[INDEX] J-drama Reviews
Disclaimer: all opinions in this post are mine alone and should not be taken as a statement of fact. Reviews may contain spoilers. Many of these series were watched some time ago so if you spot any mistakes, please let me know.
Title: Galileo
Genre: Quirky crime
Episodes: 10, + 1 SP, + 1 movie
Cast: Fukuyama Masaharu, Shibasaki Kou, Kitamura Kazuki, Maya Miki
Plot: Plucky female rookie cop teams up with eccentric genius physicist to solve crime that can't be explained by anyone without a doctorate.
Galileo
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Title: Gokusen (series 2)
Genre: High school (teacher focus)
Episodes: 10
Cast: Nakama Yukie, Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Akanishi Jin (KAT-TUN), Hayami Mokomichi, Koike Teppei, Koike Keisuke
Plot: Yakuza teacher brainwashes class of high school delinquents into obedience, with much violence, comedy, and dysfunctional student relationships along the way.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10
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Title: Kami no Shizuku
Genre: Mystery
Episodes: 9
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Tanabe Seiichi, Naka Riisa, Uchida Yuki
Plot: Wine-hating salaryman becomes embroiled in a mystery left to him by his deceased wine-critic father, battling against his newly-adopted brother to find the ultimate wines in the world.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
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Title: Liar Game
Genre: Thriller
Episodes: 11 (+season 2 and movie)
Cast: Toda Erika, Matsuda Shota, Kichise Michiko
Plot: Gullible girl teams up with devious ex-con in order to survive in the dog eat dog world of the "Liar Game".
Liar Game
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Title: Nobuta wo Produce
Genre: High school (student focus)
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Yamashita Tomohisa (NEWS), Horikita Maki, Toda Erika
Plot: Mr. Fake Popularity teams up with Mr. Genuine Weirdness to make Ms. Even Weirder into the most popular girl in school.
Nobuta wo Produce
01, 02, 03
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Title: One Pound Gospel
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Episodes: 9
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Kuroki Meisa, Yamada Ryosuke (Hey!Say!JUMP), Ishiguro Hideo
Plot: Binge-eating boxer falls in love with orphaned nun.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
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Title: Pride
Genre: Sports, romance
Episodes: 11
Cast: Kimura Takuya (SMAP), Takeuchi Yuko, Sakaguchi Kenji, Sato Koichi, Sato Ryuta, Ichikawa Somegoro
Plot: Will opposing seasons Spring (haru) and Autumn (aki) ever connect? Maybe.
Pride
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Title: Samurai High School
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 9
Cast: Miura Haruma, Shirota Yuu, Anne, Kaneko Nobuaki
Plot: Spineless schoolboy gets possessed by samurai ancestor and suddenly has a lot more to worry about than passing university entrance exams.
Samurai High School
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Title: Sapuri
Genre: Office romance
Episodes: 11
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Itou Misaki, Sato Koichi, Shida Mirai, Eita
Plot: Work-oriented office lady working with loveable lunatics at an advertising firm meets gorgeous young part-timer. I like to think of it as "Anego-lite".
Sapuri
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Title: Sushi Oji!
Genre: Cracky comedy
Episodes: 8 (+ 1 movie, unseen)
Cast: Domoto Koichi (KinKi Kids), Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN), and about a million guests I recognise from other series such as Yamashita Shinji, Kato Natsuki, Ichikawa Yui and Narimiya Hiroki.
Plot: Ranma 1/2 meets Yakitate!! Japan meets Prince of Tennis. With fish. Yo, Sushi Oji!
Sushi Oji!
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Title: Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Tanaka Koki (KAT-TUN), Ayase Haruka, Toda Erika, Kaname Jun, Hiraoka Yuta
Plot: Guy from the wrong side of the tracks (with a heart of gold) falls in love with a rich girl (who has an overprotective family). Complications ensue.
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
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Title: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Uchi Hiroki, Tegoshi Yuya (NEWS), Miyao Shuntaro, Oomasa Aya
Plot: Four beautiful male college students take on the challenge of turning their landlady's reclusive, horror-loving niece into a lady in order to obtain free rent.
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
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Title: Yuukan Club
Genre: High school (student focus), Mystery, Comedy
Episodes: 10
Cast: Akanishi Jin (KAT-TUN), Taguchi Junnosuke (KAT-TUN), Yokoyama Yuu (Kanjani8), Suzuki Emi, Kashii Yuu, Minami
Plot: Six elite high school students try to spend time and money solving mysteries.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10
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Title: Zettai Kareshi
Genre: Based on a Watase Yuu manga, making it fluffy, angsty, romantic and funny all at once, guaranteed to break your heart but give you good eye candy at the same time.
Episodes: 11 (+ 1 special, unseen)
Cast: Hayami Mokomichi, Mizushima Hiro, Aibu Saki, Maya Miki, Sasaki Kuranosuke
Plot: Cute-but-clueless wannabe pâtissière lands up with devoted and gorgeous (if slightly life-challenged) boyfriend whose greatest desire is to make her happy. Is this a dream come true? Not exactly...
