魔王 / Maou

Title: 魔王 / Maou
Title translated: The Devil
Aired: 2008-Jul-04 to 2008-Sep-12
Genre: Suspense, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Ohno Satoshi as Naruse Ryo/Manaka Tomoo
• Ikuta Toma as Serizawa Naoto

DramaWiki's synopsis: This drama is a remake of the popular suspense drama The Devil that was aired in Korea last year. Ohno Satoshi will be playing the role of a two-faced lawyer, one of which is a kind hearted soul and the other who is plotting revenge, using his brilliant mind, on the person who killed his relative. On the other hand, Ikuta Toma will play the double lead role of the man, who has become a detective due to his dark past, who is pursuing the mysterious series of murders and fighting against the devil.

Thoughts: Superb drama. Suspense-filled throughout the entire 11 episodes. Loved the brilliance of Naruse in how he crafts the entire murder, then successfully gets an acquittal for the defendant. Getting his revenge right under the eyes of law! Ohno did an excellent portrayal of Naruse, showing the conflicting emotions between revenge and morals. Ikuta also did a commendable portrayal of Serizawa, struggling with his past and present. In short, a superb drama! Did I say this already?

メイちゃんの執事 / Mei-chan no Shitsuji

Title: メイちゃんの執事 / Mei-chan no Shitsuji
Title translated: Mei-chan's butler
Aired: 2009-Jan-13 to 2009-Mar-17
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 10

• Eikura Nana as Shinonome Mei
  
• Mizushima Hiro as Shibata Rihito
• Sato Takeru as Shibata Kento

DramaWiki's synopsis: The story revolves around a young woman named Mei, who was rescued as a young girl by someone calling himself her "butler." With only a vague memory, though, the experience seems like just a dream. But one day, after her parents' accidental death, he appears: Rihito comes from a line of outstanding butlers, and he has been appointed to serve her! Now her ordinary life has completely flipped, as she discovers that she's actually the heiress to a fortune, and is forced to transfer to St. Lucia Girls' Academy, where all the students have butlers! As a result, her childhood friend Kento decides to enroll in a butler school so that he can stay close to her.

Thoughts: Rihito is awesome. Mei is too big-sized. In the manga, she is much smaller-sized than Rihito, but look at that banner above- she's as tall as him! And she's also less cute. In short, I like this drama because I'm a sucker for butler-related things, plus this drama has some semblance of a decent storyline. Only gripe is Mei's character portrayal.

絶対彼氏 / Zettai Kareshi

Title: 絶対彼氏 / Zettai Kareshi
Title translated: Absolute Boyfriend
Aired: 2008-Apr-15 to 2008-Jun-24
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Hayami Mokomichi as Tenjo Night
• Mizushima Hiro as Asamoto Soshi
• Aibu Saki as Izawa Riiko

DramaWiki's synopsis: Robot maker, Kronos Heaven, finally develops "Night Tenjo", the perfect male humanoid programmed to be devoted and completely loyal to his lover. The company chooses temp worker Izawa Riko to take part in a 5-day free trial. At first, Riko only sees Night as a household appliance. But when she finds out how deep Night's devotion to herself is, Riko finds herself falling in love with him. Joining the love triangle is Asamoto Soshi, a distinguished young executive at her company who has feelings for her.

Thoughts: I was following the manga of this drama so faithfully, yet it ended so tragically. (read: author gave a slip-shod, crappy ending) I was hoping for this drama to make up for some part of the imcompleteness, but it didn't really happen. I didn't even feel like Riiko even liked Night at the end! Hayami made a perfect Night. Mizushima caught my attention as well. But Riiko... could have been much better. Watch only for the eye candy that is the 2 male actors.

のだめカンタービレ / Nodame Cantabile

Title: のだめカンタービレ / Nodame Cantabile
Aired: 2006-Oct-16 to 2006-Dec-25
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Ueno Juri as Noda Megumi aka Nodame (Piano)
  • Morisako Ei as young Nodame
• Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi (Piano/Violin/Conducting)
  • Fujita Reo (藤田玲央) as young Chiaki

DramaWiki's synopsis: Based on the hit comic book by Tomoko Ninomiya, this is a fun-filled quirky romantic story of two very opposite people.

Megumi Noda, or “Nodame” is a piano student at Momogaoka College of Music. An extremely talented pianist who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, she prefers playing by ear rather than reading the music score. She is messy and disorganized, takes baths several days apart and loves to eat, sometimes stealing her friend’s lunchbox when it is filled with delicacies.

Shinichi Chiaki, is Momogaoka’s top student. Born into a musical family, he is talented in piano and violin and has secret ambitions to become a conductor. An arrogant multi-lingual perfectionist who once lived abroad in the music capitals of the world as a young boy, he feels mired in Japan because of a childhood phobia.

They meet by accident. Nodame quickly falls in love, but it takes much longer for Chiaki to even begin to appreciate Nodame’s unusual qualities. Their relationship causes them both to develop and grow. Because of Nodame, Chiaki got the opportunity to lead a student orchestra and begins to have a broader appreciation of people's musical abilities. Because of Chiaki, Nodame faces her fears and enters a piano competition. Opportunities open up as both begin taking risks, stretching themselves far more than they ever thought possible.

