Asian Drama

Adapted from the manga series "Meguru Mirai" (めぐる未来) by Tsuji Yamori (辻やもり).

Episodes: 10

Duration: 55 min.

Airs On: Friday

Kayashima Naoya, a charismatic hairdresser who finds himself struggling to survive in extreme conditions when the train he is on winds up in a devastated future world where there is no food, water or communication.

The Tenpo period near the end of the Edo period. Katsuie's wife, Onobu, struggles to make ends meet, but never ceases to smile innocently. Her husband is Katsu Kokichi. His arms are very strong and she can't say she doesn't like it when asked. Her son, Rintaro, is clever, intelligent, aspiring to study Dutch studies, and eventually saves the people of Edo as "Katsu Kaishu."

The era is the reform of Tenpo. In addition to the noisy world, every time Kokichi brings in trouble, he is confident. Furthermore, Rintaro falls in love with Fukagawa geisha! Katsuya continues to make a fuss.

The Tenpo period near the end of the Edo period. Katsuie's wife, Onobu, struggles to make ends meet, but never ceases to smile innocently. Her husband is Katsu Kokichi. His arms are very strong and she can't say she doesn't like it when asked. Her son, Rintaro, is clever, intelligent, aspiring to study Dutch studies, and eventually saves the people of Edo as "Katsu Kaishu."

The era is the reform of Tenpo. In addition to the noisy world, every time Kokichi brings in trouble, he is confident. Furthermore, Rintaro falls in love with Fukagawa geisha! Katsuya continues to make a fuss.

Naoko Tanaka is a 26-year-old office lady (OL). Her job is typical, but her workplace has fierce fights among different cliques. Other OLs are absorbed in the daily clique fighting. One day, due to an OL at the company, Naoko Tanaka's company is targeted by OL from all over Japan.

Naoko Tanaka is a 26-year-old office lady (OL). Her job is typical, but her workplace has fierce fights among different cliques. Other OLs are absorbed in the daily clique fighting. One day, due to an OL at the company, Naoko Tanaka's company is targeted by OL from all over Japan.

Single 38 year old editor and food writer Kikuchi Izumi works for a small publishing company. She hasn't heard from her partner of 10 years in the last 5 months after lending him 2 million yen. After she suddenly receives a call on her phone, she is yelled at by an older woman. The older woman even enters the same cab with her and they are both heading to the same location. By chance, Izumi learns that the older woman is Nakajima Haruko, the owner of a very popular Tokyo beauty clinic.

Adapted from a novel of the same name.

Single 38 year old editor and food writer Kikuchi Izumi works for a small publishing company. She hasn't heard from her partner of 10 years in the last 5 months after lending him 2 million yen. After she suddenly receives a call on her phone, she is yelled at by an older woman. The older woman even enters the same cab with her and they are both heading to the same location. By chance, Izumi learns that the older woman is Nakajima Haruko, the owner of a very popular Tokyo beauty clinic.

Adapted from a novel of the same name.

Sayaka Ogino works as an editor at a women's fashion magazine. She does her job well and enjoys her work. Sayaka Ogino has a personality that is sincere and honest. She is married to Kazuma, who works at advertising agency. They have been married for 6 years. Kazuma appears to be a perfect husband. He is kind, understands Sayaka's work, and shares housework with her. One thing that bothers Sayaka about her husband is that he does not seem to want to have a baby.

Somehow, Sayaka Ogino gets betrayed by people she trusts. She then meets her first love Keiichi Akiyama from her high school days.

Yasui Tsukasa, the young CEO of an IT venture company, is one of seven men and women (Onishi Ayaka, Kuroba Mario, Kakei Miwako, Wada Masato, Mashima Hidekazu, Sakai Maki) who meet at a one-day cooking class at the restaurant Grand Rossa in Ebisu, Tokyo. Rumours have spread that the owner-chef Iwasa Akira of Grand Rossa can solve anything when consulted on romance. Night after night, troubled people come to this restaurant.

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.

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.

Dojima Otaro works as a popular host. Because of a past incident, he believes that love makes people unhappy. He now only pursues money and power.

A mysterious woman appears in front of Dojima Otaro. The mysterious woman has a pale face with red lips. She kisses him and he dies, but the next moment he regains consciousness. He realizes he is now 7 days in the past. The mysterious woman alsofollows him. Due to her kiss, Dojima Otaro dies and goes back to the past over and over again.