Zettai Kareshi
Title: Galileo
Genre: Quirky crime
Episodes: 10, + 1 SP, + 1 movie
Cast: Fukuyama Masaharu, Shibasaki Kou, Kitamura Kazuki, Maya Miki
Plot: Plucky female rookie cop teams up with eccentric genius physicist to solve crime that can't be explained by anyone without a doctorate.
Galileo
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Title: Gokusen (series 2)
Genre: High school (teacher focus)
Episodes: 10
Cast: Nakama Yukie, Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Akanishi Jin (KAT-TUN), Hayami Mokomichi, Koike Teppei, Koike Keisuke
Plot: Yakuza teacher brainwashes class of high school delinquents into obedience, with much violence, comedy, and dysfunctional student relationships along the way.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10
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Title: Kami no Shizuku
Genre: Mystery
Episodes: 9
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Tanabe Seiichi, Naka Riisa, Uchida Yuki
Plot: Wine-hating salaryman becomes embroiled in a mystery left to him by his deceased wine-critic father, battling against his newly-adopted brother to find the ultimate wines in the world.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
-----
Title: Liar Game
Genre: Thriller
Episodes: 11 (+season 2 and movie)
Cast: Toda Erika, Matsuda Shota, Kichise Michiko
Plot: Gullible girl teams up with devious ex-con in order to survive in the dog eat dog world of the "Liar Game".
Liar Game
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Title: Nobuta wo Produce
Genre: High school (student focus)
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Yamashita Tomohisa (NEWS), Horikita Maki, Toda Erika
Plot: Mr. Fake Popularity teams up with Mr. Genuine Weirdness to make Ms. Even Weirder into the most popular girl in school.
Nobuta wo Produce
01, 02, 03
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Title: One Pound Gospel
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Episodes: 9
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Kuroki Meisa, Yamada Ryosuke (Hey!Say!JUMP), Ishiguro Hideo
Plot: Binge-eating boxer falls in love with orphaned nun.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
-----
Title: Pride
Genre: Sports, romance
Episodes: 11
Cast: Kimura Takuya (SMAP), Takeuchi Yuko, Sakaguchi Kenji, Sato Koichi, Sato Ryuta, Ichikawa Somegoro
Plot: Will opposing seasons Spring (haru) and Autumn (aki) ever connect? Maybe.
Pride
-----
Title: Samurai High School
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 9
Cast: Miura Haruma, Shirota Yuu, Anne, Kaneko Nobuaki
Plot: Spineless schoolboy gets possessed by samurai ancestor and suddenly has a lot more to worry about than passing university entrance exams.
Samurai High School
-----
Title: Sapuri
Genre: Office romance
Episodes: 11
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Itou Misaki, Sato Koichi, Shida Mirai, Eita
Plot: Work-oriented office lady working with loveable lunatics at an advertising firm meets gorgeous young part-timer. I like to think of it as "Anego-lite".
Sapuri
-----
Title: Sushi Oji!
Genre: Cracky comedy
Episodes: 8 (+ 1 movie, unseen)
Cast: Domoto Koichi (KinKi Kids), Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN), and about a million guests I recognise from other series such as Yamashita Shinji, Kato Natsuki, Ichikawa Yui and Narimiya Hiroki.
Plot: Ranma 1/2 meets Yakitate!! Japan meets Prince of Tennis. With fish. Yo, Sushi Oji!
Sushi Oji!
-----
Title: Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Tanaka Koki (KAT-TUN), Ayase Haruka, Toda Erika, Kaname Jun, Hiraoka Yuta
Plot: Guy from the wrong side of the tracks (with a heart of gold) falls in love with a rich girl (who has an overprotective family). Complications ensue.
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
-----
Title: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 10
Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN), Uchi Hiroki, Tegoshi Yuya (NEWS), Miyao Shuntaro, Oomasa Aya
Plot: Four beautiful male college students take on the challenge of turning their landlady's reclusive, horror-loving niece into a lady in order to obtain free rent.
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
-----
Title: Yuukan Club
Genre: High school (student focus), Mystery, Comedy
Episodes: 10
Cast: Akanishi Jin (KAT-TUN), Taguchi Junnosuke (KAT-TUN), Yokoyama Yuu (Kanjani8), Suzuki Emi, Kashii Yuu, Minami
Plot: Six elite high school students try to spend time and money solving mysteries.
Reviews: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10
-----
Title: Zettai Kareshi
Genre: Based on a Watase Yuu manga, making it fluffy, angsty, romantic and funny all at once, guaranteed to break your heart but give you good eye candy at the same time.
Episodes: 11 (+ 1 special, unseen)
Cast: Hayami Mokomichi, Mizushima Hiro, Aibu Saki, Maya Miki, Sasaki Kuranosuke
Plot: Cute-but-clueless wannabe pâtissière lands up with devoted and gorgeous (if slightly life-challenged) boyfriend whose greatest desire is to make her happy. Is this a dream come true? Not exactly...
Zettai Kareshi