J-Dorama Autumn 2009 Preview (Oct-Dec) - starts at page 98 (prev: Summer 2009)

whitedove · Post time 20-3-2009 02:59 PM

Kaette Kosaserareta 33pun Tantei
Cast: Tsuyoshi Dohmoto (KinKi Kids), Asami Mizukawa, Ikki Sawamura, Katsumi Takahashi, Shigeyuki Totsugi, Yoshio Kojima, Jiro Sato, Maho Nonami
Beginning: 21 March 2009, 11.10 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/33tantei/
Theme song:

Cast:

TSUYOSHI DOHMOTO (KINKI kIDS)

ASAMI MIZUKAWA

IKKI SAWAMURA

Kurama Rokuro is a private detective. He is a detective story aficionado, and a mystery geek. He believes in ghosts and UFOs. He hates the sight of blood and dead bodies. Actually he has a sharp insight and a creative imagination, but his reasoning is always just a guess. When he wrongly accuses people of a crime, he sends them a gift with a note "I'm sorry about the mistake". His mission is to use all up the airtime (33 min.) to solve a quite simple case which must be settled in 5 min. His wild guesses and imagination increase the number of suspects, and his ambiguous reasoning turns the cases upside down. Can he finally discover the offender?

This time, the detective returns with a 4-episode special!

Kittie · Post time 21-3-2009 05:34 AM

ade sambungan 33-pun tantei...

Kittie · Post time 21-3-2009 05:42 AM

Tatsuya Ueda lands a drama role in "Konkatsu!"

KAT-TUN's Tatsuya Ueda will appear in his first role on a television drama series. He has been announced as a cast member in Fuji TV's Monday night serial "Konkatsu!," which stars Masahiro Nakai and Aya Ueto.

The story revolves around a single salaryman in his mid-thirties (Nakai) who loses his job, and in order to find new work, he is forced to seek out a marriage partner. Ueda plays his younger brother.

The series begins on April 20.

Credit: Tokyograph

whitedove · Post time 30-3-2009 04:06 PM

1)Aibou 7 - Yutaka Mizutani, Yasufumi Terawaki (TV Asahi) 18.1% (Final episode: 19.5%)
2) Kiina: Fukanou Hanzai Sousakan - Miho Kanno, Yuta Hiraoka, Muga Tsukaji, Eiko Koike, Sakura, Ryosuke Takahashi, Anna Sonoda, Akio Kaneda, Toshihide Tonesaku, Masao Kusakari, Ikki Sawamura (NTV) 14.5% (Final episode: 14.8%)
3) Voice ~Inochi Naki Mono no Koe~ - Eita, Satomi Ishihara, Toma Ikuta, Yuya Endo, Tomohito Sato, Akiko Yada, Shigenori Yamazaki (Fuji TV) 14.5% (Final episode: 13.6%)
4) Mei-chan no $hitsuji (Mei-chan's Butler) - Hiro Mizushima, Nana Eikura, Takeru Sato, Yu Yamada, Osamu Mukai (Fuji TV) 14.0% (Final episode: 16.6%)
5) Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 - Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiro Matsuoka, Tadayoshi Ohkura, Makoto Fujita, Emi Wakui, Mitsuki Tanimura, Asami Mizukawa, Noriko Nakagoshi (TV Asahi) 12.33% (10th episode: 9.6%)
6) Triangle - Yousuke Eguchi, Goro Inagaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Saki Aibu, Masato Sakai, Shosuke Tanihara, Kuranosuke Sasaki (Fuji TV) 12.3% (Final episode: 15.5%)
7) Uta no Oniisan - Satoshi Ohno, Chisa, Nana Katase, Ryuhei Maruyama, Yoshino Kimura (TV Asahi) 10.8% (Final episode: 10.7%)
8) Arifureta Kiseki (Unsurprising Miracle) - Yukie Nakama, Ryo Kase, Takanori Jinnai, Morio Kazama, Keiko Toda, Yutaka Matsushige (Fuji TV) 10.6% (Final episode: 11.4%)
9) Tokumei Kakaricho Tadano Hitoshi 4 - Katsunori Takahashi, Atsuko Sakurai, Masaru Nagai, Yuri Ebihara (TV Asahi) 10.3% (Final episode: 9.7%)
10) Zeni Geba (Money Crazy) - Kenichi Matsuyama, Mimura, Daisuke Miyagawa, Haruka Kinami, Anna Ishibashi, Hiroki Suzuki, Seiko Takuma, Shiho (NTV) 9.9% (Final episode: 10.5%)
11) RESCUE: Tokubetsu Koudo Kyuujotai - Yuichi Nakamaru, Takahisa Masuda, Yusuke Yamamoto, Hideo Ishiguro, Shunsuke Daito, Yosuke Asari, Masaki Kaji, Shintaro Yamada, Yui Ichikawa, Yuko Fueki, Aki Nishihara, Jun Kaname (TBS) 9.8% (9th episode: 8.9%)
12) Love Shuffle - Hiroshi Tamaki, Karina, Shota Matsuda, DAIGO, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, Hijiri Kojima, Shihori Kanjiya, Shosuke Tanihara (TBS) 8.8% (Final episode: 10.1%)
13) Akai Ito - Nao Minamisawa, Junpei Mizobata, Ryo Kimura, Rei Okamoto, Anna Ishibashi, Nanami Sakuraba (Fuji TV) 8.5% (Final episode: 8.9%)
14) Honjitsu mo Hare. Ijou Nashi - Kenji Sakaguchi, Nao Matsu$hita, Aoki Munetaka, Rei Okamoto, Kazuaki Hankai, Akemi Omori (TBS) 8.2% (Final episode: 8.4%)
15) Kami no Shizuku (Les Gouttes de Dieu) - Kazuya Kamenashi, Seiichi Tanabe, Riisa Naka, Naho Toda (NTV) 6.1% (Final episode: 5.4%)
16) Reset - Naoki Tanaka, Megumi Yasu, Airi Matsuyama, Ren Kiriyama (NTV) 5.51% (11th episode: 6.4%)
17) Q.E.D. ~Shomei Shuryo~ - Ai Takahashi, Aoi Nakamura, Ken Ishiguro (NHK) 5.1% (Final episode: 4.8%)

