#Jdrama series with arashi

[gffa]

Gffa reveals new depths to her nerdery like Dragon Ball introduces new forms.

And it's great.

I do not want to let you all see my SSJ4 form, I would never live it down. But, honestly, the truth is that I'm just that genre of hyperfixating type of fan, once I like something, I want to experience as much of it as I can and I'm going to have a lot of thoughts about it. And since I tend to hang out in pan-fandom places, I tend to wander through a lot of different mediums of stories, I followed an animated series into comics, developed a bunch of favorite authors, one of my favorites got into anime, so I started reading and then got curious about the source, became an anime nerd and branched out and stayed there for years, some of my friends in anime/manga (and comics) fandom were heavily into various video games, so I started playing Kingdom Hearts and eventually fell into Final Fantasy hell, some of those same friends friends in anime/manga fandoms were into tokusatsu, so I started watching Kamen Rider, some of those same friends were into Arashi, so I followed them into that arena, and they were big into a lot of jdramas, so I started watching a bunch of them, and then I moved to tumblr which is a pan-fandom party 24/7 and I started getting into podcasts and new mobile games and I read up on something that I'm interested in, because I want to understand how it works, and eventually it just sort of vomits out of me. Like, you joke, but I absolutely had a Dragonball era in there somewhere, I devoured the manga (only post-time skip, I can't do bb!Goku's adventures), I read a shitload of fic, I occasionally check in to see if Toriyama has written anything recent that I might like. So much comes from that I get curious when anything has a major fandom or when a friend is into something, because I love nerding out over things, but that sense of fannish community is what is my real addiction is. I like having a group of people that are into a thing we're all passionate about and writing a lot of nerdy posts for, if a fandom has a lot of that (and a lot of fic/art to go with it), then I'm probably automatically interested.

[marauderstiltheend]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwOu6xfR7R8)

The EPICNESS and HILARITY of ARASHI. XD

And how they got trolled hard by the “director” and their “senior officer”. Hahahahaha

But I’d watch this action-drama-comedy series with ARASHI as police officers. So many epicness and hilarity will happen. I KNOW IT! And OMG! the soundtrack! Fight Song! BTS! NGs!

Johnnys, TBS, NHK, JAL, Japan Tourism Board, whoever, whichever, whatever powers that be, yoo hoo! Make it happen! For Japan Tourism! For the Olympics! For Arashi's 20th anniversary! 

No copyright infringement intended.

jp_arashishows 

w/ english cc

[aerisosweet]

I’m trying to stay awake since I didn’t nap (and it’s like 2AM) and I’m waiting for Arashi’s con to start and thought I’d write a letter?

Honestly, where to start?

2006 I stumbled upon Jdramas ‘coz Kdramas kept making me cry and I was avoiding k-anything due to a falling out with a now acquaintance... I watched 1 Liter of Tears (lol) and then Hana Yori Dango, Gokusen, etc (yes, I realize I watched a lot of MatsuJun dramas but that’s not what got me into Arashi)

I first avoided them after my first PV was Kitto Daijoubu and I was like “What is this?!” But then I found TaijiProject and watched all of Dの嵐 as well as Mago Mago Arashi (rowing boat series) and fell in love with them.

At the same time, it coincided with me moving again, just when I finally settled down after moving from Japan — Navy brat — and while I went to college/uni, I found STORMY team subs and threw myself in projects after projects and my love for them grew.

In 2012 I tried to stay away from social media because I was waiting for my DVD and who knew that would be what caused my drift away and back to the k-realm with EXO.

But I never fully left as I always kept an eye on them and always supported even if it wasn’t as apparent as before. In 2014, I even went to Hawaii to see their concert even after getting a new job and seeing them reminded me how much I loved them.

Now we’re at this junction and wanted to say thank you to Arashi from the bottom of my heart because I can’t imagine how I would’ve been during college. They truly helped and saved me and I will never forget that.

Thank you to each of you; may it be from our Maou Mode projects to flying to Hawaii together to now using other social media apps to stay in contact.

Thank you to these 5 - my treasured my number.

[go-our-own-ways]

I just impulsively watched (and finished) Our 30-Minute Sessions and damn... I had no idea how charismatic and charming Makken can be lol I am almost smitten. 

But more than anything, I’m so in awe at Kitamura Takumi’s acting skill... I’m gonna have to go watch the movie that sent him to fame (I Want to Eat Your Pancreas live action)... 

