Recommend J-Dramas (Ask for suggestions here)

Discuss Japanese drama series here.
sunflower63
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Post by sunflower63 » Jan 1st, '13, 17:52

I absolutely loved Jin and Jin 2. They are Japanese period dramas and if you don't mind a few very detailed medical scenes, they are masterpieces.

steev-sama
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Post by steev-sama » Jan 4th, '13, 02:16

It seems like every year I ask the same question.. I like JDrama, but I never have the time to watch it anymore, so I want to know if there are any good drama's that have been released in the last year that are worth watching. I tend to watch the previous year's drama over the course of the year when I do find free time. I did manage to watch one drama from last year, Rich man, Poor Woman. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I ask for suggestions cause it is kind of hard sorting through the subs finding what has actually been finished and it is always best to ask fellow fans what is good.

I like all kinds of drama, but the ones with comedy mixed in tend to be my favorite. The only type I dislike is overly melodramatic stuff.

Anyway, thanks for any suggestions!

Strife91
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Post by Strife91 » Jan 13th, '13, 02:24

I would like some recommendations as well. I'm looking for something more serious. No fangirl stuff. I want serious or controversial themes.

http://mydramalist.info/user/2253/strife91

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Post by Keiko1981 » Jan 13th, '13, 07:17

Strife91 wrote:I would like some recommendations as well. I'm looking for something more serious. No fangirl stuff. I want serious or controversial themes.

http://mydramalist.info/user/2253/strife91
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Mother
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kou_Kou_Kyoushi
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kono_yo_no_Hate
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Seija_no_Koushin
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Last_Friends

ooyoo
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Post by ooyoo » Jan 13th, '13, 09:36

Hm... as far as serious storylines go, these might interest you:

A Million Stars Fall from the Sky
Maou (Johnny's cast, yes, but give it a chance. Or watch the original Korean version!)
Mitsu no Aji (interesting in the way driving by a car wreck is interesting...)
Nagareboshi
Unfair
Ashita no Kita Yoshio

Nemesis4
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Post by Nemesis4 » Jan 21st, '13, 20:02

Hi all,
I am looking for series that are set in the Asakusa area in Tokyo.
Ive been there and I love to see the area again in a serie.
Im starting Asakusa Fukumaru for that reason, and totally love tiger and dragon (as a good series and because it plays in Asakusa).
Type of drama can be all; comedy, drama, thriller.

I hope there are more series that play in the Asakusa area.
Thanks in advance!
Rebecca

arakira
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Post by arakira » Jan 21st, '13, 20:17

@Nemesis4 try Ando Natsu. It's a nice slice of life drama bout a wagashi maker in Asakusa.

Deleted User 111438

Criminal/Detective Recs

Post by Deleted User 111438 » Jan 21st, '13, 22:33

I watched Guilty Akuma to Keiyakushita Onna (what a mouthful!) and I really liked the romance between the two leads. For those that haven't watched it- the female lead is looking for revenge and the male lead is a detective trying to stop her. I like forbidden romances like these where the leads are on opposite sides (esp. on opp sides of the law) but can't help falling for each other. I don't care if it is a movie or drama. It also doesn't have to be a specific nationality (I posted in JDrama because Guilty is Japanese). I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.

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Re: Criminal/Detective Recs

Post by kitty10 » Jan 22nd, '13, 21:14

amourexdile wrote:I watched Guilty Akuma to Keiyakushita Onna (what a mouthful!) and I really liked the romance between the two leads. For those that haven't watched it- the female lead is looking for revenge and the male lead is a detective trying to stop her. I like forbidden romances like these where the leads are on opposite sides (esp. on opp sides of the law) but can't help falling for each other. I don't care if it is a movie or drama. It also doesn't have to be a specific nationality (I posted in JDrama because Guilty is Japanese). I would greatly appreciate any recommendations.
This reminds me of a 1999 dorama called Koori no Sekai where the female lead played by Matsushima Nanako was being accused of murdering her previous fiances, and Takenouchi Yutaka was the insurance investigator on her tail, along with the police hot on her heels. Give that a try if you haven't seen it, is pretty good.

