Posts Categorized: Japanese Dramas

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.

Nov 25 2019

Mio Imada cast in TBS drama special “Naoki Hanzawa Commemoration Year: Episode Zero”

Mio Imada is cast for the lead female role in TBS drama special “Naoki Hanzawa Commemoration Year: Episode Zero” (literal title) co-starring Ryo Yoshizawa. The drama special is a prequel to upcoming TBS sequel drama series “Naoki Hanzawa.” For the drama special, Mio Imada will play Hitomi Hamamura. She is a new employee at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

“Naoki Hanzawa Commemoration Year: Episode Zero” will air January 3, 2020 in Japan.

Nov 22 2019

Jun cast in drama series “Idol’s Doctor”

Jun (‘U-KISS’) is cast for the lead male role in new drama series “Idol’s Doctor” (literal title). The drama series is setup as a romantic-comedy with Jun playing musician & idol extraordinaire Yoon Tae-In. The plot summary from AsianWiki: Yoon Tae-In (Jun) is a genius musician and a top idol. He has a self-centered personality. Yoon Tae-In suffers from sleepwalking and, to cure his sleep disorder, he lives with a female doctor. The doctor though is a fake. Their relationship develops romantically.

“Idol’s Doctor” will first air sometime next year in South Korea, but broadcasting network has yet to be decided.

Nov 21 2019

Osamu Mukai cast in Fuji TV-KTV drama series “10 Secrets”

Osamu Mukai is cast for the lead role in Fuji TV-KTV drama series “10 Secrets” (literal title of “10 no Himitsu”). Also cast in supporting roles are Yukie Nakama, Riisa Naka, Anna Yamada, Tsuyoshi Takashima, Akane Hotta, Hana Kawamura, Yuya Endo, Mitsuhiro Fujiwara, Umi Yamano, Yuko Natori and Atsuro Watabe. The drama series features a suspense-mystery-crime themed script involving a father who learns his daughter has been kidnapped.

Plot synopsis from AsianWiki: Keita Shirakawa (Osamu Mukai) works as a building inspector. He is a single father, who has raised his 14 year-old-daughter Hitomi (Anna Yamada) alone since his divorce with his ex-wife Yukiko Sendai (Yukie Nakama). Yukiko Sendai works as a corporate lawyer for a large construction company. After his ex-wife left him, Keita Shirakawa has place his daughter as a priority in his life. He is an ideal father to her. One day, Keita Shirakawa receives a phone call. The caller informs him that “I have your daughter. If you want to save her life, go to your ex-wife.” While looking for his daughter, Keita Shirakawa learns a secret about his ex-wife. He also knows that his daughter has a secret.

“10 Secrets” first airs January, 2020 (takes over Fuji TV’s Tuesday 9PM time slot after “He Who Can’t Marry Season 2“).