition fees for attending the detective school is much cheaper than the cost of investigation. Seeing that he can get a job in a detective agency and find his father, Tasuku decides to enroll into the Joker Detective School and be a full-fledged detective.

Tobita Tasuku's father, Jinpei left a letter and disappeared on the day of Tasuku's high school graduation. Due to his father's disappearance, Tasuku is now left with his father's huge debt while he is still unemployed. Tasuku decides to visit the Joker Detective Agency to find his father but the cost of investigation is too high. Tasuku later finds out that the tuition fees for attending the detective school is much cheaper than the cost of investigation. Seeing that he can get a job in a detective agency and find his father, Tasuku decides to enroll into the Joker Detective School and be a full-fledged detective.

Shinomiya Yuki is a 21-year-old man, who doesn't have friends. He spends his lonely days working part-time jobs. One day, he comes back home from work and finds a strange man sitting in his room. The man has a knife stab wound. The man is taken to the hospital and he introduces himself as Shinomiya Yuki to a detective there. He also points to Shinomiya Yuki and tells the detective that he stabbed him. Shinomiya Yuki runs away from the hospital and becomes a fugitive. At that time, a mysterious woman named Zoka appears in front of Shinomiya Yuki and asks him to help her take revenge on the person responsible for her father's death. Zoka is a Hiru, who stay at an empty house. Shinomiya Yuki stays with Zoka and they meet Kara, who is a legendary Hiru. Kara lives for his revenge.

A love fantasy with a unique world view that depicts the love pattern of an alien, Mitsuru Higashiyama, disguised as a university lecturer, living on Earth while hiding his identity for the past 400 years, and a popular actress, with attitude problems, Sasahara Tsubaki.

Three years ago, a disappearance case, known as the "Joker Case," was suddenly closed without being solved. Ichiro Kunishita, an investigator from the Public Security Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department who was called for a reunion of the investigation, is ordered to take on a completely different mission. He is assigned to spy on and monitor Shiro Hanabusa, the young head of a designated gang clan. He is said to be a man of many mysteries who has risen to the rank of Wakagashira (young leading subordinate in yakuza group) since he joined the gang three years ago. In the course of his mission to get close to Shiro, Ichirou learns a shocking fact, and decides to make a fake "lover's contract" with him. Their secret investigation into the case gradually leads them to an incident that will shake the nation and their destiny.

Adapted from the manga "Kei×Yaku: Abunai Aibou" (ケイ×ヤク －あぶない相棒－) by Kaoruhara Yoshie.

Depicts the life of a former yakuza who was released for the first time in 14 years.

Television news reports that a young woman has been kidnapped and her belongings sent individually to her family. Zaizen Shota, the CEO of Zaizen Corporation, recalls an eerily similar case from 18 years ago. Then, as an investigator at a private detective agency, a man called Tanioka Soichiro asked him to find his daughter, Tanioka Nanae. In that case, Nanae's kidnapper also sent photos and cuttings from her dress, underwear, and nails to Tanioka.

As a result of Zaizen's tampering in the Tanioka case, a suspect was never caught. Now Zaizen’s beloved daughter Mika goes missing and he too receives pieces of her belongings.

Meanwhile, Zaizen's wife and Mika's mother, the beautiful Yuko, is anxiously holding on to a secret that she cannot tell anyone.

As Zaizen investigates Mika’s disappearance on his own, he begins to learn about Yuko’s past while his life spirals out of control.

A university student has the usual dreams and aspirations. It turns out to be a pipe dream and so she murders her own flesh and blood. The usual media heads seek an answer in order to sell copy. A psychologist is writing a book about the character and incident. Her research for the subject matter turn the psychologist inward and things come out of the shadows that perhaps are better left buried deep in the shadows of the psyche.

Adapted from the novel "First Love" by Rio Shimamoto.

It depicts a man who seriously pursues spicy food (Gekikaradou) not only as a man but also as a worker under the influence of his boss who loves spicy food

Takei Chiyo was born to a poor family in Osaka Prefecture’s Minamikawachi district at the of the Meiji era. Her mother passed away when she was still a child, and she lived with her father Teruo and younger brother. Although Chiyo could not be put through elementary school, she has the gift of the gab and quick wit. At the age of 9, she starts working as a servant in Dotonbori and comes across the theatre world which immediately captivates her. Chiyo’s desire to become an actress grows stronger by the day. She eventually runs away and heads to Kyoto where she throws herself into acting.

