Comments on: What's hot in Japanese drama?

Question: What's hot in Japanese drama?

smilingtiger — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:08:13 -0800

What are the recent most popular Japanese dramas?

When I lived in Japan many years ago, friends got me hooked on Toyoetsu dramas Aishiteiru to Ittekure and Aoi Tori, and I've been suffering fits of nostalgia watching them again. What are the recent most popular Japanese dramas (of 2011/12)? I miss Japan, and I would love to know what's popular there now. (I'd prefer ones with English subtitles, but I'm guessing the super popular ones shouldn't be too hard to find with subs.) Thanks!

By: KokuRyu

KokuRyu — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:34:16 -0800

Ghost Mama Sousasen

By: misozaki

misozaki — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:06:46 -0800

The two biggies from last year:

Kaseifu no Mita
Marumo no Okite

And a must-see personal fave:

Carnation

Popular and well-received from this year:

Legal High

Plus a few that weren't "popular" but really good all the same:

The Brave "Yoshihiko" and Great Satan's Castle
Clover
Yamikin Ushijima-kun (link to Wikipedia, but there's a TV drama and movie starring Takayuki Yamada.)
Moteki (Wikipedia link. Live action TV series in 2010, movie in 2011)
Suzuki Sensei (link to movie, but was an award-winning TV series last year.)
Arakawa Under the Bridge (live action TV series and movie in 2011)

No, I don't work for TV Tokyo. They've just been really good drama-wise recently.

By: sazanka

sazanka — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:21:52 -0800

I loved loved loved "Aishiteiru to Ittekure". That's what made me a Toyoetsu fan. Well, that and "Love Letter".

For popular/well-regarded dramas, you might check the Japanese Television Drama Academy Awards lists.

For watching English-subbed Japanese dramas, check out Drama Crazy and Drama Fans. I used to have good luck with Crunchyroll and My Soju, but they have either gone in different directions or have gone offline.