The fact that I come from a fairly good drama year makes me tremble in fear thinking about 2021, but oh well, there are still some titles I'm interested in!
Ore no Ie no Hanashi
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Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Fridays, 22 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Kudo Kankuro (Kangoku no Ohimesama, Yutori desu ga Nani ka Series, Gomen ne Seishun!)
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Toda Erika, Nagayama Kento, Eguchi Noriko, Inowaki Kai, Hamura Jinsei, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Miyake Hiroki, Hiraiwa Kami, Akiyama Ryuji, Kiritani Kenta, Nishida Toshiyuki
Synopsis: Nicknamed Blizzard Ju, professional wrestler Miyama Juichi (Nagase Tomoya) used to belong to a large professional wrestling group and even became the Puerto Rico Champion. However, he now scrapes by with a small group due to his injuries and age. One day, he receives a phone call informing him that his father Jusaburo (Nishida Toshiyuki) is in a critical condition. Juichi’s father is the 27th generation head of the Miyama family. A practitioner of Noh which is an important intangible cultural asset, he is also a living national treasure and has over 10,000 disciples across the country. Although Juichi was expected to follow in Jusaburo’s footsteps, he rebelled. After he left home, they did not communicate for more than 20 years. When Juichi visits his father, Jusaburo declares that he is engaged to his female caregiver Shida Sakura (Toda Erika) and intends to leave all his fortune to her. Juichi retires from pro wrestling and returns to his family home to help care for his father.
Kudo Kankuro is known for his great, hilarious dramas (Gomen ne Seishun I miss you), plus Nagase and a great cast in general, I'm really excited for this one!
Shitteru Wife
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Preview
Date: From 10.00 pm., Thursdays, 7 January 2021
Station: Fuji TV
Scriptwriter: Hashibe Atsuko (Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekiteiru, Freeter Ie o Kau, Boku no Ikiru Michi Series)
Cast: Okura Tadayoshi, Hirose Alice, Matsushita Kohei, Kawaei Rina, Morita Kanro, Suezawa Seiya, Sano Hinako, Ando Nico, Magy, Nekoze Tsubaki, Okayama Hajime, Takimoto Miori, Katahira Nagisa, Namase Katsuhisa
Synopsis: Kenzaki Motoharu (Okura Tadayoshi) works at a bank. He has been married to Mio (Hirose Alice) for five years and they have two children. At work, he is taken to task about improving his performance by his boss and when he comes back home exhausted, he gets yelled at by Mio. He feels small every day. Back in university, Motoharu was Mio’s home tutor. He found her cheerful, cute and feisty and was drawn to her. They got married and at first, they were head over heels in love. But now he is scared of her outbursts. Motoharu wonders why his colleagues seem happily married but he is the only unlucky one. That is when he happens to meet Egawa Sayaka (Takimoto Miori), a junior in university who was every male student’s dream girl. He regrets his choice. Then one day, a 500 yen coin that Motoharu received from a man who spoke to him on the street causes him to suddenly travel back in time to his university days. If he goes back to the past and changes his choice, will changing his wife also transform his life?
Man realizes that his wife, after getting married and, you know, seeing her in her daily life, is not the young sweetheart but a person who gets mad and have downpoints! Shocking! That's why you should live together for some time before getting married, Japanese people :)
So, when he gets the chance to go back in time, he has the brilliant idea to go for another girl he knew in the past. And I'm quite sure that woman, too, will be a normal person and not a perfect robot :)
I've already had enough with this man's bullshit, but still, it could be fun and I want to see Ohkura being mistreated for 10 episodes.
