Asian Drama

The daughter of Detective Shibasaki Sachio from the First Investigation Division is found stabbed to death. He goes after the truth with Kawasumi Shigekatsu, a junior detective who respects Shibasaki as his mentor in life and is a close family friend. However, the hard work of the police is in vain and the case goes unsolved. 15 years later, Shibasaki is retired and quietly spending the rest of his life looking after his wife Miwako who is seriously ill. The situation begins to change with the establishment of a unit specializing in re-investigating unsolved cases. Kawasumi also joins them and while the case is reexamined, a man regarded as the criminal emerges. Shibasaki pursues the truth on his own. A single phone call triggers a desire for vengeance and he winds up facing a charge.

Adapted from the novel "Ryoba no Ono" (両刃の斧) by Takeaki Daimon (大門剛明).

Meet Tanaka Maririn, just graduated from college and beginning her life in the workforce… at the bottommost rung. She’s not expected to know much (and she doesn’t) and she’s not expected to last long, but few at first are aware that not only does she have an upbeat attitude, but a sarcastic streak a mile long and a fearlessness to match with it. Sometimes she wears slacks instead of a skirt. She WILL succeed, and she WILL find that handsome man she saw only briefly on her first day of work after her orientation. Don’t even think you can stop her…

Meet Tanaka Maririn, just graduated from college and beginning her life in the workforce… at the bottommost rung. She’s not expected to know much (and she doesn’t) and she’s not expected to last long, but few at first are aware that not only does she have an upbeat attitude, but a sarcastic streak a mile long and a fearlessness to match with it. Sometimes she wears slacks instead of a skirt. She WILL succeed, and she WILL find that handsome man she saw only briefly on her first day of work after her orientation.

Don’t even think you can stop her…

Won the 15th Kodansha Manga Award for general manga in 1991 (tied with Kachou Shima Kousaku).

The Mikumo family attempts their biggest heist to date For that heist, the family travels abroad.

Adapted from the novel by Dai Yokozeki.

The Mikumo family attempts their biggest heist to date For that heist, the family travels abroad.

Adapted from the novel by Dai Yokozeki.

Yaeko Kogure is a 27-year-old OL. She informs her company that she will resign to get married. Her fiance then informs her that he is in love with another woman and he breaks off their engagement. Yaeko Kogure now doesn't have a job or a boyfriend. While crying, she hears "Air on the G String" playing live in a shopping mall. The song inspires her to enroll in a violin class for adults. There, she meets university student Rihito Kase and housewife Yukie Kitagawa. Yaeko Kogure becomes attracted to Rihito Kase.

Hana comes from a family that has been thieves for generations. Hana refuses to become a thief and she wants to live a normal life. She currently works as a librarian and she is dating Kazuma, who works as a public officer. She hears that Kazuma’s family are all public officers. One day, Hana visits Kazuma’s family. She discovers that Kazuma ’s family, including Kazuma, are actually all police officers.

Hana gets involved in a case and falls into trouble. To help Hana, Kazuma helps Hana’s family commit theft.

Higashiyama Yui works as a director at Net Heroes, a web production company. Due to her workaholic father and bad experiences in the past, she loathes working overtime. Even 2 years ago, she broke off her engagement to Taneda Kotaro because he was a workaholic. At her job, Higashiyama Yui always leaves at the end of the regular working day and never works overtime. She tries to be efficient as possible and productive during her normal working hours. After she leaves her office, Higashiyama Yui normally drinks beer at her regular Chinese restaurant. Her peaceful days begin to change after a new department head arrives at work.

Higashiyama Yui works as a director at Net Heroes, a web production company. Due to her workaholic father and bad experiences in the past, she loathes working overtime. Even 2 years ago, she broke off her engagement to Taneda Kotaro because he was a workaholic. At her job, Higashiyama Yui always leaves at the end of the regular working day and never works overtime. She tries to be efficient as possible and productive during her normal working hours. After she leaves her office, Higashiyama Yui normally drinks beer at her regular Chinese restaurant. Her peaceful days begin to change after a new department head arrives at work.

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.

Hiroshi makes high-grade charcoals at a charcoal kiln that he inherited from his father. He has a wife and a son going through a rebellious phase. Hiroshi is indifferent to his family. One day, Hiroshi's ex-friend Eisuke comes back to his hometown. Eisuke is a former self-defense official. After Hiroshi learns about Eisuke's past, he decides to take his job and family more seriously.

17-year-old Aoi came to Yui Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic as a part-time nurse apprentice in Summer 1997. Right after her entry, she is shocked after witnessing an abortion surgery. However, she also met staff members like Yui, the head of the clinic who is careful about everything, Sayako, a reliable and experienced nurse, and Sakaki, the gentle head nurse, who face each pregnant patient and support them after surgeries. Fumika, Aoi's mother, is worried about her clumsy nature and poor communication skills, but Aoi's unique compassion and kindness draws patients' hearts. "I wonder what's life..." Aoi matures while looking at the newborn babies' overwhelming life and asking herself that question.

When he was just seven-years-old, Suei's mother blew herself up with dynamite in a love-pact suicide with the neighbor's son. Suei worked at a factory in the city after graduating from high school and then quit to go to Tokyo, where he plunged into the world of adult magazines after working as an illustrator and cabaret sign painter.

The original material for this drama comes from a blog titled "Gekikakusatsu SS Nikki" by a person named Mighty. In the drama, Inaba Hirotaro, who has only been devoted to working so far, is hooked on online games now that he is over 60. His son Mitsuo, a salaryman, is trying to reach out to his father as a game player in the same world of online games without disclosing his true identity. Despite the secrets that each of them have, father and son, start to understand each other and become them closer through the online games.

“If you want help, but have no one to consult … At such times, make a phone call first!” Akenabe Yugo’s occupation is a “rental saviour”. He is a “saviour” who shows up to handle any kind of impossible demand for a limited time only. This is a peculiar, innovative rental service which has appeared as a result of a movement in the rental industry. But Akenabe is certainly not a fellow to be worshiped as a saviour. He is just a very good-natured middle-aged man who is forced to be one as a way to make supplementary income through this commission-based, for-profit, confidential service because he has a huge debt and a wife and child. On the other hand Aoi Denjiro, who is a “rental saviour” together with Akenabe, is a big show-off who loves attention.

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.

In the fictional town of Mahoro on the outskirts of Tokyo is Tada Benriken, a small business which does odd jobs. Its owner is the solemn and level-headed Tada Keisuke (Eita), and his unexpected guest, the easygoing but vague Gyoten Haruhiko (Matsuda Ryuhei), a former junior high school classmate who showed up one day and started to sponge on him. The two of them get on like oil and water, and yet are somehow inseparable. They receive queer, dubious incoming odd job requests which they accept, and what comes into view are the friendship between them as well as the backgrounds of their clients.