Takumi basically had to play two versions of his character ya’ll like how bizarre but also how amazing is that. And you know what, he totally pulled it off flawlessly. AND what’s more, the movie is about a band so there’s singing...and he sang and I just. I can’t, ya’ll... I love his singing way too much... 

There’s just something about it that is so heavy with emotions, but not in an overbearing way...and it gets sent straight into my heart. 

I was surprised that Makken could sing, and could sing so well, but Takumi’s singing...he blew everyone else out of the water, man. 

I can’t believe myself, but I think I have fully and wholly landed myself back into actor hell. I mean, I’ve always been kinda into the acting scene on the side this whole past year because of getting into Arashi, but this...actors outside of Johnny’s... it’s been a long, long time. 

The last time I vividly remember being knees deep into actors was probably the last time I dropped into the Kamen Rider scene... At the time, Zi-O was the new series, so I guess that was 2018ish? I had finally managed to watch Build as it was wrapping up, and as Zi-O began airing, I started Ex-aid... That was a fun time. (’: 

But yeah... so at the time I was really into the casts of Build and Ex-aid, and was getting somewhat into the cast of Zi-O (though I never quite made it through)... Prior to that, I guess probably was even more years prior, with Watanabe Shu of OOO... (yeah, somehow the screen actors I get into tend to be Kamen Riders LMAO...) Around that time was when I fell deep into the rabbit hole of Amuse actors, which had me kinda split between drama/movie works and stage works of those boys. 

I get into stage actors too every now and then, but those are harder to stick these days because I’m too tired of digging for files and subs... Honestly probably the last time I was really into any stage play folks was my Amuse period. Currently I guess you could say I’m into a limited selection of stage folks, but I can’t watch any of their stuff...so I don’t really know if that can count lol. 

Anyway...since I’m presently in the mood for eye candy and nice stories that maybe make me tear up a little, or make me smile and laugh a lot in a heartwarming way...it seems I’ll be continuing to watch jmovies and jdramas for a while yet, lol. 

I’m kind of bouncing between Kitamura Takumi’s works and Akaso Eiji’s works for now, but I may expand it to other actors I know of, if they’ve got anything recent or new... I’m thinking maybe some of the Johnny’s boys that I’ve been curious about, Kamiki Ryunosuke, or the (very few) Gekidan EXILE members I know of, perhaps. 

It seems Takumi in particular does have a drama that’s about to start airing soon... I’ll wait a few weeks and see if anyone picks it up for subbing. The premise sounds heartwarming (and maybe kind of sad?), so I’m certainly interested, lol. 

[happymeishappylife]

A Special ‘Favorite Artists’ Post

Back in 2019, I centered my birthday series posts on 29 of my favorite musical artists to discuss some of my music tastes and talk about why those artists were my favorites. But at the time, I wasn’t listening to one of my all time favorite groups and so left them off the list. However, now that I’ve been listening to them again more, watching concert videos, and just enjoying the spirit they bring, I feel the need to highlight them. Because truly, for all my life, they will always be one of my favorite musical artists:

ARASHI One of my Favorite Musical Artists of All Time

When I entered college in 2008, there is no way you could have told me that I was going to be immersed in a world of jpop, jdramas, and Japanese culture. Thanks to one of my best friends though, that’s exactly what happened. It started the summer before college when my best friend at the time showed me the jDrama: Hana Yori Dango, something her older sister had found that she fell in love with. It was cute and I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t as easily obsessed with it like she was. Then during our first fall semester, she introduced me to the second Jdrama: Maou. She showed me the first episode saying specifically to pay attention to the actor playing Naruse Ryo because he was an incredible actor and she would show me why after the episode. I watched and thought the story was interesting, intense, and intriguing, but the portrayal of this character seemed subdued and cool, calm (important to the story as I later found out), but I wasn’t hooked on how great a performance this was, which is why she then showed me an episode of G no Arashi to follow up.

And I was in disbelief that the really laid back, super silly leader of this Japanese idol group was the same person I just watched in Maou. But I laughed and enjoyed the episodes of G no Arashi and Mago Mago Arashi watching these five guys only to realize thanks to her, that I already heard their music since Wish and Truth were the theme songs to Hana Yori Dango and Maou. And what a difference those two songs were! The more I listened, the more I loved and after that I was hooked. Their music is different and diverse, fun, empowering, and genuinely a way to bring a smile to my face no matter the amount of time that goes by between listening to them and other people. So much so, that I think they would easily be the defining artist and culture I surrounded myself in during my college years. Not too mention the reason I ended up making friends and travelling to Japan to learn more about the culture.