Takei Chiyo was born to a poor family in Osaka Prefecture’s Minamikawachi district at the of the Meiji era. Her mother passed away when she was still a child, and she lived with her father Teruo and younger brother. Although Chiyo could not be put through elementary school, she has the gift of the gab and quick wit. At the age of 9, she starts working as a servant in Dotonbori and comes across the theatre world which immediately captivates her. Chiyo’s desire to become an actress grows stronger by the day. She eventually runs away and heads to Kyoto where she throws herself into acting.

Miwa, Motoaki, Ritsu, Aoi, and Satoru have lived at the same apartment complex for years and they are childhood friends. When they were younger, they always played together. Now, they are high school students and they attend the same high school. They are still friends, but their relationships have changed.

Miwa has feelings for Motoaki, but she can't tell him about her feelings. Motoaki is unaware of her feelings towards him and treats her like a friend. Aoi acts like she is good friends with Miwa, but, Aoi is frustrated by her sense of inferiority and jealousy towards Miwa. Aoi is dating Satoru. Meanwhile, Ritsu complains about the relationships of the other 4 and keeps his distance from them.

Oshii Takashi is a detective with excellent reasoning power. Unfortunately, he usually misses the criminal in front of him and other detectives get recognition for the capture. He is transferred to the Utobashi Police Station.

Oshii Takashi goes to a record company CEO's house. The CEO's third son was burned to death. The police are set to conclude that his death was an accident, but Oshii Takashi thinks otherwise. Oshii Takashi begins to investigate.

One day, Nobuo Harada starts work as a Japanese language teacher at a high school. He is gay and dresses like a woman. He sympathizes with the lives and worries of his students.

Okuzono Akira suddenly loses her husband. She goes to her late husband’s hometown of Kagoshima with her 9-year-old step son Shunya. There, she meets her father-in-law Setsuo. The three of them begin to live together. Akira looks for a job. She decides to become a railway driver which is what her father-in-law does for a living and what her late husband dreamed of becoming when he was a child.

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.

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.

Hiroto Miyama is a poor lawyer who takes on criminal cases, but unable to make money. He pursues the truth for the 0.1% out of Japan's 99.9% conviction rate. One day, Hiroto is scouted by Haruhiko Madarame. Haruhiko Madarame is the head of Madarame Law Firm which is one of the biggest law firms among the 4 big law firms. Hiroto Miyama begins to work with Atsuhiro Sada. Atsuhiro Sada is a lawyer specializing in civil cases and makes lots of money for the law firm. He doesn't have any interest in criminal cases which can not make money.

High school students Tobio, Maru, Isami, and 20-year-old Paisen, who graduated from high school a long time ago are contented with their lives. One day their ordinary routine completely changes. Tobio and the rest plant a home-made bomb at the school next door in revenge for Maru’s vicious beating at the hands of delinquents. However, the bomb which was only intended to shock the delinquents, ends up causing a huge explosion that claims many victims including friends and seniors. This triggers the start of their life on the run.

Fujiki Sana, a programmer at network game company Neo Genesis, has been researching a “virtual human nurturing game” using artificial intelligence. A simulated foetus created by CG is sleeping in the screen that she is watching intently. Its speed of development is seven times faster than a human being.

Together with Kiyotake Mitsuo, the head of the development team, and Mizushima Moemi, a junior programmer, Sana inputs vast amounts of data into the simulated foetus, making it grow at a rapid pace in an attempt to create an imaginary character. Michio Harutaka, a key development member, is Sana’s fiance and they plan to hold their wedding soon, but an incident happened. Later, Sana starts to enter all sorts of data relating to her late husband Harutaka into AI. Wanting to see Harutaka again, Sana attempts to recreate him in a virtual world now and produces AI with a personality and emotions just like Harutaka. She devotes herself to the work of entering data more than actual child raising. However, as it develops, she starts to realise the differences from the actual Harutaka. She eventually makes a decision. But she does not know that it will bring about an unexpected outcome.

Hiroto Miyama is a poor lawyer who takes on criminal cases, but unable to make money. He pursues the truth for the 0.1% out of Japan's 99.9% conviction rate. One day, Hiroto is scouted by Haruhiko Madarame. Haruhiko Madarame is the head of Madarame Law Firm which is one of the biggest law firms among the 4 big law firms. Hiroto Miyama begins to work with Atsuhiro Sada. Atsuhiro Sada is a lawyer specializing in civil cases and makes lots of money for the law firm. He doesn't have any interest in criminal cases which can not make money.

