#most of my dramas this year have been jdramas no regrets

[niaoniaos]

this got really long so its going under a read more LMAO but here is a japanese drama rec list combined from things i have watched along with recs from @storge and @machikeita! if you want to start watching jdramas but aren’t sure where to start, check out drama-otaku’s drama resource guide bc it truly tells you everything you need to know. obviously there are so many more jdramas then this, and mdl truly does not due japanese dramas service tbh so i recommend also browsing drama-otaku (the site is in beta and you do need an account to view any subs) and seeing if anything else catches your eye! 

if you’re looking for a romcom

Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Doko Made mo (2020): one of my top dramas of 2020, sakura nanase becomes a nurse after helping save someone with  tendo kairi. she melts his heart and its so cute i can vomit (on viki)

Rinko-san wa Shite Mitai (2021): this may be my 2022 drama of the year, its short, its on viki, and its about how rinko presents herself as a “perfect” woman, but has been single her whole life. she ends up entering a friends with benefits relationship with fellow forever single co-worker kamisaka gen and i do not know how this drama expected to convince me that man was a virgin bc i was screaming the whole time. its def an Adult drama so minors beware lmao but god its great even if the last few episodes felt rushed

Ashi Girl (2017): time travel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is a zoe @storge rec but now im gonna watch it bc of time travel (beloved). yui travels back in time and meets a hagi clan boi, but when she goes back to history class she finds out his clan is going to be wiped out, and does her best to save him

Jimi ni Sugoi! Koetsu Garu Kono Etsuko (2016): this may be on viki in some regions and is another zoe rec! kouno etsuko joins a publishing company wanting to be a fashion editor, but becomes a proofreader instead, and the drama follows as she begins to realize the allure of the profession and prob follows in love with a coworker as well but i have not watched this

Shanai Marriage Honey (2020): a contract marriage so yall know im gonna watch this eventually but a zoe rec!! miura manatsu and haruta ami meet on a dating app and decide to get married for various reasons, unaware that they’re actually coworkers. i can imagine the shenanigans already tbh

Cherry Magic (2020): if you havent watched cherry magic you’ve made a mistake and should fix it immediately. thx.

Kieta Hatsukoi (2021):  if you havent watched kieta hatsukoi you’ve made a mistake and should fix it immediately. thx.

Black Cinderella (2021): its a lex rec @machikeita! kamiya manah childhood dream was to enter a beauty pageant, and in doing so meets two boys, one handsome and self absorbed and the other a transfer student.

Koi wa Deep ni (2021): completely head empty romcom about an oceanographer trying to stop a company from building a resort on the ocean

I Don't Love You Yet (2019): its a lex rec! mitarai yo is a successful career women but lacks in the love department. she and her best friend ishida ren make a bet seeing who can fall in love and get married within the next year, and whoever loses must pay the winner 300,000 yen. this sounds like friends to lovers at its fucking finest.

Love Is Phantom (2021): its a lex rec! another shorter time drama that seems ~ steamy ~ minors beware lmfao. strangers hirasawa momoko  and hase kei meet on the observation deck of the hotel where momoko works and i’m sure what follows is a lot of making out!!!

if you’re looking for a slice of life

Neechan no Koibito (2020): possibly my new favorite japanese drama, momoko has to raise her three younger brothers after their parents die when she is in high school. the drama mostly covers her workplace, but presents a great family relationship and healing, growth, and communication in her newfound romantic relationship with yoshioka manato

Nijiiro Karute (2021): kureno masora is a budding young doctor when illness strikes, and she decides to work at a countryside clinic where she can more easily hide her illness. its a wonderful story that deals with chronic illness not only in our mc, but in side characters, and shows different types of relationships through main and side character interactions. NO ONE DIES but like. you will cry.

Rokuhodo Yotsuiro Biyori (2022): i think this is on netflix and viki?? maybe one??? idk but its food porn Galore and its about a found family running a bistro where they basically help people relax via food. theres a lil bit of family drama but overall just a really nice relaxing drama

Damena Otoko ja Dame Desu ka? (2022): its a lex rec! follows the hijinks when gonta, a tokyo man ends up switching bodies with katsuyo, a grandma living in the countryside.

