Chimudondon
Date: From 8.00 a.m., Mondays – Fridays, 11 April 2022
Station: NHK
Scriptwriter: Habara Daisuke (Spiral, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Godan)
Directors: Kimura Takafumi, Matsuzono Takehiro, Nakano Ryohei
Cast: Kuroshima Yuina, Nakama Yukie, Omori Nao, Ryusei Ryo, Kawaguchi Haruna, Kamishiraishi Moka
Synopsis: Higa Nobuko (Kuroshima Yuina) lives with her family in Hinabita Village on Okinawa’s main island in the 1960s. They ran a sugar cane farm. At that time, the island was still under the American troops. The second daughter of four children (Ryusei Ryo, Kawaguchi Haruna, Kamishiraishi Moka), Nobuko is the one in the family who loves eating delicious food. One day, her heart is stolen by her first taste of Western cuisine on the only occasion when the whole family eats at a restaurant in town. However, her kind father Kenzo (Omori Nao) suddenly passes away, leaving her mother Yuko (Nakama Yukie) to work and raise four children on her own. They are financially strapped and the children are each put in charge of a household chore to help their mother. Nobuko is responsible for their meals. After graduating from high school, she dreams of going to Tokyo and becoming a Western cuisine chef. With the support of her family and siblings, Nobuko heads to Tokyo in a dream come true. While she spends time undergoing strict training in the kitchen of a famous restaurant, her brother and sisters also set out on their own paths. Although they may have grown apart, the hometown food that they have always eaten together and the memories of family are bonds that connect the siblings. They offer mutual support in adulthood. As Nobuko comes in contact with different people, falls in love and grows as a chef, she and starts wanting to open a restaurant serving Okinawan cuisine in Tokyo … …
Website: www.nhk.or.jp/chimudondon
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
Motokare no Yuigonjou
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Mondays, 11 April – 20 June 2022
Station: Fuji TV
Genre: Legal mystery
Episodes: 11
Original Work: Motokare no Yuigonjou by Shinkawa Hotate
Scriptwriter: Sugihara Noriaki (Mamagoto, Mega Bank Saishuu Kessen)
Directors: Suzuki Masayuki, Sawada Kensaku
Cast: Ayase Haruka, Oizumi Yo, Ikuta Toma, Sekimizu Nagisa, Manda Hisako, Kaname Jun, Fueki Yuko, Satoi Kenta, Sasano Takashi, Nomaguchi Toru, Mori Kanna, Katsumura Masanobu (guest star), Shiratori Tamaki (guest star), Fujimoto Takahiro (guest star), Kondo Haruka (guest star), Mikata Ryosuke (guest star), Irino Miyu (guest star), Takada Shoko (guest star), Suruga Taro (guest star), Ishigaki Yuma (guest star), Narumi Riko (guest star), Yashima Norito (guest star), Masana Bokuzo (guest star)
Synopsis: Beautiful, stylish Kenmochi Reiko (Ayase Haruka) works for one of the country’s top law firms. Although everyone regards her as a very outstanding lawyer, she has made enemies for stopping at nothing to win. She merely boasts that she is honest about her desire for money. One day, her bonus gets cut after a client accuses her of extortion. Feeling indignant about the way she has been treated, Reiko blusters that she is going to quit and takes a brief leave of absence. With time to spare, she sends emails at random to acquaintances. The only person who replies is an ex-boyfriend Morikawa Eiji (Ikuta Toma) whom she had only dated for six months when they were in university. But the email response contains shocking news of his death. The sender is a mysterious man called Shinoda Keitaro (Oizumi Yo). What is even more surprising is Eiji’s strange will that bequeaths his huge fortune to the person who killed him. However, it is the inheritance and not the fact that he died that sways Reiko. She comes up with a plan to make Shinoda the “murderer” and conspires to split the fortune equally with him but … …
Website: www.fujitv.co.jp/motokare
Twitter: twitter.com/motokare_cx_
Preview: Motokare no Yuigonjou Teaser
Koi Nante, Honki de Yatte Dousuru no?
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Mondays, 18 April – 20 June 2022
Station: Fuji TV
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Scriptwriter: Asano Taeko (Digital Tattoo, Tasogare Ryuuseigun, Gomen Ai Shiteru)
Directors: Miyawaki Ryo, Kitagawa Hitomi
Theme Song: Hatsukoi ga Naiteiru by Aimyon
Cast: Hirose Alice, Matsumura Hokuto, Nishino Nanase, Iitoyo Marie, Okayama Amane, Ono Karin, Ando Nico, Osada Seiya, Makino Rika, Miura Ryota, Tozuka Junki, Mikata Ryosuke, Akira 100%, Furukawa Yuta, Kashii Yu, Fujiki Naohito
Synopsis: Sakurazawa Jun (Hirose Alice), the young chief designer of a company that manufactures Western tableware, has a fulfilling life in Tokyo and has no wish for it to be disrupted. At 27, she has no experience in romance or men and insists that she does not want to waste her feelings and time on something as uncertain as love. There is actually a reason why she is adamant about it. Nagamine Shuma (Matsumura Hokuto), an apprentice chef and waiter at a French bistro, is strikingly handsome and also has a gentle smile and way with words that captures female hearts. His philosophy regarding love is to live in the moment and he is not serious about relationships. However, he seems to be concealing the emptiness inside him. An encounter between Jun and Shuma, who both think that they do not need true love, starts to bring about changes in each of them when he takes an interest in her for some reason … … in this story of six men and women who find the greatest love of their lives.
Website: www.ktv.jp/koimaji
Twitter: twitter.com/koimaji_ktv
Preview: Koi Nante, Honki de Yatte Dousuru no? Teaser
Kanakana
Date: From 10.45 p.m., Mondays – Thursdays, 16 May – 30 June 2022
Station: NHK
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 28
Original Work: Kanakana by Nishimori Hiroyuki
Scriptwriters: Arai Shuko (Dear Patient, Nodoka no Niwa, Tsubaki Bunguten), Kitaki Rima (Unmei kara Hajimaru Koi)
Directors: Kawahara Yo, Morishita Toshiyuki
Theme Song: Young Town by PEOPLE 1
Cast: Maeda Gordon, Shiraishi Sei, Maeda Oshiro, Kato Yuzuna, Eishin, Takizawa Tsubasa, Watanabe Dai, Shinkawa Yua, Kiriyama Ren, Hashimoto Jun, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Takeda Shinji
Synopsis: Higurashi Masanao (Maeda Gordon), nicknamed Masa, is a legendary former delinquent who won a fight against 100 opponents. He now runs a small pub near the sea. Masa looks scary with a large cut on his face that gets him mistaken and feared as a gangster by people on the street. But he is in fact a kind-hearted young man who is knowledgeable about wild flora and fauna. One day, Masa comes across a girl Kanaka (Kato Yuzuna) who is fleeing from a suspicious-looking man. Kanaka has possessed a curious ability to read people’s minds since birth. Her father’s younger brother Sawada (Takeda Shinji) is aware of this and has made life a living hell by taking her around for gambling. Although Kanaka has only known ugly adults whose true intentions differ from how they behave publicly, Masa gives her a feeling of quiet reassurance and she instinctively seeks his help. Sawada tries to get her back by using his position as her uncle. However, Masa sees Kanaka’s fear and decides to run away with her. What will become of Masa, the “kidnapper”, and Kanaka?
Website: www.nhk.jp/p/ts/4QWP83G6MM
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
Preview: Kanakana Introduction
Kichijoji Losers
Date: From 11.06 p.m., Mondays, 11 April – 27 June 2022
Station: TV Tokyo
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 12
Scriptwriter: Ikeda Tetsuhiro
Directors: Sato Yuichi, Matsuki Tsukuru, Kobayashi Yoshinori
Theme Song: Ramble by Awesome City Club
Cast: Masuda Takahisa, Tanaka Minami, Katagiri Jin, Tashima Meru, Hamada Mari, Kunimura Jun, Iwamoto Renka, Minagawa Sarutoki (guest star), Noda Crystal (guest star)
Synopsis: Six people move into a shared house in Kichijoji in a bizarre communal living arrangement. They are Abiko Satoshi (Masuda Takahisa), a teacher at a female high school whose life was until something caused heartbreak; Oba Sakura (Tanaka Minami), the former chief editor of a fashion magazine who is in the midst of a divorce settlement with her husband; Hata Manta (Katagiri Jin), a sales employee who does product demonstrations and considers himself an entertainer but he is not popular; Mochizuki Mai (Tashima Meru), an sassy hostess who moved from Hakata to Tokyo; Kurumizawa Midori (Hamada Mari), a serious civil servant who is mired in debt due to her gambling addiction; and Ikegami Ryuji, a lonely man who used to be one of the elite at an advertising agency until he was laid off. This seems to be a gathering of losers where 1 in 17 were chosen. Furthermore, there is a house rule that no one should enter the locked room… …
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/kichijoji_losers
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_losers
Uketsuke no Jo
Date: From 12.59 a.m., Tuesdays, 3 May – 27 June 2022
Episodes: 10
Station: NTV
Scriptwriter: Ito Nanoha (Youtuber ni Musume wa Yaran!, Gohoubi Gohan, Kiyoshiko)
Directors: Nakakuki Tsuyoshi, Hobo Karibu, Inobe Yohei
Theme Song: Odoru you ni Jinsei o by King & Prince
Cast: Jinguji Yuta, Tanabe Momoko, Miyama Karen, Matsui Airi, Tomite Ami, Rokkaku Shinji, Nishihara Aki, Tamura Kentaro, Triendl Reina, Hashimoto Jun
Synopsis: Advertising agency salesman Jo Takumi’s (Jinguji Yuta) digitalisation plan for Rintosha’s reception, which he had presented without giving much thought, has been adopted. He is forced into laying off all four receptionists (Tanabe Momoko, Miyama Karen, Triendl Reina, Nishihara Aki) within three months. This obviously results in furious protests from the team. In an attempt to understand their job, Jo decides to jump into the role. However, he soon discovers that it is not a straightforward one and requires the ultimate hospitality. His feelings start to change as he faces them. What will happen to his mission to digitalise the reception?