Taiga

Tenchijin (1st season) - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Takako Tokiwa, Masanobu Takashima, Misako Tanaka, Koutaro Koizumi, Kazuki Kitamura, Tetsuji Tamayama, Saki Aibu, Manami Higa, Reiko Takashima, Hiroshi Abe, Masami Nagasawa, Shun Oguri, Kyoko Fukada, Yu Shirota, Yusuke Kamiji (NHK) 23.0% (13th episode: 17.8%)

Source: www.jdorama.com

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:20 AM

PRIMETIME DORAMA

NHK

Ghost Friends
Cast: Saki Fukuda, Takahiro Nishijima (AAA), Yoshinori Okada, Noriko Iriyama, Ayame Misaki, Takuji Kawakubo, Asuka Shibuya, Jingi Irie, Nana katase, Tomochika, Fuyuki Moto, Haruko Wanibuchi
Beginning: 2 April 2009, 8.00 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://www.nhk.or.jp/drama8/ghostfriends
Theme song: "Aitai" by Yuzu

Cast:

SAKI FUKUDA

TAKAHIRO NISHIJIMA (AAA)

YOSHINORI OKADA

NORIKO IRIYAMA

Saki Fukuda plays a high schooler who can see ghosts as a result of a car accident. The story follows her growth as she interacts with the spirits she meets, and even falls in love with a young male ghost. "Ghost Friends" is said to be a mix of horror, fantasy, and comedy.

A total of 10 episodes are planned.

Harukanaru Kizuna
Cast: Anne Suzuki, Kenichi Kato, Aiko Mori$hita, Megumi Sato, Hu Bing, Gregory Wong, Yue Xiu Qing, E8iko Ito, Kenkichi Yamahata
Beginning: April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://www.nhk.or.jp/dodra/harukanaru
Theme song:

Cast:

ANNE SUZUKI

AIKO MORI$HITA

MEGUMI SATO

HU BING

A drama based on a true story about a girl who traces her father's life as a Japanese orphan in China after being separated from his family after WWII. Kido Hisae (Anne Suzuki), decides to study in China where she discovers her father's painful experience and the love of his foster mother. She gets to know her father's foster family and learns the importance of human bond regardless of nationality and generation.

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:26 AM

Fuji TV

Konkatsu! (Marriage Hunting!)
Cast: Masahiro Nakai (SMAP), Aya Ueto, Ryuta Sato, Hiroki Matsukata, Tatsuya Ueda, Yumiko Shaku, Shosuke Tanihara, Yukiya Kitamura, Ryou, Fumiyo Kohinata, Jun Fubuki, Isao Hashizume, Yoji Tanaka
Beginning: April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Monday)
Official site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/kon-katsu/index.html
Theme song:

Cast:

MASAHIRO NAKAI (SMAP)

AYA UETO

RYUTA SATO

YUMIKO SHAKU

SHOSUKE TANIHARA

TATSUYA UEDA (KAT-TUN)

Masahiro Nakai plays a single salaryman in his mid-thirties. He has focused himself on his work rather than finding a marriage partner, but the topic of marriage is constantly coming up around him. As a result, he begins thinking about his own life and begins looking for a potential wife. Aya Ueto plays the female lead.

The show is directed by Masayuki Suzuki, who previously worked on hits such as "Long Vacation" and "HERO."

Atashinchi no Danshi
Cast: Maki Horikita, Jun Kaname, Yoshinori Okada, Osamu Mukai, Yusuke Yamamoto, Koji Seto, Tomoki Okayama, Masao Kusakari, Takeshi Tsuruno, Koji Yamamoto, Reiko Takashima, Kento Nagayama, Shingo Tsurumi
Beginning: 14 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Tuesday)
Official site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/atashinchi/index.html
Theme song: "Infinity" by GIRL NEXT DOOR

Cast:

MAKI HORIKITA

JUN KANAME

YOSHINORI OKADA

OSAMU MUKAI

YUSUKE YAMAMOTO

KOJI SETO

Maki Horikita's character is burdened with 100 million yen worth of debt after her gambling father disappears. Chased out of her home by collectors, she is forced to sleep in places like internet cafes. However, she meets the president of a major company who offers to pay off the debt if she marries him, and she soon finds herself moving in with a rather eccentric family.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 12:39 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:27 AM

Shiroi Haru (White Spring)
Cast: Hiroshi Abe, Nozomi Ohashi, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, Yuya Endo, Kenichi Endo, Miho Shiraishi, Mahiru Konno
Beginning: 14 April 2009, 10.00 pm (every Tuesday)
Official site: http://ktv.jp/haru/index.html
Theme song: "Yokogao" by Ayumi Sakai

Cast:

HIROSHI ABE

NOZOMI OHASHI

YURIKO YO$HITAKA

YUYA ENDO

KENICHI ENDO

MIHO SHIRAISHI

MAHIRU KONNO

The show's theme is the love between a parent and child. Hiroshi Abe plays a man just released after a 10-year prison sentence. He encounters a young girl, who turns out to be his own daughter that he conceived with his ex-girlfriend just before he went to jail.

