Drama Season: Summer 2023
I come from a season where I overall liked what I watched, but nothing really stood out, so I hope this time it'll go better!
Manatsu no Cinderella
Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Mondays, 10 July 2023
Station: Fuji TV
Genre: Romance
Scriptwriter: Shito Sayaka
Cast: Mori Nana, Mamiya Shotaro, Kamio Fuju, Yoshikawa Ai, Hagiwara Riku, Shirahama Aran, Nimura Sawa, Mizukami Koshi, Morisaki Win, Sakurai Yuki (guest star), Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Onishi Riku
Synopsis: Aoi Natsumi (Mori Nana), a cheerful, spirited stand-up paddle surfing instructor, was born and grew up by the seaside. She enjoys hanging out with her two girlfriends Airi and Risa (Yoshikawa Ai, Nimura Sawa), has a kind heart and puts her family (Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Onishi Riku) first. Mizushima Kento (Mamiya Shotaro) who graduated from a top university and works for a major architecture firm in Tokyo, is like the model student. He wanted to be a marine biologist but went along with his parents’ expectations because his father is a famous architect. However, his feelings start to change after a chance encounter with Natsumi in summer.
A nice summer romance with a great cast, I'm quite excited about this one! I think I won't be able to watch it as it airs because I read it's going to be on Viki after it ends. Still, it has the potential to be sooo good.
Trillion Game
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Fridays, 14 July 2023
Station: TBS
Genre: Corporate
Scriptwriter: Habara Daisuke (Chimudondon, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Godan)
Director: Murao Yoshiaki
Cast: Meguro Ren, Sano Hayato, Imada Mio, Fukumoto Riko, Takezai Terunosuke, Kikkawa Koji, Kunimura Jun
Synopsis: With his exceptional communication skills and ability to win the hearts and minds of people, Tennoji Haru (Meguro Ren) is popular with men and women of all ages. He appears to be an easygoing person but is actually a calculative, dangerous and tremendously ambitious man who will not stop at bad things. Haru abruptly withdraws midway through a ceremony for prospective employees by the long-established Dragon Bank, the country’s largest IT company led by Kokuryu Kazuma (Kunimura Jun). Together with his former junior high school classmate Taira Manabu (Sano Hayato), a computer geek with remarkable programming skills who failed to get a job at Dragon Bank, they set up a company called Trillion Game without any start-up capital or business plan. Scheming to swallow up Dragon Bank and earn a trillion dollars which will allow them to obtain everything in the world, Haru and Manabu seek out talent necessary for the company’s growth. Despite the obstacles thrown in their way by the well-capitalised Dragon Bank, they bounce back using their wits, bluffs and proven skills.
I'm goin to be completely honest, I don't really care about the story itself BUT the trailer got me a little excited for no reason other than Meme.
As the drama above, I won't watch it immediately because it's going to be on Netflix.
Kocchi Muite yo, Mukai-kun
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 12 July 2023
Station: NTV
Genre: Romance
Scriptwriter: Watanabe Mako (Muchaburi!: Watashi ga Shachou ni Naru nante, Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomademo, Monro ga Shinda Hi)
Directors: Kusano Shogo, Shigeyama Yoshinori
Cast: Akaso Eiji, Ikuta Erika, Okayama Amane, Fujiwara Sakura, Moriwaki Kenji, Naito Shuichiro, Uechi Haruna, Iwai Kenshiro, Wakabayashi Jiei, Zaizen Naomi, Ichihara Hayato, Haru, Tanabe Momoko (guest star), Kumada Rinka (guest star)
Synopsis: 33-year-old Mukai Satoru (Akaso Eiji) is a capable employee of a t-shirt manufacturer in Tokyo. Despite his good looks and personality which naturally draws people to him, he has not had a girlfriend or been in a romantic relationship in 10 years. Satoru suddenly becomes conscious of his single status when his friend becomes a father and his younger sister (Fujiwara Sakura) gets married. Thinking that he has more leeway in his work now, he should be able to have a new romance if he wants to. Even though he is friendly with many women, Satoru’s all-out attempt to find love for the first time in a long while fails miserably. Could his thinking and the thinking of the women he knows be out of sync? Could his methods be wrong? His determination to find love, leads him on a quest to figure out his mistakes.
