Japanese Dramas |OT| いつかこの話を思い出してきっと泣いてしまう
- Thread starter Nabbit
- Start date
Actress Yui Aragaki to marry co-star Gen Hoshino
The Japanese superstar co-starred with Gen Hoshino in TV drama We Married As A Job in 2016.
Big news as Aragaku Yui is marrying Gen Hoshino. Wish them the best. I sincerely hope she doesn't stop acting..
Wishing them the best!
Been watching a few dramas this season :
Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto
Easily my favorite drama of the season so far. The chemistry between the cast is wonderful and it extremely well-paced. You never get bored. Also the theme song by STUTS, Matsu Takako and KID FRESINO is perfect.
Dragon Zakura
Never seen the first one from the mid 00s, but that's not really important since it's a fresh cast of students. Pretty enjoyable if you're into school dramas like GTO and whatnot.
Happy to see Hirate Yurina in a drama!
Conte ga Hajimaru
Since I love Japanese comedy, I had to watch this show talking about comedians. I love all the actors in this, so it was a no-brainer tbh. I'm not disappointed.
You also get to hear Yonezu Kenshi with his new song Pale Blue, so that's a plus.
Kikazaru Koi niwa Riyuu ga Atte
Pretty standard "can they coexist?!" romcom. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's also one of these dramas where the generic plotline is carried by a strong cast. Fun watch.
Been watching a few dramas this season :
Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto
Easily my favorite drama of the season so far. The chemistry between the cast is wonderful and it extremely well-paced. You never get bored. Also the theme song by STUTS, Matsu Takako and KID FRESINO is perfect.
Dragon Zakura
Never seen the first one from the mid 00s, but that's not really important since it's a fresh cast of students. Pretty enjoyable if you're into school dramas like GTO and whatnot.
Happy to see Hirate Yurina in a drama!
Conte ga Hajimaru
Since I love Japanese comedy, I had to watch this show talking about comedians. I love all the actors in this, so it was a no-brainer tbh. I'm not disappointed.
A sort of reverse (but not really) romcom carried by a strong pair of lead. Eita as the dumb military dude is goddamn hilarious. He nails it.
You also get to hear Yonezu Kenshi with his new song Pale Blue, so that's a plus.
Kikazaru Koi niwa Riyuu ga Atte
Pretty standard "can they coexist?!" romcom. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's also one of these dramas where the generic plotline is carried by a strong cast. Fun watch.
Last edited:
Wow, this thread got bumped!
As usual, I don't watch currently airing dramas, so I've been watching some of my backlogs lately. I recently finished Tengoku to Jigoku and it was pretty good. It's a body swap story, but it's a swap between a detective and its target. Pretty interesting drama with lots of twists and intense moments. The leads, Ayase Haruka and Issey Takahashi, did a wonderful job too.
As usual, I don't watch currently airing dramas, so I've been watching some of my backlogs lately. I recently finished Tengoku to Jigoku and it was pretty good. It's a body swap story, but it's a swap between a detective and its target. Pretty interesting drama with lots of twists and intense moments. The leads, Ayase Haruka and Issey Takahashi, did a wonderful job too.
OP
OP
I really enjoyed Heaven and Hell, too, though it had a little more over-acting than I preferred.
I tried Nijiiro Karute the other night and I was disappointed it was heavy on the yelling/over-acting. Same with Uchi no Musume. :(
In the meantime we recently watched and loved Oji-sama to Neko, which was seriously wonderful. It doesn't take long to get past the "the cat is a puppet" hurdle and it was just an incredibly sweet show. We've also started the asadora Natsuzora which is giving me really cozy vibes.
mydramalist.com
mydramalist.com
So I'm looking for a great jdorama without the over-the-top type of acting. I'm gonna post my MDL page so if anyone feels like taking a peek at my Plan to Watch list and offering a recommendation in that vein I would greatly appreciate it. :)
mydramalist.com
I tried Nijiiro Karute the other night and I was disappointed it was heavy on the yelling/over-acting. Same with Uchi no Musume. :(
In the meantime we recently watched and loved Oji-sama to Neko, which was seriously wonderful. It doesn't take long to get past the "the cat is a puppet" hurdle and it was just an incredibly sweet show. We've also started the asadora Natsuzora which is giving me really cozy vibes.