Abe's daughter will be played by 9-year-old actress Nozomi Ohashi. She recently got her break as a voice actress in Hayao Miyazaki's "Gake no Ue no Ponyo," for which she also sang the theme song with folk duo Fujioka Fujimaki. "Shiroi Haru" will be her first regular role in a TV series.

Other cast members include Yuriko Yo$hitaka and Kenichi Endo.

BOSS
Cast: Yuki Amami, Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Kendo Kobayashi, Youichi Nukumizu, Tetsuji Tamayama, Michiko Kichise
Beginning: 16 April 2009, 10.00 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/BOSS/
Theme song: "Best Of My Life" by superfly

Cast:

YUKI AMAMI

YUTAKA TAKENOUCHI

ERIKA TODA

JUNPEI MIZOBATA

TETSUJI TAMAYAMA

MICHIKO KICHISE

Yuki Amami stars as the new "boss" of a team of quirky detectives who are trying to fight a series of brutal crimes. Her character is intelligent and capable in her work. But even though she can understand the mentalities of the criminals she pursues, she has difficulty understanding men, leaving her unable to find what she really wants: a husband.

The nickname "boss" is strongly associated with Yujiro Ishihara's character in the drama series "Taiyou ni Hoero!" from the '70s and '80s, where he played a similar role as the leader of a detective team.

Amami's supporting cast in "Boss" includes Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Michiko Kichise, and Yoichi Nukumizu.

Majo Saiban (The Witch Trial)
Cast: Toma Ikuta (Johnny's Jr), Ai Kato, Manami Higa, Yuriko Ishida, Ryohei Suzuki, Shiori Kutsuna, Haruka Suenaga, Yasuhi Nakamura, Hatsuo Yamaya, Genki Hirakata, Kaori Nakamura, Jun Matsumoto, Kohei Watanabe, Miwako Shishido
Beginning: 25 April 2009, 11.10 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/majo/
Theme song: "Keshin" by Masaharu Fukuyama

Cast:

TOMA IKUTA (JOHNNY'S JR)

AI KATO

MANAMI HIGA

YURIKO ISHIDA

RYOHEI SUZUKI

SHIORI KUTSUNA

HARUKA SUENAGA

Popular young actor Toma Ikuta has a solo starring role in a drama series for the first time. The show, titled "Majo Saiban," will be the first drama to tackle the issue of Japan's new "saiban-in" (lay judge) system.

This May, Japan is reintroducing the jury system, which was previously abolished in 1943. Since then, only judges have decide the outcome of criminal cases, but under the new system, cases will be decided by a combination of judges and lottery-selected citizens.

In "Majo Saiban," Ikuta plays a typical part-timer with little interest in social issues. However, he is unexpectedly chosen as a juror in the trial of a suspected female murderer. While the mystery surrounding the case unfolds, an unknown group is secretly attempting to bribe the jury.

Actress Ai Kato plays a housewife who is also selected as a juror, while Manami Higa plays Ikuta's girlfriend, a newspaper reporter. Yuriko Ishida takes on the role of the accused.

The series starts on a month before the actual jury system goes into effect.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 14:24 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:28 AM

TBS

Boku no Imouto (My Younger Sister)
Cast: Joe Odagiri, Masami Nagasawa, Rie Tomosaka, Tetsushi Tanaka, Go Wakabayashi, Hideji Otaki
Beginning: 19 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Sunday)
Official site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/bokunoimouto
Theme song: "Futari" by Ikimono-gakari

Cast:

JOE ODAGIRI

MASAMI NAGASAWA

RIE TOMOSAKA

TETSUSHI TANAKA

The drama is based on an original script by writer Shunsaku Ikehata.

Joe Odagiri plays an elite surgeon, while Masami Nagasawa plays his younger sister. Unlike her brother, Nagasawa's character is poor in academics to the point of being called "miraculously stupid," but her strengths lie in her good nature and power of living. However, she also has a bad eye for men, and in the first episode she is discovered to be having an affair with a married man, leading to a big fight between the two siblings. But because they lost their parents when they were young, they grew up with a strong bond despite their constant conflicts.

Fufudo 2 ~The Perfect Path for Two~
Cast: Tetsuya Takeda, Atsuko Takahata, Shizuyo Yamasaki, Seiko Takuma, Yuika Motokariya, Yuto Suzuki, Isao Hashizume, Ginpei Sato, Saburo Ishikura
Beginning: 15 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/fufudo09
Theme song:

Cast:

TETSUYA TAKEDA

ATSUKO TAKAHATA

SHIZUYO YAMASAKI

SEIKO TAKUMA

YUIKA MOTOKARIYA

The weddings of the three daughters of the Takanabe family engaged in tea growing and processing, the succession of the Takanabe tea business that has been passed down over generations, conflicts between the couple regarding these issues, and so on. This is the second season of a sitcom depicting the human drama of the family full of laughter and tears.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 14:48 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:28 AM

Smile
Cast: Jun Matsumoto (Arashi), Yui Aragaki, Kiichi Nakai, Eiko Koike, Hidenori Tokuyama, Suzunosuke, Toshiyuki Kitami, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Masanobu Katsumura, Gin Maeda, Ayumi Ishida
Beginning: 17 April 2009, 10.00 pm (every Friday)
Official site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/smile09
Theme song: "Ariamaru Tomi" by Ringo Shiina

Cast:

JUN MATSUMOTO (ARASHI)

YUI ARAGAKI

KIICHI NAKAI

EIKO KOIKE

HIDENORI TOKUYAMA

Jun Matsumoto and Yui Aragaki co-star in a new TBS drama series titled "Smile." Takayuki Takuma ("Hana Yori Dango") is handling the script, though he is using his real name rather than his usual pen name of Mikio Satake.