Thoughts: Excellent drama! Good balance of the storyline, character development and humor all in one. Nodame is absolutely lovable, and Chiaki? Just made of awesome. Even NPB says so, and he's a guy!

花ざかりの君たちへ / Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

Title: 花ざかりの君たちへ / Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Title translated: For you in full blossom
Aired: 2007-Jul-03 to 2007-Sep-18
Genre: Comedy, School, Romance
Episodes: 12

• Horikita Maki as Ashiya Mizuki
• Oguri Shun as Sano Izumi
• Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu Shuichi

DramaWiki's synopsis: Based on a popular comic, this hilarious comedy follows the chaos, troubles and friendship at a boys’ boarding school after a girl-disguising-a-boy joins. Ashiya Mizuki has just come back to Japan from California where she was raised. She fell in love with Sano Izumi, a hopeful high jump hero, who has quit after an accident. As she wants him to go back to the sport once again, she enters the same high school as a boy! With a short hair, flattened chest and lowered voice, she starts sharing the same room with Sano.

Thoughts: Didn't really enjoy this so much. Somehow wasn't able to feel for the storyline. But I loved Nakatsu! Absolutely hilarious and adorable.

花より男子 / Hana Yori Dango 1 & 2

Title: 花より男子 / Hana Yori Dango
Title translated: Boys over flowers
Aired: 2005-Oct-21 to 2005-Dec-16
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 9

• Inoue Mao as Makino Tsukushi
• Matsumoto Jun as Domyoji Tsukasa
• Oguri Shun as Hanazawa Rui
• Matsuda Shota as Nishikado Sojiro
• Abe Tsuyoshi as Mimasaka Akira

DramaWiki's synopsis: Makino Tsukushi is the only poor student at Eitoku Gakuen, the school of the ridiculously rich and privileged that is ruled by Flower 4 or F4, a group of four boys who come from extremely powerful families: Domyoji Tsukasa, the leader and heir of the Domyoji World Finance Group; Hanazawa Rui, the introverted son of a large company; Nishikado Sojiro, a player who is the heir of a tea ceremony school; and Mimasaka Akira, a madam killer with ties to the underground. If a student gets on the F4’s bad side, he/she gets a red notice and is bullied and driven out of school.

Makino hopes to pass her days quietly-- without drawing any attention to herself-- but one day, she stands up to Domyoji in defense of her friend. The next day, Makino gets the dreaded red notice. Even though she is harassed, Makino decides to keep going to school because she is a “tough weed”. She declares war right back on the F4. Her resolve gets the attention of her crush Hanazawa Rui and oddly enough, rouses romantic feelings in her worst enemy, Domyoji Tsukasa.

The series is based on the Japanese shoujo manga "Hana Yori Dango" (Boys Before Flowers) by Kamio Yoko.

Thoughts: Finally! Something to stand up to the crappy Taiwan version. All of them suit the characters well, especially Matsumoto for Tsukasa.

Title: 花より男子２ / Hana Yori Dango 2
Title translated: Boys over flowers
Aired: 2007-Jan-05 to 2007-Mar-16
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 11

• Inoue Mao as Makino Tsukushi
• Matsumoto Jun as Domyoji Tsukasa
• Oguri Shun as Hanazawa Rui
• Matsuda Shota as Nishikado Sojiro
• Abe Tsuyoshi as Mimasaka Akira

DramaWiki's synopsis: This second season of Hana Yori Dango picks up right after Domyoji leaves for New York. After confessing to Domyoji, Makino has not spoken to him for a year. Rui and the other members of F4 try and help Makino meet Domyoji again by going to New York for the christmas holidays. Though F4 and Makino meet Domyoji again, he has become a completely different person, and so they leave for Japan.

Some time later, Domyoji's mother annouces that they will be returning to Japan. There, they hold a giant super-rich and classy birthday party for Domyoji and announce something very important. Domyoji, like in the first season, is engaged to a rich girl and heir. The only difference is that they are to be wed soon. What will Makino do?

On the side, Rui begins to fall in love with Makino... will this become a love... square?

Thoughts: RUI. IS. LOVE.

僕だけのマドンナ / Boku dake no Madonna

Title: 僕だけのマドンナ / Boku dake no Madonna
Title translated: You are my only Madonna
Aired: 2003-Jul-07 to 2003-Sep-15
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 11

• Takizawa Hideaki as Suzuki Kyouichi
• Hasegawa Kyoko as Kataoka Surumi

DramaWiki's synopsis: Kyoichi Suzuki is an average college student in his junior year. Although he's not in one of the top universities, he's satisfied with his college life studying architecture. Kyoichi left home and is finally on his own, living in a beat-up apartment in Tokyo. However, this apartment building is home to some out-of-the-ordinary residents, who are always bugging Kyoichi. His next-door neighbor hits Kyoichi up for a loan when he finds out that Kyoichi just got paid. His other next- door neighbor who works at a nightclub, always calls Kyoichi, demanding him to come pick her up, because she's so drunk. Other than that, Kyoichi is satisfied with his normal life, until he meets a girl one day...

