Asian Drama

An Kazutaka (Emoto Tasuku) is a young, bashful psychiatrist whose jazz piano skills are as good as a pro. He also has a love for records and books. He searches for his place in the world in his youth. But when he meets the cheerful Shuko (Ono Machiko), who becomes his wife, he finally feels at peace with himself. Right after they have their first child, the Great Hanshin Earthquake strikes. Although his family is affected by the disaster, he begins to search for what he can do as a psychiatrist. As he listens to the stories of disaster victims, he realises that he can help not by treating them, but restoring their capacity to heal. Later on, he compiles his observations of the disaster-hit area as a psychiatrist into a book, and wins a prize for social sciences. He sees this as a positive sign. However, one day when he is 39, he discovers that he has cancer.

Shirakawa is a surgeon. His 21-year-old patient Shotaro has terminal cancer. Shirakawa tries everything he can, but it doesn't help Shotaro. His patient is in extreme pain. Shotaro's aunt asks Shirakawa to euthanize her nephew. Shirakawa carries out her wishes, but Shotaro's mother Yasuya, who did not care about her son, decides to sue Shirakawa. A divide over the legalization of euthanasia occurs.

Makino Hiyori is a rookie detective who is passionate about her work. One day, a video clip depicting a person being burned alive, is posted on the internet. Investigators believe this is a copycat crime of a murder that took place 5 years ago.

Makino Hiyori visits ex-detective Natsume Soichiro who investigated the case 5 years ago. He lives is at a share house where only ex-police officers can live.

Toyama Kinshiro is a 30-year-old newly-appointed police chief at Kitamachi Police Station who firmly believes his mission as a policeman is to listen to every voice of innocent citizens and protect the peace in the community. He comes off as aloof and a bit quirky at first, but in fact he has brilliant investigative instincts and spots clues that no one else can detect. Unlike his elite career bureaucrat colleagues, Kinshiro doesn't dress or act like a stereotypical Chief Police. Rather than sitting behind a desk, Kinshiro leaves the office and literally goes around town to do the investigation work, and go the extra mile to solve any crime regardless how small or trivial. However, his unorthodox approach generates a lot of antagonism from his subordinates at Kitamachi Police Station.

Kamimori Mikijiro is a junior samurai and is absconded by two people. After escaping his pursuers he wanders around the northern provinces for three years. He ends up in Edo's red-light district Yoshiwara. There are a variety of incidents in Yoshiwara which Shiro is trying to solve. Kamimori is hired as a bouncer at an establishment where NVL women teach reading, writing, and prostitute themselves. The two people from Kamimori's past re-emerge in Yoshiwara.

Uno Meiko is the daughter of parents who run a western style restaurant in Tokyo. She marries and moves to Osaka with her husband. Meiko experiences cultural differences between Tokyo and Osaka, as she lives as a mother and wife in Osaka.

N/A

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.

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.