Asian Drama

The 63rd work of NHK Taiga Drama depicts the life of Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese female poet who wrote "Tale of Hikaru Genji". This story is set in the mid-Heian period.

(Source: nhk.or.jp)

Episodes: 40

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Episodes: 10

Fujiko, an unpopular woman who lacks confidence in her looks, meets the good-looking and highly eligible lawyer Koyanagi at a mixer party. However, Koyanagi is just a nosy effeminate man who wants to transform Fujiko into a popular woman? Under the guidance of Koyanagi, Fujiko’s quest for self-acceptance begins!

(Source: Drama-Otaku)

Adapted from the manga series "Yawao to Katako" (やわ男とカタ子) by Nagata Ayumi (長田亜弓).

Episodes: 10

Kumiko, who works in the sales department at an advertising agency, unexpectedly inherits “MAJEST”, a host club in Kabukicho on the brink of collapse. She decides to revive the host club to its full glory, while working alongside a quirky ensemble of male hosts.

Well-meaning but socially awkward, Kuronuma Sawako is nicknamed "Sadako" by her high school classmates because of her similar hair style with the main character from the horror movie "Ring." She doesn't have friends and goes about her day in quiet. She admires a fellow classmate, Kazehaya Shota, because of his easy-going and friendly nature, but unknown to her, Kazehaya has also been paying attention to her.

Adapted from the manga "Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You" (君に届け) by Shiina Karuho (椎名軽穂).

A story about a high school full of delinquents, and its elite class that has clones of famous warlords from Japan's Warring States period fighting it out.

Madarame Baku is a mysterious gambler. His nickname is Usogui (literally The Lie Eater). Club Kakerou is the top illegal gambling den, where gamblers vie to become the best in their profession. Seeing through the lies of others, Madarame Baku challenges a variety of high stakes games at Club Kakerou.

With the first place in a university business competition and a father running a time-honored leather bag store, Yusuke Tsuruta is in the "outstanding" category among university students. After graduation, Yusuke decides to start a business with his classmate Kengo Sato. After declaring that "Company is not school!", he works hard every day to make his business successful.

With the help of Tsuneta Tomomi, his girlfriend from the student days and a partner in the business competition, Yusuke gets investment from Teppei Fujimura, the president of a listed company.

It seems that Yusuke's business is on the right track, but Teppei, who made an investment, has a certain intention...

Unable to suppress the fury after knowing about that, Yusuke confronts Teppei but gets played down with a phrase "Company is not school!"

How will Yusuke expand his business and grow up after hitting a big wall and suffering a setback for the first time in his successful life?

It is a revenge story about young people who are enthusiastic about their job and life dedicated to everyone who wants to be someone and who endeavors for their job and dream while having struggles!

Kimichika Kazama is an instructor at the police academy. He teaches a new class of students having conflicts and holding secrets.

Tomoatsu Godai has the sprit of a warrior and the talents of a merchant. He was born in the Satsuma domain. He worked as a Meiji government officer and became a businessman. He laid the foundation for Osaka to become a commercial city.

Kuki Reiko is a single 27-year-old. who works in the accounting department of a mid-size toy manufacturer. An incident from her past makes her live a frugal life, only buying the necessities. A year ago, she found small dishes at a secondhand store that liked immediately. Since then, she has been returning to that shop, still debating whether to buy them or not. Finally, when she decides to make the 1680 yen ($15 ) purchase., she enters the secondhand store with great anticipation, only to have it dashed when she sees a couple buying the small dishes on a whim. Imagine her surprise when she recognizes Saruwatari Keita, her boss‘s son!

A few days later, Reiko goes to work and only to find Keita in the accounting department. His father got angry at his wastefulness and sent him there to learn the value of money. As the frugal Reiko is best-suited to teach him, he will find himself an apt student. But will her advice be just about money?

Set in the 1990's, high school student Ayu lives with her mother and grandmother in Fukuoka. She works as a model, but, to pursue an acting career, she goes to Tokyo with her grandmother. While attending a high school, she picks up acting work, but only minor roles. One day, Ayu meets Masa, who is the executive director of record label A Victory. He decides to make Ayu into a singer. According to Masa, Ayu prepares to make her debut as a singer. Meanwhile, she encounters jealousy from rivals at her record label. Trusting Masa, Ayu endures her problems. She also develops feelings for Masa and Masa also holds feelings for her.