Kyoichi comes home from his part-time job as a night-time security guard. He returns to his room to find a girl sleeping on his bed-a girl he has never seen before. She looks a bit older than Kyoichi, and is quite beautiful. Kyoichi can't believe his eyes.

Kyoichi closes the door, and goes outside to the entrance of the apartment, to make sure he's in the right apartment and room. There's no mistake. He returns inside...but the girl is gone.There's nobody in his room. Was it just his imagination? Was he hallucinating? Kyoichi can't understand what just happened.

Later, he discovers that something is missing from his grocery bag-the Chinese noodles he was looking forward to eating are gone...

This is how Kyoichi first meets Surumi Kataoka. After they meet, Surumi continues living in Kyoichi's room.

She points to an apartment visible from Kyoichi's room, and says that the guy living there dumped her for another girl. Surumi says that she's waiting to check out the girl she was dumped for. Kyoichi doesn't know if he ought to believe her or not.

All Kyoichi knows is that while Surumi is such a charming girl, the expression on her face is sad at times.

Kyoichi is not that disappointed about sharing his room with a cute girl. He starts to think that this lifestyle may go on forever, until one day, Surumi suddenly disappears-just like the day she suddenly appeared. All she leaves for Kyoichi are unanswered questions.

Thoughts: Kyoichi is the main character, but easily the most boring. The other residents in the block are slightly off the loop, but plenty funny, and Surumi is spontaneous, fun and GORGEOUS. I enjoyed this drama mostly watching her :D

魔女の条件 / Majo no Jouken

Title: 魔女の条件 / Majo no Jouken
Title translated: Witch's requirement / Forbidden love
Aired: 1999-Apr-08 to 1999-Jun-17
Genre: Romance, Human Drama
Episodes: 11

• Matsushima Nanako as Hirose Michi
• Takizawa Hideaki as Kurosawa Hikaru

DramaWiki's synopsis: Michi, a 26 year old high school math teacher, tentatively accepts her boyfriend's proposal of marriage, uncertain of her love for him but feeling pressure from her father and society to do what is expected of her. Hikaru, a 17 year old boy frustrated by his home life with his single mother and having been expelled from many high schools for bad behavior, enters Michi's class as a new transfer student. As their relationship grows they realize that they both feel that they have lost themselves to the pressures of those around them, and it is this common bond that draws them dangerously close. What follows is a heart-wrenching story of forbidden love where Michi must face society's judgement for corrupting a minor, abandoning her fiance, and disappointing her parents and co-workers.

Thoughts: This is quite a depressing drama from beginning to end, but touches on real and often hushed up topics- societal pressures and forbidden love. Sometimes the situation feels so hopeless you feel like switching off the monitor to escape it. But on the other hand, you want to know what happens, if the fates of the protagonists will improve. The acting is commendable, especially for young Takizawa.

ストロベリー・オンザ・ショートケーキ / Strawberry on the Shortcake

Title: ストロベリー・オンザ・ショートケーキ / Strawberry on the Shortcake
Aired: 2001-Jan-12 to 2001-Mar-16
Genre: Human drama, Romance
Episodes: 12

• Takizawa Hideaki as Irie Manato
• Fukada Kyoko as Misawa Yui

DramaWiki's synopsis: At some point, Irie Manato began to withdraw himself from the world. Even when picked on, it's not the real Irie, but an act. However one day he meets a strange girl - Misawa Yui. Yui, who finds the tedium of everyday life unbearable, teases Manato with her almost too upfront and honest manner. Alone and afraid Manato wavers but finds himself drawn to her. But his feelings for Yui are doomed to be unrequited.

Thoughts: Another drama I watched very much earlier. No real storyline to it, except to show the relationships between the different people in the show.

イタズラなKiss / Itazura na Kiss

Title: イタズラなKiss / Itazura na Kiss
Title translated: Teasing kiss
Aired: 1996-Oct-14 to 1996-Dec-16
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 9

• Sato Aiko as Aihara Kotoko
• Kashiwabara Takashi as Irie Naoki

DramaWiki's synopsis: Late for a meeting, Kotoko was running along the corridor in school and bumped into Naoki, their lips meeting. Naoki showed his disgust, but Kotoko started to idolise him, who was good at everything from studies to sports. When Kotoko's house burned down, her father's good friend Machiko invited them to move in with her family. It was then that Kotoko realised Naoki was the elder son of Machiko, who took up the role of a fairy-godmother to bring the two together...despite the fact that Naoki was disgusted. Not discouraged, the clumsy and not-so-bright Kotoko started to do everything that would change her impression on him. Gradually, the icy-cold Naoki who disliked girls started to feel for Kotoko...

Thoughts: Sato Aiko was excellent as Kotoko, and Kashiwabara was awesome as Naoki. But the drama didn't portray the feelings Naoki had for Kotoko too well. The manga and anime showed it far better. But I still liked this as it was one of the earliest jdramas I caught and the memories I had. This one involved pulling an all-nighter with traditional chinese subtitles in the company of my best pals.