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Re: Criminal/Detective Recs

Post by RetroHelix » Jan 22nd, '13, 22:12

kitty10 wrote: This reminds me of a 1999 dorama called Koori no Sekai where the female lead played by Matsushima Nanako was being accused of murdering her previous fiances, and Takenouchi Yutaka was the insurance investigator on her tail, along with the police hot on her heels. Give that a try if you haven't seen it, is pretty good.
I second that. Iceworld was a very good drama.

Deleted User 111438

Post by Deleted User 111438 » Jan 23rd, '13, 01:40

Thanks for the suggestion! I've actually already watched Koori Sekai (Ice World) and I really enjoyed it. That's just the sort of thing that I am looking for.

shaolinmqnk
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Post by shaolinmqnk » Feb 2nd, '13, 14:18

i would like some recommendations about j-drama about food...

so fasr i've enjoyed kodoku no gurume, hungry, shinya shokudou, and osen
do you have any other tips?

thank you

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Post by ooyoo » Feb 3rd, '13, 13:20

shaolinmqnk wrote:i would like some recommendations about j-drama about food...
Bambino!
Lunch Queen
Teppanyaki Girl Akane
Antique
Shota no Sushi

midwest
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Post by midwest » Feb 6th, '13, 02:22

Looking for romcoms like Zenkai Girl and Brother Beat.

Piraiyah
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J-Drama about pregnancy/childcare?

Post by Piraiyah » Feb 8th, '13, 17:31

I am looking for series about pregnancy/parenting/childcare. Anyone want to recommend me some? =)

Thank you! <3

piyo-yurina
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Post by piyo-yurina » Feb 9th, '13, 16:44

how about Ryusai no kizuna?

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Post by Ethlenn » Feb 9th, '13, 16:47

How about asking in the right place instead of creating rec. topic?

timetraveller
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Post by timetraveller » Feb 10th, '13, 16:05

shaolinmqnk wrote:i would like some recommendations about j-drama about food...

so fasr i've enjoyed kodoku no gurume, hungry, shinya shokudou, and osen
do you have any other tips?

thank you
there's this j-dorama "dinner" and also "nobunaga no chef"

charia-chan
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Post by charia-chan » Feb 10th, '13, 18:50

Lunch Queen is one of my favorites about food.

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Post by Nykychan » Feb 10th, '13, 19:00

Hello!
I'm a little bit confused. Can you guys please recommend me some good sci-fi, horror, slice of life, arts asian movie, anime or live action? :)
I really need something like this now

freelife
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Post by freelife » Feb 11th, '13, 20:21

Hello everyone,
I've been absent from the j-drama world for two years, and last week I watched Rich Man Poor Woman and fell back in love with them. So, if anyone could recommend me any good dramas from 2011-2013, I'd be extremely grateful. =)

a666
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Post by a666 » Feb 15th, '13, 14:19

Hello, I'm very new to watching jdrama, all I have seen so far is Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Kimi wa Petto, Ouran High School Host Club and Nobuta wo Produce (and a few Super Sentai series).

Can people please recommend me other shows? My only main requirement is that whatever the series is, it has to have a happy ending - no main character deaths in the last episode please.

Additionally, and a bit more specifically, but these things aren't essential, I'd be interested in any show that has incest as one of its themes (but, consensually and with happy ending), and anything that's "slashy" - not necessarily yaoi or shounen ai, and the characters don't have to actually be gay or anything, just a bit grope-happy (like Shuji and Akira in Nobuta wo Produce, and all of them in OHSHC). Or with twins in. Or strong girls/ladies who maybe some misfortune befalls them, but in the end they get the guy (if they want one) and it all ends nicely.

(And preferably without much/any of women being hit by men please.)

...So, I mean, if anyone can help with any of that, I'd be grateful. Thanks =)))

coolcolombo
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Post by coolcolombo » Feb 16th, '13, 18:13

Hey guys, I need a j-drama to really stick my teeth into.

I just finished watching a k-drama called 'I'm Sorry, I Love You.' loved it. I'm a sucker for those emotional sorta dramas like that. So yeah I'm possibly looking for a drama with a similar sorta theme too it.

I also loved Hana Yori Dango, and Ohisama. So yeah, whatever you think would suit me best.

Arigatou Gozaimasu,

Sam

NoSkill
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Post by NoSkill » Feb 23rd, '13, 18:05

freelife wrote:Hello everyone,
I've been absent from the j-drama world for two years, and last week I watched Rich Man Poor Woman and fell back in love with them. So, if anyone could recommend me any good dramas from 2011-2013, I'd be extremely grateful. =)
Same for me... I stopped watching J-Dramas for a couple of years now because I didn't like the newer ones.