Website: www.ntv.co.jp/uketsukenojo
Twitter: twitter.com/shindora_ntv
Preview: Uketsuke no Jo CM
Shoujiki Fudousan Season 1
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Tuesdays, 5 April – 7 June 2022
Station: NHK
Genre: Workplace comedy
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Shoujiki Fudousan by Otani Akira and Mizuno Mitsuhiro
Scriptwriter: Nemoto Nonji (Hakozume, Kansatsui Asagao Series, Fruits Takuhaibin)
Directors: Kawamura Taisuke, Kanazawa Tomoya, Noda Kenta
Theme Song: so far so good by Oda Kazumasa
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Fukuhara Haruka, Ichihara Hayato, Izumi Rika, Kurashina Kana, Daichi Mao, Hasegawa Shinobu, Takahashi Katsunori, Kusakari Masao, Yamazaki Tsutomu (guest star)
Synopsis: Property agent Nagase Saichi (Yamashita Tomohisa) boasts the top sales at Tosaka Real Estate due to his eloquence and competence. He has stayed the number one salesman for his willingness to lie in sales pitches. The destruction of a small shrine on the construction site for an apartment building one day results in divine punishment that makes him unable to tell lies. As he rattles on about things he does not need to say, clients naturally get enraged and this ends up undermining a string of contracts that were close to being signed. How will Nagase be able to survive in the cutthroat real estate industry now that he is a property agent with honesty as his only weapon?
Website: www.nhk.jp/p/ts/5GKZ6NXYVM
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
Preview: Shoujiki Fudousan Introduction
Jizoku Kanouna Koi desu ka? Chichi to Musume no Kekkon Koushinkyoku
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Tuesdays, 19 April – 21 June 2022
Station: TBS
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Scriptwriter: Yoshizawa Tomoko (Dream Team, Byoushitsu de Nenbutsu o Tonaenaide Kudasai, Hajimete Koi o Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi)
Directors: Doi Nobuhiro, Yamamura Daisuke, Komaki Sakura, Kato Akiko
Theme Song: Lens by Ikuta Lila
Cast: Ueno Juri, Tanaka Kei, Isomura Hayato, Yuriyan Retriever, Misaki Ayame, Shimizu Kurumi, Takeda Rena, Suzuki Kosuke, Sakakibara Arina, Suzuki Tano, Takiuchi Kumi, Ise Shima, Yuzuki Reon, Yagi Akiko, Igawa Haruka, Matsushige Yutaka
Synopsis: Yoga instructor Sawada Kyoka (Ueno Juri) returned to her family home after her mother passed away two years ago and now lives with her father Rintaro (Matsushige Yutaka), a Japanese language scholar and lexicographer. He has been compiling a dictionary and thinks about words 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As Rintaro left all household matters to his wife Yoko (Yagi Akiko) and is barely able to carry out daily life, he always vexes Kyoka. The death of his wife almost drained all energy from him but when he finds divorce papers while organising her belongings, he resolves to find a partner for the second half of his life and gets the idea to have Kyoka look for a marriage partner too. However, Kyoka does not have much desire to marry. Despite keeping up the appearance of calmness in mind and body in front of her students, reality has been quite different. She wishes to use her own time for herself but she has had to take care of her father who is a burden. Even though Kyoka got dragged into looking for a spouse by him, she starts to awaken to the idea of living with someone. At this time, she encounters Higashimura Seita (Tanaka Kei), a divorcee and single father with a 7-year-old son Nijiro (Suzuki Tano), and is also reunited with her childhood friend Fuwa Hayate (Isomura Hayato) after 18 years.
Website: www.tbs.co.jp/jizokoi_tbs
Twitter: twitter.com/jizokoi_tbs
Preview: Jizoku Kanouna Koi desu ka? CM
Fukushuu no Miboujin
Date: From 12.00 a.m., Wednesdays, 9 March 2022 (airs on TV Tokyo in July)
Network: Paravi
Genre: Suspense
Original Work: Fukushuu no Miboujin by Kurosawa R
Scriptwriters: Matoba Tomomi (Surrogacy), Akutsu Tomoko ( Douki no Sakura)
Directors: Igashi Aya, Mizuta Naruhide, Nagao Raku
Cast: Matsumoto Wakana, Hiraoka Yuta, Kiriyama Ren, Fuchikami Yasushi, Adachi Rika, Morinaga Yuki, Konishi Sakurako, Maekawa Yasuyuki, Matsuo Satoru
Synopsis: Suzuki Mizuki (Matsumoto Wakana) is a talented programmer working at an IT company as a contract employee. She has a reason for changing her name to Mitsu to work at this place. Her husband Yugo (Hiraoka Yuta) suddenly took his own life at the company one morning. The people who drove him into a corner were his colleagues. In order to take revenge on each of the people who were responsible, Mitsu enlists the help of Yugo’s younger brother Yoji (Fuchikami Yasushi) who is an investigator and starts to set a meticulous and elaborate trap. Using her allure and fury as weapons, she kicks off her revenge plot.
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/fukusyunomiboujin
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_fukusyu
Preview: Fukushuu no Miboujin CM
Murai no Koi
Date: From 12.58 a.m., Wednesdays, 6 April – 24 May 2022
Station: TBS
Genre: Love comedy
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Murai no Koi by Shima Junta
Scriptwriter: Kiyasu Kohei (Denei Shojo Series, Ito-kun A to E, Sayonara Enari-kun)
Directors: Imura Taichi, Matsuki Aya, Yamamoto Daisuke
Ending Theme: Niji o Yobu by Reaction The Buttha
Cast: Takahashi Hikaru, Miyase Ryubi, Sota Ryosuke, Ito Asahi, Hara Nanoka, Riko, Tsurushima Noa, Serizawa Tateto, Kamiya Keisuke, Saito Shinji, Asaka Kodai
Synopsis: Tanaka (Takahashi Hikaru) has been given the nickname Iron Mask Tetsuko by students because she does not get involved with them more than required nor interacts with fellow teachers. In fact, she is a gamer who is in love with a character, Hitotose (Miyase Ryubi), in her simulation game. Tanaka gets a confession of love from Murai (Miyase Ryubi), an unfathomable A-student with long black hair. However, she flatly rejects him. She will never fall in love with a real man much less her own student. The next day, Murai comes to school looking like her favourite game character. Tanaka is swayed but takes steps so that she does not let down her guard around him. Despite her nickname, she begins to open her heart to Murai little by little as he tries hard to get close. But they are ultimately student and teacher. Furthermore, these emotions are mixed up with her feelings for her favourite game character.
Website: www.tbs.co.jp/drama_stream_tbs
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_streamtbs
Preview: Murai no Koi CM
Risou no Kareshi
Date: From 12.58 a.m., Wednesdays, 1 June – 19 July 2022
Station: TBS
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriters: Watanabe Mako (Muchaburi, 100 Million Yen no Sayonara, Akutotachi wa Senri o Hashiru), Kimura Ryoko
Directors: Han Chul, Furubayashi Juntaro
Cast: Omasa Aya, Sato Taiki, Komiya Rio, Ikushima Yuki, Otani Rinka, Seto Saori, Hosoda Yoshihiko
Synopsis: Onodera Yumeko (Omasa Aya) is a highly qualified woman who works energetically at the start-up headed by Mizukami Ryu (Hosoda Yoshihiko) that headhunted her. She has the appearance of a capable woman but at home, she is sloppy about her housework, hair as well as clothes. She has little experience in romance and still thinks her first love in high school is the ideal man. In addition, she is cruelly dumped in an unexpected way by her boyfriend Sawamura Ichita (Ikushima Yuki) of one and a half years when she thought it was about time he proposed. A heartbroken Yumeko encounter a mysterious young man Jinguji Nozomu (Sato Taiki) who looks just like her first love (Sato Taiki), and her daily life is shaken up. What is the ideal boyfriend?