Ojisama to Neko
Kanda Fuyuki is a world-famous pianist who has been keeping his life busy after his wife's death. One day, Fuyuki meets an unsold cat, Fukumaru, at a...
mydramalist.com
Natsuzora
The story is set during the high economic development time of the Showa period. Natsu lost her parents during the war so she moves to the Tokachi region...
mydramalist.com
So I'm looking for a great jdorama without the over-the-top type of acting. I'm gonna post my MDL page so if anyone feels like taking a peek at my Plan to Watch list and offering a recommendation in that vein I would greatly appreciate it. :)
Nabbit's Drama List - MyDramaList
mydramalist.com
I enjoyed Uchi no Musume, there's quite a but of overacting especially coming from the mom, yeah. But it's a cute little drama about mom and daughter relationship.
Looking at your list from the top, I noticed Bara no nai Hanaya, that's gotta be my first recommendation. It's a chill and yet somewhat mysterious story with some good moral values about family. I watched it in late 2020 and loved it.
Looking at your list from the top, I noticed Bara no nai Hanaya, that's gotta be my first recommendation. It's a chill and yet somewhat mysterious story with some good moral values about family. I watched it in late 2020 and loved it.
Just scrolling through the list and noticing a few. Some I watched a long time ago. Short comments.
Bambino is kinda relaxing but has moments of the yelling. Young chef works in an Italian restaurant. Learns lessons and whatnot. Plenty of food preparation scenes to get you hungry.
Mahoro Ekimae is chill. I think it's two series's and a movie. Can't remember if I watched all of it.
Meikenchiku de Chushoku wo is a show that, I don't know how to put it another way, seems like the most boring thing ever on the surface lol. Like slow and quietly taking photos of buildings, chit chatting at a cafe, nothing dramatic or exciting happens. But I dig the vibe of those shows.
Nodame is a classic but it is pretty over the top for the sake of comedy. I'd still give it a shot.
Riso no Otoko might be one of the most recent shows I tried watching. It's very standard romance drama, I guess. But of what I've seen, it's fairly dry.
Rookies is another classic and it is again over the top, more in the dramatic sense. It blends the typical unconventional teacher helping students show with a sports (baseball) show. It's a fun time.
Zettai Kareshi I watched forever ago and it's about a lady who gets a robot boyfriend and it's pretty goofy. I don't know if I finished it.
Anyway, I watched two shows recently that are more or less the same premise. Tokusatsu Gagaga and Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki. Both are about people who keep their niche uncharacteristic hobbies hidden, ultimately finding friends in similar positions. They're oddly endearing. The parts where they panic about others discovering they like cute mascot dogs. And the turn where they can feel comfortable and accepted with friends.
Bambino is kinda relaxing but has moments of the yelling. Young chef works in an Italian restaurant. Learns lessons and whatnot. Plenty of food preparation scenes to get you hungry.
Mahoro Ekimae is chill. I think it's two series's and a movie. Can't remember if I watched all of it.
Meikenchiku de Chushoku wo is a show that, I don't know how to put it another way, seems like the most boring thing ever on the surface lol. Like slow and quietly taking photos of buildings, chit chatting at a cafe, nothing dramatic or exciting happens. But I dig the vibe of those shows.
Nodame is a classic but it is pretty over the top for the sake of comedy. I'd still give it a shot.
Riso no Otoko might be one of the most recent shows I tried watching. It's very standard romance drama, I guess. But of what I've seen, it's fairly dry.
Rookies is another classic and it is again over the top, more in the dramatic sense. It blends the typical unconventional teacher helping students show with a sports (baseball) show. It's a fun time.
Zettai Kareshi I watched forever ago and it's about a lady who gets a robot boyfriend and it's pretty goofy. I don't know if I finished it.
Anyway, I watched two shows recently that are more or less the same premise. Tokusatsu Gagaga and Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki. Both are about people who keep their niche uncharacteristic hobbies hidden, ultimately finding friends in similar positions. They're oddly endearing. The parts where they panic about others discovering they like cute mascot dogs. And the turn where they can feel comfortable and accepted with friends.