Kakenai!? ~ Kyakuhonka Yoshimaru Keisuke Sujigaki no Nai Seikatsu
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Preview
Date: From 11.30 p.m., Saturdays, 16 January 2021
Station: TV Asahi
Scriptwriter: Fukuda Yasushi (Doctors ~ Saikyou no Meii Series, Good Partner, Galileo Series)
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Kichise Michiko, Kikuchi Fuma, Ono Takehiko, Umezawa Masayo, Yamada Anna, Yunho, Hamano Kenta, Okada Masaki (guest star), Nagai Mijika, Koike Teppei, Kitamura Yukiya
Synopsis: Yoshimaru Keisuke (Ikuta Toma) has liked watching television dramas since he was a child and wanted to become a scriptwriter. However, he was not successful in competitions. He eventually gave up on his dream and found a job at a real estate company. That is how he met Nami (Kichise Michiko), a single mother who was searching for an apartment. They fell in love and got married. Nami won a newcomer of the year award for a novel that she wrote while she was pregnant and became a popular writer. This reignited Keisuke’s forgotten dream. When he was 32, he finally won a competition. He quit his job to concentrate on writing scripts but he barely had projects and ended up taking care of the children (Yamada Anna, Yunho) and housework. Five years later, he has not made progress as a scriptwriter, and yet he is somehow content with his current life. One day, Keisuke suddenly gets the chance of a lifetime to write the screenplay for a prime time drama series after the main scriptwriter pulls out without warning. Although Nami worries whether Keisuke will be able to write well, she grows more supportive as she watches him try to do his best.
I'm quite excited about this one too. Toma being a kinda weak, unsuccessfull man, with a supportive, fullfilled woman, but he's a man who still tries to do his best.
Tengoku to Jigoku ~ Saikona Futari
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Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Sundays, 17 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Morishita Yoshiko (Dakara Watashi wa Oshimashita, Gibo to Musume no Blues Series, Tenno no Ryoriban)
Cast: Ayase Haruka, Takahashi Issei, Emoto Tasuku, Mizobata Junpei, Nakamura Yuri, Sakoda Takaya, Hayashi Yasufumi, Nomaguchi Toru, Yoshimi Kazutoyo, Baba Toru, Tani Kyosuke, Kishii Yukino, Kiba Katsumi, Kitamura Kazuki
Synopsis: 35-year-old Mochizuki Ayako (Ayase Haruka) is a detective who is a hard working, righteous and ambitious. She is the type who irks bosses and the people around her with her personality and focus on how things “should be done”. One day, she finds evidence proving that a man is a suspect in a murder case. It is her big chance to arrest him. Unfortunately Ayako swops bodies with Hidaka Haruto (Takahashi Issei), a chemistry researcher and shrewd entrepreneur, whose smart, nice guy persona belies his true psychotic, murderous nature. Ayako lives with the easygoing Watanabe Riku (Emoto Tasuku) who survives on part-time work and is a complete leech. Even so, he is the only one that she can lean on. Will he be able to detect the changes in Ayako? Furthermore, Ayako has to contend with a senior detective Kawahara Mitsuo (Kitamura Kazuki) who can be called her nemesis. He is very capable and will do anything in order to get results. Now that Ayako and Hidaka have switched places, they are filled with anxiety every day over the possibility of a momentary error of judgement as their status, personality, use of words and behaviour are complete opposites. Over time, their values are shaken to the core. They are also in for an unanticipated truth and romance.
The swapping bodies theme always has the potential to intrigue me, and this drama looks promising. Also, Takahashi Issei is such a good actor, I always try to watch his works.
Oh! My Boss! Koi wa Bessatsu de
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Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Tuesdays, 12 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Tanabe Shigenori (Meitantei Akechi Goro, Tokusatsu Gagaga, In Hand)
Cast: Kamishiraishi Mone, Nanao, Tamamori Yuta, Mamiya Shotaro, Kubota Sayu, Miki, Akiyama Yuzuki, Ota Yuri, Takahashi Maryjun, Nadagi Takashi, Hashizume Jun, Yamanouchi Suzu, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Takahashi Hitomi, Kurashina Kana, Santamaria Yusuke
Synopsis: Like her name Nami suggests, Suzuki Nami (Kamishiraishi Mone) wants ordinary happiness – work and romance in moderation. She was born and grew up in a town in the countryside and has no particular dreams or things that she wants to do. Following after a childhood friend Kenya who is her crush and lives in Tokyo, Nami ends up getting a job in a big publishing company. However, she is assigned not to the equipment management department but to a fashion magazine’s editorial department instead. She finds herself caught in a hellish life under the very capable, caustic and cold Horai Reiko (Nanao) who is the youngest chief editor to date. However, as Nami observes the way Reiko works, her own attitude towards doing her job begins to change. In addition, she unexpectedly makes the acquaintance of the handsome photographer Junnosuke (Tamamori Yuta), who is the son of a wealthy family, and gets an outrageous suggestion from him. Nami would have been fine with a decent job and romance but she discovers what is truly important to her and starts to have dreams and live positively.