Website: www.tbs.co.jp/drama_stream_tbs
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_streamtbs
Preview: Risou no Kareshi CM
Waru (2022) ~ Hataraku no ga Kakko Warui Nante Dare ga Itta?
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 13 April – 15 June 2022
Station: NTV
Genre: Office romance
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Waru by Fukami Jun
Scriptwriters: Goto Noriko (Kazoku no Katachi, Zeni no Sensou, Team Batista Series), Matsushima Ruriko (Ie Uru Onna no Gyakushu)
Directors: Nagumo Seiichi, Uchida Hidemi, Yamada Nobuyoshi
Theme Song: Rokutousei by J-JUN with XIA
Cast: Imada Mio, Eguchi Noriko, Suzuki Nobuyuki, Takahashi Fumiya, Mukai Osamu, Shida Mirai (guest star), Ishida Hikari (guest star), Ishibashi Shizuka, Aramaki Yoshihiko, Wada Masanari, Watanabe Eriko, Kondo Haruna, Hiraizumi Sei (guest star), Ahn Mika (guest star), Kim Jae-joong (guest star), Tominaga Ai (guest star)
Synopsis: Despite graduating from a third-rate university with even worse grades, Tanaka Maririn (Imada Mio) is lucky enough to be a new employee at a major IT company. However, she gets assigned to its supplies management division where Minegishi Yuki (Eguchi Noriko) works. Minegishi’s past is a mystery but she notices Maririn’s potential. Her words asking Maririn if she does not want to advance in her career, completely changes Maririn’s life at the company. There is a reason why Minegishi is guiding her. While the incapable but upbeat Maririn runs into workplace problems that colleagues in each division face, she moves up from the lowest rung with her innate cheerfulness and Minegishi’s rather shrewd advice. Maririn is working hard as she wants to get close to a senior colleague (Mukai Osamu) whom she fell in love with at first sight but whose name she does not even know.
Website: www.ntv.co.jp/waru2022
Twitter: twitter.com/waru_ntv
Nanba MG5
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 13 April – 22 June 2022
Station: Fuji TV
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Nanba MG5 by Ozawa Toshio
Scriptwriter: Kanazawa Tatsuya (Radiation House Season 1)
Director: Motohiro Katsuyuki
Cast: Mamiya Shotaro, Kamio Fuju, Morikawa Aoi, Morimoto Shintaro, Tomita Miu, Hara Nanoka, Kato Ryo, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Suzuki Sarina, Ukaji Takashi
Synopsis: Nanba Tsuyoshi (Mamiya Shotaro) is the second son in a family of delinquents that is feared as “Kanto’s Strongest”. His father Masaru (Ukaji Takashi) made a name for himself back in his student days. Contrary to the hopes of his family, Tsuyoshi actually wants to be an ordinary student and enrols at a wholesome high school without their knowledge. He starts leading a double life, dressing like a delinquent – a long jacket favoured by bike gangs – in front of his family – but wearing his uniform like a respectable student at school. One day, Tsuyoshi cannot stand seeing his friend being bullied and changes into his long jacket to save him. Since then, students at his school have been talking about the mysterious, most powerful delinquent. Will Tsuyoshi be able to lead the ordinary high school life that he yearns for while keeping his secret? While this double life drives a wedge in his interpersonal relationships and distresses him, friendships and family love are also arise from this.
Website: www.fujitv.co.jp/nanbaMG5
Twitter: twitter.com/nanbaMG5_
Hiyama Kentaro no Ninshin
Date: From 21 April 2022
Network: Netflix Japan & TV Tokyo
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Hiyama Kentaro no Ninshin by Sakai Eri
Scriptwriters: Yamada Yoshitatsu (Zenra Kantoku, 1,000,000 yen no Onnatachi, Kazoku Houtei), Sode Yukiko (Ano Ko wa Kizoku), Amano Chihiro (Mrs Noisy)
Directors: Hakota Yuko, Kikuchi Takeo
Cast: Saito Takumi, Ueno Juri, Tsutsui Mariko, Iwamatsu Ryo, Takahashi Kazuya, Lily Franky
Synopsis: Set in a world where men get pregnant and give birth, Hiyama Kentaro (Saito Takumi) is active in the front lines at the advertising agency where he works. His partner Seto Aki (Ueno Juri) is a freelancer writer and an editor. She has also prioritised her career and ignored pressure from her parents to settle down. One day, Kentaro suddenly learns that he is pregnant. He and Aki are bewildered by this unexpected situation as both of them had not considered becoming parents. As a pregnant man, Kentaro has to face the scrutiny of the company and society and experience the hardships pregnant women go through. Aki shares his worries and tries to put herself in his shoes. Amid the many issues related to modern pregnancy and childbirth, Kentaro and Aki decide to have their baby. However, they have to deal with the prejudices against pregnant men.
Website: www.netflix.com/jp/title/81030178
Twitter: twitter.com/NetflixJP
Preview: Hiyama Kentaro no Ninshin CM
Solo Katsu Joshi no Susume Season 2
Date: From 1.00 a.m., Thursdays, 6 April – 25 May 2022
Station: TV Tokyo
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Solo Katsu Joshi no Susume by Asai Mayumi
Scriptwriter: Oikawa Hironori (Solo Katsu Joshi no Susume Season 1)
Director: Oikawa Hironori
Theme Song: my story by Day and Night
Cast: Eguchi Noriko, Kobayashi Kinako, Shibuya Kento, Sasaki Haruka, Fujiwara Itsuki, Yanai Yumena, Kote Shinya, Saeki Daichi, Triendl Reina, Mizutani Jun
Synopsis: Sotome Megumi (Eguchi Noriko), a contract employee at Digest Publishing’s editorial department, is invited by her colleagues (Shibuya Kento, Sasaki Haruka) to join them for drinking sessions. But Megumi turns them down and leaves the office quickly after work. She is in such a rush as she is heading somewhere in search of a new solo activity that she can enjoy alone on her own time. She relishes activities such as having a full course Chinese meal on her own, taking her first helicopter cruise, and experiencing a boat race.
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/solokatsu2
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_solokatsu
Related: Solo Katsu Joshi no Susume Season 1
Mirai e no 10 Count
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Thursdays, 14 April – 9 June 2022
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: School
Episodes: 9
Scriptwriter: Fukuda Yasushi (Kakenai!?, Doctors Series, Good Partner)
Directors: Kawai Hayato, Hoshino Kazunari
Theme Song: COMEBACK – Itoshiki Hahen by B’z
Cast: Kimura Takuya, Mitsushima Hikari, Yasuda Ken, Takahashi Kaito, Yamada Anna, Baba Toru, Murakami Nijiro, Orakio, Bando Ryota, Sakumoto Takara, Kiryu Sakura, Sakurai Kaito, Akutsu Nichika, Otsuki Takehiro, Yamaguchi Mayu, Miura Ryota, Togashi Eiji, Haru, Yashima Norito, Ichige Yoshie, Tomita Yasuko, Uchida Yuki, Namase Katsuhisa, Emoto Akira
Synopsis: Kirisawa Shogo (Kimura Takuya) becomes the coach of Matsubadai High School’s boxing club some 30 years after he won four boxing titles as a high school student. However, his life shone for only that brief moment. In fact, he gave up boxing during his second year in university for some reason. After his beloved wife Shiori (Haru) died, he experienced even more misfortune. Now he has completely lost any desire to live and even declares that he does not mind dying at any time. Kirisawa goes along with a concerned good friend Kai Seiichiro’s (Yasuda Ken) suggestion to become the coach of the boxing club at their alma mater. At first, he showed no enthusiasm to return as the coach and repeatedly clashes with Orihara Aoi (Mitsushima Hikari), the club’s reluctant adviser. But as he watches young boxers with the desire to become strong and to win, Kirisawa’s passion is slowly rekindled and he springs into action. He sincerely engages with the inexperienced, foolhardy students. At the same time he begins to transform them, he also goes through changes and begins to head towards a new future.
