Asian Drama

Yoshizawa Miku leads a busy life as part of the variety show team at the local TV station "P-Tele". One day, her drama proposal is accepted and she's able to transfer to the drama department. Her joy was short-lived, as the department head then asked "Can we make the protagonist of this proposal a person with disabilities?"

As part of the "Diversity Month" campaign launched by the network, it is said that dramas featuring characters with diverse backgrounds are needed. Despite Miku's concerns, she continues to press on with the interviews, determined to make the plan work somehow.

Eventually, she meets Miyajima Haru, a wheelchair- bound high school student who aspires to be an actress. As a result of being charmed by Haru, she offers her the part, but Haru refuses, saying, "I don't want my disability to be exploited." Unable to give up, Miku visits the rehearsal studio of the theater company that Haru belongs to...

(Source: Drama-Otaku)

Episodes: 4

Airs On: Saturday

Hiroshige Akihisa works for a karaoke company. When he is interviewed about the past 30 years of Japanese music industry, he gets confused when he is asked about his high school student days. An incident happened 29 years ago that caused him to suppress his memories that have now come back.

On March 20, 1995, the Tokyo subway sarin attack took place. At that time, Akihisa was a high school student who got good grades and was well mannered, but the Tokyo subway sarin attack led him to face the death of someone he knew and shook his world. Around that time, he was suddenly called out by his classmate Suzuki Shotaro, whom he wasn't very close to. Shotaro asked him if he wanted to live vacantly into his adulthood and then die? Would he be happy living that type of life? Akihisa then joined Shotaro’s group and hanged out with them in Shibuya. One day, Shotaro is attacked by someone. Akihisa decides to take revenge on the attacker and begins to search for him.

(Source: AsianWiki)

Adapted from the novel "95" by Hayami Kazuma (早見和真).

Episodes: 10

Duration: 49 min.

Airs On: Monday

Ami, a backpacker from Japan who is four years older than high school student Jimmy, shows up at his part-time job. The two end up spending the summer working at the same store, but Jimmy gradually develops a faint crush on Ami. The two of them grew closer as they rode motorcycles together at night and went to the movies, but suddenly, Ami decided to return to Japan. Ami proposes her "one promise" to Jimmy, who can't sort out his feelings.

As time passes, Jimmy visits his parents' house for the first time in a while and finds a postcard that Ami sent him 18 years ago when she returned to Japan. Jimmy's memories of his first love come back to him, and he takes his first solo trip to Japan to confront his past and examine his present. Jimmy rides the train while listening to songs that remind him of his memories with Ami, and he heads to her hometown. Will Jimmy be able to reunite with Ami?

(Source: Japanese = happinet-phantom.com)

Adapted from the travel essay "Qing Chun 18×2: Riben Manche Liulang Ji" (青春18×2 日本慢車流浪記) by Bluefoxing (藍狐) [2014].

Co-production with Taiwan.

Duration: 2 hr. 3 min.

Content Rating: G - All Ages

Ratings: 7.9

Why did the girl have to die? The mother becomes the tycoon's father's lover... The father becomes the tycoon's wife's hair stylist... The uncle becomes the tycoon's daughter's Korean tutor... And the sister becomes a journalist investigating the tycoon's son... The family of the high school girl disguise themselves to infiltrate the tycoon's life in order to uncover the truth behind their beloved daughter's death. Revealing shocking truths on the way, this is a story about an imposter family tackling mysteries and seeking revenge!

(Source: YTV)

Episodes: 10

Why did the girl have to die? The mother becomes the tycoon's father's lover... The father becomes the tycoon's wife's hair stylist... The uncle becomes the tycoon's daughter's Korean tutor... And the sister becomes a journalist investigating the tycoon's son... The family of the high school girl disguise themselves to infiltrate the tycoon's life in order to uncover the truth behind their beloved daughter's death. Revealing shocking truths on the way, this is a story about an imposter family tackling mysteries and seeking revenge!

(Source: YTV)

Episodes: 10

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Mishima Kanji is a reporter for the Weekly Times, which mainly deals with gossip. He feels a sense of emptiness and discomfort as he spends his days chasing celebrity scandals, without a shred of the journalistic spirit he aspired to. One day, Mishima goes to Amagasaki to pick up a certain person under the direction of chief editor Nagasawa Asuka. Nagasawa sends him off as a chance to fulfill Mishima's former wish to "see a world you wouldn't see if you lived a normal life", but what awaits him is Keijiro Kihara, a man who is now a renowned figure in all areas of the underworld, politics, and entertainment, as well as an urban legend among informers, known as "Informer".