Tonari no Kazoku wa Aoku Mieru (2018): its a lex rec and its also on my plan to watch! tonari focuses around an apartment complex, and three different families as they deal with everything life throwa at them.

if you’re looking for mystery/suspense/revenge

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (2017): adapted from a manga and on netflix as erased, satoru gains the ability to travel back in time and tries to stop a kidnapping that occurred when he was in elementary school

Enjiya (2021): this is Technically a revenge drama because the found family runs a service where they complete tasks for people, and tbh just so much found family. 10/10. also super short and super good and i desire so much more from this drama

Ouroboros (2015):  ryuzaki ikuo and danno tatsuya grew up together in an orphanage, and witnessed the murder of their older-sister figure, but were ignored by police. ikuo is now a detective, and tatsuya is now a leading figure in the underworld. working together, they try and unveil who murdered their sister and expose the organization behind it.

if you’re looking for case of the week/medical/law/police etc

Unnatural (2018): my love of the tv show bones as a youngin makes me love any type of medical examiner show but unnatural is Truly great and tackles as the synopsis says, “its main theme is the change of reality brought upon by imminent death of a loved one.”

Code Blue (2008): this is like the quintessential old medical drama about five doctors training to become doctor heli doctors, where they’re sent out via helicopter to areas quickly that an ambulance may not be able to reach. i marathoned this series and if you’re like me and love medical dramas this really hits the spot

Hakozume: Tatakau! Koban Joshi (2021): its a lex rec! follows rookie police officer mai, who works in a police box in a rural town. she is thinking about quitting before meeting seiko, a former ace detective who has been sent to the police box. the two team up to take care of their rural town.

Oretachi wa Abunakunai ~ Cool ni Saboru Keijitachi (2020): its a lex rec! follows two procrastinating detectives as they try and solves cases but get into nonsense bc they’re focusing on the non-investigating parts of the job.

Talio Fukushu Daiko no Futari (2020): i’ve only watched the first ep so does this belong here Who Knows but talio is about a lawyer and a conman teaming up to get justice and its @mostlyfate‘s fave drama so don’t take my word for how good it is take theirs LOL

Kounodori (2015): revolves around an obgyn facility, and doesn’t just focus on the doctors, but also the trials of pregnancy and how it effects new parents. its a great drama and covers issues that most other medical shows won’t touch

if you are brave and want to watch an asadora (but please do):

an asadora is a morning drama in japan. episodes are 15 minutes long, and shown in the morning every day of the week (or almost every day of the week). they range from about 120-150 episodes, but because of their length, in reality you’re only watching about 32-36 full hour length episodes (i think my math could be wrong). asadoras typically cover a hero or heroines full life, and deal with family, work, and whatever else is thrown their way

Okaeri Mone (2021): every single person who watched forecasting love and weather you were watching the WRONG weather drama bc this is it yall. this is it. momone (aka mone) is from a small island, and after high school begins working in an inland big city, where she eventually falls in love with weather forecasting (and a hot doctor). this drama mostly follows mone and her dedication to helping people through the weather, but it does cover some family members and her family friends, as well as the repercussions an old typhoon still has on the residents of kesennuma bay. this is a modern day set asadora, with the timeline catching up to 2021.

Natsuzora (2019): screaming crying throwing up watching okaeri mone and natsuzora back to back was a mistake bc they were the asadora standard and idk how anything will ever beat them tbh. natsuzora begins after the end of the second world war, and natsu (or heroine) is orphaned, along with her siblings, after her father dies in the war and her mother dies in a bombing attack. she begins living her with her fathers friend, who is a dairy farmer, and is originally planning to take over the farm before she decides to take her destiny in her own hands and moves to tokyo to become an animator. this is honestly a lovestory to the beginning of animation at its core, and the story revolves around natsu, her foster family and friends back home, as well as biological brother and the family she creates in tokyo. 10/10. fucking love this drama. the subs are messed up for the last two? weeks, but you torrent the subs for the last week and sync them to the raws. the drama starts right around 1946 and covers into the late 70′s? i could be incorrect with the dates but it covers the showa era.