Like I said, I fell out of their music after college, mainly because it got harder to keep up with the TV shows, the dramas, and the music since Japan is more closed off and Johnny’s Entertainment even more so. But even though I wasn’t listening to them at the time, the news that Arashi was actually going on hiatus at the end of this year, rocked me. Not that I feel they shouldn’t or that the reason behind their decision isn’t justified, but because it didn’t seem possible that Arashi would not be active. They’ve been doing this for 20 years after all and have been number one in Japan for over 12 of those years. So I was a little sad, but then thanks to their efforts to spread their music more globally for the first time ever, I got a chance to stream them on my phone and IMMEDIATELY all of their music and all of the time I had invested in them came rushing back and it made me happy. Ever since, I’ve been listening to them regularly again and because of the stressful times we have found ourselves in, I’ve also been watching their posted concerts and my own, since I still own a few, to bring a smile to my face and wash stress away.

I’ve also been watching Arashi’s Video Diary on Netflix and I find that even more rewarding to not only fall back in with all five of the member’s personalities again, but to truly understand the weight of their decision and their handling of it. I know the current crisis may have altered that slightly, but I can’t wish them anything but support as they eventually transition into their new journey beyond the group. But it’s why I needed to highlight them because I still love them and know I always will.

I can’t pick a top 10 list of songs though. There are just far too many that I love and because they’ve put out so many it would be so hard to narrow it down. Instead, I’ll give you a list of ones that I’m enjoying right now:

Cool & Soul

Carnival Night part 2

Oh Yeah!

アオゾラペダル 

Do my best

Troublemaker

サーカス

Monster

空高く

Løve Rainbow

To Be Free

Face Down

サクラ咲ケ

感謝カンゲキ雨嵐

Lucky Man

ナイスな心意気

言葉より大切なもの

PIKA★★NCHI DOUBLE

Yes? No?

Believe

Turning Up (R3HAB Remix)

Gori Muuchu

[luna-rainbow]

jdramas of the decade

Happy new year and welcome to the third decade of the millenium. As we head forward, let's look at some of the Japanese dramas that defined the last 10 years. Top 20 dramas by rating 1. Hanzawa Naoki (2013) 28.74% 2. Kaseifu wo mita (2011) 25.17% 3. Doctor X season 2 (2013) 22.98% 4. Doctor X season 3 (2014) 22.94% 5. Doctor X season 4 (2016) 21.45% 6. Jin (2011) 21.28% 7. Hero 2 (2014) 21.27% 8. Doctor X season 5 (2017) 20.87% 9. Galileo (2013) 19.92% 10. Doctor X season 1 (2012) 19.10% 11. Shitamachi Rocket (2015) 18.54% 12. Doctor X season 6 (2019) 18.45% 13. Legal High (2013) 18.38% 14. Doctors 2 (2013) 18.32% 15. Nankyoku Tairiku (2011) 18.00% 16. Priceless (2012) 17.71% 17. 99.9 (2018) 17.63% 18. Rinjo (2010) 17.57% 19. 99.9 (2016) 17.15% 20. Freeter, ie wo kau (2010) 17.14% As I've mentioned previously and which might be gleaned from the list, ratings have been declining overall throughout the decade. 2011 and 2013 were really the height, and from 2017 onwards, only the top drama of the year managed to scrape into this top 20 list. If the list is rearranged according to the top 2 dramas per year, it looks like this: 1. Hanzawa Naoki (2013) 28.74% 2. Kaseifu wo mita (2011) 25.17% 3. Doctor X season 2 (2013) 22.98% 4. Doctor X season 3 (2014) 22.94% 5. Doctor X season 4 (2016) 21.45% 6. Jin (2011) 21.28% 7. Hero 2 (2014) 21.27% 8. Doctor X season 5 (2017) 20.87% 9. Doctor X season 1 (2012) 19.10% 10. Shitamachi rocket (2015) 18.54% 11. Doctor X season 6 (2019) 18.45% 12. Priceless (2012) 17.71% 13. 99.9 season 2 (2018) 17.63% 14. Rinjo (2010) 17.57% 15. 99.9 (2016) 17.15% 16. Freeter, ie wo kau (2010) 17.14% 17. Riku-ou (2017) 16.00% 18. Legal V (2018) 15.74% 19. Tennou no Ryoriban (2015) 14.94% 20. Kinkyu torishirabeshitsu season 3 (2019) 13.23% The second top drama of 2019 only rated a measly 13.23% - essentially a C-rank drama back in the early 2010s. That's not to say that the quality of Kintori 3 is worse than, say, any season of Doctor X, but that less audiences are catching the dramas as they screen. Looking through the list (and at the number of dramas that didn't quite make the list), the decade is dominated by the Ikeido Jun brand fairytale underdog story, told through various industries - Hanzawa Naoki (bank), Riku-ou (product development), Shitamachi Rocket (mechanical engineering), and No Side Game (rugby). Then there is the lonely hero/ine standing against rigid hierarchy, archetyped by Daimon Michiko in the Doctor X series, but also seen in Legal V and Black Pean. Quirky crime solvers and suspenseful surgical dramas are a dime and dozen, and there are some hits and lots of misses. As far as actors go, some have moved up while others are trying to hold on: Sakai Masato has cautiously taken a break after a string of highly rated and acclaimed hits, Kimura Takuya still keeping afloat after the SMAP debacle, Yonekura Ryoko doing the same schtick for 7 years is its own brand of impressive, Amami Yuuki managing mid-level ratings even with some bland scripts, while Fukuyama Masaru has fallen from grace after his surprise marriage. Arashi's members take turns in dramas with various success, although most seem to rate better than what the script is worth. Aragaki Yui had been at the height of her fame in the middle of the decade, following the popular Legal V and the topical Nigehaji that made good use of her naturally sweet demeanour. Other leading women her age - Toda Erika, Ishihara Satomi, Ayase Haruka and lately Kuroki Haru are all pushing their boundaries with a range of experimental scripts, some highly successful (e.g. GiboMusu and Unnatural). After playing secondary characters for about a decade, Tanaka Kei finally launched himself into the public eye with the popular Ossan's Love series. Most of actors younger than that age range are yet to establish themselves as a serious actor or a proven audience draw, but Suda Masaki has a decided head start on the others, managing both serious and comedy with ease. I expect in the next decade we will see him routinely lead. I'd really like to see more of Yoshizawa Ryo and Yokohama Ryusei, but both their acting skills need some more polish.