Adapted from the novel "Informa" (インフォーマ) by Okita Garyo (沖田臥竜).

Higa Nobuko was born and raised with her four siblings in a farmhouse in the "Yanbaru region" in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. She aims to become a chef drawing inspiration from Okinawan cuisine. The four siblings follow very different paths, but the memories of their hometown connect their hearts and they're able to overcome their hardships as a family.

Higa Nobuko was born and raised with her four siblings in a farmhouse in the "Yanbaru region" in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa. She aims to become a chef drawing inspiration from Okinawan cuisine. The four siblings follow very different paths, but the memories of their hometown connect their hearts and they're able to overcome their hardships as a family.

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

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A story of youths in their 20's. I meets her at a boring, drinking meeting and falls in love with her.

Adapted from the novel "The End of the Pale Hour" (明け方の若者たち) by Katsuse Masahiko (カツセマサヒコ).

Sakeno Sei, working for "Hate Alcohol" firm, receives an application for the “Hate Alcohol Program” from the president of a company. Therefore, for various reasons and facts, "50 people with bad drinking habits" gather to take the program, but those who are not disciplined continue to drink and cause problems. Sakeno decides to impose an intense program on them.

Hairdresser Eri and accountant Hiroyuki are a remarried couple in their 40s. The two of them go on trips, enjoy meals, and enjoy an elegant life. The only things Eri is worried about are the slight deterioration of her appearance, the recent sexlessness, and the fact that she has given up having children. Eri has no complaints about her marriage, but she should have. However, a mysterious woman appears in front of Hiroyuki, and the couple encounters a mysterious and unbelievable event.

Seiya, Rin, Reira, Takashi, and Nakayama, who attend the same high school, are childhood friends. Rin is so close that she go to karaoke after school and spend time hanging out all the time, but lately, she's a little awkward because conscious of the opposite sex and appearance. The only difference is that most of the adults around them live in a country with the same face. All the adults walking in the city have the same face of a man and a woman - five people in love in such a world.

One day, Rin and Eri meet at a movie theater.

Toshi-chan and BB live in a hut with a blue sheet on the banks of the Tama River. Having lived there for several years, they are familiar with the area. The two of them gather cans across town from 4 am in the morning and sleep at 7 pm in order to save money on electricity at night. While they do not have substantial income, they are not particularly concerned about money. They are carefree each day and take pride in being homeless men who can support themselves. Nao, a young female actress from a small theatre company, visits Toshi-chan and BB one day. She is playing a heroine who has a grand romance with the leader of homeless men in her next performance and asks to interview them. This is the beginning of a long night for the trio…

Young parent Tasuku has spent his life assiduously avoiding any responsibility in his small town in northern Japan. But when he’s caught drunk and naked on live national TV coverage at the local Namahage festival, in which men dress as ogres and scare children into behaving, he flees to Tokyo in shame. After two years of rock-bottom city living, he returns home, ready to embrace adulthood. But will the town and his family have him back? Skilfully weaving traditional culture into a thoroughly contemporary story, this sensitive and assured drama asks what it truly means to be a man.

Hanako Haibara was born and raised in the city of Tokyo. After she gets dumped by her boyfriend, while in her late 20's, she goes on blind dates to find a man to marry.

Miki Tokioka was born in a province. She studied very hard and entered a prestigious university in Tokyo. She experienced difficult financial times, but she now works at an IT company.

Due to a man, Hanako Haibara and Miki Tokioka meet each other.

Adapted from the novel "Ano Ko wa Kizoku" by Mariko Yamauchi.

Having failed to get into graduate school, with no girlfriend, no money, and no prospects of success with his band, Tsurugi's life has reached rock bottom. One day, after watching the video of Aya Matsuura's song “Momoiro Kataomoi”, he becomes obsessed with the idol singers of “Hello! Project”, and plunges into the idol geek lifestyle. However, as time passes, he and his buddies all find other things just as important as the idols and begin to move on.

