Asian Drama

Arisu Ryohei and Usagi Yuzuha have been pursuing the mystery of “borderland”, risking their lives in games in order to survive and return to their world. The two of them encounter friends, foes and the mastermind who controls the game at a location believed to be the key to unravelling the mystery. They have collected the numbered cards each time they won a game. All that remains are the jack, queen and king cards. The games they face this round will be of greater difficulty than the ones that came before.

(Source: Jdramas Wordpress)

Adapted from the manga series "Imawa no Kuni no Alice" by Haro Aso.

Episodes: 8

Duration: 60 min.

Content Rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity)

Aired On: Thursday

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).

Follows an aspiring manga artist named Keigo Yamashiro who dreams of making it big. Yamashiro is extremely talented, but what holds him back is his inability to create any villains due to his overtly cheerful personality. Due to this he is currently stuck in the position of being an assistant to a manga writer.

One day Yamashiro receives an assignment from his boss to visit a home and sketch the family living there. When Yamashiro arrives at the house he finds all four family members dead, and a mysterious man. Startled by the incident, the unknown man makes his escape and Yamashiro calls the cops.

When questioned by police Yamashiro lies and says that he did not see the murderer, he does however use the murderer as a villain for his own manga titled “34”. The manga series becomes a surprise hit and Yamashiro quickly becomes a top star in the manga world. However, murders extremely similar to incidents in the “34” manga begin to happen in real life, and Yamashiro is soon confronted by the mysterious murderer.

Arisu—a listless, jobless and video-game-obsessed young man—suddenly finds himself in a strange, emptied-out version of Tokyo in which he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive. In this strange world, Arisu meets Usagi, a young woman who’s navigating the games alone. Together, they set out to unravel one mystery after another as they risk their lives and confront what it means to live.

(Source: Netflix)

Adapted from the manga series "Imawa no Kuni no Alice" by Haro Aso.

Episodes: 8

Duration: 48 min.

Content Rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity)

Aired On: Thursday

Arisu—a listless, jobless and video-game-obsessed young man—suddenly finds himself in a strange, emptied-out version of Tokyo in which he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive. In this strange world, Arisu meets Usagi, a young woman who’s navigating the games alone. Together, they set out to unravel one mystery after another as they risk their lives and confront what it means to live.

(Source: Netflix)

Adapted from the manga series "Imawa no Kuni no Alice" by Haro Aso.

Episodes: 8

Duration: 48 min.

Content Rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity)

Aired On: Thursday

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.

The main character Himi Ko is a lawyer who is an expert in the field of crisis management. Her main area of activity is not in a courtroom but within the shadows of many of the big scandals. As a genius "spin doctor", she has managed to solve 99.9% of her client’s issues and requests. If need be, she would even manage to reverse falsehood into justice. And most of all, she has a strong belief in supporting women, especially those who are stuck in a crisis and will go all the way to solve some of the most tricky cases. This is a drama which depicts such a determined character who takes whatever step she needs to help people who are at the edge of their lives!

"Miss Sherlock" is set in modern day Tokyo and both lead characters are Japanese women – Dr. Wato Tachibana, a surgeon recently returned from a volunteer doctors’ mission in Syria and Sara Shelly Futaba, an investigation consultant to the police department who solves bizarre and difficult cases. Throughout the series, the pair solves mystery after mystery with Miss Sherlock’s extraordinary observation and reasoning skills.

(Source: IMDb)

Adapted from a collection of short stories and novels "Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Episodes: 8

Duration: 49 min.

Content Rating: 15+ - Teens 15 or older

Aired On: Friday

Ratings: 8.0

"We can't live without each other. You're my other half." "I've killed a woman." The domineering voice on the phone was that of a high school classmate, Mitsuo Ichikawa. Buried memories from the past resurface in the heart of a man with the same name, Mitsuo Ichikawa. It drags him right back into the passions of the past. They reunite as accomplices, yet their relationship as master and servant slowly changes into something else.

“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.