One night, a samurai Nakano Kiyoshige (Itao Itsuji) visits Nikkei (Tanaka Yoji), the chief priest of Chisenin, in the middle of heavy snowfall. He entrusts a baby and a large sum of money to Nikkei and asks him to raise the child. 14 years later, Omiyo (Sawajiri Erika) has grown up to be an outstanding beauty. She visits the Nakano residence thinking that Kiyoshige, who secretly met Nikkei, is her father. However, she hears from him that she is the child of the 10th Tokugawa shogun Ieharu and his concubine Omino. Moreover, Ieharu was poisoned and killed by Ienari’s (Narimiya Hiroki) faction which plotted to make him the shogun. It is also a known fact that Omino died after giving birth to Omiyo. Omiyo cries as she listens to the story and asks to enter the inner palace in order to avenge her parents. She gets inside through a good word put in by Kiyoshige, who is Ienari’s close aide, and immediately catches the attention of Ienari with the help of the high-ranking Osaki no Tsubone (Asano Yuko). Looking at Omiyo, the female servants Kuzuoka (Washio Machiko), Yoshino (Yamaguchi Kaori) and Urao (Kubota Maki) feel alarm. At that moment in the inner palace, the concubine Oraku (Asai Erina) is in favour with Ienari. But after she gives birth to his heir, he completely loses interest and ignores her,...

Drama special featuring two stories, starring Sawajiri Erika as 2 different Edo-era concubines, a different one in each episode.

In the first part, “Saikyo no Onna”, Erika will play “Omiyo”, one of Tokugawa Ienari’s concubines that rose through the ranks to reach a high level.

In the second part, “Higeki no Shimai”, she’ll play “Ume”, Tokugawa Ienari’s favorite concubine.

Middle-aged Hideo lives alone with an inflatable doll he calls Nozomi. The doll is his closest companion. He dresses it up, talks to it over dinner, and has sexual intercourse with it. However, unbeknown to Hideo, Nozomi was created with a heart. After Hideo leaves for work each day, Nozomi dresses in her maid's outfit and explores the world outside their apartment with a sense of child-like wonder. She encounters various city residents who metaphorically are as "empty inside" as she is. When Nozomi meets Junichi, who works at a local video store, she falls in love with him and gets a part-time job at the store. She learns about the world through the movies she watches with Junichi, but her happiness with him is interrupted by a dramatic turn of events. Director Koreeda has stated that the film is about the loneliness of urban life and the question of what it means to be human.

Mare is an elementary school student. She lives with her family in the city, but, right before her father goes bankrupt, they run away and settle down at a fishing village in Noto. The family rents a couple's home who run a salt pond. Mare's father starts a new business, but it also fails. Her mother supports the family by working at the salt pond. 8 years later, Mare, about to graduate from high school, decides to work for the Wajima local government. She wants to have a steady job, unlike her father. Her job is to support people who move to Noto.

Masayuki Suzuki (Itsuji Itao) is known as "Datsugoku Oh" (King of Escape) because of his incredible ability to escape from any prison. Even though his ability to escape from prison was unmatched he would normally get caught within a few hours from his escape. He is then sent to Prison Island ... can he escape ?

No matter how hard he thinks about it, Todoin Seiya cannot figure out why he doesn’t have a girlfriend in his 16-year lifespan. Physically attractive, naturally smart, athletic and, on top of that, comes from a wealthy and politically significant family. And it’s not like he hasn’t tried either, but every girl he asks out flat out rejects him. Seiya sets a goal for himself to get a girlfriend by the time high school ends and rejection isn’t going to stop him from trying again. But it sure is heartbreaking when you get rejected this many times without knowing why.

The Family Game was originally an award winning novel by Honma Yohei that was adapted for television drama and film. 30 years later, the story returns to the screen again on Fuji TV, Wednesday nights. Sakurai Sho stars in this troubling drama as the private tutor Yoshimoto Koya. Koya becomes a tutor to a student, Numata Shigeyuki, an underachiever on the verge of dropping out of middle school. Expecting immediate results, Shigeyuki’s father makes a deal with Koya that if he could make Shigeyuki return to school within a week, he would receive a 100,000 yen bonus. Koya accepts the offer, replying that he would only need 5 days to complete the mission but demands that no one should interfere with his methodology in doing so. A handsome face with a reckless mouth, Koya is a wacky unpredictable pro tutor. How will he save Shigeyuki, a boy who has been bullied in school, betrayed by his best friend, and become a shut-in at home? How will he educate Shigeyuki to change his ways? What is Koya’s motivation in teaching? Koya’s "education" is nothing like anyone has ever imagined. You just have to see it yourself to believe it! -

When Kaoru Kanzaki was a child, her mother’s restaurant went bankrupt. Her family became poor afterwards. Since graduating from middle school, Kaoru Kanzaki has worked hard and lived a thrifty life to escape poverty. As a result, she is able to save 1 million yen. Kauro though lends her colleague 1 million yen, which leads her to fall heavily in debt and her life spiral downward again.