Oh, I've watched Tokusatsu Gagaga too. It's something that the younger me can relate, but not really if applied to me right now. I used to not feeling confident in showing my hobbies and interests in front of "normies", but now I have a gunpla displayed on my office desk. Anyway, I liked it overall, fun at times too. That kid Damian is one of my favorite characters.
I loved it. The overacting was clearly intentional for comedic purposes, so I wasn't bothered by it at all.
Granted, I'll watch anything with Minami Hamabe in it at this point, she's just too good.
Yeah, for comedic dramas overacting is necessary and part of the charm.
Anyway, I also saw Bokutachi ga Yarimashita from that list and I highly recommend it.
OP
OP
Thanks so much texhnolyze and broncobuster for your recommendations. I'm definitely interested in Meikenchiku de Chushoku wo and Riso no Otoko. I do love some comedic j-doramas, and there are degrees of intentional overacting in most of them for sure. I think I'm just more in the mood for it at times than others. As I understand it has its roots in kabuki theatre and I respect that, just not always my vibe I guess.
Kurita, do Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto or Conte ga Hajimaru have that same sort of over-emphatic acting? I got the impression the latter at least would be more low key and I kind of assumed with Sakamoto-san writing Omameda that it wouldn't have much of that as his dramas usually don't.
Kurita, do Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto or Conte ga Hajimaru have that same sort of over-emphatic acting? I got the impression the latter at least would be more low key and I kind of assumed with Sakamoto-san writing Omameda that it wouldn't have much of that as his dramas usually don't.
Both shows are pretty low key (for the lack of a better word) when it comes to the acting. I feel like they have a healthy amount of dry humor/deadpan vibes without being obnoxious.
Omameda Towako to Sannin no Motootto is definitely not your standard romcom with all that entails in terms of direction, plot, dialogues, etc... (I do like these shows tbh haha)
Highly recommend them.
OP
OP
Thanks Kurita. I'm a fan of Sakamoto-san's work and I think Conte is from the Sekai Ichi Muzukashii Koi writer so I expect I will really enjoy both.
Arimura Kasumi's dramas are usually more down to earth with natural/believeable acting. She's also just so good with her micro expressions.
That said, there's Suda Masaki the over the top acting specialists in that Konto ga Hajimaru drama lol. Though it may also depend on the script and his role.
That said, there's Suda Masaki the over the top acting specialists in that Konto ga Hajimaru drama lol. Though it may also depend on the script and his role.
The best show of the year is hands down Omameda Towako, it's just a wonderful mature romcom.
I also quite enjoyed Hakozume, with Toda Erika and Nagano Mei as cops in a small koban.
Started watching Avalanche (premiered this week, you can still catch the replay on TVer with a VPN), a police drama/thriller with Ayano Go as the lead. First episode was excellent.
Last edited:
Romance & comedy (or the combination of both) is all I watch, but sometimes I just forget the names lol. Here's from my list:
Romance comedy:
Omameda Towako
Rikokatsu
Kikazaru Koi
Koi wa Deep Ni
Renai Mangaka
Promise Cinderella
Oh! My Boss!!
Shitteru Waifu
Horimiya
Uchi no Musume > This one is more of a family drama than romance, but it has lots of comedy scenes too. It's a very lighthearted and yet fun drama about the relationship between a famous novelist and her weeb daughter.
Kotaro wa Hitorigurashi > This one is more of a slice of life drama with a huge amount of cuteness. It's about a 5-yo boy who moves into a flat, all alone. His neighbors are all confused at first, but eventually, get attached to him.
Kakenai!? > This one is more of a comedy/slice of life than romance, since the leads are a married couple who happen to be a writer. The wife is a famous novel writer, while the husband is an at-home dad who writes small jobs every now and then. But one day, he got a big job to write a serialized prime time drama.
Ore Ie no Hanashi > This one is more of a family drama, but it has some romance and lots of comedy scenes too. It's about a legendary long-running Noh (Japanese traditional show) family. The head is getting old and sick, and now the kids are taking care of him. The oldest son is a pro wrestler, but he should've taken the baton as the next head of the family to succeed his father.
I've yet to watch the currently running dramas. I always wait until they're completed to start watching.