Matsumoto plays a half-Filipino whose father has died and mother has disappeared. Despite his misfortune and the issues he deals with, such as race, he lives his life positively with a constant smile.

Similarly, Aragaki plays a young woman living cheerfully despite losing her ability to speak due to an accident. Her character is said to be modeled after a real actress in the theatrical troupe that Takuma runs.

The supporting cast includes Kiichi Nakai as a lawyer who watches over Matsumoto and Aragaki.

God Hand Teru
Cast: Yuta Hiraoka, Asami Mizukawa, Eri Murakawa, Hirofumi Araki, Taiki Nakabayashi, Tomoharu Hasegawa, Masako Miyaji, Aki Asakura, Tantan Hayashi, Ren Yagami, Mariko Okubo, Ayana, Yasufumi Terawaki, Jun Kaname, Takashi Kobayashi, Tetsuya Bessho, Atsuro Watabe, Tetsuya Bessho, Atsuro Watabe
Beginning: 11 April 2009, 7.56 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/god-teru
Theme song:

Cast:

YUTA HIRAOKA

ASAMI MIZUKAWA

ERI MURAKAWA

HIROFUMI ARAKI

TAIKI NAKABAYASHI

Actor Yuta Hiraoka has landed his first starring role in a drama series. This spring, TBS begins its live-action adaptation of the manga series "God Hand Teru," currently being serialized in Shonen Magazine.

The manga, written by Kazuki Yamamoto, revolves around a young man named Teru Mahigashi (Hiraoka). When he was young, his father, a brilliant surgeon, died in an accident, but not before saving Teru's life. As a result, Teru also aims to become a great surgeon like his father, devoted to never letting a patient die. As a clumsy newcomer at his hospital, he seems to be an unlikely savior. But whenever a patient's life is in danger, his true powers emerge in the form of his "god hands," allowing him to successfully perform even the most difficult operations.

In the drama, Asami Mizukawa plays the female lead, a rival doctor. Other cast members include Eri Murakawa, Jun Kaname, Hirofumi Araki, Tetsuya Bessho, and Atsuro Watabe.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 14:56 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:29 AM

NTV

The Quiz Show 2
Cast: Sho Sakurai (Arashi), Yu Yokoyama (Kanjani8), Aya Matsuura, Miki Maya Eisuke Sasai, Takaaki Enoki, Elena Mizusawa, Tetsushi Tanaka, Shigeru Izumiya, Masato Wada, Nozomi Ohashi
Beginning: 18 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/quizshow
Theme song: "A$hita no Kioku" by Arashi

Cast:

SHO SAKURAI (ARASHI)

YU YOKOYAMA (KANJANI8)

AYA MATSUURA

MIKI MAYA

Arashi's Sho Sakurai stars in the NTV drama series "The Quiz Show." The show is a prime time version of last summer's late night drama "The Quiz Show," which starred Jin Katagiri and Shigeyuki Totsugi.

In the new version, Sakurai plays the host of a live TV quiz program. On the show, contestants who achieve 7 correct answers win 10 million yen, and those who get 8 correct answers will have one of their wishes granted by the TV network. But while the questions start off innocently enough, as the game progresses, the questions gradually delve into the contestants' past crimes or indiscretions, presenting them with the dilemma of having to confess their guilt in order to win.

Sakurai's character also has a mysterious past. Before becoming the show's host, an accident had left him in a vegetative state for six years, which also resulted in him losing most of his memories.

The supporting cast includes Kanjani8's Yu Yokoyama as the show's director, Aya Matsuura as a rookie assistant director, and Miki Maya as the producer.

Ai$hiteru ~Kaiyou~ (I Love You ~Forgiveness~)
Cast: Izumi Inamori, Yuka Itaya, Taro Yamamoto, Shiro Sano, Issei Kakazu, Umika Kawashima, Shiro Sano, Misako Tanaka, Tomoko Tabata
Beginning: 15 April 2009, 10.00 pm (every Wednesday)
Official site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/aishiteru
Theme song: "Ai$hiteru" by MONKEY MAJIK

Cast:

IZUMI INAMORI

YUKA ITAYA

TARO YAMAMOTO

SHIRO SANO

UMIKA KAWASHIMA

MISAKO TANAKA

TOMOKO TABATA

Actress Izumi Inamori is starring in a television series for the first time since four years ago. The show is a serious human drama titled "Ai$hiteru ~Kaiyou~," about the love and conflict between a mother and her child.

The drama is based on a manga by Minoru Ito. Inamori plays Satsuki, the mother of a 10-year-old boy. When her son ends up killing a 7-year-old boy, conflict arises in their family, leading to a lot of tears and pain. One of the show's main themes is forgiveness ("kaiyou"). While the original comic told the story from the perspective of the victim's family, the drama will focus on the assailant's family.