I just wanted to know if there are some new good J-Dramas out there that aired in the time between 2011 and 2013... I'm mostly looking for Drama/Romance

Any kind of recommendation is welcome!

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Post by RetroHelix » Feb 23rd, '13, 19:15

I only can think of Mother and Going My Home for very good 'recent' dramas. But Going My Home is certainly not for everyone and neither of them is a romantic.

antspace
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Post by antspace » Feb 23rd, '13, 21:29

Agree. I loved Mother too, and if you can take watching 10 episodes of nothing really happening in a very cool way, then Going My Home is definitely the thing to watch. The cast in that is incredible!
Also on the slice of live side: Saigo Kara no Nibanme Koi. Oh yeah, and Suzuki Sensei was great as well :thumright:

Thrillers: Soredemo Ikite Yuku. Probably the best drama I've seen at all. Very exciting! Shokuzai is another interesting series. Then there's Hitori Shizuka: Simply brilliant!

If you're interested in a more romantic drama, then I can recommend Hatsukoi and Osozaki no Himawari.

In other words, there are plenty of nice j-doramas made between 2011 and 2013. But it's all in the eye of the beholder, eh? :mrgreen:

NoSkill
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Post by NoSkill » Mar 2nd, '13, 14:48

Thanks for the recommendations but I don't think that these series will satisfy my taste.
I will give a Osozaki no Himawari a shot only because I'm desparate. xD

I think I killed J-Doramas for me... It's really funny first I started to dislike every new Anime series because I thought all of the new ones are bad then I started watching J-Doramas and after two years of hard core watching I had seen every good J-Dorama that was out there... then I was so desparate that I switched to K-Dramas and now I'm at the point where I can't find any good K-Dramas anymore.... I think if this goes on I won't be able to watch anything in the future anymore xD

I think the main problem is that I have seen all the good Dramas and I know how good they can be and I try to measure every new series on the basis of my favorite Dramas... I think this is a bad habit what stops me from finding new good Dramas... I should just give new series a chance...

If someone read until this point thank you ^^

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Post by antspace » Mar 2nd, '13, 20:11

Sounds complex. In your case I would either read a good book, or lower my standards and enjoy doramas without thinking too much :-)

GHmimi
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Post by GHmimi » Mar 30th, '13, 22:01

hi guys, I wish for someone to recommend me a good historical romance drama, something like Gou would be good

koitsu
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Post by koitsu » Mar 30th, '13, 22:09

NoSkill wrote:Thanks for the recommendations but I don't think that these series will satisfy my taste.
I will give a Osozaki no Himawari a shot only because I'm desparate. xD

I think I killed J-Doramas for me... It's really funny first I started to dislike every new Anime series because I thought all of the new ones are bad then I started watching J-Doramas and after two years of hard core watching I had seen every good J-Dorama that was out there... then I was so desparate that I switched to K-Dramas and now I'm at the point where I can't find any good K-Dramas anymore.... I think if this goes on I won't be able to watch anything in the future anymore xD

I think the main problem is that I have seen all the good Dramas and I know how good they can be and I try to measure every new series on the basis of my favorite Dramas... I think this is a bad habit what stops me from finding new good Dramas... I should just give new series a chance...

If someone read until this point thank you ^^
this is the point at which you switch to subbing shows yourself, lol. At least that is how I got there, though it took me quite a bit longer.

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Post by rootabega » Apr 1st, '13, 03:48

Ha, ha, you are speaking the truth, fellow d-addicts. If your first J-dorama is a great one, you can waste a lot of time "chasing the dragon's tail" to feel that initial "high" again. This is one of the reasons I am so grateful to the fansubbers who have to wade through a lot of crap when choosing what to sub. There is so much stuff out there that looks like it was made for $1.49. If you don't spend a lot of extra $$ on all the premium channels in Japan, you will be watching some eye-wateringly bad TV, that's for sure. :lol

P.S. What's lookin' good for spring J-doramas? I've been spoiled by ravenfrost's preview threads, so I am feeling a little lost.

charia-chan
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Post by charia-chan » Apr 1st, '13, 14:52

Has anyone recommendations for jdrama about lawschool/law suits and stuff?
I can onbly think of Tokujo Kabachi right now and was wondering if there are others.
Help would be greatly appreciated.