Website: www.tv-asahi.co.jp/10count
Twitter: twitter.com/miraten_tvasahi
Yangotonaki Ichizoku
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Thursdays, 21 April – 30 June 2022 (Original date: 14 April)
Station: Fuji TV
Episodes: 11
Original Work: Yangotonaki Ichizoku by Koyama Yukari
Scriptwriters: Kamimori Marie (Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka, Kioku, Love Song), Aotsuka Miho (Gossip, Janai Hou no Kanojo, Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka, Yowamushi Pedal Series)
Director: Tanaka Akira
Theme Song: Walkin’ In My Lane by milet
Cast: Tsuchiya Tao, Matsushita Kohei, Onoe Matsuya, Matsumoto Wakana, Watanabe Keisuke, Matsuomoto Kiyo, Baba Fumika, Sasaki Nozomi, Ishino Mako, Baisho Mitsuko, Kimura Tae, Ishibashi Ryo, Ozawa Maju (guest star), Ishiguro Ken (guest star), Hasegawa Kyoko (guest star), Morita Kanro (guest star), Hayama Shono (guest star)
Synopsis: Shinohara Sato (Tsuchiya Tao) grew up in a working class neighbourhood and runs an eatery with her mother Yoshie (Ishino Mako). She is a cheerful and steely young woman whom regular customers are fond of. She has been dating Miyama Kenta (Matsushita Kohei), the second son of a distinguished old family that runs a real estate business and has vast assets. Since he was a child, Kenta abhorred his authoritarian father Keiichi (Ishibashi Ryo) and the family’s customs. He left home during his student days, and eventually got a job with a company unrelated to the family. Keiichi and his wife Kumi (Kimura Tae) are strongly against a union between their son and Sato due to the disparity in status. Believing in the honest and unpretentious Kenta, Sato elopes with him and registers their marriage at the same time. At first, she cannot accept many of the family’s outdated customs that are characteristic of high society. However, she learns of Kenta’s desire to turn the Miyamas into a normal family where no one gets hurt and sacrificed for the family’s sake and there are no battles between relatives, and decides to enter the family. The true nature of the magnificent family that everyone envies is gradually revealed by Sato.
Website: www.fujitv.co.jp/yangoto
Twitter: twitter.com/yangoto_fuji
Preview: Yangotonaki Ichizoku CM
Tantei ga Hayasugiru Season 2
Date: From 11.59 p.m., Thursdays, 14 April – 16 June 2022
Station: NTV
Genre: Mystery comedy
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Tantei ga Hayasugiru by Inoue Magi
Scriptwriter: Uda Manabu (Tantei ga Hayasugiru, 99.9 Keiji Senmon Bengoshi Series, Lucky Seven)
Directors: Ruto Toichiro, Yuasa Hiroaki, Honda Ryuichi
Cast: Takito Kenichi, Hirose Alice, Mizuno Miki, Wada Masato, Hagiwara Riku, Kinoshita Ayane, Wada Masato, Megumi, Sonim, Nagano Takanori, Shiono Akihisa, Shinjo Yume, Miyazaki Yoshiko
Synopsis: Chikumagawa Hikaru (Takito Kenichi), the fastest investigator in history, sees right through the tricks pulled by criminals and prevents cases before they happen. In fact, his motto is to subject criminals to the very tricks they set for their targets. Sogawa Ichika (Hirose Alice), who had already inherited 5 trillion yen after her father’s death, is set to receive a large inheritance yet again. A string of sinister assassins appear, plotting to kill her and make it look like an accident in an attempt to seize this inheritance. Will Chikumagawa be able to prevent the incident before it takes place and protect her from harm?
Website: www.ytv.co.jp/tantei
Twitter: twitter.com/hayasugi_tantei
Related: Tantei ga Hayasugiru Drama Special
Preview: Tantei ga Hayasugiru Season 2 CM
Koi ni Ochita Ohitorisama ~ Stendhal no Renairon
Date: From 18 March 2022
Network: Amazon Prime Japan
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Unmei no Koi o Kanaeru Stendhal by Mizuno Keiya
Scriptwriters: Sakurai Tomonari (Kaodake Sensei, Sousa Kaigi wa Living de! Series, Ishitachi no Renai Jijou), Kamimori Marie (Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka, Kioku, Love Song)
Director: Maeda Tetsu
Theme Song: hide and seek by Polkadot Stingray
Cast: Haru, Seto Koji, Sato Taiki, Babazono Azusa, Oda Risa, Ono Karin, Abe Junko, Yamauchi Takaya, Omi Toshinori, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, Kohinata Fumiyo
Synopsis: Okabe Satoko (Haru), a librarian, lacks self confidence because she has no experience in romance although she is 30 years old now. She encounters a kind and handsome gentleman named Suzuki Ryosuke (Seto Koji) and falls in love with him instantly. While Satoko spends her days hoping that she can change herself, a man claiming to be Stendhal, the author of the French literature “Love Theory”, suddenly appears in front of her. Satoko is surprised at seeing this “illusion” which, in her mind, appears because she is so worried about her love. To make romance blossom between Satoko and Ryosuke, Stendhal guides her with his knowledge of love and slowly changes her. This gradually brings Satoko and Ryosuke closer. However, Satoko has a past secret she does not want to anyone to know.
Website: www.amazon.co.jp/恋に落ちたおひとりさま-～スタンダールの恋愛論～
Twitter: twitter.com/Koioti_Stend
Preview: Koi ni Ochita Ohitorisama CM
Anata ni Kikasetai Uta ga Arun da
Date: From 12.00 a.m., Fridays, 20 May 2022
Station: Hulu
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriters: Moegara, Hagiwara Kentaro, Fujimoto Kyota
Director: Hagiwara Kentaro
Theme Song: Aliens by Kirinji
Cast: Narita Ryo, Ito Sairi, Fujiwara Kisetsu, Uesugi Shuhei, Maeda Atsuko, Tanaka Rena, Goto Junpei, Mikami Ai, Ayaka Wilson
Synopsis: One summer in the second year of high school was a 27-year-old English teacher Mochizuki Kaori’s (Tanaka Rena) past. A gravure photographer of her in red lingerie was put up in the classroom. Everyone in the class made jokes, laughed and stared at her with curiosity. Her lips trembled as she said, “In 10 years, all of you will turn 27. I truly hope you will have less regrets than I do.” And she silently played Kirinji’s Aliens. 17 was an age when the students felt invincible and powerful, believing that any dream would come true. 10 years have gone by. The high school students who were transfixed by the words of that former teacher are now 27 year olds. Ogino Satoshi (Narita Ryo) struggles to give up on his dream of being an actor; Maeda Yuka (Ito Sairi) wanted to become an idol; Katagiri Akira (Fujiwara Kisetsu) aspires to be a writer; Nakazawa Yuto (Uesugi Shuhei) puts a stop to his struggling life as a musician and takes over a ramen shop; and Shimada Masami (Maeda Atsuko) found a way to survive by imitating popular idols. The destinies of that teacher who was 27 and the students who are now 27 are about to intersect once again after 10 years.
Website: www.hulu.jp/static/anatanikikaseta
Twitter: twitter.com/aku_Hulu
Kiraware Kansatsukan Otonashi Ichiroku
Date: From 8.00 p.m., Fridays, 6 May – 17 June 2022
Station: TV Tokyo
Genre: Detective
Episodes: 7
Scriptwriters: Todayama Masashi (Tokkai, Keiji Zero Series, Ishi Tsubute), Funabashi Susumu
Directors: Kuranuki Kenjiro, Okano Hironobu, Soejima Koji
Theme Song: Katashigure by Anonymouz
Cast: Kohinata Fumiyo, Endo Kenichi, Furukawa Yuki, Horiuchi Keiko, Ishimaru Kenjiro, Omi Toshinori, Ono Takehiko, Tanaka Misako, Kadono Takuzo (guest star), Mizuishi Atom (guest star), Otsuka Nene (guest star), Kaneko Noboru (guest star), Nakagoshi Noriko (guest star), Shimojo Atom (guest star)
Synopsis: Dubbed the “police among the police”, the role of the inspector is to check for any impropriety in the professional duties as well as personal lives of police officers. Despite being loathed by officers, Otonashi Ichiroku (Kohinata Fumiyo) has also intervened in investigations and guided them in cracking difficult cases. Under the instructions of his boss Senju Ryoko (Tanaka Misako), the head of police affairs at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Ichiroku accomplishes his duties no matter how despised he may be. He stays true to righteousness without flinching at the vehement objections of raging detectives at investigation scenes. He has tackled numerous cases with his keen powers of observation and insight.
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/otonashi/
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_kin8
Invisible
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Fridays, 15 April – 17 June 2022
Station: TBS
Genre: Investigative
Episodes: 10
Scriptwriter: Izumi Yoshihiro (Alibi Kuzushi Uketamawarimasu, Shudan Sasen!, Todome no Kiss)
Directors: Takemura Kentaro, Tanazawa Takayoshi
Theme Song: Tiny World by Dragon Ash
Cast: Takahashi Issei, Shibasaki Kou, Arioka Daiki, Hotta Akane, Tani Kyosuke, Ono Ito, Hirano Kinari, Itagaki Rihito, Nishimura Motoki, Yuki Moe, Tanaka Makoto, Murai Ryota, Sakou Yoshi, Nagayama Kento, Harada Taizo, Kiritani Kenta, Daigo (guest star), Hisamoto Masami (guest star), Matsushita Yuki (guest star), Suzunosuke (guest star), Irie Jingi (guest star), Ginpuncho (guest star), Yoshizawa Hisashi (guest star), Yokoyama Megumi (guest star), Yamada Jundai (guest star)
Synopsis: Detective Shimura Takafumi (Takahashi Issei) belongs to the Special Investigation Unit which investigates unsolved cases that happen within the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s jurisdiction. He used to be in charge of investigating cases on the First Investigation Division’s front line. However, his zeal for arresting criminals was particularly strong among the detectives of the division and the extremes he would go to in investigations led to his demotion. He is considered dangerous by the people around him in certain situations and his sense of justice is close to an obsessiveness. Shimura ends up having to work with Kiriko (Shibasaki Kou), a crime coordinator who is the representative of “evil” so to speak. Called “Invisible” because she is known only to a group of people within the police organisation and no one has seen her real image, Kiriko dominates the underworld and brokers deals for violent criminals. One day, she suddenly offers to help the police arrest criminals. Her only condition is that she wants to work with Shimura. She is privy to information on criminals that the police has yet to grasp and seems to hold the key to solving a lot of the unsolved cases that Shimura is pursuing. What is her motive for getting close to him?