It could be good or veeeery cringe, but I'm not opposed to see a man realizing he doesn't understand shit about women and being kind of a loser, especially a cute one like Eiji.
Hayabusa Shobodan
Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Thursdays, 13 July 2023
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Mystery
Scriptwriter: Kosaka Takafumi (Mahiru no Akuma, Genkai Danchi, Mutsuu)
Directors: Tsunehiro Jota, Yamamoto Daisuke
Cast: Nakamura Tomoya, Kawaguchi Haruna, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Furukawa Yuta, Okabe Takashi, Kajihara Zen, Hashimoto Jun, Yamamoto Koji, Namase Katsuhisa, Maro Akaji, Muraoka Nozomi, Kobayashi Ryoko, Fukuda Tenkyu, Ichinose Wataru, Kaneda Akio, Owada Baku
Synopsis: Mystery writer Mishima Taro (Nakamura Tomoya) won the Akechi Shogoro Prize five years ago. However, he is currently in a slump. He has lost confidence after a reduction in the first-run print each time he releases a new book as well as the harsh online reviews of his work. One day, Taro visits the Hayabusa district, a mountainous settlement, to determine the state of the house that he had inherited from his late father. He is captivated by the lush nature of his father’s hometown and decides to move to this area. Just when he thought that he would be able to live a peaceful life free from the stress of the city, he gets embroiled in a series of arson cases after, joining the local volunteer firefighting team (Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Okabe Takashi, Kajihara Zen, Hashimoto Jun, Namase Katsuhisa) to protect Hayabusa, and even encounters mysterious incidents including the suspicious deaths of residents. As Taro begins to search for the truth, what emerges is a huge conspiracy lurking in the village.
It's probably not my thing, but I'm putting this here nonetheless to remember it exists. This kind of mystery dramas have the potential to be very boring and dragging, it depends much on the pace and, well, japanese dramas/movies have a lot of good traits but pacing is not often one of them.
I might binge it once it's completed.
Keibuho Daimajin
Preview
Date: From 11.15 p.m., Fridays, 7 July 2023
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Suspense
Scriptwriter: Tokunaga Yuichi (Lupin no Musume Series, Good Doctor, Kirawareru Yuuki)
Director: Miike Takashi
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Tsuchiya Tao, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Shishido Kavka, Hamano Kenta, Narumi Riko, Kiriyama Ren, Baba Toru, Wakamatsu Chikara, Yashiba Toshihiro, Deai Masayuki, Fujisawa Ema, Matsudaira Ken, Takuma Shin, Kataoka Tsurutaro, Takahashi Katsunori, Mukai Osamu
Synopsis: Daiba Jin (Ikuta Toma), the ace of the Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division, is so strong that he is nicknamed “Daimajin” as a pun on his name. A passionate man with a strong sense of justice, Daimajin rushes to a crime scene faster than anyone else. But he has a dark secret. That is, he killed a criminal who could never be punished by law. This matter comes to the attention of the brilliant and heartless Senior Superintendent Hirayasu Saimon (Mukai Osamu) uses his knowledge to half compel Daimajin into working as his “slave”. Daimajin is transferred to a special investigations team led by Hirayasu. He has to follow Hirayasu’s instructions and secretly get rid of criminals that the police cannot get their hands on. However, he ends up venturing into a dark side of the police organisation and nation that should never be touched.