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Post by antspace » Apr 1st, '13, 15:10

@ Charia Chan: I really liked Bengoshi no Kuzu, Magerarenai Onna and lately Tokyo Zenryoku Shoujo...
All three are mangaesque and at times quite funny :-)

charia-chan
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Post by charia-chan » Apr 1st, '13, 15:20

thanks, antspace! I'm actually aking for a friend. She has studied law and has an job interview with a Japanese office next week, so she asked if I knew any dorama with a lot of talk about Japanese law, law school etc.
I'm not sure if she like the mangaesque type but I'll tell her to try.^^

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Post by antspace » Apr 1st, '13, 15:51

Ah! I don't know how useful they will be for her knowledge of Japanese law, but they're quite fun anyways. Magerarenai Onna is the most serious one then.

@Rootabeega
I think Sennyuu Tantei Tokage looks pretty interesting. The premise seems exciting and I think Matsuda Shota has really grown as an actor the last few years.
Most of all I’m looking forward to All Esper Dayo! By Shion Sono. I really like his work and consider Kaho a great talent, so really looking forward to their cooperation
:-)

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Post by rootabega » Apr 2nd, '13, 03:27

I second the Magerarenai Onna rec from antspace. Children would be another rec, but it seems as though there are no eng subs available.
Hey, antspace, thanks for the amazing leads. If I see the word "Tantei" in the title, I'll always check it out. :D
Nice to hear that about Matsuda Shota. I'm all about his older bro, but I love it when actors who are popular favourites stop coasting on looks and start taking some risks. Like Eita - throughout his Nadame/Waterboys screaming teen girls days, I was like "pffft". Then when he got married (the horror) and alienated the worst of his fans, and decided to honour the talent he has so clearly been given, I started thinking, "Eita - you're the man."
And Sono Sion?? Wow... "Love Exposure" was almost as long as a dorama :lol
You are my eyes and ears - thank you!

antspace
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Post by antspace » Apr 2nd, '13, 21:59

Wow! Thanks Rootabega (blush). Nice to see we've got similar taste in J-Drama (and music) 8) I'm actually a Nodame fan though. It got me in to J-dorama. But have to agree about Eita's role in that, a world apart from say, Soredemo Ikite Yuku or Saigou no Rikon!
Matsuda Shota is taking risks indeed. Take Hard Romanticker (not really recommended for extreme violence). It's one of the darkest films I've seen...
Much lighter is Don Quixotte. He´s heaps of fun as the softy social worker turning Yakuza.
:-) Afuro Tanaka is also pretty funny. He´s growing on me. By the way, when he was younger (before Hana Yori Dango) he was already very good in Nagai Sanpo, which is a very nice road movie.
Jeez, starting to sound like a shota fanboy now :P But, like his brother, he's got something.

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Post by rootabega » Apr 3rd, '13, 02:23

I might be biased towards Ryuhei-san because the first thing I saw him in was the award-winning "Gohatto", and unfortunately for Shota-san, the first thing I saw him in was "Jotei", which I'm pretty sure didn't win any prizes. :rofl:
In all seriousness, Shota-san is movin' on up there acting-wise.

kudokupo
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Post by kudokupo » Apr 4th, '13, 08:30

Can anyone think of a drama set in America? I'm watching an old one called oregon kara ai, and it's really cool seeing Oregon scenes and the Japanese/English interactions.

antspace
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Post by antspace » Apr 4th, '13, 19:17

rootabega wrote:I might be biased towards Ryuhei-san because the first thing I saw him in was the award-winning "Gohatto", and unfortunately for Shota-san, the first thing I saw him in was "Jotei", which I'm pretty sure didn't win any prizes. :rofl:
In all seriousness, Shota-san is movin' on up there acting-wise.
Heh! Jotei... forgot about that one. Somehow I kept watching that to the end :P
Nice comparison :lol

Ryo_Suzuki15
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Post by Ryo_Suzuki15 » Apr 6th, '13, 16:07

Can anyone recommend a drama in that's like freeter buys a house or 1 litre of tears? A male lead is preferred but doesn't have to be.

antspace
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Post by antspace » Apr 7th, '13, 11:17

kudokupo wrote:Can anyone think of a drama set in America? I'm watching an old one called oregon kara ai, and it's really cool seeing Oregon scenes and the Japanese/English interactions.
I didn't watch it and can't say if it's any good, but 99-nen no ai ~ Japanese Americans seems to be one: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/99-nen_no_Ai_ ... _Americans.