Website: www.tbs.co.jp/invisible_tbs
Twitter: twitter.com/invisible_tbs
Preview: Invisible Introduction
Hiru Seasons 1 & 2
Date: From 11.00 pm., Fridays, 4 March – 20 May 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Suspense
Episodes: 12 (6 episodes per season)
Original Work: Hiru by Imai Daisuke
Scriptwriters: Aoshima Takeshi (dele, Hitori Shizuka), Kakesu Natsumi
Director: Suzuki Kosuke
Cast: Akaso Eiji, Yoshikawa Ai, Iitoyo Marie, Yanagi Shuntaro, Itagaki Mizuki, Sakuma Yui, Tanaka Kotaro, Matsuzawa Takumi, Miura Masaki, Riju Go, Itao Itsuji, Konishi Manami, Sakaguchi Kentaro
Synopsis: 21-year-old Shinomiya Yuki (Akaso Eiji) has no friends and spends his days alone working part-time jobs. One day, when he returns home as usual after a night shift, a male stranger (Yanagi Shuntaro) who has been stabbed in the abdomen with a knife is sitting in his room. The man wakes up at the hospital that he has been taken to and identifies himself as Shinomiya Yuki to detectives. Then he points to Yuki and states that he was stabbed by him. Yuki flees the hospital right away and becomes a fugitive in an instant. At that moment, a mysterious woman called Zoka (Yoshikawa Ai) appears right before Yuki and asks him to help her take revenge on her father’s killer. He decides to collaborate with her. Zoka is a “leech” who goes from one house to another while its occupants are away. The two of them eventually encounter Kara (Sakaguchi Kentaro), a legendary leech who lives like an empty shell solely for the purpose of revenge.
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/hiru
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Isekai Izakaya Nobu Season 2 ~ Majo to Daishikyo-hen
Date: From 11.00 pm., Fridays, 27 May – 29 July 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Food fantasy
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Isekai Izakaya Nobu by Semikawa Natsuya
Scriptwriter: Shinagawa Hiroshi (Isekai Izakaya Nobu Season 1)
Director: Shinagawa Hiroshi
Cast: Otani Ryohei, Takeda Rena, Mizuno Miki, Asaka Kodai, Matsuo Satoru, Shirasu Jin, Kobayashi Yutaka, Hotta Akane, Shintani Yuzumi, Abe Shinnosuke, Kajihara Zen, Kinoshita Houka, Tayama Ryosei, Takeda Tetsuya, Owada Shinya
Synopsis: Located in a deserted alley in Kyoto, Izakaya Nobu’s front entrance is mysteriously connected to Aiteria, a parallel universe that looks like medieval Europe. The master Yazawa Nobuyuki (Otani Ryohei) and cheerful waitress Senke Shinobu (Takeda Rena) originally started the joint in Aiteria. Nobu initially had hardly any customers until its cold beer called Toriaezu Nama became very popular and its cuisine gained gradual acceptance. It is loved by regulars who helped when Nobu landed up in trouble after the city council’s president Bachschouf deemed Toriaezu Nama to be illegal. One day, a woman (Mizuno Miki) like a witch shows up at Nobu. Archbishop Rodrigo (Matsuo Satoru) subsequently gets wind of rumours that the witch has made Nobu her home and he tries to haul her and the people associated with her in … …
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/nobu2
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Related: Isekai Izakaya Nobu Season 1
Kaseifu no Mitazono Season 5
Date: From 11.15 p.m., Fridays, 22 April – 10 June 2022
Station: TV Asahi
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriters: Yatsu Hiroyuki (Miss Jikocho, Kaseifu no Mitazono Series, Rikuou), Komine Hiroyuki (Kokucho no Mizuumi, Anonymous, Kaseifu no Mitazono Series), Okazaki Satoko (Konintodoke ni Han o Oshita dake desu ga, Kaseifu no Mitazono Seasons 3 – 4), Yamaoka Junpei (Ao no SP, Perfect Crime, Daisy Luck),
Directors: Katayama Osamu, Komatsu Takashi,
Theme Song: area by Hey! Say! JUMP
Cast: Matsuoka Masahiro, Inoo Kei, Yamamoto Maika, Shuhama Harumi, Hirata Atsuko, Yo Kimiko, Kasahara Hideyuki (guest star), Horibe Keisuke (guest star), Hinagata Akiko (guest star), Abe Junko (guest star), Inaba Yu (guest star), Nagai Mijika (guest star), Kubota Yuki (guest star), Moriguchi Yoko (guest star), Kojima Fujiko (guest star), Kishimoto Kayoko (guest star), Iida Kisuke (guest star), Manda Hisako (guest star)
Synopsis: Mitazono Kaoru (Matsuoka Masahiro), a superb cross-dressing housekeeper of many mysteries who works for Musubi Housekeeping Agency, handles housework perfectly. But it is hard to tell what he is thinking from his unreadable express. It is not just the dirt in the house that Mitazono cleans. He spies on the family he is sent to and starts to thoroughly remove the deep-rooted grime lodged there. His hobby is to use family secrets to expose them for who they really are and break the family apart so that this becomes the catalyst for the family to start again and solve the problems they have. Charmed by Mitazono who happened to pass by as she was facing an explosive situation with the leader of another ladies gang, Motokariya Motoko (Yamamoto Maika) comes to Musubi Housekeeping Agency to start work as a new housekeeper.
Website: www.tv-asahi.co.jp/mitazono
Twitter: twitter.com/mitazono_desu
Aono-kun ni Sawaritai kara Shinitai
Date: From 11.30 p.m., Fridays, 18 March – 20 May 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Aono-kun ni Sawaritai kara Shinitai by Shiina Umi
Scriptwriter: Tamada Shinya (40-man km Kanata no Koi, Densetsu no Okaasan, Joker x Face)
Director: Smith
Cast: Sato Shori, Takahashi Hikaru, Kamio Fuju, Ririka, Mizusawa Erena, Shuhama Harumi
Synopsis: Aono Ryuhei (Sato Shori) gets a love confession from Kariya Yuri (Takahashi Hikaru) who has fallen for him just because he was the first guy to talk to her and they start dating. But two weeks later, Aono tragically dies in a traffic accident. Yuri attempts to follow him and take her own life. However, Aono appears to her as a ghost and does his best to soothe her. He persuades her not to die, promising that he will always be by her side. This is the start of a peculiar and heart fluttering life. One day, Yuri suggests that Aono try to possess her. From then on, Aono becomes a darker person. Disturbing incidents that happen because of Aono begin to cast a pall around him. As Aono, his good friend Fujimoto Masayoshi (Kamio Fuju) and horror movie fan Horie Mio (Ririka) gain insights into the secrets of this darker person, their friendship deepens. What will happen to the passionate yet impossible romance between Aono and Yuri?
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/aonokun
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Isu
Date: From 11.30 p.m., Fridays, 27 May – 15 July 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Omnibus
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriter: Matayoshi Naoki (Hibana)
Directors: Matsubara Hiroshi, Nagasawa Yoshiya
Cast: Yoshioka Riho, Motola Serina, Ishibashi Natsumi, Kuroki Haru, Iwasaki Udai, Ginpuncho, Kawai Yumi, Yoshimura Kaito, Shiratori Tamaki, Jaguar Yokota, Nakamura Aoi, Muro Tsuyoshi, Hoshi Moeka, Ahn Mika
Synopsis: A dramatic everyday life may be hidden behind the chair someone sits on. These unique and profoundly mysterious stories superimpose the origins and special characteristics of vintage and original chair models with women’s lives. Susumu (Iwasaki Udai) witnesses a couple’s quarrel and instinctively calls out to a downcast Nana (Yoshioka Riho). She has just moved in and cannot replace a light bulb on her own. Susumu ends up lending a chair that he has to her. The two of them feel at ease after eyewitness accounts of the rumoured Speedster on the street. However, each person has a secret that they cannot tell anyone.
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/isu
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Kamisama no Ekohiiki
Date: From 12.00 a.m., Saturdays, 19 March – 9 April 2022
Network: Hulu
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Kamisama no Ekohiiki by Komura Ayumi
Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Ayako (Tokyo Love Story (2020), Sono Goen Otodoke Shimasu, Watashi ni XX Shinasai!)