At that time, Kaoru Kanzaki happens to meet members of Koshimizu Management Consultant and becomes a member. Kaoru Kanzaki struggles to get out of her desperate situation.

The drama is based on the same-titled manga which showcases a very unorthodox hero that uses every dirty little trick to resolve the open cases. Kurokouchi Keita is the black sheep of the police force. He works alone, and doesn't think twice about extorting money from the dirty politicians by getting hold of their achilles heels. Using the money and whatever bits of information acquired through underhanded means, he gets closer and closer to the ultimate unresolved crime of the Showa era; the 300 million bank heist. One day, the new rookie Seike Mayo, is assigned as Kurokouchi's partner. Excellent, but naive, she is the exact opposite of Kurokouchi, but nonetheless, the duo combi relentlessly chase down the criminals.

The drama is based on the same-titled manga which showcases a very unorthodox hero that uses every dirty little trick to resolve the open cases. Kurokouchi Keita is the black sheep of the police force. He works alone, and doesn't think twice about extorting money from the dirty politicians by getting hold of their achilles heels. Using the money and whatever bits of information acquired through underhanded means, he gets closer and closer to the ultimate unresolved crime of the Showa era; the 300 million bank heist.One day, the new rookie Seike Mayo, is assigned as Kurokouchi's partner. Excellent, but naive, she is the exact opposite of Kurokouchi, but nonetheless, the duo combi relentlessly chase down the criminals. --TBS

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.

“A completely undetectable poison that kills 24 hours after consumed.” It is the rumour that has spread on the internet of a lethal drug that makes the perfect crime possible. It has even become a topic at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Crimes Unit which Sasamoto Naomi has been transferred to. The background of Professor Matsui Toichi who invented this poison at an East European university is obscure. What is known of him is a fuzzy picture on the internet and the digits inscribed on the back of his hand. Matsui has disappeared but starts to appear before people who are trapped by their problems and hands them the poison. “You are free to use it as you will,” he would tell them. Meanwhile, magazine journalist Akimoto Shunji who is engaged to Koide Reika, the daughter of the president of his company, learns of this poison too. He has a problem. It is the existence of Otsu Mayumi, a former high school classmate with whom he has been carrying on a relationship for half a year. She poses an obstacle to his marriage to Reika. And so, he attempts to broach a breakup with her, but is told that she is two months pregnant. On the way home, a troubled Akimoto is hailed by Matsui who passes him a small bottle with the poison. Later, Akimoto is invited to a meal at a posh restaurant by Reika’s father and forced to vow marriage to Reika. He puts a drop of the poison in Mayumi’s cup in order to protect his bright future even as he struggles with himself. Mayumi unsuspectingly brings that cup to her lips... On the morning two days after the incident, her dead body is found at an unexpected place.

Adapted from 1981 novel "Doku" by Akagawa Jirō.

Episodes: 13

Duration: 40 min.

Aired On: Thursday

Ratings: 7.0

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.

Nomi plays a samurai named Kanjuro who decided to give up his sword after a certain incident. He wanders aimlessly with his daughter (Kumada Sea), but because he abandoned his position as a samurai without permission, a price is put on his head and they're eventually captured. However, a notoriously eccentric feudal lord offers Kanjuro a unique opportunity to earn a full acquittal.

The story begins on the heels of the first movie as Light Yagami joins the investigation team in pursuit of the serial killer known as "Kira." While L still strongly suspects that Light is "Kira," Light tries to uncover L's real name so he can kill him with his Death Note. Confusingly enough, a new rash of murders all around the world are taking place, with a "Second Kira" claiming responsibility. Light learns the identity of the Second Kira and suggests they join forces to get rid of L. Will L be able to catch "Kira" before he is killed?

On her way to school, high school girl Nana sees a train accident. But this is just the beginning of the nightmare that awaits her. Nana and her friend Kanae come across various bizarre phenomena, including red fingerprints and a female spirit who "lives" on the station platform. One day, Nana's younger sister is lost, and the only possibility seems to be that she had been taken by these spirits. The missing tracks. The predictions that a mysterious woman makes. Weird incidents which happen one after another. Entangled series of frights and mysteries lead to a shocking climax.

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.