Again, I'm not sure I care about this, but the cast? Miike Takashi being the director? Also, the fact that I haven't seen something with Toma in, I don't know, years? I'm going to try it.
source: jdramaswordpress
Manatsu no Cinderella
Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Mondays, 10 July 2023
Station: Fuji TV
Genre: Romance
Scriptwriter: Shito Sayaka
Cast: Mori Nana, Mamiya Shotaro, Kamio Fuju, Yoshikawa Ai, Hagiwara Riku, Shirahama Aran, Nimura Sawa, Mizukami Koshi, Morisaki Win, Sakurai Yuki (guest star), Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Onishi Riku
Synopsis: Aoi Natsumi (Mori Nana), a cheerful, spirited stand-up paddle surfing instructor, was born and grew up by the seaside. She enjoys hanging out with her two girlfriends Airi and Risa (Yoshikawa Ai, Nimura Sawa), has a kind heart and puts her family (Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Onishi Riku) first. Mizushima Kento (Mamiya Shotaro) who graduated from a top university and works for a major architecture firm in Tokyo, is like the model student. He wanted to be a marine biologist but went along with his parents’ expectations because his father is a famous architect. However, his feelings start to change after a chance encounter with Natsumi in summer.
A nice summer romance with a great cast, I'm quite excited about this one! I think I won't be able to watch it as it airs because I read it's going to be on Viki after it ends. Still, it has the potential to be sooo good.
Trillion Game
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Fridays, 14 July 2023
Station: TBS
Genre: Corporate
Scriptwriter: Habara Daisuke (Chimudondon, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, Godan)
Director: Murao Yoshiaki
Cast: Meguro Ren, Sano Hayato, Imada Mio, Fukumoto Riko, Takezai Terunosuke, Kikkawa Koji, Kunimura Jun
Synopsis: With his exceptional communication skills and ability to win the hearts and minds of people, Tennoji Haru (Meguro Ren) is popular with men and women of all ages. He appears to be an easygoing person but is actually a calculative, dangerous and tremendously ambitious man who will not stop at bad things. Haru abruptly withdraws midway through a ceremony for prospective employees by the long-established Dragon Bank, the country’s largest IT company led by Kokuryu Kazuma (Kunimura Jun). Together with his former junior high school classmate Taira Manabu (Sano Hayato), a computer geek with remarkable programming skills who failed to get a job at Dragon Bank, they set up a company called Trillion Game without any start-up capital or business plan. Scheming to swallow up Dragon Bank and earn a trillion dollars which will allow them to obtain everything in the world, Haru and Manabu seek out talent necessary for the company’s growth. Despite the obstacles thrown in their way by the well-capitalised Dragon Bank, they bounce back using their wits, bluffs and proven skills.
I'm goin to be completely honest, I don't really care about the story itself BUT the trailer got me a little excited for no reason other than Meme.
As the drama above, I won't watch it immediately because it's going to be on Netflix.
Kocchi Muite yo, Mukai-kun
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 12 July 2023
Station: NTV
Genre: Romance
Scriptwriter: Watanabe Mako (Muchaburi!: Watashi ga Shachou ni Naru nante, Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomademo, Monro ga Shinda Hi)
Directors: Kusano Shogo, Shigeyama Yoshinori
Cast: Akaso Eiji, Ikuta Erika, Okayama Amane, Fujiwara Sakura, Moriwaki Kenji, Naito Shuichiro, Uechi Haruna, Iwai Kenshiro, Wakabayashi Jiei, Zaizen Naomi, Ichihara Hayato, Haru, Tanabe Momoko (guest star), Kumada Rinka (guest star)
Synopsis: 33-year-old Mukai Satoru (Akaso Eiji) is a capable employee of a t-shirt manufacturer in Tokyo. Despite his good looks and personality which naturally draws people to him, he has not had a girlfriend or been in a romantic relationship in 10 years. Satoru suddenly becomes conscious of his single status when his friend becomes a father and his younger sister (Fujiwara Sakura) gets married. Thinking that he has more leeway in his work now, he should be able to have a new romance if he wants to. Even though he is friendly with many women, Satoru’s all-out attempt to find love for the first time in a long while fails miserably. Could his thinking and the thinking of the women he knows be out of sync? Could his methods be wrong? His determination to find love, leads him on a quest to figure out his mistakes.