Directors: Matsumoto Yusaku, Sugioka Tomoya
Theme Song: Muku by Suda Keina
Cast: Fujiwara Taiyu, Sakurada Hiyori, Kubozuka Airu, Arai Myra, Furukawa Yuki, Matobu Sei, Morishita Hisae, Yoshida Oolongta, Otani Mai
Synopsis: High school student Amano Yashiro (Fujiwara Taiyu) visits a desolate shrine a 100 times to ascertain his feelings for his good friend Nanahara Kenta (Kubozuka Airu). Right after confessing his feelings and getting flatly rejected by Kenta, Yashiro dies in a traffic accident. However, due to the “grace” of the shrine god (Furukawa Yuki), who has too much free time on his hands, Yashiro is given a chance at new life as the type of girl that Kenta likes. Only his appearance has changed into a girl, Tendo Kagura (Sakurada Hiyori), and he remains himself on the inside. Yashiro is unable to bring out the feminine charms he had envisioned and does not get closer to Kenta. And yet, he gets a confession from Kenta’s ex-girlfriend Torii Rin (Arai Myra). Then it is discovered that Yashiro’s body is still alive but Kagura is inside him?! What has happened to him?
Website: www.hulu.jp/static/kamieko
Twitter: twitter.com/kamiekoHulu
Preview: Kamisama no Ekohiiki CM
Sensei no Otoriyose
Date: From 12.52 a.m., Saturdays, 9 April – 24 June 2022
Station: TV Tokyo
Genre: Food comedy
Episodes: 12
Original Work: Sensei no Otoriyose by Eda Yuri
Scriptwriters: Miura Kisa (Kanojo wa Kirei datta, Guilty, Watashi Danna Share Shiteta), Taniguchi Junichiro (Shiro to Kiiro, Universal Koukokusha, Hanzai Shokogun Series), Fujihira Hisako (Kore wa Keihi de Ochimasen!, Tantei ga Hayasugiru, Miss Devil)
Directors: Moriya Kentaro, Honma Toshiyuki, Hosaka Katsumi
Ending Theme: Sashi Iro by Bialystocks
Cast: Mukai Osamu, Kitamura Yukiya, Hashimoto Manami, Kamio Fuju, Zaizen Naomi
Synopsis: Enomura Haruka (Mukai Osamu), a brusque writer of erotic novels, has sadistic tendencies while Nakata Miruku (Kitamura Yukiya), a cheerful, feminine artist who draws manga of beautiful girls, has masochist tendencies. A publishing company requests a collaboration between Enomura and Nakata. The two men are fans of each other’s work. However, when they finally meet, they are shocked that the other person’s looks and personality are different from what was imagined. While Enomura and Nakata cannot get along, they have one thing in common – their love for delivery food. It is through this common interest that they slowly open up to each other.
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/otoriyose
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_otoriyose
Sabishii Oka de Kari o Suru
Date: From 1.53 a.m., Saturdays, 23 March – 10 June 2022
Station: TV Tokyo & Paravi
Genre: Crime suspense
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Sabishii Oka de Kari o Suru by Tsujihara Noboru
Scriptwriters: Masaike Yosuke (Gekikarado, Rental Nanmo Shinai Hito, Shiyakusho), Imanishi Yuko (Hoshi kara Kita Anata, Unmei kara Hajimaru Koi, Izakaya Fuji)
Directors: Hagiuda Koji, Gonno Hajime, Mori Yasunori
Theme Song: HIBANA by krage
Cast: Kurashina Kana, Kubota Sayu, Takezai Terunosuke, Maruyama Tomomi, Oshinari Shugo, Seto Saori, Fujita Yumiko, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Takahashi Hideki
Synopsis: Investigator Kuwamura Midori (Kurashina Kana) has been living in bliss after her boyfriend Asano Ryuhei (Hirayama Hiroyuki), who is a police detective, proposes marriage to her. One day a woman called Nozoe Atsuko (Kubota Sayu) comes to the investigation agency. She wants them to track the movements of Oshimoto Tadao (Maruyama Tomomi), who has been released from prison after serving a sentence for raping her seven years ago. She has lived in fear of the words “I’ll take revenge” that he uttered at the time of the trial. Midori herself has been a victim of stalking by Kuga Kenjiro (Takezai Terunosuke), a photographer whom she once dated, and is emotionally traumatised. Although she accepts Atsuko’s request, Oshimoto relentlessly goes after Atsuko to attack her. At the same time, Kuga appears in front of Midori and tails her again. He seems to enjoy the “hunt”. This never-ending hell eventually makes Midori vow revenge.
Website: www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/sabishiioka
Twitter: twitter.com/tx_sabishiioka
Preview: Sabishii Oka de Kari o Suru CM
Sore Wasurete Kudasaitte Iimashita kedo
Date: From 12.00 p.m., Saturdays, 23 April – 11 June 2022
Network: Paravi
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriter: Ota Maiko
Director: Ota Ryo
Cast: Ichikawa Mikako, Sokabe Keiichi, Kaho, Tadano Miako, Watanabe Daichi, Yukawa Hina, Komatsu Toshimasa, Kitamura Yukiya, Nishijima Hidetoshi, Yoshida Yo
Synopsis: Actors who live near the cafe City Country City in Shimokitazawa often gather there. Actress Mikawa (Ichikawa Mikako) works part-time at the cafe sometimes and the owner Sokabe-san (Sokabe Keiichi) plays the guitar and sings. This day in April feels slightly different than usual. It is apparently because of some prediction making its rounds online in the middle of the day. How much of it is true and how much of it is fiction? The actors gathered at the cafe talk and laugh non-stop
Website: www.paravi.jp/static/sorewasu
Twitter: twitter.com/_paravi_
Atai no Elegance
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Saturdays, 2 April – 7 May 2022
Station: BS TV Tokyo
Genre: Love comedy
Episodes: 6
Scriptwriters: Motoyama Kumiko (Love Phantom, Watashi no Otto wa Reitoko ni Nemutteiru, Itsuka Nemuri ni Tsuku Hi), Otani Yosuke (Watashi no Otto wa Reitoko ni Nemutteiru)
Directors: Matsumoto Kana, Nishiumi Kenichiro
Cast: First Summer Uika, Kusakari Tamiyo, Yoshizawa Hisashi, Yamazaki Wako, Kanai Sonde, Okumura Kayo, Nakayama Emiri, Takahashi Yu, Yamanaka Takashi, Murasugi Seminosuke, Tajima Reiko, Takito Kenichi (guest star)
Synopsis: Yakushidera Momoko (First Summer Uika), a truck driver who used to be the leader of a ladies gang, moves with her 10-year-old daughter Hikaru (Yamazaki Wako) from Ibaraki to Tokyo. She finds out that the elementary school arranged for her daughter is a top school attended only by the children of the rich and famous. Not wanting her daughter to feel ashamed of her, Momoko decides to become an elegant woman and visits a salon. Mary (Kusakari Tamiyo), the owner of the salon, gives her lessons to help in her transformation. Momoko quickly gets close to Ayanokoji Shinichi (Yoshizawa Hisashi), the father of her daughter’s classmate and the third-generation CEO of a company, but envious voices around them say they are not a good match.
Website: www.bs-tvtokyo.co.jp/atai_elegance
Twitter: twitter.com/BS7ch_Elegance
Youkai Sharehouse ~ Kaette Kitan
Date: From 11.00 p.m., Saturdays, 9 April – 4 June 2022
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Horror comedy
Episodes: 9
Scriptwriters: Nishiogi Yumie (Youkai Sharehouse, Joshu Seven, Tamiou), Watatane Aya
Directors: Toyoshima Keisuke, Yamamoto Daisuke
Theme Song: ayaho by Ami feat. Wanuka
Cast: Koshiba Fuka, Matsumoto Marika, Maiguma Katsuya, Toyoda Yudai, Iketani Nobue, Ikeda Narushi, Okura Koji, Iwasaki Udai (guest star), Honda Chikara (guest star), Yamauchi Takaya (guest star), Takeda Rina (guest star), Yasui Junpei (guest star), Fuse Eri (guest star), Rokkaku Seiji (guest star)
Synopsis: Meguro Mio (Koshiba Fuka), who is self-conscious and afraid of being conspicuous, found her dream of writing novels through her involvement with the ghostly occupants of the sharehouse. She was supposed to go out into the world and live as she wants. However, such sentiment alone was not enough to get by in a rough world. Reality is tough. Mio is in a difficult financial situation and has not been able to write the novel she wants. She decides to return to the sharehouse and live with the ghosts again. New ghosts also make an appearance at the sharehouse. However, something causes a complete change in the kind-hearted ghosts who fall to the dark side one by one and turn malevolent.