Taeko Sugimoto moves in with her daughter Natsuki and granddaughter Mizuki. They begin a lively life together. In the midst of it all, Taeko sees her former self in Mizuki. The bitter taste of the first pineapple she ever ate, the disastrous score on a math test, the awakening of her acting spirit at a school performance. As Taeko recalls her elementary school days, she unleashes a dream that she had long given up on and sealed away. I'm going to be on stage! Taeko immediately auditions and devotes herself to rehearsing for a Shakespeare play. But just then, the theater where she was planning to perform goes bankrupt. But just then, the theater where she was going to perform goes bankrupt, and she is forced to give up on her dream again!

Adapted from the manga series "Only Yesterday" by Okamoto Hotaru.

Momoko is 75-years-old and lives alone. In 1964, Momoko came by herself to Tokyo from her hometown. She met Shuzo and married him. They raised two children together, but Shuzo suddenly passes away. Momoko is dumbfounded by being alone again. She begins to go to the library and borrows books. This changes her life.

Adapted from the novel by Wakatake Chisato.

Inspector Sugishita Ukyo from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Missions Unit makes brilliant deductions and cracks difficult cases with his partner Kaburagi Wataru who used to be a career bureaucrat from the Ministry of Justice.

Oshi Hana is 78 years old. She realizes that she is different from the people of her own age. She tries to look younger than her age while surrounded by her husband, children, and grandchildren.

Single mother Umihara Haru was active in the American business community until she was directly headhunted by the CEO of Itsuki Trading, a leading Japanese general trading company, and returned to Japan. She takes up the position of assistant manager of the elite Corporate Planning Department but her direct superior turns out to be the ex-husband whom she divorced 10 years ago. From ramen to rockets, Haru takes on all sorts of problems within Itsuki Trading’s enormous departments and affiliate companies. She proclaims that she wants to enjoy work and does things that defies common wisdom amid an atmosphere of paralysis due to a conservative deputy CEO.

Shogo Kai is a partner at a law firm in Marunouchi, Tokyo. He brings back Daiki Suzuki to his law firm from Boston. Shogo Kai then assigns Daiki Suzuki to a case. The case involves a large publishing company as they are sued by a former contract worker. The former contract worker insists her idea for a novel was stolen by the publishing company.

(Source: Asianwiki)

Remake of the American TV series "Suits" [2011].

Episodes: 15

In the sensitive directorial debut of cinematographer Imamura Keisuke, young Japanese architect Tsubame has to face his family history: His Taiwanese mother took his brother Ryushin back to her home country during their childhood. In order to follow the last wish of his father, Tsubame hesitantly travels to Taiwan for the first time to see Ryushin again after more than 20 years. The breathless handheld camera explores his present between the cultures, whereas memories of the past with his mother shine in a warm, tender light. Neither in Japanese nor in Chinese can the grown-up brothers express all their feelings. In the end, images release the deepest emotions.

Kajiki Hidemaru, Chu-san, and Yuki are patients at a psychiatric hospital in Komoro, Nagano Prefecture. Hidemaru killed his mother and daughter-in-law. Chu-san used to work as a salaryman, but he suffers from auditory hallucinations. Yuki is a high school student and she refuses to go to school. Due to that, she receives outpatient treatment.

Patients at the psychiatric hospital try to live brightly, but things suddenly change. A murder takes place at the hospital. The murderer is Hidemaru.

The story revolves around the daily life of Sana Morikawa, a 30-year-old single woman who works in the finance department of a soap maker.

Architect Ayukawa Itsuki is paralyzed from waist down. Although he was the ace of the basketball team back in high school, he injured his spinal cord in an accident while in the third year in university. After that, he decided that he would not play basketball or fall in love ever again because he is wheelchair-bound. Itsuki was Kawana Tsugumi’s classmate and her first love. Tsugumi liked drawing and her ambition was to get into art college. But she lacked confidence and gave up on the exam. Even though she got into an interior design firm, it is a clerical position. Itsuki and Tsugumi happen to meet again at a work-related drinking session. The two of them are attracted to each other. However, they face problems including disapproving parents, the appearance of a love rival and illness as they search for the meaning of happiness

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.

Akari works as a manager at a cafe. She is sincere and she has a good reputation with those around her, but she has a secret. Due to a video, Akari gets popular on social media. Soon, her family, who have peaceful lives, get involved in the social media world.