Yuka Itaya plays the victim's mother.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 15:05 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:29 AM

TV Asahi

Rinjo
Cast: Masaaki Uchino, Yuki Matsu$hita, Masanobu Takashima, Dai Watanabe, Masato ibu, Daisuke Ryu
Beginning: 15 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Wednesday)
Official site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/rinjo
Theme song:

Cast:

MASAAKI UCHINO

YUKI MATSU$HITA

MASANOBU TAKASHIMA

DAI WATANABE

"Rinjo," a novel by "Climber's High" author Hideo Yokoyama, is adapted into a live-action series on TV Asahi. Masaaki Uchino is cast in the lead role.

First published in 2004, "Rinjo" revolves around Yoshio Kuraishi, a legendary coroner with a keen eye for evidence, played by Uchino. The term "rinjo" is said to be police slang for the initial investigation carried out at the scene of the crime.

Uchino's supporting cast includes Yuki Matsu$hita, Masanobu Takashima, and Dai Watanabe.

"Rinjo" runs in TV Asahi's Wednesday 9:00pm time slot, known for long-running mystery series such as "Aibou" and "Hagure Keiji Junjoha." Last summer, Uchino starred in "Gonzo: Densetsu no Keiji" in the same time slot.

Yako no Kaidan
Cast: Naohito Fujiki, Yoshino Kimura, Yui Natsukawa, Keiko Oginome, Shigeru Muroi, Kimiko Yo, Nenji Kobayashi
Beginning: 23 April 2009, 9.00 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/yako
Theme song: "CRIME OF LOVE" by Naohito Fujiki

Cast:

NAOHITO FUJIKI

YOSHINO KIMURA

YUI NATSUKAWA

KEIKO OGINOME

SHIGERU MUROI

Seicho Matsumoto's novel "Yakou no Kaidan" is turned into a television drama series this spring on TV Asahi. The story is described as a male-led version of Matsumoto's "Kurokawa no Techo," which was turned into a drama in 2004 starring Ryoko Yonekura.

Naohito Fujiki stars as a successful beautician who rose from poverty, using women as stepping stones on his way to the top. Yoshino Kimura plays the heroine of the story, a magazine editor and one of the beautician's customers. A victim of love, she ends up entangled in Fujiki's dark past.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 15:32 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:29 AM

Meitantei no Okite
Cast: Shota Matsuda, Yu Kashii, Yuichi Kimura
Beginning: 17 April 2009, 11.15 pm (every Friday)
Official site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/meitantei
Theme song: "Fighting Pose no Uta" by Toshihide Baba

Cast:

SHOTA MATSUDA

YU KASHII

Actor Shota Matsuda picked up his first true lead role in a television drama. Titled "Meitantei no Okite," the show is based on a "parody mystery" work by award-winning author Keigo Higashino.

The original "Meitantei no Okite" is a short mystery collection that takes a humorous approach to many of the genre's cliches. Matsuda stars as the "famous detective" Daigoro Tenkaichi, while Yu Kashii plays the female lead as a rookie cop. Yuichi Kimura has also been cast.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 13-4-2009 15:37 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:30 AM

OTHER DORAMA

NHK

Kagero no Tsuji 3 (Crossing of Heat Haze 3)
Cast: Koji Yamamoto, Noriko Nakagoshi, Yoo Min, Takashi Ukaji, Yosuke Kawamura, Hiromi Kitagawa, Ikkei Watanabe, Takaaki Enoki, Takuro Tatsumi, B-saku Sato, Shingo Tsurumi, Kenji Kasai, Atsushi Yamanishi, Sei Hiraizumi, Masao Komatsu, Masaomi Kondo
Beginning: 18 April 2009, 7.30 pm (every Saturday)
Official site: http://www.nhk.or.jp/jidaigeki/kagerou2/
Theme song: "Ai wo Tomenaide ~Always Loving You~" by Seiko Niizuma

Cast:

KOJI YAMAMOTO

NORIKO NAKAGOSHI

YOO MIN

TAKASHI UKAJI

YOSUKE KAWAMURA

HIROMI KITAGAWA

This is a story about a gifted swordsman who overcomes problems with a strong sense of justice and genuine sympathy toward commoners. Four years have passed since Iwane moved to Edo but he still lived in a row house where a masterless samurai who often troubles Iwane becomes his neighbor with his family. Commoners with various problems come to Iwane and ask for help. Iwane solves them while enjoying warm exchanges with commoners including his ex-fianc?e and another girl in the neighborhood who admires him.

This is the third season.

TBS

Hancho ~Jinnansho Azumihan~
Cast: Kuranosuke Sasaki, Shunsuke Nakamura, Muga Tsukaji, Tomoka Kurotani, Toshiki Kashu, Shogo Yamaguchi, Shigeki Hosokawa, Ryosei Tayama, Asuka Shibuya, Megumi Yasu, Narumi Konno, Kaoru Okunuki, Nikichi Kondo, Taku Suzuki
Beginning: 13 April 2009, 8.00 pm (every Monday)
Official site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/hanchou2009
Theme song:

Cast:

KURANOSUKE SASAKI

SHUNSUKE NAKAMURA

MUGA TSUKAJI

TOMOKA KUROTANI

TOSHIKI KASHU

innan Station is a small police station newly established in Harajuku, where Azumi Tsuyoshi is the chief clerk of the station's detective force. Although he has the title of chief clerk, there are only five detectives working under him.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 21-4-2009 15:41 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 11:31 AM