A bit ala Devil Wears Prada but it seems nice. Also Nanao in this kind of role? Yes perfect.
Uchi no Musume wa, Kareshi ga Dekinai!!
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Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 13 January 2021
Station: NTV
Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Eriko (Hanbun Aoi, Orange Days, Sora kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi)
Cast: Kanno Miho, Hamabe Minami, Okada Kenshi, Kawakami Yohei, Arita Teppei, Sawamura Ikki, Fukuhara Haruka, Nakagawa Daisuke, Higashi Keisuke, Daichi Nobunaga, Nagami Rea, Nakamura Masatoshi
Synopsis: Minase Aoi (Kanno Miho) is a single mother in her 40s who is called the queen of romance novels. She recently bought an apartment and now lives with her daughter. Her 20-year-old daughter Sora (Hamabe Minami) cannot get a boyfriend and in Aoi’s opinion, the reason is obviously because she is hardcore manga fan. Aoi frets that her daughter is too immersed in the world of manga and will never leave the house. Sora wants to be in love but with the constant stream of new mangas being published, she has to prepare to cosplay at comic conventions. Life as a fan is rather busy. She is more worried about her mother who is girlish and reckless despite her age. Since her mother does not know much about the ways of the world, she feels that she cannot leave her like this. Then something prompts both Aoi and her daughter to have their romances.
Every year Japan gives us these marriage-propaganda-dramas, and most of the time I fall into the trap and actually like them. I hope it's light and fun and doesn't put that much emphasison the fact that a single woman is worthless :):):):)
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Fridays, 22 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Kudo Kankuro (Kangoku no Ohimesama, Yutori desu ga Nani ka Series, Gomen ne Seishun!)
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Toda Erika, Nagayama Kento, Eguchi Noriko, Inowaki Kai, Hamura Jinsei, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Miyake Hiroki, Hiraiwa Kami, Akiyama Ryuji, Kiritani Kenta, Nishida Toshiyuki
Synopsis: Nicknamed Blizzard Ju, professional wrestler Miyama Juichi (Nagase Tomoya) used to belong to a large professional wrestling group and even became the Puerto Rico Champion. However, he now scrapes by with a small group due to his injuries and age. One day, he receives a phone call informing him that his father Jusaburo (Nishida Toshiyuki) is in a critical condition. Juichi’s father is the 27th generation head of the Miyama family. A practitioner of Noh which is an important intangible cultural asset, he is also a living national treasure and has over 10,000 disciples across the country. Although Juichi was expected to follow in Jusaburo’s footsteps, he rebelled. After he left home, they did not communicate for more than 20 years. When Juichi visits his father, Jusaburo declares that he is engaged to his female caregiver Shida Sakura (Toda Erika) and intends to leave all his fortune to her. Juichi retires from pro wrestling and returns to his family home to help care for his father.
Kudo Kankuro is known for his great, hilarious dramas (Gomen ne Seishun I miss you), plus Nagase and a great cast in general, I'm really excited for this one!