[soundlesswind]

Jdrama movie reviews / revisits

Hidamari ga Kikoeru - I Can Hear The Sunspot

Although I had initial reservations, considering a lot of manga to drama adaptations don’t usually end up well, surprisingly this turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Neither of these actors are ones I’m familiar with, but while not excellent, they do get a passing grade. I believe both are new actors, so there’s that adding to the roughness. However, Onodera (Taichi) does seem to groove into the role a bit better by the end of the movie. Soundtrack-wise, it was pleasant; directing was also decent. A couple of minor dialogues or scenes were changed or rearranged to suit a theatrical viewing. In that respect, the progression of the story did feel notably less comical and more realistic compared to the source, but the core parts of the series were left intact. Actually I think it’s amazing they decided to show a kiss scene. Even for normal dramas, they’re often avoided. Perhaps a sign that times truly are changing. Albeit I was on the edge of my seat over some of Taichi and Kouhei’s interactions...I want to stress that first and foremost, Hidamari is not inherently centered around romance, it’s a very real glimpse into some of the problems that people with varying levels of disability face, and is one of my first reality checks on the subject. The film does a pretty good job of relaying that. If you’re interested in a series that actually talks and focuses on the hearing disabled, and isn’t merely a highschool-bully drama, this is one good foot into the matter. The manga is also still on-going, I do recommend it. If you’re not into live actions, or just want to speed through the same content (as the movie does cover book 1)...give this one a try~

Ajin

Based off an anime and manga of the same name. Colour me surprised because I was expecting a far cheaper budget. The 3D wasn’t too awful. A lot of aspects were changed and aged-up; some details I wish they’d kept, some details were changed for the better; such as Nagai’s interactions with his sister. Though I wish they had retained his best friend. He was an important foothold into Nagai’s psychological stability. It also felt weird to be thrown right in the middle of a mash up of both season 1 and 2′s highlight arcs...XD...but it didn’t feel overly suffocating despite being a crammed movie. Anyway, it was a pretty decent action flick. It’s an entertaining watch for a night you feel like you just want to see guns blaring and fist fights. I can even see Hollywood wanting to adapt this for themselves. Ajin the Movie also boasts some pretty recognizable faces, including one of my favourite jdrama actors, Rourouni Kenshin’s Takeru Satou. Personally though, I might’ve liked to see Kamiki give this role a go, as well...