Aki who has no memory of her true past, and was brought up as "special guard official" is ordered by senior officer Takagi to guard Shiro. Aki and Shiro make their way to the save point "designation point." It should have been simple duty, but they are raided by pursuer Asahi. A big secret was hidden about this assignment, and Aki's past. --tv tokyo--

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

Kyonosuke Kawamura is the successor to the prestigious Kishima family. He performs as a kabuki stage actor. One day, as he is leaving the theater, Kyonosuke Kawamura hears cheers from girls who are waiting for him. There, Ayame Chiba, who also attends the same high school, approaches him and shouts out "that is not Kagamijishi and I want my money back!"

Due to excessive expectation as the successor of the Kishima family, Kyonosuke becomes sick and tired of kabuki. He plays with best friend Haruhiko Sakamoto and female fans until late into the night. When he arrives back home, his father Yozaemon, who is a master in kabuki, scolds him. An argument ensues. Yozaemon has never acknowledged Kyonosuke's efforts. That is a big reason why Kyonosuke has become estranged from kabuki. He also can't forgive his father for always placing kabuki as his first priority. His father did not show up when his mother became gravely ill and died.

Kyonosuke then meets Ayame at school. She again complains about his performance. Kyonosuke also learns that Ayame has a favorite actor. He's embarrassed by her complaints. For his next performance, Kyonosuke shows up practice, but he is chewed out by his instructor Matsukichi. Others, including Shohei Sawayama, watch this and make fun of Kyonosuke behind his back. Kyonosuke also hears from his rival Ichiya Sawayama that he was shocked at his performance. Kyonosuke feels numb.

Based on the manga series "Pin to Kona" by Ako Shimaki (first published November 2009 by Monthly Cheese!)

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.

Yukari Hayasaka is a high school student who has become tired of her life of constant schooling. She then comes across a group of student fashion designers in need of a model for their "Paradise Kiss" clothing label. Yukari knows nothing about the fashion world and is taken back by the group's eccentric ways, but she soon comes to admire their free thinking ways and ability to pursue their dreams with a one track mind.

Nakamura Rui is a divorced but highly successful producer in publishing. She meets Suzuki Kou, an ambitious buisiness man 17 years her junior, and finds herself getting aggressively persued by him. Eventually they begin a steaming affair. Meanwhile, a young couple moves into the house next to Nakamura's and the wife (Suzuki Marie) begins to confide in her about the frustrations of their conjugal life.

Sosuke Nakata is just your everyday salaried worker. There is really nothing special that stands out about Nakata. He is a serious guy, whose life mostly consists of going back and forth to the office each day.

Suddenly one day though, Nakata just happens to meet a certain woman by a coincidence she is the top star, Hikaruko Kirishima. Just by talking to her, Nakata is left standing feeling as he has just seen a dream.

Several days later, Kirishima calls an emergency press conference. And there she announces: "I am now dating a gentleman by the name of Sosuke Nakata, a salaried worker, whom I intend to marry." An announcement about their "relationship" out of the blue! More than that, this top star's boyfriend is just your typical salaried worker!! What does Kirishima have up her sleeve as she hides behind her intrepid smile?!

Nakata obviously has no idea about what happened at the press conference. He also doesn't know what lies ahead for him at work, and about Hikaruko's true intentions.

~~ Remake of the American movie “Nothing Hill” [1999].

Episodes: 11

Duration: 45 min.

Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Aired On: Thursday

Ratings: 7.2

Naomi Shimizu is a young career woman working for Enrico Dandolo, an Italian fashion house. That is until one day the company declares bankruptcy. Accustomed to living in luxury she tries to make a run for it with the last remaining company asset, a red Alpha Romeo sports car. Unfortunately she recklessly collides with a bicycle messenger. Lacking any funds to pay for a settlement, she ends up having to work as a bicycle messenger.

Three apparently unrelated suicides occur on the same day in Tokyo. One involves a young athlete, one a groom at his wedding reception, and the third an elderly man celebrating his wife's birthday. A middle aged detective investigating one of the cases begins to suspect a connection between the three when he discovers that each person mentioned a "green monkey" before they died. With the help of a young psychiatrist he formulates the theory that hypnosis is somehow involved. In the mean time other bizarre "suicides" are reported and the mystery intensifies. Who will be next? What is the truth? Can more deaths be prevented? Written by Infofreak.