Akari works as a manager at a cafe. She is sincere and she has a good reputation with those around her, but she has a secret. Due to a video, Akari gets popular on social media. Soon, her family, who have peaceful lives, get involved in the social media world.

Akashi Koji’s father committed suicide. His father was a whistleblower, involving a large corporation. Akashi Koji's family now faces ruin. Kitamura works at an orphanage. He approaches Akashi Koji. To protect the children, Kitamura does not mind committing crimes. Due to Kitamura, Akashi Koji thinks of taking revenge.

Akiba used to be a successful businessman. Now he spends his days working on developing mobile apps. He settles down at Koshiro’s office. Koshiro runs a temp agency, which is experiencing financial distress. Koshiro dreams of becoming a successful businessman.

One day, Akiba and Koshiro meet Eri as she is being chased by a loan shark. Eri begins to live with Akiba and Koshiro.

Meanwhile, Isao knows Akiba from their past. He now runs a successful investment company and dominates people with his wealth.

Akiba and Isao decide to buy a Tokyo broadcasting station.

Akiba used to be a successful businessman. Now he spends his days working on developing mobile apps. He settles down at Koshiro’s office. Koshiro runs a temp agency, which is experiencing financial distress. Koshiro dreams of becoming a successful businessman.

One day, Akiba and Koshiro meet Eri as she is being chased by a loan shark. Eri begins to live with Akiba and Koshiro.

Meanwhile, Isao knows Akiba from their past. He now runs a successful investment company and dominates people with his wealth.

Akiba and Isao decide to buy a Tokyo broadcasting station.

Akatsuka Detective Agency stands inconspicuously at Shimo Akatsuka in Tokyo’s Itabashi ward, right above a small snack shop run by their landlord. Akatsuka's eccentric chief Kaze Kaoru founded it with her two investigators Goro and Gure in order to take on odd cases that others are reluctant to do anything about. Their motto is "to be compassionate and meddlesome", which leads them to get involved in strange situations with their clients. Sometimes they're motivated by the potential to sell a sensational story to the press, but sometimes they end up working pro bono. They may be rough around the edges and always a little short on rent, but they always find a creative solution by diving into the mystery with their hearts even when they aren't sure if they'll succeed. They're joined by the Ranko, who first comes to them as a client, and other friends they meet along the way.

Itomura Satoshi is back again, but in Kyoto and with a new team. He begins work at the 1st Investigation Division of the Kyoto Prefectural Police Station. The 1st investigation division with deals with the most difficult cases.

Children go missing in a town and the adults around them die suspiciously. When an internet rumor spreads that an adult met a child who went missing, and the adult dies 3 days later, local newspaper reporter Shunya Ezaki begins to investigate the mysterious deaths. Meanwhile his girlfriend, Nahomi Harada, works at a kindergarten school. A boy's mother does not pick him up and she takes him with her. Then a mysterious man appears and the boy under Nahomi’s care soon goes missing.

Michima Shin is a 30-years-old lonely and unpopular novelist who lives alone in a big house. Shin's father is a convicted murderer, awaiting capital punishment, who killed 3 people, including his wife, Shin's mother.

One day, five mysterious women showed up at Shin's house saying that they received an invitation to live with him in exchange of paying 1 million yen a month in rent. They set up rules for Shin such as no asking questions and no entering the women's rooms.

Six months later, Shin is used to the presence of those women, however, one day, an incident occurs that changed everything.

In the spring, when Kashiwazaki Yui and her 3 years old son were coming back home from kindergarten, she let go of her son's hand for a moment and then he was gone. 9 years later, her son appears in front of her again.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department creates a new division which consists of 5 female detectives. The new division is called Higanbana which is a flower with a poison root. The 5 female detective have their own specialties and sensitivities. The women try to solve a murder that took place at the wedding of a female doctor.

Detective Nagisa Kinomiya is a member of Higanbana. She has the special ability of sensing a criminal’s murderous intent and ill will.

Wakakozake brings you Murasaki Wakako, a 26-year-old that loves nothing more than delicious food and drink. Wakako's favorite thing to do for relaxation is to go off by herself after work and go to various places to eat and drink, even if she's never been there before. The moment Wakako is able to taste the pairing between the food she wants to eat and the perfect accompanying drink, the happy sound of "Pshuuu" leaves her lips. Now, then. Where shall we drink tonight?