Teenage girls Azami and Rie are leading a lifestyle full of delinquent behavior. One night, when they find a good hiding spot after being chased by mobs, Rie points out Tsukumodo, a place where they serve free food. There, they meet other people from various backgrounds with all kinds of personal problems, and the owner, a 52-year-old woman named Tsukumo Sakura. They discover that Tsukumodo, a secondhand bookstore which stands alone in Tokyo's Ota district, is a shop where people of all generations can enjoy manga, but also find comfort. At the back of the bookstore is a room called Tamariba, where people with nowhere to go gather and eat the delicious oyakodon Sakura cooks for them. She serves them for free without prying into their backgrounds or circumstances. Her meals fill stomachs and also seems to warm hearts. With their hunger satisfied, the people “with nowhere to go” slowly start to talk to Sakura about themselves and she listens to them. Sometimes she encourages them with a smile. At other times, she cries with them. She loves to say, “It’s all right to cry when you want to. The teardrops that fall will simply burst into flowers of happiness.” Meanwhile, Sakura herself has to face a tragic past. An incident 16 years ago spurred her to make oyakodon for free. When Azami and Rie visit Tsukumodo and Sakura decides to cook them a meal, time starts to rewind.

University student Izumi is contacted by her drama club advisor in high school, Hayama, who wants her to participate in the graduation performance for a younger club member. Izumi received the support of Hayama when she had felt out of place at school and so has treasured memories with Hayama in her heart. However, when they reunite, her feelings begin to intensify.

Ritsu was abandoned by his mother Reiko when he was little, so now he belongs in the lower social strata. One day, Ritsu gets involved in a case and his head is severely injured, so he can die at anytime. Convinced she abandoned him due to poverty, Ritsu attempts to find his mother and be good to her before his death. But when he learns that she is leading a happy life instead, with her pianist son Satoru, he decides to take revenge on his mother. Ritsu then meets Rinka, a girl whom he happened to help in the past, and discovers she is Satoru’s childhood friend.

“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.

The 95th NHK Asadora is about Sumire, a girl born in the uptown of Kobe in the early Showa period. In the wake of wartime devastation, she works hard toward making children's clothes for a living, and later establishes a first-ever children's goods store in Japan. -- NHK

In 1895 (Meiji 28), Nonaka Chiyoko prays for the safety of her husband Itaru who is attempting to climb Mt Fuji in midwinter. If he accomplishes what no one has done before, he would finally build an observatory on the mountain’s summit with the intention of staying there alone in the winter. He will be able to observe the weather in order to advance meteorological studies even though it may be at the cost of his own life. Burning with a conviction that the country cannot be changed if no commoner demonstrates it first, Itaru has the support of his parents and younger brother but Chiyoko is absolutely anxious. She is convinced that her husband will certainly die of such recklessness if she lets him go alone, and decides to climb Mt Fuji together with him. However, this is vehemently opposed by her mother-in-law Tomiko who berates her that her place is at home, and Chiyoko apparently reconsiders. In order to join Itaru, she hides this plan from the people around her, deceives Tomiko and does everything possible to finally carry it out. On the summit of Mt Fuji in midwinter – a feat no one has yet achieved, husband and wife battle the cold and altitude sickness as they begin their observations.

Episodes: 6

Duration: 58 min.

Ratings: 7.2

Aired On: Saturday

19-year-old beautiful Shiratori Reiko is a self-professed ultimate princess. Despite her haughty attitude, she is actually a very late bloomer and knows nothing of the real world. Reiko has had feelings for Akimoto Tetsuya (Mizuno Masaru) from childhood, but her enormous pride always gets in the way and she cannot tell him in all honesty that she is in love with him. Tetsuya soon becomes a university student and Reiko follows him to Tokyo. But he is constantly at the mercy of her overly unique sensibilities. Then Tetsuya’s ex-girlfriend, a cute high school girl, the wealthy Yoshimoto Ryunosuke (Tamura Yukihisa) who has fallen in love at first sight with Reiko and Reiko’s rival Kakitsubata Ayame (Onishi Ayaka) appear before the two of them.

19-year-old beautiful Shiratori Reiko is a self-professed ultimate princess. Despite her haughty attitude, she is actually a very late bloomer and knows nothing of the real world. Reiko has had feelings for Akimoto Tetsuya (Mizuno Masaru) from childhood, but her enormous pride always gets in the way and she cannot tell him in all honesty that she is in love with him. Tetsuya soon becomes a university student and Reiko follows him to Tokyo. But he is constantly at the mercy of her overly unique sensibilities. Then Tetsuya’s ex-girlfriend, a cute high school girl, the wealthy Yoshimoto Ryunosuke (Tamura Yukihisa) who has fallen in love at first sight with Reiko and Reiko’s rival Kakitsubata Ayame (Onishi Ayaka) appear before the two of them.