It could be good or veeeery cringe, but I'm not opposed to see a man realizing he doesn't understand shit about women and being kind of a loser, especially a cute one like Eiji.
Hayabusa Shobodan
Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Thursdays, 13 July 2023
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Mystery
Scriptwriter: Kosaka Takafumi (Mahiru no Akuma, Genkai Danchi, Mutsuu)
Directors: Tsunehiro Jota, Yamamoto Daisuke
Cast: Nakamura Tomoya, Kawaguchi Haruna, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Furukawa Yuta, Okabe Takashi, Kajihara Zen, Hashimoto Jun, Yamamoto Koji, Namase Katsuhisa, Maro Akaji, Muraoka Nozomi, Kobayashi Ryoko, Fukuda Tenkyu, Ichinose Wataru, Kaneda Akio, Owada Baku
Synopsis: Mystery writer Mishima Taro (Nakamura Tomoya) won the Akechi Shogoro Prize five years ago. However, he is currently in a slump. He has lost confidence after a reduction in the first-run print each time he releases a new book as well as the harsh online reviews of his work. One day, Taro visits the Hayabusa district, a mountainous settlement, to determine the state of the house that he had inherited from his late father. He is captivated by the lush nature of his father’s hometown and decides to move to this area. Just when he thought that he would be able to live a peaceful life free from the stress of the city, he gets embroiled in a series of arson cases after, joining the local volunteer firefighting team (Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Okabe Takashi, Kajihara Zen, Hashimoto Jun, Namase Katsuhisa) to protect Hayabusa, and even encounters mysterious incidents including the suspicious deaths of residents. As Taro begins to search for the truth, what emerges is a huge conspiracy lurking in the village.
It's probably not my thing, but I'm putting this here nonetheless to remember it exists. This kind of mystery dramas have the potential to be very boring and dragging, it depends much on the pace and, well, japanese dramas/movies have a lot of good traits but pacing is not often one of them.
I might binge it once it's completed.
Keibuho Daimajin
Preview
Date: From 11.15 p.m., Fridays, 7 July 2023
Station: TV Asahi
Genre: Suspense
Scriptwriter: Tokunaga Yuichi (Lupin no Musume Series, Good Doctor, Kirawareru Yuuki)
Director: Miike Takashi
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Tsuchiya Tao, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Shishido Kavka, Hamano Kenta, Narumi Riko, Kiriyama Ren, Baba Toru, Wakamatsu Chikara, Yashiba Toshihiro, Deai Masayuki, Fujisawa Ema, Matsudaira Ken, Takuma Shin, Kataoka Tsurutaro, Takahashi Katsunori, Mukai Osamu
Synopsis: Daiba Jin (Ikuta Toma), the ace of the Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division, is so strong that he is nicknamed “Daimajin” as a pun on his name. A passionate man with a strong sense of justice, Daimajin rushes to a crime scene faster than anyone else. But he has a dark secret. That is, he killed a criminal who could never be punished by law. This matter comes to the attention of the brilliant and heartless Senior Superintendent Hirayasu Saimon (Mukai Osamu) uses his knowledge to half compel Daimajin into working as his “slave”. Daimajin is transferred to a special investigations team led by Hirayasu. He has to follow Hirayasu’s instructions and secretly get rid of criminals that the police cannot get their hands on. However, he ends up venturing into a dark side of the police organisation and nation that should never be touched.
Again, I'm not sure I care about this, but the cast? Miike Takashi being the director? Also, the fact that I haven't seen something with Toma in, I don't know, years? I'm going to try it.
source: jdramaswordpress