Shitteru Wife
Preview
Date: From 10.00 pm., Thursdays, 7 January 2021
Station: Fuji TV
Scriptwriter: Hashibe Atsuko (Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekiteiru, Freeter Ie o Kau, Boku no Ikiru Michi Series)
Cast: Okura Tadayoshi, Hirose Alice, Matsushita Kohei, Kawaei Rina, Morita Kanro, Suezawa Seiya, Sano Hinako, Ando Nico, Magy, Nekoze Tsubaki, Okayama Hajime, Takimoto Miori, Katahira Nagisa, Namase Katsuhisa
Synopsis: Kenzaki Motoharu (Okura Tadayoshi) works at a bank. He has been married to Mio (Hirose Alice) for five years and they have two children. At work, he is taken to task about improving his performance by his boss and when he comes back home exhausted, he gets yelled at by Mio. He feels small every day. Back in university, Motoharu was Mio’s home tutor. He found her cheerful, cute and feisty and was drawn to her. They got married and at first, they were head over heels in love. But now he is scared of her outbursts. Motoharu wonders why his colleagues seem happily married but he is the only unlucky one. That is when he happens to meet Egawa Sayaka (Takimoto Miori), a junior in university who was every male student’s dream girl. He regrets his choice. Then one day, a 500 yen coin that Motoharu received from a man who spoke to him on the street causes him to suddenly travel back in time to his university days. If he goes back to the past and changes his choice, will changing his wife also transform his life?
Man realizes that his wife, after getting married and, you know, seeing her in her daily life, is not the young sweetheart but a person who gets mad and have downpoints! Shocking! That's why you should live together for some time before getting married, Japanese people :)
So, when he gets the chance to go back in time, he has the brilliant idea to go for another girl he knew in the past. And I'm quite sure that woman, too, will be a normal person and not a perfect robot :)
I've already had enough with this man's bullshit, but still, it could be fun and I want to see Ohkura being mistreated for 10 episodes.
Kakenai!? ~ Kyakuhonka Yoshimaru Keisuke Sujigaki no Nai Seikatsu
Preview
Date: From 11.30 p.m., Saturdays, 16 January 2021
Station: TV Asahi
Scriptwriter: Fukuda Yasushi (Doctors ~ Saikyou no Meii Series, Good Partner, Galileo Series)
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Kichise Michiko, Kikuchi Fuma, Ono Takehiko, Umezawa Masayo, Yamada Anna, Yunho, Hamano Kenta, Okada Masaki (guest star), Nagai Mijika, Koike Teppei, Kitamura Yukiya
Synopsis: Yoshimaru Keisuke (Ikuta Toma) has liked watching television dramas since he was a child and wanted to become a scriptwriter. However, he was not successful in competitions. He eventually gave up on his dream and found a job at a real estate company. That is how he met Nami (Kichise Michiko), a single mother who was searching for an apartment. They fell in love and got married. Nami won a newcomer of the year award for a novel that she wrote while she was pregnant and became a popular writer. This reignited Keisuke’s forgotten dream. When he was 32, he finally won a competition. He quit his job to concentrate on writing scripts but he barely had projects and ended up taking care of the children (Yamada Anna, Yunho) and housework. Five years later, he has not made progress as a scriptwriter, and yet he is somehow content with his current life. One day, Keisuke suddenly gets the chance of a lifetime to write the screenplay for a prime time drama series after the main scriptwriter pulls out without warning. Although Nami worries whether Keisuke will be able to write well, she grows more supportive as she watches him try to do his best.
I'm quite excited about this one too. Toma being a kinda weak, unsuccessfull man, with a supportive, fullfilled woman, but he's a man who still tries to do his best.
Tengoku to Jigoku ~ Saikona Futari
Preview
Date: From 9.00 p.m., Sundays, 17 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Morishita Yoshiko (Dakara Watashi wa Oshimashita, Gibo to Musume no Blues Series, Tenno no Ryoriban)
Cast: Ayase Haruka, Takahashi Issei, Emoto Tasuku, Mizobata Junpei, Nakamura Yuri, Sakoda Takaya, Hayashi Yasufumi, Nomaguchi Toru, Yoshimi Kazutoyo, Baba Toru, Tani Kyosuke, Kishii Yukino, Kiba Katsumi, Kitamura Kazuki
Synopsis: 35-year-old Mochizuki Ayako (Ayase Haruka) is a detective who is a hard working, righteous and ambitious. She is the type who irks bosses and the people around her with her personality and focus on how things “should be done”. One day, she finds evidence proving that a man is a suspect in a murder case. It is her big chance to arrest him. Unfortunately Ayako swops bodies with Hidaka Haruto (Takahashi Issei), a chemistry researcher and shrewd entrepreneur, whose smart, nice guy persona belies his true psychotic, murderous nature. Ayako lives with the easygoing Watanabe Riku (Emoto Tasuku) who survives on part-time work and is a complete leech. Even so, he is the only one that she can lean on. Will he be able to detect the changes in Ayako? Furthermore, Ayako has to contend with a senior detective Kawahara Mitsuo (Kitamura Kazuki) who can be called her nemesis. He is very capable and will do anything in order to get results. Now that Ayako and Hidaka have switched places, they are filled with anxiety every day over the possibility of a momentary error of judgement as their status, personality, use of words and behaviour are complete opposites. Over time, their values are shaken to the core. They are also in for an unanticipated truth and romance.