OP
OP
Shout out to Kurita for recommending Osozaki no Himawari, AKA Late-Blooming Sunflower. This has long been one of my favorite j-dramas. I've always wondered what the lyrics to the opening song are.
With lots of help from R_Fansubs, I finally translated the lyrics for the opening song from Osozaki no Himawari and made a subbed video. I hope fellow Osozaki no Himawari fans enjoy it. Note: I am not profiting from this video, any ads are from the copyright holder.
If the video piqued your interest, you can learn more about the drama at its MyDramaList page or its DramaWiki page.
With lots of help from R_Fansubs, I finally translated the lyrics for the opening song from Osozaki no Himawari and made a subbed video. I hope fellow Osozaki no Himawari fans enjoy it. Note: I am not profiting from this video, any ads are from the copyright holder.
If the video piqued your interest, you can learn more about the drama at its MyDramaList page or its DramaWiki page.
I've watched Osozaki no Himawari twice, something that I very rarely do. It's just so pleasant to watch, I love the settings, music, and characters.
I wish this thread wasn't dead so I could also get recs. I don't follow J dramas at all.
For 2022 dramas, I've only watched Oi, Handsome! Planning to watch Muchaburi and Fight Song next.
I've been busy catching up with 2021 dramas lately (Konto ga Hajimaru, Crazy Rich, Konin Todoke, Janai Hou no Kanojo, etc.).
I've been busy catching up with 2021 dramas lately (Konto ga Hajimaru, Crazy Rich, Konin Todoke, Janai Hou no Kanojo, etc.).
Haven't read it so I can't comment on that.
It has a great theme song by King Gnu though
Definitely one of my favorite shows of 2021, really enjoyed it.
Haven't watched any new drama so far, but I'm looking forward to Hatsukoi no Akuma (初恋の悪魔), which is sold as a witty mystery-comedy written by Sakamoto Yuji, the screenwriter behind Omameda Towako, Quartet, Mother… So it should be some good stuff.
Heaven and Hell: Soul Exchange | 日本 | ドラマ | Watch with English Subtitles & More ✔️
An ambitious detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s violent crimes unit, Ayako Mochizuki (Haruka Ayase) is determined to make a name for herself as one of the unit’s best detectives. Driven by a strong sense of justice, Ayako has worked hard her entire career, a fact that has...
www.viki.com
Just watched INFLUENCE . It was too good, just a great drama-mystery with tons of plot twists that actually worked and made sense in the storyline. Very well written. Five episodes that felt like they flew by in no time.
www.viki.com
Highly recommended.
INFLUENCE | 日本 | ドラマ | Watch with English Subtitles & More ✔️
In high school, Yuri Totsuka (Kanna Hashimoto) was just another teenage girl. Experiencing all the ups and downs that come with high school, Yuri’s struggles weren’t any different than every other girl her age. Living on her own, in a quiet apartment complex in a peaceful province, Yuri should...
www.viki.com
Highly recommended.
As usual, I always watch doramas after they ended, so I'm still watching spring/summer ones. But in-between them, I also watched some older doramas that I might have missed. One of the highlights lately was "99 Days with a Star" starring Nishijima Hidetoshi and Kim Tae Hee. The story is pretty cliche but I love the classic feeling of this dorama, full of hilarious moments too. And Kim Tae Hee is absolutely so gorgeous in this.
Man, Silent just has me in tears at least once every episode, it really does a number on the old heartstrings lol.
https://www.viki.com/tv/38836c-silent
Probably Haruna Kawaguchi's best role yet.
https://www.viki.com/tv/38836c-silent
Probably Haruna Kawaguchi's best role yet.
OP
OP
Sadly I couldn't get into Silent, and I was really looking forward to it. The setup with the relationship and the characters just didn't work for me. Especially right after watching First Love, which had some missteps for me but in the end was mostly really striking and affecting with some masterful performances and direction. I totally agree with you NMNR, it was excellent.
Also wanna second Tengoku to Jigoku (Heaven and Hell), Mystery to iu Inakure and Influence as other recent doramas I've especially enjoyed. Waiting full subs on Hatsukoi no Akuma. First Penguin is on my radar too. We're watching and very much enjoying Okaeri Mone, too, an asadora from a couple years ago.