Hoshina Kyoko, Doi Tomohiko and Sakai Miwa have been leading ordinary lives working as adults. Raised at Yoko Gakuen which was isolated from the world and located on the mountain, the three of them enjoyed child-like lives and education and were supposed to be normal children. One day, they were told by their principal Kamikawa Emiko that they are special children who have been given a “mission” from birth and were informed of their “true destiny”. The three are actual clones and they were produced for eventual organ harvesting.

Sawatari Ichiko was supposed to be a high-powered career woman working for the planning department of IT company, Madarame Corporation. But one day, she is suddenly ordered by her company president, Madarame Haruhiko, to go over to Hinode Pro, an entertainment production company that Madarame Corporation has entered into a venture with. This gives Ichiko, an impulsive, arrogant woman who is good at her job, but does not understand people’s feelings, a shock. When she visits Hinode Pro, she discovers that it is a small entertainment production company run by a man called Namiki Masao. Ichiko is alarmed by the dispirited, struggling one-hit singer and third-rate talents. She goes back to Madarame Corporation to protest against her secondment, and offers to quit after Madarame discloses that this is a demotion. However, Ichiko takes the first step toward becoming an artiste manager, which was something she had never expected, on condition that she be reinstated to a core department at Madarame Corporation if she succeeds in turning a declining Hinode Pro around. Believing that she has to find a newcomer in order to rebuild Hinode Pro, she scouts the handsome but rude Sakisaka Ryo who works as a traffic warden at a construction site. Ichiko makes every effort to groom him to be a star. At the first audition, she is disappointed by Ryo who shows no enthusiasm. However, she gives him a taste of being an extra at the Namiki’s suggestion. Ryo becomes conscious of the joy of acting and wins his first role with a line in a drama starring the great actress, Nakazato Reiko. Although Ryo is hostile to Ichiko, he soon rises to become a star and Ichiko learns for the first time the joy of making people feel happy. The two of them keep having conflicts, but are aware that each person is an indispensable partner to the other. Ichiko and Ryo overcome all sorts of trials and set their sights to be the best in the entertainment world. They gradually become “comrades in arms” and start to be drawn to each other.

In 1895 (Meiji 28), Nonaka Chiyoko prays for the safety of her husband Itaru who is attempting to climb Mt Fuji in midwinter. If he accomplishes what no one has done before, he would finally build an observatory on the mountain’s summit with the intention of staying there alone in the winter. He will be able to observe the weather in order to advance meteorological studies even though it may be at the cost of his own life. Burning with a conviction that the country cannot be changed if no commoner demonstrates it first, Itaru has the support of his parents and younger brother but Chiyoko is absolutely anxious. She is convinced that her husband will certainly die of such recklessness if she lets him go alone, and decides to climb Mt Fuji together with him. However, this is vehemently opposed by her mother-in-law Tomiko who berates her that her place is at home, and Chiyoko apparently reconsiders. In order to join Itaru, she hides this plan from the people around her, deceives Tomiko and does everything possible to finally carry it out. On the summit of Mt Fuji in midwinter – a feat no one has yet achieved, husband and wife battle the cold and altitude sickness as they begin their observations.

Episodes: 6

Duration: 58 min.

Ratings: 7.2

Aired On: Saturday

Born to a poor family in Yamanashi prefecture, in the year of 1903 at the age of 10, Muraoka Hanako was accepted by a Missionary school in Tokyo. It was her father's Ando Kippei, greatest wish that his daughter gets a higher education. The Missionary school was attended by daughters from noble families, and as a charity case, Hanako was reminded by her father to never be inferior to her rich schoolmates. As the classes were carried out in English, Hanako faced a culture shock when she started school. Unable to understand the teachers nor able to grasp the conversation of her peers, Hanako resolved to work really hard at her studies.This drama follows Hanako from her childhood, through her years at the missionary school, to her life as a school teacher and finally as the translator of L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables".

Born to a poor family in Yamanashi prefecture, in the year of 1903 at the age of 10, Muraoka Hanako was accepted by a Missionary school in Tokyo. It was her father's Ando Kippei, greatest wish that his daughter gets a higher education. The Missionary school was attended by daughters from noble families, and as a charity case, Hanako was reminded by her father to never be inferior to her rich schoolmates. As the classes were carried out in English, Hanako faced a culture shock when she started school. Unable to understand the teachers nor able to grasp the conversation of her peers, Hanako resolved to work really hard at her studies.This drama follows Hanako from her childhood, through her years at the missionary school, to her life as a school teacher and finally as the translator of L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables".