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Taiyou to Umi no Kyoushitsu (太陽と海の教室)
Fuji TV, Monday 9:00pm, premieres July 21
Yuji Oda is returning to Fuji TV's Monday night time slot with a starring role in this school drama, also known as "Homeroom on the Beachside." Oda plays an unconventional high school teacher named Sakutaro Sakurai, newly assigned to a famous college prep academy in the Shonan region. His students have been trained with the idea that their last year of high school is all about preparing for exams, but the passionate Sakurai helps them realize that there's more to life than taking tests. Keiko Kitagawa co-stars as an assistant teacher who, like the students, lacks a true goal in her life. The student cast is an ensemble of young stars, including Masaki Okada, Kie Kitano, Mitsuki Tanimura, and Yusuke Yamamoto.
Other Cast: Fumiyo Kohinata, Keiko Toda, Norito Yashima, Gaku Hamada, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Satoshi Tomiura, Akira Kagimoto, Manami Kurose, Yuichi Nakamura, Aya Oomasa, Kento Kaku, Atsuko Maeda, Shiori Kutsuna
Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/sun-ocean/
Shibatora (シバトラ～童顔刑事・柴田竹虎～)
Fuji TV, Tuesday 9:00pm, premieres July 8
Teppei Koike's youthful appearance makes him an appropriate choice as the star of "Shibatora," a comical series about a child-faced cop who deals with juvenile criminals. The drama is adapted from a popular manga by Yuma Ando (a pen name of Tadashi Agi) that is currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine. The supporting cast includes Miki Maya as the head of the juvenile division, Naohito Fujiki as Shibatora's good friend, and Suzuka Ohgo as the female lead.
Other Cast: Muga Tsukaji, Daisuke Miyagawa (1972), Akina Minami
Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/shibatora/
Monster Parent (モンスターペアレント)
Fuji TV, Tuesday 10:00pm, premieres July 1
This series highlights the problems caused by "monster parents," the type who will make unreasonable demands of schools and teachers. Ryoko Yonekura plays a business lawyer who gets asked by her boss (Masao Kusakari) to help out a school in dealing with such parents. Outside of her area of expertise, she finds herself struggling against the "monsters." Yoshino Kimura makes a guest appearance as one of those parents in the show's first episode.
Other Cast: Yuta Hiraoka, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Yoichi Nukumizu, Takuzo Kadono, Minami Otomo, Hidekazu Mashima, Mayumi Hori
Official Site: http://www.ktv.co.jp/mp/
Gakkou ja Oshierarenai! (学校じゃ教えられない！)
NTV, Tuesday 10:00pm, premieres July 15
Kyoko Fukada and Shosuke Tanihara co-star in this original series by writer Kazuhiko Yukawa ("Mahiru no Tsuki," "Joou no Kyoushitsu"). Fukada plays a teacher at a private all-girls high school. When the school accepts its first five male students, she recruits five girls and creates a social dance club to help the boys adjust and to teach her students about "love." Tanihara plays the school's principal, who refuses to approve the club.
Other Cast: Ran Ito, Aki Asakura, Aoi Nakamura, Riisa Naka, Win Morisaki, Mizuki Kato, Gouki Maeda, Suzu Natsume, Kohei Norizuki, Miyu Yagyu, Daisuke Yanagisawa
Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/gakkouja/
Gonzo: Densetsu no Deka (ゴンゾウ～伝説の刑事)
TV Asahi, Wednesday 9:00pm, premieres July 2
In this police drama, Masaaki Uchino stars as Kuroki, once an ace detective. But after being traumatized from a case, he became unable to work and was transferred to another division, where he idles his time away. One day, a particular case pulls him out of his rut and gives him a chance to return as a detective. Two staff members of the popular "Aibou" series, producer Motohiro Matsumoto and writer Ryota Kosawa, are working together on this series.
Other Cast: Michitaka Tsutsui, Yuika Motokariya, Nene Otsuka, Issei Takahashi, Kenichi Yajima, Daikichi Sugawara, Katsuhiko Watabiki, Aki Maeda
Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/gonzo/
Seigi no Mikata (正義の味方)
NTV, Wednesday 10:00pm, premieres July 9
"Seigi no Mikata" is an adaptation of Chiaki Hijiri comedy manga of the same name. Mirai Shida stars as Yoko, a cheerful girl who is constantly being tormented by her devilish older sister Makiko, played by model Yu Yamada. While Yoko knows her sister's true nature, Makiko's ill deeds always end up having positive effects somehow, leading her peers to believe she is an "ally of justice."
Other Cast: Shiro Sano, Yoshiko Tanaka, Osamu Mukai, Kanata Hongo, Saori Takizawa, Mariya Nishiuchi
Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/seigi/
Sono Otoko, Fukushocho (その男、副署長～京都河原町署事件ファイル)
TV Asahi, Thursday 8:00pm, premieres July 3
This is the second season of "Sono Otoko, Fukushocho," an ordinary detective drama that first aired in the spring of 2007. Eiichiro Funakoshi reprises his role as an assistant chief of police at a station in the Kyoto area. Several of the original cast are returning, including Misato Tanaka and Hisako Manda.
Other Cast: Takashi Ukaji, Koji Matoba, Hirotaro Honda, Kejiro Ishimaru, Kazuma Suzuki
Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/fukushocho/
Cat Street (キャットストリート)
NHK, Thursday 8:00pm, premieres August 28
Yoko Kamio's "Cat Street" manga series will come to life in this drama version. The story revolves around a former child actress named Keito who suffered a traumatic incident, and subsequently shut herself off from others and became withdrawn from the world. Now a teenager, she discovers a school for people like her who have lost their place in society, and she finally finds a group of friends she can open up to. Mitsuki Tanimura plays the lead role as Keito.
Other Cast: Katsuhisa Namase, Tomoka Kurokawa, Ryo Katsuji, Ryo Kimura, Hideo Ishiguro, Ai Takabe, George Takahashi, Chikako Kaku
Yottsu no Uso (四つの嘘)
TV Asahi, Thursday 9:00pm, premieres July 10
This "home suspense" drama revolves around a group of four women (Hiromi Nagasaku, Shinobu Terajima, Reiko Takashima, Michiko Hada) who were once classmates together but eventually parted. Now at the age of 41, three of them are reunited after hearing that Minami (Hada) has passed away in an accident. After they learn that Minami was having an affair with Shifumi's (Nagasaku) ex-husband, each of the women's past secrets and lies gradually come to light.
Other Cast: Toru Nakamura, Ryo Katsuji, Ikkei Watanabe
Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/4lies/
Code Blue (コード・ブルー -ドクターヘリ緊急救命-)
Fuji TV, Thursday 10:00pm, premieres July 3
For this medical drama, Fuji TV has assembled a group of young stars and experienced ones. Based on a national proposal for an emergency helicopter system, the series revolves around a service called Doctor Heli that quickly brings medical aid to those needing immediate medical attention. Tomohisa Yamashita is the star as a training "flight doctor," while Yui Aragaki, Erika Toda, and Yosuke Asari play his fellow candidates. They are guided by a skilled team of "flight doctors," played by Toshiro Yanagiba, Ryo, and Masanobu Katsumura.
Other Cast: Manami Higa, Kiyoshi Kodama, Tetta Sugimoto, Susumu Terajima
Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/codeblue/
Shikaku Ukeoinin (刺客請負人)
TV Tokyo, Friday 8:00pm, premieres July 18
"Shikaku Ukeoinin" is a jidaigeki drama that had its first season last summer. Hiroaki Murakami is back as the star, playing a ronin who was forced to flee to Edo. There, he takes up the life of a contract assassin who administers justice in his own way.
Other Cast: Mayumi Wakamura, Maju Ozawa, Shinobu Nakayama, Akira Emoto
Official Site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/shikaku/
Loto 6 de 3 Oku 2 Senmanen Ateta Otoko (ロト６で３億２千万円当てた男)
TV Asahi, Friday 9:00pm, premieres July 4
How much would your life change if you won the lottery? Loosely based on a true story, this drama stars Takashi Sorimachi as a divorced, overworked, pachinko-playing salaryman who is mostly wasting his days away with no hope of a happy future. Desperately hoping to pay off child support, he gives in to temptation and buys a ticket for the Loto 6. He soon regrets his actions, but he checks his numbers anyway and discovers that he has won more than 300 million yen!
Other Cast: Kaori Manabe, Tomoko Nakajima, Masahiko Nishimura, Maju Ozawa, Kosuke Toyohara, Shigeru Izumiya, Yuma Ishigaki, Tetsuro Degawa
Official Site: http://3oku.asahi.co.jp/
Maou (魔王)
TBS, Friday 10:00pm, premieres July 4
This is a remake of last year's Korean suspense series "The Devil" ("Mawang"). Arashi's Satoshi Ohno has his first starring role as a seemingly benevolent lawyer who secretly seeks revenge against his brother's killer. His path becomes crossed with a detective (Toma Ikuta), who has a dark past of his own but is now investigating a mysterious string of murders.
Other Cast: Ryoko Kobayashi, Kei Tanaka, Shugo Oshinari, Tomohiro Waki, Michiko Kichise, Hitori Gekidan, Yuji Miyake, Koji Ishizaka
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/maou2008/
Dageki Tenshi Ruri (打撃天使ルリ)
TV Asahi, Friday 11:15pm, premieres July 25
"Dageki Tenshi Ruri" is another manga-to-drama adaptation, based on an action/suspense series by Yasuhito Yamamoto. Rei Kikukawa takes the lead as an ordinary OL named Ruri. One day, she discovers that a burst of anger gives her unnatural strength, giving her the power to instantly take anyone down. Tired of the evil she perceives in the world, she decides to start punishing bad guys on her own.
Other Cast: Yuya Endo, Tsutomu Ikeda, Shinnosuke Ikehata
Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/dageki/
Walkin' Butterfly (ウォーキン☆バタフライ)
TV Tokyo, Friday 12:12am, premieres July 11
Chihiro Tamaki's "Walkin' Butterfly" manga series is getting the live-action treatment, with teen model Aoi Nakabeppu as its star. She plays a young woman named Michiko, who has long had a complex about being too tall. While working as a pizza delivery girl, she gets sent to drop off an order at a fashion show, where she gets mistaken for a model. Now drawn into the world of fashion models, she has to overcome her height complex if she wants to become successful.
Other Cast: Aoi Nakabeppu, Jun Toba, Maho Toyota, Eiki Kitamura, Saori Takizawa, Satomi Ishihara, Ayana Sakai
Official Site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/wb/
Koizora (恋空)
TBS, Saturday 8:00pm, premieres August 2
"Koizora" is based on the hit mobile phone novel that was turned into a blockbuster film last year. The dramatic story follows an ordinary girl named Mika, who falls for her classmate Hiroki soon after entering high school. However, that turbulent love leads her down a path of rape, pregnancy, betrayal, and other trials. So far, the only confirmed cast members are the leading couple, played by Erena Mizusawa and Koji Seto.
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/koi-zora/
Yasuko to Kenji (ヤスコとケンジ)
NTV, Saturday 9:00pm, premieres July 12
TOKIO's Masahiro Matsuoka and actress Mikako Tabe play the title characters in this comedy series. Originally a manga by artist Aruko, "Yasuko to Kenji" tells the story of a brother and sister who lost their parents in an accident 10 years earlier. Kenji (Matsuoka) was originally a gang member, but after his parents' death, he began making a living as a shojo manga writer. Yasuko (Tabe) meets and falls for a young man named Jun (Tadayoshi Okura), but his older sister Erika (Ryoko Hirosue) also happens to be a former gang member who has had a long-lasting crush on Kenji.
Other Cast: Sayaka Yamaguchi
Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/yasuken/
33-pun Tantei (３３分探偵)
Fuji TV, Saturday 11:10pm, premieres August 2
This comical mystery series gets its name from the length of each episode: 33 minutes. Within that span of time, the detective Rokuro Kurama (played by KinKi Kids member Tsuyoshi Domoto) attempts to solve a mystery. However, his powers of deduction are quite off the mark, always leading him to form incorrect theories and accuse the wrong person.
Other Cast: Asami Mizukawa, Katsumi Takahashi, Jiro Sato, Maho Nonami, Shigeyuki Totsugi, Yoshio Kojima
Tomorrow (Tomorrow)
TBS, Sunday 9:00pm, premieres July 6
"Tomorrow" is a human drama in a medical setting, starring Yutaka Takenouchi and Miho Kanno. Takenouchi plays a retired surgeon who returns to the profession several years later in order to save a struggling hospital. There, he meets Aiko (Kanno), a nurse who has dedicated herself to saving the lives of others.
Other Cast: Ittoku Kishibe, Tamaki Ogawa, Tomoka Kurokawa, Harumi Edo, Takanori Jinnai
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/Tomorrow2008/
Here is Greenwood (ここはグリーン・ウッド)
Tokyo MX, Sunday 11:30pm, premieres July 6
(broadcast info varies throughout Japan)
Yukie Nasu's classic shojo manga "Here is Greenwood" has given life to this screen adaptation, which will air on independent stations across the country (with varying schedules). Set at the all-boys school Rokuto Academy, the story revolves around the inhabitants of the unusual Greenwood Dormitory and their misadventures. Hotch Potchi's Yuki Izawa plays the protagonist Kazuya Hasukawa, a late arrival to the school. His first surprise comes when he discovers his roommate is Shun Kisaragi, who appears to be a girl...
Other Cast: Yuki Izawa, Riki Miura, Yuichi Sato, Hiroki Suzuki (1985), Kengo Okuchi, Yukari Fukui
Official Site: http://www.greenwood-tv.com/
Daisuki! Itsutsugo (大好き!五つ子)
TBS, Weekdays 1:00pm, premieres July 14
The family drama "Daisuki! Itsutsugo" is now entering its 10th series, with Yumi Morio and Yasuhiro Arai still playing the parents of quintuplets. The show has been running every summer since 1999, though the current cast of children first appeared in 2005. With the kids already graduated from high school, it seems that the Sakurai's child-raising days are over, but the family ends up temporarily taking in a group of 6-year-old quintuplets after their mother is hospitalized.
Other Cast: Takahiko Yanagisawa, Risa Sasaoka, Shuichi Yamauchi, Mami Nagaoka, Fujimaru Suzuki
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/ainogekijyo_itsutsugo2008.html
Natsukoi (ナツコイ)
TBS, Weekdays 1:30pm, premieres June 30
In this afternoon drama, talento Chiharu stars as a mother living in the Gunma prefecture with her husband (Toshinori Omi) and teenage daughter Natsuki (Mitsuki Takahata). One summer day, Chiharu is unexpectedly reunited with her first love (Yasuyuki Maekawa), leading to a complicated relationship. Meanwhile, young Natsuki has her own reunion with her first love.
Other Cast: Chiharu (talento), Yasuyuki Maekawa, Mitsuki Takahata, Shun Kaneko, Mao Sasaki, Arashi Fukasawa, Eri Fuse, Toshiyuki Kitami, Toshinori Omi
Official Site: http://www.mbs.jp/natsukoi/
Shiro to Kuro (白と黒)
Fuji TV, Weekdays 1:30pm, premieres June 30
Aki Nishihara is the star of this daytime series, titled "Shiro to Kuro" ("white and black") to indicate two sides of love. She finds herself in a sort of love triangle with two brothers, opposite in personality. Katsuya Kobayashi is the "good" older brother, while Tomohito Sato (formerly known as Yuki Sato) plays the "bad" younger brother.
Other Cast: Aki Nishihara, Tomohiro Sato, Katsuya Kobayashi, Rumiko Koyanagi, Kei Yamamoto, Ayako Oomura, Asami Katsura, Hiroko Isayama
Official Site: http://tokai-tv.com/shirotokuro/
Source: Tokyograph