if you’re even BRAVER and made it this far and want to watch toku:

did you watch power rangers of child? confused why some of the scenes looked out of place?? thats bc the footage is taken from super sentai. super sentai and kamen rider are basically 30 minute long 50 episode length shows that are just advertisements for kids toys yet somehow have made me cry harder than any other show <3 it can be daunting bc theres so many seasons so these are just my opinions on where to start

Gokaiger (2011): it’s a anniversary season, and they were able to get So Many older actors back for the episodes corresponding to their seasons. it has baby yamada yuki, ot6 pirates, and its a great way to gauge what other seasons you want to watch that are older than gokaiger. gokaiger is what made me watch magiranger (banging 10/10)

Lupinranger vs Patranger (2018): its thieves vs cops but tbh the cops are always on the backburner (sorry pats it is what it is). also the reds are in love with each other (they kissed in the liveshow we’re not making it up!!!)

Kamen Rider Fourze (2011): kamen rider and sentai air together, and this was gokaigers pair. its a glee ripoff in terms of sterotypes, but its literally 10x better. featuring a baby fukushi sota and yoshizawa ryo fourze is literally about utilizing the power of friendship to defeat boomers. 10/10

[kdramalands]

year-end drama recommendation

Another year has passed. I hope you all have been well in 2021.

Some things happened in my life this year - some good, some worse, some things I overly enjoyed, and some things I will regret. But I'm here now. Spring passed, then summer, then autumn, and a few days ago Christmas came and went in a green&red glittery flurry. I barely even noticed how I've arrived from Christmas 2020 to this moment, another YER on my mostly-inactive-this-year blog.

I present to you 4 fun jdramas I watched during 2021. I will be posting one recommendation every day starting from today, 28th of December, and ending it on the 31st of December, New Year’s Eve. I hope my propositions will be well received; and maybe a few of you will be interested in watching some of them? Now, I proudly present!

1. Kieta Hatsukoi (2021)

10 eps, 24 min each

If something could crack my cold dead heart, this drama would be the most likely candidate to do it. This drama feels like home, and I'm sure I will be coming back to it a handful of times when the going gets tough.

This drama is a whole festival of misunderstandings that turned out better than expected. It's a simple and cute Boys Love jdrama about young people exploring their feelings and relationships.

Kieta Hatsukoi is full of sweetness, shyness, and typical for Japanese media cliches. It's a straightforward romance, but doesn't loose on important discussions like prejudice against same-sex couples, side characters' depth, their relationships, as well as clear portrayal of healthy boundaries and strong support systems within groups of friends. We get well-built characters and foolproof fun in exchange for 4 hours of our time, which sounds like a great deal to me.

Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4

[woo-do-hwan]

The June Review

Dramas & Films I watched in June

The Romance of Tiger and Rose (2020) [9.5 out of 10]

I finally watched this so I could stop avoiding spoilers and tbh it did not disappoint. I finished this in about 2 days and I honestly don’t know what to do with myself now. I might have to start calling Lu Si the comedy queen because of the one heck of the performance she put on. I also loved the chemistry between the leads and by ep 10, it was so obvious the male lead was so in love with her, my heart just burst for them. The couple also reminded me of Donghua & Fengjiu in some instances bc Han Shuo is whipped for his woman just like Donghua is. Anyway... I might have to go rewatch this bc I feel empty inside now. 

My Dear Lady (2020) [6.5 out of 10]

I watched this curiously because of the summary but it seems most of the plot happened towards the end of the drama and by the end it felt rushed. I also got bored often watching most of this but the acting was still good. 

Kore Wa Keihi de Ochimasen! (2019) [8.5 out of 10]

I do truly enjoy watching some jdramas bc they’re just 10 episodes with no exaggerated or lengthy plot line and this was exactly it. It also had the subtle romance plot which doesn’t take the majority of the 10 eps which I quite enjoyed. And pretty much each ep came with a different story which I also loved with odd exception of the romance plot and the two last episodes. 

Kleun Cheewit (2017) [7.5 out of 10]

This isn’t my first lakorn and it certainly won’t be my last either. The chemistry between the two leads were amazing. I’m not sure what else to say... felt like they dragged out some parts and some things were a little so-so but good drama. 