Ichiko is a 30-year-old unemployed woman. She meets Ryoichi at a drinking establishment. Even though he is a lot younger than her, she can't forget him. Meanwhile, Ichiko has 5 different characters in her brain that governs her actions. The 5 characters are Yoshida, Ishibashi, Ikeda, Hatoko, and Kishi. These 5 character then have a fierce meeting.

Yoshida presides over the meeting as the chairman. Ishibashi is the optimist. Ikeda is the pessimist. Hatoko is the character that lives in the moment and Kishi thinks about the past.

Set in a small restaurant in the corner of a shopping district. The unusual eatery is only open after midnight, and its standard menu consists of just a single choice. However, the customers still come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any dish that they request. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, including a yakuza, an unsuccessful actor, a group of office ladies, a newspaper delivery boy, and a stripper.

A lady works at a lingerie shop. Females of various ages visit her small shop, from elementary school students to those in their 40s in this five-part omnibus series. Each stands at a crossroad as a female.

A continuation of the drama Inokashira Goro, who is an imported goods dealer, visits various towns on business. After business meetings, he will stop by shops that he is interested in and looks forward to meals above all else. This summer, he visits Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture for business.

Based on Kusumi Masayuki and Taniguchi Jiro's manga of the same name.

Uno Meiko is the daughter of parents who run a western style restaurant in Tokyo. She marries and moves to Osaka with her husband. Meiko experiences cultural differences between Tokyo and Osaka, as she lives as a mother and wife in Osaka.

In a residential area, a man is murdered by another man, who broke his apartment. Sergeant Kizaki, who is working near the area, hears a gunshot and runs towards the apartment. Detective Omura already is at the scene of the crime.

During their investigation,they get closer to finding out the identity of the killer. Soon, Sergeant Kizaki feels someone is behind the case. A girl then steps out from the shadows. Sergeant Kizaki feels she is linked to the murders somehow.

The drama focuses on 45-year-old Tsuboi Ryota, the coordinator of a large CM company who is receiving a request from one of their clients to change some parts of their new CM. However, he’s unable to really explain to the director what changes should be made exactly. At the same time, he receives a call from his older sister, who tells him that his father has collapsed while golfing in Nagano and that he was admitted to a local hospital. In a hurry, Ryouta decides to go to Nagano, his birthplace.

Tsuboi Ryota is a good man. Nobody can really hate him, which is why the coordinator between his company and their clients seems like the perfect job for him. However, he frequently finds himself stuck in a dilemma, whether that’s between his wife and his daughter, his older sister and their mother, or his family and work in general.

Adding some mysterious, almost fantastical elements to this family drama are Miyazaki as a puzzling young woman Ryota happens to meet at the hospital and Natsuyagi as his father who strongly believes in the existence of a tiny fairy-like race called the ‘Kuna’.

Episodes: 10

News comes out that several people found 1 kg of solid gold in their mail boxes. Yamabuki Maya moves back to her hometown and surprises the movers by the amount of money she gives them.

After settling in her hometown, Maya one day takes the city train and sees former high school classmate Michigawa Tamotsu driving the city train. He tells her wistfully that he initially hoped to drive trains all around the world, but is now resigned to driving the city train. Several days later, Tamotsu receives a package from Maya with money and a map of the world railway system.

Uozumi Saki's husband dies suddenly. For her husband's funeral, her old high school classmates arrive. It seems May made an exorbitant amount of money while living in Tokyo. Maya then tells her old high school friends I will make your dreams & hopes come to fruition.

A Live Action version of the Sailor Moon anime.

A great evil, consisting of Queen Beryl, her four generals, and an amorphous evil power named Queen Metaria attempt to steal energy so that Beryl can take over the world.

Standing in their way are the Sailor Senshi, five middle-school-aged girls: perky Usagi Tsukino, genius Ami Mizuno, paranormally gifted shrine maiden Rei Hino, tomboyish Makoto Kino, and J-pop idol Minako Aino; two beings that appear to be sentient stuffed cats (Luna and Artemis); and Tuxedo Mask, a jewel thief in search of a Silver Crystal.