The swapping bodies theme always has the potential to intrigue me, and this drama looks promising. Also, Takahashi Issei is such a good actor, I always try to watch his works.
Oh! My Boss! Koi wa Bessatsu de
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Tuesdays, 12 January 2021
Station: TBS
Scriptwriter: Tanabe Shigenori (Meitantei Akechi Goro, Tokusatsu Gagaga, In Hand)
Cast: Kamishiraishi Mone, Nanao, Tamamori Yuta, Mamiya Shotaro, Kubota Sayu, Miki, Akiyama Yuzuki, Ota Yuri, Takahashi Maryjun, Nadagi Takashi, Hashizume Jun, Yamanouchi Suzu, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Takahashi Hitomi, Kurashina Kana, Santamaria Yusuke
Synopsis: Like her name Nami suggests, Suzuki Nami (Kamishiraishi Mone) wants ordinary happiness – work and romance in moderation. She was born and grew up in a town in the countryside and has no particular dreams or things that she wants to do. Following after a childhood friend Kenya who is her crush and lives in Tokyo, Nami ends up getting a job in a big publishing company. However, she is assigned not to the equipment management department but to a fashion magazine’s editorial department instead. She finds herself caught in a hellish life under the very capable, caustic and cold Horai Reiko (Nanao) who is the youngest chief editor to date. However, as Nami observes the way Reiko works, her own attitude towards doing her job begins to change. In addition, she unexpectedly makes the acquaintance of the handsome photographer Junnosuke (Tamamori Yuta), who is the son of a wealthy family, and gets an outrageous suggestion from him. Nami would have been fine with a decent job and romance but she discovers what is truly important to her and starts to have dreams and live positively.
A bit ala Devil Wears Prada but it seems nice. Also Nanao in this kind of role? Yes perfect.
Uchi no Musume wa, Kareshi ga Dekinai!!
Preview
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Wednesdays, 13 January 2021
Station: NTV
Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Eriko (Hanbun Aoi, Orange Days, Sora kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi)
Cast: Kanno Miho, Hamabe Minami, Okada Kenshi, Kawakami Yohei, Arita Teppei, Sawamura Ikki, Fukuhara Haruka, Nakagawa Daisuke, Higashi Keisuke, Daichi Nobunaga, Nagami Rea, Nakamura Masatoshi
Synopsis: Minase Aoi (Kanno Miho) is a single mother in her 40s who is called the queen of romance novels. She recently bought an apartment and now lives with her daughter. Her 20-year-old daughter Sora (Hamabe Minami) cannot get a boyfriend and in Aoi’s opinion, the reason is obviously because she is hardcore manga fan. Aoi frets that her daughter is too immersed in the world of manga and will never leave the house. Sora wants to be in love but with the constant stream of new mangas being published, she has to prepare to cosplay at comic conventions. Life as a fan is rather busy. She is more worried about her mother who is girlish and reckless despite her age. Since her mother does not know much about the ways of the world, she feels that she cannot leave her like this. Then something prompts both Aoi and her daughter to have their romances.
Every year Japan gives us these marriage-propaganda-dramas, and most of the time I fall into the trap and actually like them. I hope it's light and fun and doesn't put that much emphasison the fact that a single woman is worthless :):):):)