Asian Drama

Sanpuu Minami is a popular shojo manga artist who is believed by many to be a woman. In actuality, though, his real identity is Eichizen Gotaro, a single father with two children. One day, he receives a notification from the court that he has been appointed as a prosecutor's office examiner. With the deadline for his manga approaching, he requests a withdrawal but this is declined due to a lack of special circumstances.

He joins 11 other people randomly selected from ordinary Japanese citizens, who each have unique personalities and give off the impression that they would like to get this over and done with. At first, Gotaro has a negative attitude towards the Prosecution Review Board, but as he gets closer to the thoughts of those behind the case, he starts to appreciate how important this job is.

(Source: Drama-Otaku)

Episodes: 10

Duration: 54 min.

Airs On: Friday

Continuation from season 1.

Saionji Hajime serves the wealthy Ijuuin family. He graduated at the top of the London school for butlers. As the perfect butler, housekeeping skills and management of the mansion go without saying. He mastered martial arts and also has knowledge of all sorts of genres including science and history. Saionji has established a firm relationship of trust with Yuriko, the widow of the head of the Ijuuin family. He abides by the wishes of the inquisitive Yuriko and independently investigate difficult case. No matter how capable he is as a butler, he should be an amateur at investigating cases. However, nothing is impossible for Saionji who brilliantly figures out the mystery with his knowledge and skills.

Sato Tomoko leads an ordinary life as a 40-year-old wife and mother with a part-time hourly job to supplement the household income. One day, she defies an unfair rule at her customer service job because she wants to help the customer, and is fired on the same day her husband loses his job. Tomoko is a high school dropout due to her family background, and has no certifications. How is she to get a secure job that pays enough to provide decent meals for Shun, her 5-year-old son? After her husband mentions find the high salary of city council members, Tomoko researches it on the Internet and learns that winning a seat on the council has a higher probability than getting a secure salary job. Inspired by the desire to earn a good salary, Tomoko decides and convinces her husband to withdraw their savings so she can run in the current election. While her rivals are endorsed by current politicians or come from families with elite backgrounds, Tomoko isn't intimidated for long, and decides she can be a voice for struggling working class families and fight the status quo that makes it difficult for Japanese women to work after becoming mothers. Todo Makoto, who comes from a long line of politicians and is also running for a seat on the council, hears her speech and is impressed. So is Hirata Kazumi, a former star political journalist at a newspaper whose daughter attends the same nursery school as Shun, is inspired by her energy and ability to unify people, and becomes her campaign manager.

Hayakawa Yui is a 16-year-old girl whose only strong point is her ability to run fast. She accidentally goes back in time to the Warring States era where she makes use of her ability on the battlefield to protect her beloved young prince. Through finding a goal to work towards to, Yui finds a new world waiting for her as she uses her power to change the person she loves and move the people she meets.

Keisuke Ninomiya, who works as a construction consultant, becomes acquainted through his work with yakuza Yasuhiko Kuwabara. One day, film producer Koshimizu brings a movie investment proposal to yakuza leader Shimada. Shimada decides to invest in the film and he assigns Yasuhiko Kuwabara to oversee his investment. When Koshimizu runs away, Keisuke and Yasuhiko struggle to get Shimada’s money back from him.

Kenta Sakaguchi was a yakuza member and he spent 13 years in prison for killing a rival yakuza boss. Hidehiko Hirohashi was a secretary for a politician. He took the blame for the politician’s act. Isao Okawara was a self-defense official, but he took in arms against the government. The three men gather under retired ex-detective Gonzaemon Mukai and they get even with the people who betrayed and deceived them.

Akiho Takeda (Eikura Nana) is assigned to #3 investigation team for The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. On her first day at work, a burglary takes place at a jewelry store in Shibuya. The case though is taken by the #1 investigation team which Akiho hoped to join. Nevertheless, Akiho goes secretly to the jewelry store where the theft took place. There she sees a man with piercing eyes among the onlookers. That man is veteran detective Shuichi Hagio (Takahashi Katsumi), who also works for the #3 investigation team. They become partners and work together. Later, a safe at a jewelry store in Roppongi is broken into. The safe breaking case is assigned to the #3 investigation team. Shuichi and Akiho go to the jewelry store in Roppongi. They learn that the safe was protected by a secret code and a high tech fingerprint authentication system. Stolen from the safe is the diamond called "Besu". The "Besu" is one of three diamonds that makes up the "Kuraida Family's Three Sisters". The other two diamonds are "Ani" and "Kyasari". The diamond "Ani" was stolen from the jewelry store in Shibuya, that occurred a few days earlier. Several people believe the two diamond thefts were done by the same person(s), but Akiho mentions the techniques used by thieves are different. Yet, Akiho believes there must be a connection between the two cases. --Asianwiki

The new season begins with a special case that leads the duo to the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong. It’s the first time for ‘Aibou’ to expand its setting to a foreign location since they went to London in the second season. Mizutani commented that it perfectly suits inspector Sugishita Ukyo, since Hong Kong used to be a British colony and Ukyo is interested in everything British. His new partner is called ‘Kai Toru’. He’s played by Narimiya Hiroki and is going to breath new life into the series. More details about him can be found here and here, but we will have to wait until the first episode to find out how they end up as partners.

11 mysteries, 11 actors. Japan's favorite mystery author, the world of Higashino Keigo comes to life on screen through an assortment of short stories.

For every episode, there will be a different lead actor and story, it's themes varying from mystery to comedy to horror to human drama. Nakai Kiichi is the navigator as he takes you on a journey through each episode, seasoned with Higashino's authentic spices, failing your assumptions with vivid story composition and an even bigger betrayal before the finale. It's a weekly drama that will keep you hungry from episode to episode, like a special holiday event each and every time.

Esumi's character Tamami is the "bull doctor" of the show's title, which comes from the word "bulldozer." Ignoring any opposition from the people around her, she uses any means necessary to determine the truth behind the deaths of the bodies she examines. Because of her personality, she is constantly at odds with both Ishihara and Inagaki's characters.

The basis for the drama is the novel "Kashikogi" by author Cho Chang-in, which has sold 2 million copies in Korea since its publication in 2000. It has already been adapted as a television drama and a stage play in that country. On February 4, Shogakukan is publishing the book in Japan under the title "Good Life" Sorimachi plays the part of Daichi Sawamoto, a newspaper reporter who has always prioritized his work over his family. When his wife suddenly leaves him, he finally notices the love he has been receiving from his son. Just as he decides to answer back, it is discovered that his son has leukemia. Igawa plays Sawamoto's wife, Eikura plays a pediatrics specialist, and Ihara plays a doctor.

Mika is in her first year of high school. While Mika accidentally met a flashily dressed boy called Hiro at school, she turns and flees. They soon fall in love each other. Their days pass happily, but the trouble is coming to them...

Adapted from the cell-phone novel.