Mystic Pop Up Bar (2020) [9.0 out of 10]

This is probably one of the best dramas I’ve watched this year, at first I wasn’t planning on watching it but I decided to give it a try and little did I know, I was going to be hooked two episodes in. I did mostly watch it for the back story (with the young actors) and I hope when they’re older they might consider doing another drama together. But I’m a sucker for tragedy & angst which I also try to avoid most of the time going into dramas (this is a very odd combo). The plot was great. A great drama, and I notice this also applies to books, when the audience guesses and already knows of the plot twists before they are revealed. It’s quite satisfying when all the pieces fall into place and that is exactly what happened. Mystic Pop Up Bar also kept it light-hearted bc you needed the humour after watching some of the angsty scenes, phew. 

Someday or One Day (2019) [8.5 out of 10]

I guess you could say this is a murder mystery for most of the episodes. The twist and turns are quite unexpected and I quite enjoyed watching. Greg Hsu could have my heart any day of the week. (this list is getting longer and longer with each passing day)

Want More 19 (2018) [7.0 out of 10]

A short web drama. I mean... the main reason I was here was for Day6′s OST ‘Chocolate’ It’s a great song. Also an amazing band. Again, it’s just a breather in between long-winded dramas. 

The Legend of White Snake (2019) [7.0 out of 10]

I know I said below another drama review that I had changed my ways and don’t skip through things now. Well... I skipped through this one mainly because I got fed up and bored, this consistently lasted through a whole chunk of eps. So I kind of skipped to the end... I didn’t miss much if I’m being honest and I wasn’t a fan of the ending. 

Tokyo Tarareba Musume (2017) [8.5 out of 10]

I went through a phase of watching dramas but regretted not paying enough attention to them the first time I watched them, either by skipping through the episode or just missing out episodes in general. Now that I’ve changed my ways and want to fully appreciate dramas, no matter how good or bad, I decided to rewatch this. There’s nothing better than watching Sakaguchi Kentaro be an angsty af man. Anyway, I enjoyed this very much. Jdramas have a lovely charm about them by not being too long and don’t drag out the storyline either. 

Good Casting (2020) [8.0 out of 10]

A better title for this show would be Chan Mi and her sidekicks... I wasn’t really a big fan of her character. She was literally everywhere & I think that’s where the plot falls... maybe I would have liked it more if we actually had a chance at seeing more of the other main characters. I think I was trying so hard to find a reason to like it but there wasn’t much to like about it. The premise of it sounded so appealing but again, it was just another drama that fell short. 

When My Love Blooms (2020) [7.5 out of 10]

Let’s be real here... I was watching this for Park Jinyoung & Jeon So Nee, I don’t know about you all. Honestly... I felt like Jinyoung & Jeon So Nee’s storyline would have worked well in a standalone drama. That would be quite interesting to see. Anyway, great chemistry between those two as well. I can’t say much for the present day storyline, easiest way to put it, I didn’t like it. But I suppose it’s what I get for a melodrama with the added extra drama tag. (Note to self, stop watching melodramas) 

My Woofy Poofy Love (2018) [8.0 out of 10]

It’s quite refreshing to watch short web dramas like this in between heavy dramas. You are angst free while watching fluffy web dramas. This was pure sweetness and very uplifting to watch, especially because I’ve been watching some heavy dramas recently. 

Where Your Eyes Linger (2020) [10 out of 10] (BL)

I’ve never given out a 10 before, they’re rare, extremely rare. Perfect actors, perfect length of episodes, perfect storyline. I loved it. I loved the way it reeled you in the first couple of episodes, with the fluff and the humour, then it eased you in and gave you a taste of the angst to come before completely ripping your heart out. And they gave us a kiss! A KISS! It was one of the softest kisses ever. PLEASE GIVE US SEASON 2... Ahem. At the moment, it is one of the best dramas I have seen this year. (I’m going to have to compile a list at the end of year of the best dramas, aren’t I? There’s bound to be more than one, Mystic Pop Up Bar is heading for a Best Drama crown this year too) Anyway. Go watch it, it’s worth it. 