Website: www.tv-asahi.co.jp/youkai_kaettekita
Twitter: twitter.com/youkaihouse5
Related: Yokai Sharehouse
Shoutai
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Saturdays, 12 March – 2 April 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Suspense
Episodes: 4
Original Work: Shoutai by Somei Tamehito
Scriptwriter: Maekawa Yoichi (Karei Naru Ichizoku, Tetsu no Hone (2020), Lady Joker)
Directors: Nakata Hideo, Taniguchi Masaaki
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya, Kuroki Hitomi, Ichihara Hayato, Kanjiya Shihori, Tsuruta Mayu, Hamada Takahiro, Otoo Takuma, Wakamura Mayumi, Takahata Atsuko, Kamikawa Takaya, Okunuki Kaoru, Fujiyoshi Kumiko, Nomaguchi Toru, Nukumizu Yoichi
Synopsis: Kaburagi Keiichi (Kamenashi Kazuya) has been arrested for the murder of a couple and sentenced to death. While he is being transferred to a prison, he manages to get away and becomes a fugitive. Changing his name to Endo Yuichi several days later, he encounters all sorts of people at his hideouts and helps them out of tight spots. When these people realise that he is a criminal on death row and on the wanted list, they begin to question whether he is truly a murderer. Why is Kaburagi saving people? Is this his revenge for being framed? And what is his true self?
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/shoutai
Twitter: twitter.com/shoutai_wowow
Pandora no Kajitsu Season 1 ~ Kagaku Hanzai Sousa File
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Saturdays, 23 April – 25 June 2022 (followed by Season 2 in June)
Station: NTV
Genre: Investigative
Episodes: 10
Original Work: SCIS Kagaku Hanzai Sousa-han ~ Tensai Kagakusha Mogami Yukiko no Chousen by Nakamura Hiraku
Scriptwriters: Fukuda Teppei (Red Eyes, In Hand), Seki Hisayo (Iribito, 3 Kin)
Director: Hasumi Eiichiro
Theme Song: Apple by Dean Fujioka
Cast: Dean Fujioka, Kishii Yukino, Sato Ryuta, Nishimura Kazuhiko, Motokariya Yuika, Ando Masanobu, Ishino Mako, Itao Itsuji, Santamaria Yusuke
Synopsis: Police officer Kohiruimaki Yuichi (Dean Fujioka) established the Scientific Crime Investigation Unit which specialises in cases involving the most advanced science and technology, and brings a talented scientist Mogami Yukiko (Kishii Yukino) on board as its adviser. They deal with crimes that legislation and the police organisation cannot keep up with. Up until now, crimes that use the power of science were considered “peculiar and incomprehensible cases. But Kohiruimaki and Mogami figure them out by investigating the hidden science behind the cases. Kohiruimaki lost his beloved wife Ami (Motokariya Yuika) to an illness but he wants to let his daughter meet her mother. This led him to deep freeze her and pin his hopes on the future of science.
Website: www.ntv.co.jp/pandora
Twitter: twitter.com/pandorano_ntv
Preview: Pandora no Kajitsu Season 1
17-sai no Teikoku
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Saturdays, 7 May – 4 June 2022
Station: NHK
Genre: Youth sci-fi
Episodes: 5
Scriptwriter: Yoshida Reiko
Directors: Nishimura Takegoro, Kuwano Tomohiro
Cast: Kamio Fuju, Yamada Anna, Kawai Yumi, Mochizuki Ayumu, Sometani Shota, Hoshino Gen, Emoto Akira, Matsumoto Marika, Nishida Naomi, Sugimoto Tetta, Iwamatsu Ryo, Tanaka Min
Synopsis: In the year 202X, Japan feels a deep sense of stagnation and has been branded by the world as a country on the decline. Wanting to break free of this endless situation, Prime Minister Washida sets up an experimental project Utopi-AI. Commonly known as the UA concept, leaders are selected from all over the country by AI and made to govern cities that have degenerated. It has been said that the reason why young people cannot take charge of politics is their lack of experience. AI has a massive amount of data that one person cannot possibly “experience”. In other words, AI can supplement any amount of “experience”. As if to prove it, AI chooses 17-year-old Maki Aran (Kamio Fuju) who is immature and wants an ideal society, to be the Prime Minister. The other members are all young people around the age of 20. Maki and his compatriots use AI to push forward reforms to regenerate the degenerated regional cities as the experimental city UA.
Website: www.nhk.jp/p/ts/VNXRGXV8Q3
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
Imadoki no Wakaimon wa
Date: From 10.30 p.m., Saturdays, 9 April – 28 May 2022
Network: WOWOW
Genre: Corporate
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Imadoki no Wakaimon wa by Yoshitani Kohei
Scriptwriter: Abera Hidenobu (Mushoboke)
Director: Yamada Yoshitatsu
Cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Fukuhara Haruka, Nakamura Kaito, Misaki Ayame, Shinohara Atsushi, Otomo Karen, Tomite Ami, Issey Ogata, Kinoshita Houka, Fujii Takashi, Hagiwara Masato
Synopsis: Ishizawa Hajime (Sorimachi Takashi), the fierce looking head of Mitsuhashi Trading’s sales department, shoots a sharp look at the young employees who lament about having to work overtime again and not benefitting from reforms of work practices. He makes a sound of exasperation at their complaints, but these young employees flee without waiting to hear his words. Mugita Ayumi (Fukuhara Haruka), a new employee who has been assigned to Ishizawa, arrives at work feeling nervous and anxious. She has not been able to keep up at work. The senior who has been giving her guidance keeps using words written in horizontal script that she does not understand. Everyone works quickly and she cannot get used to the atmosphere in the department. The only time she can relax is when she eats lunch at her desk. Ishizawa appears in front of her all of a sudden and Mugita feels intimidated. He starts to say, “Youngsters of today …” Mugita and the other young employees wonder whether Ishizawa is a good boss despite having some doubts about his personal life which is somewhat of a mystery.
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/imadoki
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Ore no Kawaii wa Mousugu Shouhi Kigen!?
Date: From 11.30 p.m., Saturdays, 16 April – 11 June 2022
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Love comedy
Episodes: 9
Scriptwriter: Tanabe Shigenori (Oh! My Boss!, In Hand, Tokusatsu Gagaga)
Director: Shinjo Takehiko
Theme Song: Koi o Surunda by Hey! Say! JUMP
Cast: Yamada Ryosuke, Yoshine Kyoko, Ohashi Kazuya, Sayashi Riho, Sakoda Takaya, Muroi Shigeru, Nishida Naomi, Furuta Arata
Synopsis: 29-year-old Maruya Kosuke (Yamada Ryosuke) works for a beer company’s sales department. Since he was a child, he has been popular with people due to his charming features and friendly personality. With his cuteness as his greatest weapon, he is at the top of his game at work and has never had a problem having a girlfriend. Just before he turns 30, Kosuke is confronted with something shocking. That is, his cuteness has a use-by date. Before this, everything used to go well once he unleashed his killer smile. But he starts facing difficulties in both work and romance, and his life goes downhill. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Sanada Izumi (Yoshine Kyoko) has considered herself to be a secondary character in life as a result of a childhood experience. She works for the same beer company in a research job at the product development department which does not require much involvement with people. However, she gets transferred to the sales department of all places and ends up being paired with Kosuke. Kosuke’s killer smile has no effect on Izumi who has stayed away from romance with the stubborn thought that she will never be chosen by someone. She easily ignores him but … …
Website: www.tv-asahi.co.jp/orekawa
Twitter: twitter.com/oshidoraEX
Preview: Ore no Kawaii wa Mousugu Shouhi Kigen!? Teaser
Crosstail ~ Tantei Kyoushitsu
Date: From 11.40 p.m., Saturdays, 9 April – 28 May 2022
Station: Fuji TV
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriters: Yatsu Hiroyuki (Ochoyan, Miss Jikocho, Kaseifu no Mitazono Series), Yoshida Mayuko (Ochoyan, Miss Jikocho), Fukuda Takuro (Keibuho Yabe Kenzo Series, Uwasa no Onna)
Directors: Muguruma Shunji, Maihara Kenzo, Ishii Marina
Theme Song: Ryuseigun by Penthouse
Cast: Suzuka Ouji, Hotta Mayu, Kusakawa Takuya, Shinoda Mariko, Fukuyama Shodai, Ito Masayuki, Yusa Ryosuke, Takagi Katsuya, Yamaguchi Kaori, Takada Nobuhiko (guest star), Togashi Makoto (guest star), Dan Rei, Itao Itsuji
Synopsis: On the day of his graduation from university, Tobita Tasuku’s (Suzuka Ouji) father Jinpei (Itao Itsuji) suddenly goes missing. He left a letter that says, “Congratulations on your graduation. I’m also moving on from you” and a huge debt for him. Jinpei was a popular mystery writer who had even been a prize winner. But lately, he has been a mere shadow of his former self. Wanting to be a more pragmatic and proper person unlike his father, Tasuku sets his sights on getting a job at a top company or in the civil service but no organisation has hired him. When the police brush off Jinpei’s disappearance, Tasuku goes to Joker Investigation Agency after finding its name card in a book his father had written. The fees to investigate Jinpei’s disappearance are astronomical but when he sees that its school is accepting applications, he realises that the tuition fees is cheaper. If he graduates from school, he will be able to get employment with an investigation agency and also search for his father. And so, Tasuku decides to enrol at the school.