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Post by peachaso » Apr 8th, '13, 03:24

Can someone recommend a drama like Kekkon Shinai - slice-of-life, character driven - where as the characters grow, their relationships do too. At the same time, should have a plot too, e.g. Nobuta wo Produce was TOO slow/uneventful for me. Other dramas I liked include Jin, Nodame Cantabile, and City Hunter (that's Korean but oh well...).

Thanks!

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Post by antspace » Apr 8th, '13, 17:50

peachaso wrote:Can someone recommend a drama like Kekkon Shinai - slice-of-life, character driven - where as the characters grow, their relationships do too. At the same time, should have a plot too, e.g. Nobuta wo Produce was TOO slow/uneventful for me. Other dramas I liked include Jin, Nodame Cantabile, and City Hunter (that's Korean but oh well...).

Thanks!
I think you might be ready for Kekkon Dekinai Otoko. It has all the things you asked for, but it's heaps of fun as well! :-)

panadol
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Bara no nai Hanaya

Post by panadol » Apr 10th, '13, 17:10

I'm halfway through this jdorama... Bara no nai Hanaya... very heartwarming drama... highly recommended... :cry: :cry: :cry:

Ayri
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Matsumoto Jun !

Post by Ayri » Apr 11th, '13, 17:33

Hello !!
I am looking for a drama with Matsumoto Jun :-)
Can someone recommend me some romantic drama with this actor? (besides hana yori dango)
Thank you :-)

charia-chan
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Post by charia-chan » Apr 11th, '13, 17:46

Kimi wa Petto might be something for you.

Ayri
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Post by Ayri » Apr 11th, '13, 17:59

Is there something else?
I just didn't like the story

iluvasiandrama
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Post by iluvasiandrama » Apr 23rd, '13, 02:58

Any recommendations for a 2013 drama like RMPW? I really want to see something a bit more emotional with fierce love rivals if there is any drama like that this year.

FOM
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Re: Matsumoto Jun !

Post by FOM » Apr 23rd, '13, 03:13

Ayri wrote:Hello !!
I am looking for a drama with Matsumoto Jun :-)
Can someone recommend me some romantic drama with this actor? (besides hana yori dango)
Thank you :-)
Other than Hana Yori Dango and Kimi wa Petto (both of which I love), I would recommend Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku. Fun, sweet, romantic -- good series. The only other series of his (as of this writing) that really has a romantic angle is Smile, but that one has a tough side to it too. Not the thing to watch if you're looking for pure warm-fuzzies... ;)

(If romance isn't a must, I also recommend Lucky Seven. Such a fun series, and one of my favorites of his. ;)

Ayri
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Re: Matsumoto Jun !

Post by Ayri » Apr 23rd, '13, 14:42

FOM wrote:
Ayri wrote:Hello !!
I am looking for a drama with Matsumoto Jun :-)
Can someone recommend me some romantic drama with this actor? (besides hana yori dango)
Thank you :-)
Other than Hana Yori Dango and Kimi wa Petto (both of which I love), I would recommend Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku. Fun, sweet, romantic -- good series. The only other series of his (as of this writing) that really has a romantic angle is Smile, but that one has a tough side to it too. Not the thing to watch if you're looking for pure warm-fuzzies... ;)

(If romance isn't a must, I also recommend Lucky Seven. Such a fun series, and one of my favorites of his. ;)
Thank you I'll check that out :D

rutisaeriel
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Post by rutisaeriel » May 3rd, '13, 22:13

Hi

I want to ask for a recommendation here because there's a lot of time i haven´t found anything i like a lot.

My favourite drama is the korean Coffe prince but there's another dramas i liked a lot like anego, around 40,hyd,haken no hinkaku, itazura na kiss, nodame cantabile...