Kagi no Kakatta Heya - Locked Room Murder Mysteries

This one is a revisit... Though actually, I think I watch the entire series something like once a year anyway, if that’s any testament to how much I like it. It’s my all time favourite detective mystery jdrama. This series has 11 episodes and 1 movie (Kagi no Kakatta Heya SP). Most cases are self-contained to one episode, and each case covers a different kind of “locked room” situation. Some cases are weaker than others, but the presentation is so good, I don’t really get bored even when I know the cases inside-out. The directing is quirky with a distinct comical flare. The OST is one of my absolute all-time favourites, and Satoshi Ono is a bonus if you happen to like Arashi (I don’t listen to them, but the ending song is kind of catchy). Overall, this is ideally how I’d like all my detective mysteries to roll. Sometimes a mystery series has a really good gimmick and plan, but bomb in the presentation aspect. If you can make something simply enjoyable to watch, people will want to re-watch it. Please give it a go. The movie is also very excellent. If you’re into series with a quirkiness like Ace Attorney and connected cases (the movie specifically), this is a must watch for detective-mystery lovers.

[luna-rainbow]

Recommended jdramas last decade

Given that the ratings list isn't exactly diverse and lots of interesting dramas didn't make the top cut, I thought I'd come up with a recommendation list. I remember back in the 2000s J-dramas were all the rage but now there seems to be much less interest in them outside of Japan, but that doesn't necessarily mean the quality is less! My preferred genres are more on the tense and action-packed side, and I rarely watched rom-coms or slice of life dramas until more recently. Nevertheless there are some very topical ones that are worth mentioning. Police procedurals 1) BOSS 1 & 2: another one of my perennial favourites. Set at the pace of American procedurals, equipped with snappy humour and quirky characters, it is the perfect amalgamation of funny, touching and gripping. 2) Strawberry Night: the original series with the gorgeous Takeuchi Ryoko and Nishijima Hidetoshi is leagues above the remake. It's much darker than BOSS but perhaps more resonant because of it. 3) Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu seasons 1-3: similar to BOSS, this cast consists of veteran supporting actors who play off well against each other. The cases range from satisfying to acutely dissatisfying, just as in real life. 4) Keiji 7-nin: similar to KinTori, the cast consists of some solid veteran actors, and the cases range from triumphant to depressing. There are some interesteing back stories to the characters, but it's not as well developed as you might hope. 5) Zettai Reido season 3: I tried to go back and rewatch the first 2 seasons, but it's a completely different story. Consisting of mostly a young green cast, somehow the actors have fit the roles so well that it doesn't irk. The cases mostly end on a note of despair and helplessness, as the system rolls over and quashes anyone in its way. 6) CRISIS: for the longest time I confused this with BG as the set-up of the characters are quite similar. It's very well-made, but again the characters function in a morally grey territory and is an interesting digression from the usual straight procedural. Crime solvers 1) 99.9 seasons 1 & 2: quirky and humorous, but also full of heart, and with Kagawa playing the straight foil to MatsuJun's insolent lawyer, it is almost perfect except for the lack of insipration in its cases. 2) Unnatural: I still consider this to have one of the best developed back-stories and characterisations of any crime-solver or police procedural. The script is by Noki Akiko, and it has a sensitivity to it that is not often seen in this cerebral genre. 3) Galileo seasons 1 & 2: released back in the day when Fukuyama Masaharu was still hugely popular, this was long enough ago that I don't actually remember what I liked about it, except that I do like and recommend it. 4) Kagi no kakatta heya: out of Arashi, I've never thought of Ohno as the best actor but when the role fits him, it fits like a glove. Based on a manga, it has the occasional unrealistic plot holes that comes with this genre, but overall it's well-produced, funny and the 3 main characters play off each other to hilarious effect. Medical dramas 1) Code Blue 1 & 2 - Hayashi Koji has a remarkable grasp on the mentality of young doctors. The first two seasons of Code Blue are on my perennial recommend list 2) Black Pean - I hesitated about whether to put this down, but there's actually very few medical dramas I recommend even though I watch a lot of them. I did enjoy Black Pean for its production quality and the dedication of the actors, but the script is an absolute let-down. 3) DOCTORS seasons 1-3 - this subversive drama straddles medical and comedy, and Sawamura's character slowly turned from a straight, obliviously helpful do-gooder, to an outright calculating manipulator but with the best of intentions. It is a fascinating premise for a main character and I'd recommend it purely for that. Rom-coms 1) Nigeru wa haji daga yaku ni tatsu - I really shouldn't put something I couldn't keep watching as the top, but apart from the fact I couldn't stand the 2 main actors, the story was an interesting philosophical exploration of what a live-in relationship means in practical terms. 