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) [7.5 out of 10]

Okay, if you follow me, you’ll know I was watching this for Woo Do Hwan and also Kim Kyung Name (you might have not known that one) and the queen Kim Go Eun. I mean it’s definitely not the best drama I’ve seen all year, it’s only June, there’s plenty of time for another drama to come out and impress everyone. But with this one... there was nothing really keeping me there except those three. My interest did peak around the middle episodes but died down quickly after. I wasn’t in love with Kim Go Eun/Lee Min Ho pairing but that’s just me, certain episodes they clicked with me and others they didn’t. I wanted more out of that final ep but I don’t at the same time. I wanted to see more of everyone’s life instead of the brief snippets we got, not to be biased but I wanted more to see more of Jo Yeong. I guess you take what you can get... we were teased with so much, the excellent cast, the hype for it and having a well known writer behind it but having watched it, it was a big let down, for me at least. 

Born Again (2020) [7.0 out of 10]

For an overall mystery/crime/fantasy/melodrama drama (If we can call it that) it wasn’t that bad... if we exclude the horror of the romance plot. The writer glorified what Jang Ki Yong’s characters did and that was not okay, he clearly needed help. Main Female lead ended up with the wrong guy. Lee Soo Hyuk deserves better. The stylist and him need a raise for his outfits during the later episodes when his past self takes over his current body because hot damn he was pulling that off better than any other character I’ve seen in a suit. 

My Holo Love (2020) [8.0 out of 10]

I loved the beginning of the drama but my interest died down after the plot was revealed (an evil man wanting the AI)... but I did however love the last scene of the series, that was a nice way to end it. 

Novoland: The Castle In the Sky (2016) [7.5 out of 10]

I just struggled to get into the storyline, I’m not sure whether to go back and watch the “happy ending” (ep 29) because I was fine with how they ended things. 

Maybe, Maybe Not (2019) [8.0 out of 10]

This a web drama, sweet and short ^.^

Long Time No See (2017) (BL) [8.5 out of 10]

This is just a short little drama, I loved the chemistry between the leads and it was very action packed for the few episodes it had. 

Snow Flower (2019) [Movie] [7.0 out of 10]

There is just something about Japanese movies... and sometimes dramas. It’s hard to explain, where they can be the most melancholic and beautifully filmed thing. It’s the odd feeling I get when I’m drinking coffee and it’s raining outside and I’m just overwhelmed and feeling nostalgic. Have you ever watched a film where you thought it was good, not extremely good, just good and not really have any qualms with it. This was the movie. Setting itself to be a sad movie with it’s summary surrounding terminal illness, but it’s hardly reflected upon. It focuses more on the romantic side of things which I didn’t mind. If you’ve got 2 hours to kill then it might be worth the watch.

Secretly, Greatly (2013) [Movie] [8.0 out of 10]

Worth a watch. It’s a good spy action movie with the comedy elements added into it as well. 

[luna-rainbow]

jdrama scriptwriters

It's only recently I've started noting some scriptwriters keep popping up for shows I like. Many big production (especially multi-season) shows would have a different scriptwriter responsible for different episodes. For many others, the scriptwriter's style is defining for the drama and is often predictive of the story's quality. Here's a few names I've noticed over the last few years.

Hayashi Kouji - Iryuu series, Boss series, Code Blue series (seasons 1 and 2) etc. The 2000s dramas were his highlight. All 3 series named above were quick-paced and snappy, and he handled ensemble casts very well. Each character was well-defined in their personalities, preferences and motivations. The plot was generally well-researched and tight, with multiple things happening at once but generally able to keep hold of loose ends. His more recent dramas have been less interesting. Doro-Kei was funny but a bit too unbelievable, and Top Knife was unusually bland. My forever regret will be him not writing a full series of IMAT no Kiseki.

Nogi Akiko - Lucky Seven, NigeHaji, Unnatural etc Nogi Akiko's CV is interesting. On the one hand you have quirkly manga/novel adaptations like Juuhan Shuttai!, Nigeru ha haji daga yaku ni tatsu, Okitegami Kyouko no Bibouroku and on the other hand some fast-paced police procedurals in Lucky Seven, Unnatural, and MIU404. While her original slice-of-life series Kemono ni narenai watashitachi was bitter and a difficult watch, she has really come into her own in the police procedurals. Both Unnatural and MIU404 have cases that highly reflective and musing of human character, and is able to strike an emotional key where many procedurals don't. They also characteristically have a main plot which drops small hints throughout the first parts of the series, and makes it a fun watch to keep the clues in mind week to week.