Onda Kokoro is an oncologist called Dr Onkoro for short by the people around her and teased that she was born for this path. She got married to Takumi, whom she had known since she was a student, and they had a son. Life was going smoothly for her. But three months ago, her husband fell in an accident and remained unconsciousness even though he underwent emergency surgery. Although Kokoro puts on a brave face at work, she still has not been able to accept reality. One day, she meets Kajiyama Kaoru, a competent gastroenterologist who has transferred to work at the hospital. Kaoru understands the need for oncology as a surgeon and gives emotional support with her sunny personality as a colleague. She becomes a dear friend whom Kokoro feels is sudden a ray of light in her personal and professional life…

Kazama Kimichika is an instructor at a police academy. He is keenly observant and watches over his students. He is calm as an instructor and has charisma, but strict. Students with various backgrounds attend the police academy with their own reasons of becoming police officers. They feel pressure having to follow the strict rules and have anxiety about getting kicked out of the academy. How many students will graduate among the 90 students? What is the real purpose of Kimichika Kazama giving hardship to the students?

Shoko Takanashi, a scandalous former attorney, takes control of a minor law firm and drives them to "V"ictory no matter how precarious the lawsuit. Amidst chaotic human drama, a legal tale of justice and tears emerges.

For the past 2 years, Prosecutor Takemura Ririko has worked in the Yokohama District Public Prosecutor’s Office. Ririko, who is a hard worker and has a strong sense of justice, is not good at her job. Ririko grows as a prosecutor and a woman after being in charge of multiple cases.

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.

Sakurai Misaki is a patissier who dreams of having her own business in the future and has prioritised work to the extent that she has forgotten how to kiss. But one day, she is suddenly dismissed and has difficulty finding a new job. At that moment, Misaki meets Shibasaki Chiaki, her first love in high school. Learning about her situation, Chiaki invites her to live-in and work at the seaside restaurant that he runs in Shonan. Chiaki has two younger brothers. Second brother Kanata is a talented chef while third brother Toma is a waiter at the restaurant. Misaki ends up spending one summer with the three handsome siblings.

Michio (Kyoko Fukada) is 30-years-old. She keeps looking for a job after her previous employer went bankrupt, but she is unable to find work. Michio still supports her younger boyfriend and her savings is almost gone. Then, Michio meets her ex-boss Ayumu (Dean Fujioka). She was scared of Ayumu when they worked together. Ayumu now runs a tearoom which his grandmother ran. Michio decides to work part-time at Ayumu's tearoom.

There, she various troubles everyday. Ayumu helps Michio, which allows her to see a different side of him that she never noticed before.

Nishiuchi Mariya stars as a novice concierge in a luxury hotel who strives to see her customers smile. The heroine with never-give-up attitude who doesn't say "no" to customers tries her very best to solve problems with support from her seniors. The drama brings heart-warming one-off episodes every week to viewers.

Toko has finally got her dream job as concierge at "Hotel Vollmond". One day, fashion designer and customer, Sachi, requests Toko to change the flowers at her party venue, which Toko promises to do without due consideration. With the help of her senior, Honjo, she manages to keep her rash promise, but Honjo starts to question why on earth Washio chose Toko as concierge in the first place. Toko, then, gets enthusiastic about supporting a customer who plans to propose to his girlfriend.

Mika (Riisa Naka) is a flight attendant on board an airplane scheduled to land at Haneda Airport. On the way to the airport the airplane's engine starts to burn. In order to save the 346 people on board the airplane, sea marshall Daisuke Senzaki (Hideaki Ito) and his team are called into action ...

Tahara Mika is an ordinary high school girl. One day, out of the blue, one of her classmates kisses her. His name is Sakurai Hiroki also known as Hiro. Hiro stands out because of his bleached hair and piercing. Apparently he is also dating someone. Mika is shocked and hurt that her first kiss had to happen this way. She desperately tries to forget about it. Then, her friend tells her that she should find somebody else and suggests Tatsuya, another boy in their class. However, before she even realizes it, Mika is already in love... --TBS

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.

Azuma Wataru, a third-year student at Karasumori High School, is a devil who strikes fear in the hearts of people. One day, Azuma is told by his form teacher that he has to participate in a club activity in order to make up for the lack of second-year students. The short-tempered Azuma cannot last long in whatever he does. At that moment, he learns that Satonaka Mari, the beautiful transfer student in his class, has joined the female rhythmic sports gymnastics club. He joins the male rhythmic sports gymnastics club, a club activity with very few people under the captain, Takenaka Yuta. They are ridiculed by the coach of the female rhythmic sports gymnastics club, and others, and are also hardly allowed to use the gym. However, when a sixth boy joins the club, Yuta decides to take part in a team competition with his long-sought six members …