Website: www.tokai-tv.com/io/crosstail
Twitter: twitter.com/tokaitv_dodra
Preview: Crosstail CM
Shizuka-chan to Papa
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Sundays, 13 March – 1 May 2022
Station: NHK BS Premium
Genre: Family comedy
Episodes: 8
Scriptwriter: Hiruta Naomi (Shiro demo Kuro demo Nai Sekai de Panda wa Warau, Kore wa Keihi de Ochimasen!)
Directors: Matsubara Hiroshi, Shigeyama Yoshinori, Iwamoto Hitoshi
Ending Theme: You are so beautiful by Ueda Masaki
Cast: Yoshioka Riho, Nakajima Yuto, Inaba Yu, Fujii Mina, Hagio Midori, Toda Keiko, Kimura Tae, Shofukutei Tsurube
Synopsis: Nonomura Shizuka (Yoshioka Riho) lives with her father Junsuke (Shofukutei Tsurube) who runs a photography studio at a shopping street in the countryside. Junsuke was born with a hearing impairment. Her mother also suffered the same condition but passed away when Shizuka was very young. Unlike her parents, Shizuka is able to hear and has been her father’s ears and mouth from an early age. That is why she has a habit of staring at other people and gesturing while she speaks since visual cues are important in conversations with him. However, this habit of hers is misconstrued as flirtation or inconsideration. Her colleagues at the family restaurant where she works part-time dislike her and the restaurant manager is under the mistaken impression that she likes him. She is hurt many times in a day. One day, Shizuka encounters Michinaga Keiichi (Nakajima Yuto), a customer at the family restaurant whom she knows personally. He is being censured at a kebab stall for placing an order even though he had no cash on hand, and is stuck with the stall owner whose words he does not understand. He manages to get out of trouble with Shizuka’s timely help. Keiichi is a guy who is bad at reading the situation. The two of them who have difficulty with regular communication are gradually attracted to each other, but … …
Website: www.nhk.jp/p/ts/KVZJ1V7MY5
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
My Family
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Sundays, 10 April – 12 June 2022
Station: TBS
Genre: Family
Episodes: 10
Scriptwriter: Kuroiwa Tsutomu (Tokyo MER, Kikenna Venus, Grand Maison Tokyo)
Director: Hirano Shunichi
Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Tabe Mikako, Kaku Kento, Takahashi Maryjun, Otomo Kohei, Kanno Misuzu, Sakoda Takaya, Yamada Kinuo, Watanabe Kunito, Fujima Sawako, Oshima Miyu, Nasu Yuto, Matsumoto Koshiro, Tomizawa Takeshi, Hamada Gaku, Tamaki Hiroshi
Synopsis: Narusawa Haruto (Ninomiya Kazunari), the CEO of a game company, is the darling of the moment. He has a house in Shonan in Kamakura where he lives with his wife Michiru (Tabe Mikako), a celebrity of sorts with over 10,000 followers on social media. The couple have a daughter who attends elementary school. While there is a sense of something complicated between Haruto and Michiru, he seems to have it all. That is until tragedy strikes when their daughter is kidnapped. The desperate situation puts their family ties to the test. They face a number of trials with the loss of their most precious child. Haruto and Michiru eventually realise that the only way to get her back is not through the police but to join hands to fight against the kidnappers. Will the two of them be able to get their daughter back safely and have a happy ending?
Website: www.tbs.co.jp/myfamily
Twitter: twitter.com/myfamily_tbs
Preview: My Family Teaser
Tokyo Vice
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Sundays, 24 April – 12 June 2022
Network: WOWOW & HBO Max
Genre: Crime
Episodes: 8
Original Work: Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan by Jake Adelstein
Scriptwriter: JT Rogers
Directors: Michael Mann, Josef Kubota Wladyka
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Watanabe Ken, Rachel Keller, Ella Rumpf, Kikuchi Rinko, Ito Hideaki, Kasamatsu Sho, Yamashita Tomohisa, Sugata Shun, Tanida Ayumi, Hagiwara Masato, Toyohara Kosuke, Ito Ayumi, Watanabe Makiko, Itaya Yuka, Matsuda Miyuki
Synopsis: After graduating from a Japanese university, Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) became the first foreigner to work for a national newspaper when he got a job at a major newspaper in Tokyo and is put on the police beat. He meets Detective Katagiri (Watanabe Ken) on numerous occasions in the course of gathering information and begins to bond with him. A detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Organised Crime Department, Katagiri has a complex relationship with the underworld. Even though Jake thrives in Japanese society through his association with Katagiri who becomes a father figure to him, he gets entangled in the dark underground world through his tenacious pursuit of scoops while providing assistance in law enforcement investigations. This is a terrifying side of Tokyo with wheeling and dealing, double crossing, and raw emotions of love and hate.
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/drama/original/tokyovice
Twitter: twitter.com/drama_wowow
Preview: Tokyo Vice CM
Kondo Umaretara
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Sundays, 8 May – 19 June 2022
Station: NHK BS Premium
Genre: Family
Episodes: 7
Original Work: Kondo Umaretara by Uchidate Makiko
Scriptwriters: Manabe Katsuhiko (Shinya Shokudo Series), Kojima Kensaku (Shinya Shokudo Series), Oshima Marina (Shinya Shokudo Tokyo Stories Series)
Director: Matsuoka Joji
Cast: Matsuzaka Keiko, Kazama Morio, Fujita Yumiko, Hirata Mitsuru, Ogura Ichiro, Yo Kimiko, Yamanaka Takashi, Maiguma Katsuya, Fubuki Jun, Sudo Risa, Uno Shohei, Sasaki Haruka
Synopsis: As she looks at her husband Kazuyuki’s (Kazama Morio) sleeping face, 70-year-old Sagawa Natsue (Matsuzaka Keiko) mutters, “I won’t marry this person in my next life”. Looking back on her life, did she truly make the right decisions at each turning point? Natsue is at an age where it is difficult to undo what has been done. Nevertheless, she strives to find what she wants to do. That is not to say she is on bad terms with her husband. They got married when she was an office lady working for a top company and raised two sons well. She intended to lead a happy life as a housewife but he became absolutely petty after retirement. If she could be born again, she would like to lead a different life. Then the man (Ogura Ichiro) Natsue jilted to marry her husband appears on a TV programme. He has become a well-known horticulturist internationally. Natsue wonders whether she has no choice but to live the rest of her life of little use to the world. Having held to the principle of living wisely by acting on the presumed wishes of others as well as adapting to the people around her, Natsue’s struggle to reveal her true feelings begins.
Website: www.nhk.jp/p/ts/1V7NWG81LQ
Twitter: twitter.com/nhk_dramas
Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo 2022
Date: From 10.30 p.m., Sundays, 24 April – 3 July 2022
Network: NTV
Genre: Mystery
Episodes: 10
Original Work: Amagi Seimaru and Kanari Yozaburo
Scriptwriters: Kawabe Yuko (Zero Series), Oishi Tetsuya (Ao no SP, Yoru ga Dorehodo Kurakutemo, Kirawareru Yuuki)
Directors: Kimura Hisashi, Maruya Shunpei
Theme Song: The Answer by Naniwa Danshi
Cast: Michieda Shunsuke, Kamishiraishi Moka, Iwasaki Taisho, Sawamura Ikki, Otomo Karen (guest star), Hosoda Kanata (guest star), Maeda Koki (guest star), Sugimoto Tetta (guest star), Mitsuishi Ken (guest star), Yoshitani Ayako (guest star), Yo Kimiko (guest star), Koichi Mantaro (guest star), Iwasaki Taisho (guest star), Okayama Amane (guest star), Ryo (guest star), Ono Takehiko (guest star), Terajima Susumu (guest star), Yoshida Goro (guest star), Nakagawa Daisuke (guest star), Tanabe Momoko (guest star), Shinohara Yushin (guest star), Miyazawa Ema (guest star), Watanabe Dai (guest star), Yamanishi Atsushi (guest star), Yukipoyo (guest star)
Synopsis: High school student Kindaichi Hajime (Michieda Shunsuke), the grandson of the great detective Kindaichi Kosuke, has an IQ of more than 180 and unravels difficult murder mysteries with his intelligence. Although he is typically an unmotivated student, whenever a case occurs, he would dig up and expose daring and elaborate tricks, and get to the bottom of criminals’ motives together with his childhood friend Nanase Miyuki (Kamishiraishi Moka) and Inspector Kenmochi Isamu (Sawamura Ikki) from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division.
Website: www.ntv.co.jp/kindaichi2022
Twitter: twitter.com/kindaichi_5
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