Kaneko Shigeki - Propose Daisakusen, Summer Nude, Sekai hito muzukashii koi This guy came up with a bunch of well-received rom-coms in the 2000s, but he's actually great at doing slice of life and finding meaning in the mundane. I have fond memories of the much under-appreciated Voice, about a group of pathology trainees: the cases were so ordinary yet so very relatable. Boku Unmei no hito desu and Momi keshite fuyu were both a bit of a difficult watch, but Ore no hanashi wa nagai was surprisingly homely, just like sitting down and listening to your family rant for an hour each week. Slightly annoying but somewhat endearing, just like most of our unexciting lives.

Mutou Shougo - HanaKimi (2007), Kazoku Game, Kaitou Yamaneko, 3 nen A gumi - imakara minnasan wa, hitojichi desu I thought I'd make mention of this guy because his tone is so recognisable. It's hyperbolic and slightly deranged, and with vivid social commentary. His story-telling style is as close as you'd get to Japanese anime, but he knows how to take advantage of the live action media and make the story seem grounded in reality.

[dreamingsnowflake2013]

Dreamingsnowflake’s 2016 year-end shout-out

Another year in Dramaland is over and what a year it was! LITERALLY MAGICAL as it was a year of reincarnations and love stories transcending time and space. It will definitely go down as one of the very best of years, making up for the abysmal 2015.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (AKA the drama with 2 episodes worth of deleted scenes)

Never have I watched a drama that would frustrate me so nor one which would be so full of contrasts (and DELETED SCENES!) - at times brilliant while at others donwright awful (the last 2,5 episodes need rewriting) be it the writing, acting or directing. Though, there was ONE THING that was UNFAILINGLY AWFUL from the beginning to the very (HEARTWRENCHING AND INCOMPLETE) end - THE EDITING. The acting ranged from bad to mediocre to one unforgettable performance that outshined everything - Lee Joon Gi’s mesmerizing portrayal of Prince Wang So. Wang So’s undying love for his lover and his chemistry with Lee Ji Eun created a love story for the ages (even if the last 2,5 episodes made me lose all the love and sympathy I had for Hae Soo). Whether you love Moon Lovers or hate it, it never felt boring and it always managed to inspire strong emotions. The story was never happy to begin with - there was so much pain, suffering, tears, emotions, hate, love, regrets, disappointments and imperfections - YET I WILL FOREVER LOVE IT, ALL OF IT!

 The Legend of the Blue Sea

Has there ever been a more tragic story than that of Kim Dam Ryung and his beloved Se Hwa? Has there ever been a tale about a love so great, yet so sad? A sad and hidden love story which has begun 400 years, will the star-crossed lovers get the happiness they deserve? Those are the questions only 2017 can answer. From all the fantasy dramas, LotBS is the one which resembles a fairy tale the most, yet at the same time it feels so real. JJH and LMH are simply amazing and The Second Moon and Lee Sun Hee OSTs create the perfect background for the magical story. 

Goblin: The Lonely and Great God

After the disappointments that were Heirs and The Descendants of the Sun, Kim Eun Sook has once again showed her brilliance. Though, the Goblin OTP completely lacks in the chemistry and romantic department, the rest of the drama makes up for it, including the secondary OTP and the bromance.

Suki Na Hito Ga Iru Koto

After so many years, a great jdrama rom-com! FINALLY! 

Kurosaki-kun No Iinari Ni Nante Naranai

I still can’t believe this movie (+ 2-part SP) is real! I mean a teenage romance with open-mouthed kisses and HICKEYS! MY FAVOURITE HIGH-SCHOOL ROMANCE IN JDRAMALAND!

Nobunaga Concerto The Movie

SIMPLY EPIC! It contains everything I missed in the drama. I’ve re-watched it 4 times, and each time I ended up crying during the final 5 minutes. All hail SHUN OGURI - one of the best actors Japan ever had!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!!!