Posts Categorized: Japanese Dramas

Oct 31 2023

Elaiza Ikeda and Yojiro Noda cast in NHK drama “Fune wo Amu”

Elaiza Ikeda and Yojiro Noda are cast in NHK drama series “Fune wo Amu.” The drama series is based on 2011 novel “Fune wo Amu” by Shion Miura (“Tada’s Do-It-All House“), which was previously adapted into 2013 movie “The Great Passage” starring Ryuhei Matsuda and Aoi Miyazaki. While the movie version told the story from the viewpoint of dictionary editor Mitsuya Majime, the drama series will tell the story from the viewpoint of new employee Midori Kishibe (Elaiza Ikeda).

“Fune wo Amu” first airs February 18, 2024  in Japan.

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Oct 30 2023

Hidetoshi Nishijima & Mana Ashida cast in TBS drama “Sayonara Maestro”

Hidetoshi Nishijima & Mana Ashida are cast in TBS drama series “Sayonara Maestro.” The drama series features an original screenplay by Satomi Oshima (“Nagi’s Long Vacation“) and will have Hidetoshi Nishijima & Mana Ashida play father and daughter. Their relationship is estranged after something happened 5 years earlier. The father, Shunpei Natsume, is a genius orchestra maestro, but oblivious to anything outside of the music world. They begin to live together again.

“Sayonara Maestro” will first air January, 2024 in Japan (takes over TBS’ Sunday 9PM time slot after “Worst to First: A Teen Baseball Miracle“).

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Oct 27 2023

Sadao Abe, Riisa Naka, Hayato Isomura, and Yo Yoshida cast in TBS drama “Futekisetsu ni mo Hodo ga Aru”

Sadao Abe, Riisa Naka, Hayato Isomura, and Yo Yoshida are cast in TBS drama series “Futekisetsu ni mo Hodo ga Aru.” The comedy time-travel screenplay is written by Kankuro Kudo and directed by Fuminori Kaneko. Kanjuro Kudo and Fuminori Kaneko most recently worked together for 2023 Netflix drama series “Let’s Get Divorced.” In “Futekisetsu ni mo Hodo ga Aru,” Sadao Abe will play Ichiro Ogawa. He has a nickname of “Ogawa of Hell,” due to his abrasive nature as a middle school teacher, but he is also caring single parent. He travels in time from the year 1986 to 2024. Yo Yoshida will play Sakae Sakisaka. She travels in time from the year 2024 to 1986.

“Futekisetsu ni mo Hodo ga Aru” will first air January, 2024 in Japan (takes over TBS’ Friday 10PM time slot after “Fermat’s Cuisine“).

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Oct 23 2023

Teaser trailer for Disney+ drama “Dragons of Wonder Hatch”

Teaser trailer added for Disney+ drama series “Dragons of Wonder Hatch” starring Sena Nakajima & Daiken Okudaira. The fantasy drama series combines a mixture of live-action and animation. The teaser trailer begins with Sena Nakajima as Nagi stating (0:18) “I want to dream, but I have grown up in a world where they don’t let me dream.” Meanwhile four supporting cast members have also been announced: Rena Tanaka, Masaki Miura, Riko Narumi, & Sumire. Rena Tanaka will play Hana. She is the late mother of Nagi (Sena Nakajima) and was a popular mangaka. Masaki Miura will play Taichi. He is the father of Nagi and raised Nagi by himself. Riko Narumi will play Ayana and she works as a public defender. Lastly, Sumire will play Saira. She lives in the alternate world Upananta and works as a researcher.

“Dragons of Wonder Hatch” will be available to stream from December 20, 2023.

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Oct 11 2023

Keito Tsuna cast in TBS drama “Renai no Susume”

Keito Tsuna is cast for the lead role in TBS drama series “Renai no Susume.” He will be joined by Kyoya Honda, Wataru Ichinose, and Jiei Wakabayashi in major supporting character roles. Story for “Renai no Susume” is a teen romantic-comedy set at a strict high school that forbids dating for their students. Keito Tsuna will play student Keisuke Otori who challenges his school’s ban on dating.

“Renai no Susume” first airs November 21, 2023 in Japan.

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Oct 4 2023

Teaser poster and release date set for Disney+ drama “Dragons of Wonder Hatch”

Teaser poster and release date set for Disney+ drama series “Dragons of Wonder Hatch” starring Sena Nakajima and Daiken Okudaira. The drama series features an original fantasy-adventure screenplay that mixes live-action and animation. In the drama series, Sena Nakajima plays high school student Nagi and Daiken Okudaira plays dragon rider Tyme, who lives in the world Upananta. These two people somehow meet.

“Dragons of Wonder Hatch” will be available to stream from December 20, 2023.

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Sep 27 2023

Rui Tsukishima and Soya Kurokawa cast in TBS drama “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san”

Rui Tsukishima and Soya Kurokawa are cast in TBS live-action drama series “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san.” The youth romantic-comedy drama series is based on the manga of same name by Soichiro Yamamoto and directed by Rikiya Imaizumi (“Little Nights, Little Love“). Netflix will also stream the drama series at a later point after the drama series airs. Filming for “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san” took place around Shodo Island, Kagawa Prefecture and is now in post production editing.

“Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san” will first air March, 2024 in Japan.

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Sep 13 2023

Kasumi Arimura and Kentaro Sakaguchi cast in Netflix drama “Beyond Goodbye”

Kasumi Arimura and Kentaro Sakaguchi are cast in Netflix drama series “Beyond Goodbye.” The romance drama series is scripted by Yoshikazu Okada and directed by Hiroshi Kurosaki. Screenwriter Yoshikazu Okada, Director Hiroshi Kurosaki, and Kasumi Arimura previously worked together in 2017 NHK drama series “Hiyokko” and its 2019 NHK drama series sequel “Hiyokko 2.” For the drama series “Beyond Goodbye,” Kasumi Arimura and Kentaro Sakaguchi will play two people who meet and are connected by a person from their past.

Release date for “Beyond Goodbye” has not yet been set.

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Sep 11 2023

Ryoko Shinohara & Ikusaburo Yamazaki cast in TV Tokyo drama “Hyena”

Ryoko Shinohara and Ikusaburo Yamazaki are cast in TV Tokyo drama series “Hyena.” The drama series is a remake of 2020 SBS drama series “Hyena” starring Kim Hye-Soo and Ju Ji-Hoon. The TV Tokyo drama series version will revolve around two lawyers played by Ryoko Shinohara and Ikusaburo Yamazaki. Although they work and compete in the same industry, they come from different backgrounds.

“Hyena” will first air October 20, 2023 in Japan (takes over TV Tokyo’s Friday 8PM time slot after “Black Postman“).

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Sep 6 2023

Mayu Hotta & Riku Hagiwara cast in TV Asahi drama “Tatoe Anata wo Wasuretemo”

Mayu Hotta & Riku Hagiwara are cast in TV Asahi drama series “Tatoe Anata wo Wasuretemo.” The romance drama series is scripted by Taeko Asano (“Tsuki no Koibito ~Moon Lovers~“) and directed by Kentaro Otani & Akihiko Takaishi. The drama series will follow the relationship of piano instructor Miri Kono (Mayu Hotta) and food truck operator Sora Aoki (Riku Hagiwara). Sora Aoki also has a type of dissociative amnesia that makes it difficult for him to remember things.

“Tatoe Anata wo Wasuretemo” will first air October 22, 2023 in Japan.

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