2) Hotaru no Hikari 2 - again this was so long ago I couldn't remember much of it, except it was nice and sweet, although I think the first season was better contained. 3) Watashi ga ren'ai dekinai riyuu - I'm not quite sure this qualifies as rom-com as the characters didn't all get their happily ever after (which is actually quite rare in Japanese dramas). The story revolves around three women, each progressive yet conformative in their own ways, and how they dealt with the social expectations of courtship. A nice watch and probably a realistic window into how romance works in Japan. Underdog victories 1) Doctor X series 1-6 - Look, as much as I HATE this series as a medical drama wannabe, it is the defining story for the underdog against a conservative hierachical paternalistic world. It is full of impossible triumphs, no bad outcome ever happens and the main character never loses. 2) Shitamachi Rocket 1 & 2 - arguably the series that started the Ikeido Jun craze, it turned something boring and nerdy (rocket and machine engineering) into gripping rollercoaster drama. Well-acted and well-scripted, it made you cheer for the characters even as your real boring self acknowledge how ludicrous their victories are. 3) Grand Maison Tokyo - this is a story of redemption through the shared love of food, brought together by a team of great actors who clearly had great fondness of each other. There are some silly moments, but a lot of it was touching, sweet and highly rewarding, just like a beautiful meal. 4) No Side Game - I tossed up putting Riku-Ou in as well, but in the end I thought No Side Game was slightly better. Both based around sports (marathon and rugby, respectively), it's full of hot-blooded idealism about loyalty, teamwork and dedication, a shounen manga fairytale for adults. Slice of life 1) Gibo to musume no Blues - I'm really not a "slice of life" person, but this drama exceeded all expectations. It starts off odd and a little slow, but each episode will make you laugh and then cry a little about what it means to be family, all the silly moments, the frustrating moments and the tender moments that we share. 2) Ie-uru onna (season 1) - I'm not too sure this quite fits in "slice of life" or comedy, because the main character really is rather odd, but the first season had some beautifully reflective stories, again about what it means to be family and what home means to the different people in society. I don't know what happened in the 2nd season, but it's definitely lost that evocative touch. 3) Jimi ni sugoi! - maybe because the publishing industry interests me, but I thought this was a very cute series with some good inside tips about publishing, but also can be drawn to reflect on how people should view their vocation. Almost a rom-com, not quite a comedy, but a really nice light-hearted series with Ishihara Satomi at her most radiant. 4) Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu - this was a surprisingly sweet take on difficult problems that aren't necessarily unique to the Japanese workplace - the clash of generational values, the internal sense of inadequacies and the people who are deterimentally unable to say no. The main character, rather than being the focus of growth as often happens in these dramas, turn out to be the mediator as she uses her previous painful experiences of burnout to guide others through their own struggles. Suspense 1) 3-nen A-gumi: while prone to hyperbole and melodrama, this was a very nice fable of adulthood and the idea that once you are an adult, you must take responsibility for the consequences of your own actions, told through the microcosm that is Class 3A. Highly recommended. 2) BG: slick and well-produced, as many of KimuTaku's dramas are, it had action and suspense in good measures but unfortunately wasn't quite carried by the plot. Each individual case was interesting enough, but the main plot was rather convoluted and disappointing. 3) Ouroboros: almost similar to Toma's earlier Maou, it was cerebral, suspenseful and full of a sense of inevitable tragedy. The ending was more than it could chew, but it gave a good effort. 4) Kazoku Game: one of those rare dramas that really suited Sakurai Sho, where he was the intelligent and highly sociopathic and slightly psychotic home tutor for a highly dysfunctional family. A fascinating watch. Comedy I have to say this is a genre I struggle with. I'd happily watch slapstick and screaming in an anime, but live action is just awks. There's been some popular ones that I haven't watched but have heard good things about: - Tami-Ou: the sleazy prime minister accidentally swaps body with his extremely introverted son, and they both have to try and continue the facade. - Kyou kara ore wa: high school kids pretending they're better than they're really are, we've all been through that. This is not an exhaustive list by any means. There's a lot of well-reviewed dramas that I hadn't been able to catch, especially in the first half of the decade. There's a bunch of highly popular dramas that I hadn't been able to continue, but clearly they've got their appeal to the Japanese audience. I think in general Japanese dramas do human drama very well, especially the various relationships we have in our lives and how they interact. It's not great at doing the K-drama fairytale romance. I hope the list helps people try out some new things, or you could check out the top ratings list for other safe bets.