TV Asahi

Kyoto Chiken no Onna 5
Cast: Yuko Natori, Susumu Terajima, Ikkei Watanabe, Keizo Kanie, Toru Masuoka, Kana Wakisawa, Yoko Oshima, Naoko Miya, Miyako Yamaguchi, Seizo Fukumoto
Beginning: 23 April 2009, 8.00 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/kyoto
Theme song: Sakura no Mi no Jukusuru Toki" by THE ALFEE

Cast:

YUKO NATORI

SUSUMU TERAJIMA

IKKEI WATANABE

The TV Asahi drama "Kyoto Chiken no Onna" is coming back for a 5th season this spring. The mystery series, which stars Yuko Natori as a public prosecutor, has previously aired in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Over those four seasons, the show averaged 16.7% ratings in the Kansai area, where the show is set.

The returning cast includes Toru Masuoka and Ikkei Watanabe, while Susumu Terajima has been added.

WOWOW

Sora Tobu Tire (The Flying Tire)
Cast: Toru Nakamura, Seiichi Tanabe, Masato Hagiwara, Miki Mizuno, Mimura, Yoshihiko Hakamada, Tasuko Emoto, Masahiro Komoto, Kazuyuki Aijima, Machiko Ono, Kenichi Endo, Manami Honjo, Tokuma Nishioka, Naho Toda, Ren Osugi, Jun Kunimura
Beginning: 29 March 2009, 10.00 pm (every Sunday)
Official site: http://www.wowow.co.jp/dramaw/taiya
Theme song:

Cast:

TORU NAKAMURA

SEIICHI TANABE

MASATO HAGIWARA

MIKI MIZUNO

MIMURA

YOSHIHIKO HAKAMADA

A tire comes off a moving truck and becomes a deadly weapon, hitting a mother and child. The problem was caused by the vehicle manufacturer's failure to recall the vehicle, but the blame falls on the head of the delivery company who, despairing, searches for evidence that the recall was suppressed. Crossing paths with banks, police, weekly magazine writers, the victim's family, and various others, he eventually gets to the truth of the matter.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 21-4-2009 15:48 ]

whitedove · Post time 13-4-2009 02:49 PM

MIDNIGHT DORAMA

TBS

Hyoryu Net Cafe (Drifting Net Cafe)
Cast: Atsushi Ito, KIKI, Reina Asami, Mai Takahashi, Go Riju, Go Yoshitake, Kazumi Urano
Beginning: 15 April 2009, 12.29 a.m. (every Wednesday)
Official site: http://hyoryu-netcafe.jp/
Theme song: "Brave Heart (Remix)" by MAY'S

Cast:

ATSUSHI ITO

REINA ASAMI

MAI TAKAHASHI

Shuzo Oshimi's sci-fi manga series "Hyoryu Net Cafe" is being adapted into a television drama this spring. The show stars actor Atsushi Ito, who is well known for his starring role in "Densha Otoko."

Also known as "Drifting Net Cafe," the original manga revolves around salaryman Koichi Toki (Ito), who leads a trouble-free but unexciting life. One day he stops by an internet cafe, where he runs into his first love whom he never forgot (played by model KIKI). A sudden electrical failure traps him and the other customers in the cafe, which has become a strange universe of its own.

As the manga is still fairly new, the original story's ending has not yet been decided, so the drama will possibly depart from the comic's storyline.

The supporting cast also includes Reina Asami.

NTV

LOVE GAME
Cast: Yumiko Shaku
Beginning: 23 April 2009, 11.58 pm (every Thursday)
Official site: http://www.ytv.co.jp/lovegame/index.html
Theme song:

Cast:

YUMIKO SHAKU

Actress Yumiko Shaku has been given the lead in the upcoming NTV drama series "LOVE GAME." The show is based on the debut novel of TV writer Motoichi Adachi, who is better known for working on the scripts of variety shows like "Odoru! Sanma Goten" and "Kiseki Taiken! Unbelievable." The novel goes on sale at the end of this month.

"LOVE GAME" revolves around a secret game in which the participants can win 100 million yen if they succeed at a love-related task. However, no one has ever succeeded in the game before.

Shaku plays the beautiful but mysterious "dealer" of the game. The challenges she presents to the contestants, who are constantly monitored, include tasks such as "get your wife to sign divorce papers within 8 hours" and "steal your friend's boyfriend within 3 days."

The guests on the show include Shun Shioya and Hiromi Kitagawa in the first episode, and Waka Inoue in the second episode.

Ikemen Sobaya Tantei ~Inndaze!~
Cast: Naohito Fujiki, Keiko Horiuchi, Arata Furuta, Katsuhisa Namase, Nobuo Kyo, Kazuna Kawahara
Beginning: 4 April 2009, 12.55 am (every Saturday)
Official site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/ikesoba
Theme song: "Iindaze" by Naohito Fujiki

Cast:

NAOHITO FUJIKI

KEIKO HORIUCHI

ARATA FURUTA

KATSUHISA NAMASE

NOBUO KYO

NTV is producing a new drama series titled "Ikemen Sobaya Tantei," combining comedy and mystery. The show features the same primary staff and cast as the network's variety show "Horeyuke! Star Daisakusen," which aired in 2007 and 2008.