Oh, and three others I haven't seen mentioned in here unless I missed it - Ojisama to Neko, Lion no Oyatsu and Ikiru toka Shina toka were standouts of the past couple years for me. The first two are really genuine and heartfelt. Looking for something deep and engrossing next, I've had a few misfires with Chef no Meitantei, Silent and How to be Likeable in a Crisis not grabbing me personally.
Also wanna second Tengoku to Jigoku (Heaven and Hell), Mystery to iu Inakure and Influence as other recent doramas I've especially enjoyed. Waiting full subs on Hatsukoi no Akuma. First Penguin is on my radar too. We're watching and very much enjoying Okaeri Mone, too, an asadora from a couple years ago.
Oh, and three others I haven't seen mentioned in here unless I missed it - Ojisama to Neko, Lion no Oyatsu and Ikiru toka Shina toka were standouts of the past couple years for me. The first two are really genuine and heartfelt. Looking for something deep and engrossing next, I've had a few misfires with Chef no Meitantei, Silent and How to be Likeable in a Crisis not grabbing me personally.
OP
OP
BTW, if anyone has a recommendation of something they loved off my MDL Plan to Watch list, I'd greatly appreciate it! It's here.
Edit: wow, I completely forgot I asked this about 1.5 years ago too. I need to look at some of the recommendations from them, thanks again all for those. I'm nearly done with Meikenchiku de Choushoku wo and have enjoyed it for sure.
Edit: wow, I completely forgot I asked this about 1.5 years ago too. I need to look at some of the recommendations from them, thanks again all for those. I'm nearly done with Meikenchiku de Choushoku wo and have enjoyed it for sure.
Given a particular cast member here, I assume you've seen this Kurita
https://www.viki.com/tv/38838c-roppongi-class
Any good?
https://www.viki.com/tv/38838c-roppongi-class
Any good?
Haven't got the chance to actually haha! I'll try to finally watch it this year.
But it was apparently a really solid remake.
OP
OP
Review of The Makanai, Kore-eda's first Netflix series and one of the only TV series/doramas he's made.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
Seems like another cozy, slice of life jdorama.
‘The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House’ Review: Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Netflix Series Is a Gentle Tale of Art, Friendship and Food
The Palme d'Or-winning filmmaker serves as showrunner for an adaptation of the manga by Aiko Koyama, about two teenagers who live and work in a home for apprentice geiko.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
Seems like another cozy, slice of life jdorama.
Watched the first episode of Brushup Life, the new drama written by comedian Bakarhythm starring Ando Sakura
She plays a 30-something woman working as a public servant in her small town. After a night out with her friends where they basically only talked about their school days, she gets hit by a truck. She has two choices: start her next life as an anteater (the dull life she had only gives her this option) or start all over, be a good human being in order to get a better reincarnation option the next time she dies.
As the title implies, she picks the second choice.
Really fun so far, you instantly recognize Bakarhythm's brand of humor full of subtlety. Gonna be a good one!
She plays a 30-something woman working as a public servant in her small town. After a night out with her friends where they basically only talked about their school days, she gets hit by a truck. She has two choices: start her next life as an anteater (the dull life she had only gives her this option) or start all over, be a good human being in order to get a better reincarnation option the next time she dies.
As the title implies, she picks the second choice.
Really fun so far, you instantly recognize Bakarhythm's brand of humor full of subtlety. Gonna be a good one!
Watch The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House | Netflix Official Site
Two inseparable friends move to Kyoto to chase their dreams of becoming maiko, but decide to pursue different passions while living under the same roof.
www.netflix.com
Watched the first two episodes of My Family on Disney+ and I'm hooked: https://disneyplus.com/series/my-family/4juaD41cNJR8
I've been watching MIU404 on Netflix. It's good.
It's a buddy cop duo series with Gen Hoshino and Go Ayano. It has an episodic format with new cases every episode and a mystery or rather a tension that keeps building up.
It's also generally very wholesome.
It's a buddy cop duo series with Gen Hoshino and Go Ayano. It has an episodic format with new cases every episode and a mystery or rather a tension that keeps building up.
It's also generally very wholesome.