Posts Categorized: Japanese Dramas

Dec 4 2019

Kenta Kiritani & Masahiro Higashide cast in TV Asahi drama series “The Detective and The Prosecutor”

Kenta Kiritani and Masahiro Higashide are cast for lead roles in TV Asahi drama series “The Detective and The Prosecutor” (literal title of “Keiji to Kenji: Shokatsu to Chiken no 24ji”). The drama series has an original screenplay scripted by Yasushi Fukuda (“DOCTORS: The Ultimate Surgeon“) and will be directed by Keita Motohashi & Takuro Oikawa. The drama series will have Kenta Kiritani playing Detective Gota Nakaido and Masahiro Higashide playing Prosecutor Shuhei Majima.

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki: Gota Nakaido (Kenta Kiritani) is a detective at the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Station. Shuhei Majima (Masahiro Higashide) is a prosecutor in the Yokohama District Prosecutors’ Office in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Gota Nakaido is the kind of detective who tries to catch criminals as hard as he can and he wants to be thanked by the victims. Shuhei Majima believes social justice is to gain convictions for criminals. These two men, who are righteous and enthusiastic about their jobs, face various cases and work together to solve them.

“The Detective and The Prosecutor” first airs  January, 2020 in Japan (takes over TV Asahi’s Thursday 9PM time slot after “Doctor-X“).


Dec 3 2019

Mizuki Yamamoto cast for in NTV-YTV drama series “Lunch Matchmaking Private Detective”

Mizuki Yamamoto is cast for the lead role in NTV-YTV drama series “Lunch Matchmaking Private Detective” (literal title). The drama series is based on 2014 novel “Kiroi Jou” by Hiromi Mizuki. Also cast in major supporting character roles are Reina Triendl, Yuichi Kimura and Toshiki Seto. For the drama series, Mizuki Yamamoto cut her hair 35 cm. (14 in.) to play the main character of Yuika Amano. She’s an amateur sleuth who tries to solve mysteries during matchmaking luncheons.

“Lunch Matchmaking Private Detective” will consist of 10 episodes and first airs January 9, 2020 in Japan (takes over NTV-YTV’s Friday midnight time slot after “Trap the Con Man“).

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Dec 2 2019

Yuriko Yoshitaka cast in NTV drama series “No Need To Know”

Yuriko Yoshitaka is cast in new NTV drama series “No Need To Know” (literal title of “Shiranakute Ii Koto”). The drama series features an original screenplay by Renpei Tsukamoto (“Bento Harassment“) and directed by Shunsuke Kariyama (“Humanoid Monster, Bem“). For the drama series Yuriko Yoshitaka plays reporter Keito Makabe. She gets a clue about her father from her mother, right before she passes away.

Plot synopsis from AsianWiki: Keito (Yuriko Yoshitaka) is a reporter for a weekly magazine. The magazine covers everything from corruption by politicians to entertainers’ scandals. She watches out for the next big scoop. Keito is also rich and enjoys her work, as well as her love life. One day, Keito’s mother suddenly dies. Anna was a single mother who raised Keito alone. She worked as a movie critic. Right before her death, Anna mentioned something about Keito’s father. The name she mentioned is that of a Hollywood star.

“No Need To Know” will first air January 8, 2020 in Japan.

Dec 2 2019

Jiro Sato cast in TV Tokyo live-action drama series “Super Radical Gag Family”

Jiro Sato is cast in TV Tokyo live-action drama series “Super Radical Gag Family.” The drama series is based on manga series “Urayasu Tekkin Kazoku” by Kenji Hamaoka. Toichiro Ruto (“Ossan’s Love“) will direct the drama series and the screenplay adaptation will be handled by Makoto Ueda (“Summer Time Machine Blues“). For “Super Radical Gag Family,” Jiro Sato will play Daitetsu Osawagi.

Plot synopsis from AsianWiki: Set in Urayasu City, Japan.The Osawagai family, including father Daitetsu (Jiro Sato), reside in Urayasu that’s located near Tokyo. The family causes an assortment of troubles, which also affects their neighbors.

“Super Radical Gag Family” will first air April, 2020 in Japan (takes over TV Tokyo’s Friday 24:12 time slot after “Kotaki Brothers and Shikuhakku.”).

Nov 28 2019

Yui Okada cast in TV Asahi drama series “Wasteful Days of High School Girls”

Yui Okada is cast for the lead role in TV Asahi drama series “Wasteful Days of High School Girls” (literal title). Also cast in major supporting character roles are Yuri Tsunematsu, Yurika Nakamura and Keita Machida. The drama series is based on webcomic “Joshi Kosei no Mudazukai” by Bino.

Plot synopsis per AsianWiki: “Wasteful Days of High School Girls” depicts the daily lives of three female high students.