The plot involves around Juntaro Higuchi (Naohito Fujiki), a good-looking employee at a soba restaurant (the "ikemen" in the title is a pun on the word "men," meaning noodles). While working there, he is constantly asked to solve various cases. His supporting cast includes Katsuhisa Namase and Arata Furuta, who were also regulars on "Horeyuke! Star Daisakusen."

TV Tokyo

Yukemuri Sniper (Steam Sniper)
Cast: Kenichi Endo, Yuko Ito, Denden, Miyuki Matsuda, Hiroyuki Nagato, Momoko Tani, Nobue Iketani, Mirai Ono
Beginning: 3 April 2009, 12.12 am (every Friday)
Official site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/yukemuri
Opening theme: "Yama no Oto" by Crazy Ken Band
Ending theme: "YOU?RE THE BEST!" by ARIA feat. Ken Yokoyama

Cast:

KENICHI ENDO

YUKO ITO

DENDEN

MIYUKI MATSUDA

TV Tokyo is adapting the manga series "Yukemuri Sniper" as a live-action drama this spring. The original comic, written by Yuho Hijikata and illustrated by Tadashi Matsumori, was serialized in the magazine Manga Sunday from 1998 to 2004.

Kenichi Endo, known mostly for supporting roles, will star as a retired assassin trying to live in peace as he works at a remote hot-spring ryokan. Miyuki Matsuda, the wife of late actor Yusaku Matsuda and mother of actors Ryuhei and Shota, has also been cast in the series.

[ Last edited by whitedove at 21-4-2009 16:10 ]

Kittie · Post time 14-4-2009 02:01 AM

season baru dh stat... :pompom: :pompom: :pompom:

whitedove · Post time 15-4-2009 06:19 PM

1) Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 - Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiro Matsuoka, Tadayoshi Ohkura, Makoto Fujita, Emi Wakui, Mitsuki Tanimura, Asami
Mizukawa, Noriko Nakagoshi (TV Asahi) 12.15% (11th episode: 10.4%)
2) God Hand Teru - Yuta Hiraoka, Asami Mizukawa, Eri Murakawa, Hirofumi Araki, Taiki Nakabayashi, Tomoharu Hasegawa (TBS) 8.0%
3) Reset - Naoki Tanaka, Megumi Yasu, Airi Matsuyama, Ren Kiriyama (NTV) 5.51% (13th episode: 5.5%)
4) Ghost Friends - Saki Fukuda, Takahiro Nishijima (AAA), Yoshinori Okada, Noriko Iriyama (NHK) 3.90% (2nd episode: 3.7%)

Taiga

Tenchijin (2nd season) - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Takako Tokiwa, Masanobu Takashima, Misako Tanaka, Koutaro Koizumi, Kazuki Kitamura, Tetsuji Tamayama, Saki Aibu, Manami Higa, Reiko Takashima, Hiroshi Abe, Masami Nagasawa, Shun Oguri, Kyoko Fukada, Yu Shirota, Yusuke Kamiji (NHK) 22.76% (14th episode: 19.6%)

Source: www.jdorama.com

whitedove · Post time 20-4-2009 06:56 PM

1) BOSS - Yuki Amami, Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Kendo Kobayashi, Youichi Nukumizu, Tetsuji Tamayama, Michiko Kichise (Fuji TV) 18.1%
2) Atashinchi no Danshi - Maki Horikita, Jun Kaname, Yoshinori Okada, Osamu Mukai, Yusuke Yamamoto, Koji Seto, Tomoki Okayama (Fuji TV) 14.1%
2) Rinjo - Masaaki Uchino, Yuki Matsu$hita, Masanobu Takashima, Dai Watanabe, Masato ibu, Daisuke Ryu (TV Asahi) 14.1%
4) The Quiz Show - Sho Sakurai, Yu Yokoyama, Aya Matsuura, Miki Maya (NTV) 14.0%
5) Shiroi Haru (White Spring) - Hiroshi Abe, Nozomi Ohashi, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, Yuya Endo, Kenichi Endo, Miho Shiraishi, Mahiru Konno (Fuji TV/KTV) 13.7%
6) Aishiteru ~Kaiyou~ (I Love You ~Forgiveness~) - Izumi Inamori, Yuka Itaya, Taro Yamamoto, Shiro Sano, Issei Kakazu, Umika Kawashima, Shiro Sano, Misako Tanaka, Tomoko Tabata (NTV) 13.2%
7) Boku no Imouto (My Younger Sister) - Joe Odagiri, Masami Nagasawa, Rie Tomosaka, Tetsushi Tanaka, Go Wakabayashi, Hideji Otaki (TBS) 12.2%
8) Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 - Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiro Matsuoka, Tadayoshi Ohkura, Makoto Fujita, Emi Wakui, Mitsuki Tanimura, Asami Mizukawa, Noriko Nakagoshi (TV Asahi) 11.97% (12th episode: 10.0%)
9) Smile - Jun Matsumoto, Yui Aragaki, Kiichi Nakai, Eiko Koike, Hidenori Tokuyama (TBS) 11.7%
10) Meitantei no Okite - Shota Matsuda, Yu Kashii, Yuichi Kimura (TV Asahi) 10.8%
11) Fufudo 2 ~The Perfect Path for Two~ - Tetsuya Takeda, Atsuko Takahata, Shizuyo Yamasaki, Seiko Takuma, Yuika Motokariya, Yuto Suzuki (TBS) 9.2%
12) Harukanaru Kizuna - Anne Suzuki, Kenichi Kato, Aiko Mori$hita, Megumi Sato, Hu Bing (NHK) 8.6%
13) God Hand Teru - Yuta Hiraoka, Asami Mizukawa, Eri Murakawa, Hirofumi Araki, Taiki Nakabayashi, Tomoharu Hasegawa (TBS) 8.05% (2nd episode: 8.1%)
14) Ghost Friends - Saki Fukuda, Takahiro Nishijima (AAA), Yoshinori Okada, Noriko Iriyama (NHK) 3.90% (3rd episode: 3.7%)