Positive and daring in character and always living her life to the fullest, Urara is a 19 year old girl who lives in Japan’s smallest prefecture, Kagawa. On her birthday, she learns that her father who she thought had died 15 years ago is alive somewhere in Tokyo. Urara cannot withhold her yearning to go look for him and withdraws her entire life savings to hop on a bus to head to the big city. But on her first day in Tokyo, Urara realizes that her entire fortune is robbed by a pick-pocket! Broke, homeless, and without a vision, Urara wanders about and meets a woman who introduces her to Takuya, a middle-aged lawyer and bachelor. Something about the man is remarkably familiar to Urara and she gasps in shock, “DAD!?” After their coincidental reunion, Urara’s benevolent curiosity does not stop her from wanting to find out more about her estranged father who urges her to go back to her small home town. Soon, Urara sees that Takuya is being preyed upon by several young and attractive bachelorettes. Innately meddlesome in nature, Urara makes it her duty to see that her father is not played a fool. In her simplistic thinking, Urara decides to move in with Takuya...though totally uninvited! Tokyo Zenryoku Shojo is a drama of a young woman searching for her space in this world while depicting a split family that tries to regain its lost time together in modern day Tokyo. --NTV

By day, Shio manages an aromatherapy salon. But by night, she is the owner of “Striped Sheep”, a business that dispatches men to the homes of women who suffer from insomnia to lie next to them. These “Striped Sheep” in fact represent a brand new profession of so-called “co-sleepers,” whose sole mission is to provide a night of relaxation to restless women. Shio's four “sheep” consist of Gai, her ex-husband's brother, Ran, a man with a cool, soothing gaze, the glib Linda and a taciturn book worm named Matthew. As sleep-sharers, these four men find out a lot about what drives or plagues their women clients, and help them gradually discover themselves and the right life pathways. “There are nights when a woman just needs a man at her side.” --TBS

From the 2011 drama, Utsukushi Rinjin, Nakama Yukie reprises the character Saki. This time round, as Saki Amihama, she will be targeting men. With the facade of an angel, she draws men to her, only to lead them to a destructive end. Like a moth to the flame... but where is the line drawn between the saint and the devil? ~ Fuji TV Saki works as a nurse at the pediatrics department of a general hospital. The young patients and all men love her because of her angelic smile, her perfect cooking skills, and the sheer beauty she radiates in everything she does. However, none of them knows of her amazing ability to ruin other people’s lives while keeping her hands clean all the time. Her targets this time are the reporter of a major magazine (Miura Shohei) who is searching for his older sister, a famous lawyer (Hagiwara Masato) who is fighting for justice, and her main target – the devoted husband and board chairman of said hospital, played by Takashima Masanobu. Hamada Naomi (Uchida Yuki) is a female reporter who becomes suspicious of Saki’s behavior. ~ tokyohive

Based on a hit manga, this adaptation depicts the life of a married man Nanase Kohei after he returned to his former job as a male host. He woos the clients with his gentle and caring nature, and soon retrieves his former credit as the ace of the club. However, the transition back for this middle-aged man is not without its challenges. Afraid that his wife will find out about this job, Nanase is also garnering jealousy and displeasure from the younger hosts. Throughout the course of his employment, he demonstrates to others that hosting should not be the vulgar occupation it has become where the entire goal is to make the women frivolously spend money, rather, it is about a human connection that is so often overlooked.

One day a father with a young daughter is diagnosed as a sufferer of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The father, Kinoshita Keisuke has been separated from his wife by death and has worked at the factory's dorm with his daughter ever since. A skilled craftsman at the metalworking factory, Keisuke is a man with a sunny disposition who is also the team coach for a boys' baseball team. Surrounded by his friends of the neighborhood, he has lived happily with his daughter up until today. Things take a turn when Keisuke realizes that his forgetfulness has taken its toll. He is diagnosed as having early-onset Alzheimer's disease. His daughter, Kinoshita Miu played by child actor prodigy Ashida Mana, is a strong reliable girl on the outside but still a young and vulnerable girl on the inside. Overcoming her mother's death with her cheerful personality much like her fathers', she too must face the consequences of the sickness with her father... A father who has looked after his daughter by himself all this time and a daughter who held faith in her father even without the existence of her mother. Tied to each other by a strong bond, how will they face reality and overcome it? ~ Fuji TV

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.

Maki’s mother commits assault and Maki is temporarily placed in the children’s orphanage, Kogamo no Ie. Post is a young girl who reigns as the leader at Kogamo no Ie. While she has lost her parents, she is remarkably strong, resilient and positive. There is also Piami and Bonbi who respect Post. These girls, who each have different backgrounds, do not appear sad and seem quite indifferent. When asked for the reason for the queer nicknames they call each other, Post replies that they have cast away everything they received from their parents including their pasts as well as their names. Even if they constantly think about their parents, there will be no happiness. She advises Maki to leave the past behind. Bravado is the only weapon to protect themselves in this harsh, cold world. However, Maki believes that her mother will come to get her.

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?