Nozomu Tanaka (Yui Okada) is one of the three high school students. People call her “Baka” (“Idiot”). She isn’t timid and she can’t read between the lines. Her friends are Akane Kikuchi (Yuri Tsunematsu) and Shiori Saginomiya (Yurika Nakamura). Akane Kikuchi enjoys anime and manga. Shiori Saginomiya is extremely smart, but her emotions have dried up. These three girls are also classmates. Their homeroom teacher is Masataka Sawatari (Keita Machida).

“Wasteful Days of High School Girls” will first air January, 2020 in Japan (takes over TV Asahi’s Friday 11:15 PM time slot after “Time Limit Investigator 2019“).

Nov 26 2019

Mokomichi Hayami & Airi Matsui cast in TV Asahi-ABC live-action drama series “This Guy is the Biggest Mistake in My Life”

Mokomichi Hayami and Airi Matsui are cast for lead roles in TV Asahi-ABC live-action drama series “This Guy is the Biggest Mistake in My Life” (literal title). The drama series is based on manga series “Konootoko ha Jinseisaidai no Ayamachi Desu” by Shiki Kokonose and directed by Takeo Kikuchi (“Masked Reunion“). Also cast in supporting roles for the drama series are Michiko Tanaka, Jingi Irie, Moemi Katayama and Yuta Hiraoka.

Plot synopsis from AsianWiki:

Yui Sato (Airi Matsui) is a dispatched contract worker at Amagi Pharmaceutical Company. Her pet has died and she feels deep sorrow over its death. One day, she drinks alone at a bar and shouts, with tears running down her face, “Develop medicine to bring back someone to life!” At that time, a man walks towards her. He makes a spiteful remark that that there is no such medicine that can bring someone back to life. He also tells her to stop barking and to go home. Yui Sato feels anger within herself and she trips him. She then leaves the bar. Yui Sato is unaware that the man she tripped is Kyoichi Amagi (Mokomichi Hayami) and he is the CEO of Amagi Pharmaceutical Company.

The next day, Yui Sato hears at work that the CEO is looking for her. When she gets to his office, she realizes the man she tripped in the bar is the CEO. She thinks that she might she get fired, but he suddenly tells her to “Please treat me as a slave.”

“This Guy is the Biggest Mistake in My Life” first airs January, 2020 in Japan.

Nov 26 2019

Rio Uchida cast in TV Tokyo drama series “Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu”

Rio Uchida is cast in TV Tokyo live-action drama series “Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu.” The drama series is based on the manga of same name by Itsumachan. The manga series has so far published three volumes, with the first published November 19, 2018 by Shueisha. The drama series will follow the sexual lives of 5 people who work at the a CG production company. Rio Uchida will play Momoe Omori.

“Raise de wa Chanto Shimasu” will first air  January 8, 2020 in Japan.

Nov 26 2019

Yuki Yamada cast in MBS drama series “Homeroom”

Yuki Yamada is cast in MBS drama series “Homeroom.” The drama series is based on web comic “Homeroom” by Chiyo. The drama series is directed by Yuki Kobayashi and scripted by Jun Tsugita. Director Yuki Kobayshi and screenwriter Jun Tsugita previously worked together on 2018 TV Tokyo drama series “Giver: Revenge’s Giver” and 2019 TBS-MBS drama series “Scams.” In the drama series, Yuki Yamada plays homeroom teacher Rintaro Aida. This is the second drama series Yuki Yamada is cast in today, following “Sedai Wars.”

“Homeroom” first airs January 23, 2020 in Japan.

Nov 26 2019

Yuki Yamada cast in TBS-MBS drama series “Sedai Wars”

Yuki Yamada is cast for a lead role in TBS-MBS drama series “Sedai Wars.” The drama series is directed by Koichi Sakamoto (“Mob Psycho 100“) and features an original screenplay by Michiko Yokote. The drama series is set in the near future, with Japan about to collapse due to generational conflicts. Yuki Yamada will play Satoru Kashiwagi. He will represent his generation in the “Sedai Wars.”

“Sedai Wars” will first air January 5, 2020 in Japan.

Nov 26 2019

Ai Hashimoto cast in WOWOW drama series “Pareto’s Miscalculation: Caseworker Murder Case”

Ai Hashimoto is cast in WOWOW drama series “Pareto’s Miscalculation: Caseworker Murder Case” (literal title). The drama series is based on 2014 novel “Pareto’s Miscalculation” by Yuko Yuzuki (“The Blood of Wolves“). This is the first time for Ai Hashimoto to star in a WOWOW drama series.

Plot synopsis from AsianWiki: Satomi Makino (Ai Hashimoto) begins to work in the welfare division at city hall. One day, she ordered to work as a caseworker. She has an uneasy feeling about working as a caseworker, but veteran caseworker Yamakawa encourages her and tells her the job is rewarding. Later, Yamakawa is found dead in an apartment fire and she was murdered. Suspicions about Yamakawa’s death piles up. Meanwhile, Satomi Makino faces corruption while she gets involved in the lives of various people.

“Pareto’s Miscalculation: Caseworker Murder Case” first airs March, 2020 in Japan.