Taiga

Tenchijin (2nd season) - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Takako Tokiwa, Masanobu Takashima, Misako Tanaka, Koutaro Koizumi, Kazuki Kitamura, Tetsuji Tamayama, Saki Aibu, Manami Higa, Reiko Takashima, Hiroshi Abe, Masami Nagasawa, Shun Oguri, Kyoko Fukada, Yu Shirota, Yusuke Kamiji (NHK) 22.65% (15th episode: 21.1%)

whitedove · Post time 21-4-2009 04:47 PM

edited post for Other Dramas & Midnight Dramas...

whitedove · Post time 27-4-2009 06:25 PM

1) BOSS - Yuki Amami, Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Kendo Kobayashi, Youichi Nukumizu, Tetsuji Tamayama, Michiko Kichise (Fuji TV) 16.6% (2nd episode: 15.1%)
2) Konkatsu! (Marriage Hunting!) - Masahiro Nakai, Aya Ueto, Ryuta Sato, Yumiko Shaku, Shosuke Tanihara, Tatsuya Ueda (Fuji TV) 16.3%
3) Rinjo - Masaaki Uchino, Yuki Matsu$hita, Masanobu Takashima, Dai Watanabe, Masato ibu, Daisuke Ryu (TV Asahi) 14.30% (2nd episode: 14.5%)
4) Aishiteru ~Kaiyou~ (I Love You ~Forgiveness~) - Izumi Inamori, Yuka Itaya, Taro Yamamoto, Shiro Sano, Issei Kakazu, Umika Kawashima, Shiro Sano, Misako Tanaka, Tomoko Tabata (NTV) 13.45% (2nd episode: 13.7%)
5) The Quiz Show - Sho Sakurai, Yu Yokoyama, Aya Matsuura, Miki Maya (NTV) 12.95% (2nd episode: 11.9%)
6) Atashinchi no Danshi - Maki Horikita, Jun Kaname, Yoshinori Okada, Osamu Mukai, Yusuke Yamamoto, Koji Seto, Tomoki Okayama (Fuji TV) 12.55% (2nd episode: 11.0%)
7) Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009 - Noriyuki Higashiyama, Masahiro Matsuoka, Koki Tanaka, Makoto Fujita, Emi Wakui, Mitsuki Tanimura, Asami Mizukawa, Noriko Nakagoshi (TV Asahi) 12.03% (13th episode: 12.7%)
8) Shiroi Haru (White Spring) - Hiroshi Abe, Nozomi Ohashi, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, Yuya Endo, Kenichi Endo, Miho Shiraishi, Mahiru Konno (Fuji TV/KTV) 11.85% (2nd episode: 10.0%)
9) Smile - Jun Matsumoto, Yui Aragaki, Kiichi Nakai, Eiko Koike, Hidenori Tokuyama (TBS) 10.95% (2nd episode: 10.2%)
10) Boku no Imouto (My Younger Sister) - Joe Odagiri, Masami Nagasawa, Rie Tomosaka, Tetsushi Tanaka, Go Wakabayashi, Hideji Otaki (TBS) 10.6% (2nd episode: 9.0%)
11) Meitantei no Okite - Shota Matsuda, Yu Kashii, Yuichi Kimura (TV Asahi) 10.40% (2nd episode: 10.0%)
12) Fufudo 2 ~The Perfect Path for Two~ - Tetsuya Takeda, Atsuko Takahata, Shizuyo Yamasaki, Seiko Takuma, Yuika Motokariya, Yuto Suzuki (TBS) 9.05% (2nd episode: 8.9%)
13) Majo Saiban (The Witch Trial) - Toma Ikuta, Ai Kato, Manami Higa, Yuriko Ishida, Ryohei Suzuki, Shiori Kutsuna, Haruka Suenaga (Fuji TV) 9.0%
14) God Hand Teru - Yuta Hiraoka, Asami Mizukawa, Eri Murakawa, Hirofumi Araki, Taiki Nakabayashi, Tomoharu Hasegawa (TBS) 8.73% (3rd episode: 10.1%)
15) Harukanaru Kizuna - Anne Suzuki, Kenichi Kato, Aiko Mori$hita, Megumi Sato, Hu Bing (NHK) 8.10% (2nd episode: 7.6%)
16) Ghost Friends - Saki Fukuda, Takahiro Nishijima (AAA), Yoshinori Okada, Noriko Iriyama (NHK) 3.88% (4th episode: 3.8%)

Taiga

Tenchijin (2nd season) - Satoshi Tsumabuki, Takako Tokiwa, Masanobu Takashima, Misako Tanaka, Koutaro Koizumi, Kazuki Kitamura, Tetsuji Tamayama, Saki Aibu, Manami Higa, Reiko Takashima, Hiroshi Abe, Masami Nagasawa, Shun Oguri, Kyoko Fukada, Yu Shirota, Yusuke Kamiji (NHK) 22.49% (16th episode: 20.1%)

Source: www.jdorama.com