I have seen another dramas like sunao, meichan no shitsuji,kimi wa petto,call centre no koibito,hana kimi, celeb to bimbo taro, attention please,ohitorisama, slow dance, last friends, guilty, kekkon shinai , i like them but not so much

I would like to find a tender drama like coffe prince or a funny drama , also i dont Know any good drama of mystery (but without traumas please).Ah I dont like remakes...

Perhaps i'm asking too much...Thank you!!!

PS:I'm spanish, excuse me if i 've made some mistakes..

FOM
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Post by FOM » May 3rd, '13, 23:49

rutisaeriel wrote:Hi

I want to ask for a recommendation here because there's a lot of time i haven´t found anything i like a lot.

My favourite drama is the korean Coffe prince but there's another dramas i liked a lot like anego, around 40,hyd,haken no hinkaku, itazura na kiss, nodame cantabile...

I have seen another dramas like sunao, meichan no shitsuji,kimi wa petto,call centre no koibito,hana kimi, celeb to bimbo taro, attention please,ohitorisama, slow dance, last friends, guilty, kekkon shinai , i like them but not so much

I would like to find a tender drama like coffe prince or a funny drama , also i dont Know any good drama of mystery (but without traumas please).Ah I dont like remakes...

Perhaps i'm asking too much...Thank you!!!

PS:I'm spanish, excuse me if i 've made some mistakes..
I haven’t seen all of the dramas you’ve listed, but I’ve seen and enjoyed several of them (just started Nodame Cantabile the other day, actually—cute!), so here are a few of my favorites based on your criteria…


Similar to Hana Yori Dango:

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge—A fun, youthful romantic comedy with a “heightened-reality” feeling to it like HYD and Mei-chan (a little), and a solid foundation in characters and relationships. The plot is on a smaller scale than HYD, though I find it equally enjoyable. Hana Yori Dango is probably my all-time favorite drama at this point, but this one is a good candidate for second place.

One Pound Gospel—Not that much like HYD, I guess, but it’s a romantic comedy, and it’s absolutely one of my favorites. Fun and slapsticky, but also clever and very sweet. I haven’t seen much of Nodame Cantabile yet, but from what I’ve seen so far it reminds me of this one in terms of the manga-style slapstick and overall lightheartedness.


Similar to Anego and Kimi wa Petto:

Sapuri—Workplace romantic comedy involving an older woman and a younger man. I liked it better than Anego and roughly on par with Kimi wa Petto, though it has a fresher feeling to it somehow. (The title is also sometimes spelled “Sappuri” or “Suppli,” just FYI.)

Rich Man, Poor Woman—Actually, this could go in the “similar to HYD” category too, because it stars Shun Oguri and it has a bickery/confrontational relationship at the center, but it’s a little more grounded than HYD. Less “heightened reality” and more of a workplace romantic comedy. Sweet and funny though, with an involving plot.

Hotaru no Hikari—Another romantic comedy with a coworkers/roommates component. Cute and a bit silly, but not over-the-top ridiculous. The best way I can think of to describe it (if you happen to be familiar with really old American sitcoms) is I Love Lucy meets The Odd Couple… ;)


I could probably rattle off a few more, but these are the ones that first come to mind based on your list. Feel free to message me if these seem to match your taste and you want more recs. Hope you find something good to watch, in any case! ;)

rutisaeriel
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Post by rutisaeriel » May 4th, '13, 01:23

Thank you very much!so fast!I'm going to investigate :)

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Post by charia-chan » May 6th, '13, 06:32

So, I'm teaching high school students for an afternoon at my university's summer school.
The organizer wants me to pick up any topic/problem about Japanese society and likes the idea of showing some dorama scenes to visualize the issues.

Does anyone have suggestions for dorama episodes/scenes picking up distinct features of Japanese society?

I thought of
Nobuta wo produce or Life for "Ijime/Bullying"
Brother Beat or Otome-san for "Family structures"
At home Dad for "Gender roles"


but I'd really appreciate your ideas. (especially if you can pinpoint certain episodes or scenes.^^)

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Japanese comedy dramas this spring?

Post by in2sky » May 6th, '13, 10:00

Could someone tell me what's in store this spring as for comedy Jdramas?

Thanks!!

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Post by ArabellaAstridge » May 6th, '13, 10:40

you should try kasuka na kanojo. super funny story cast by anne. besides, sennyu tantei tokage cast by matsuda shota. More like a detective story but still there are funny moments added to it. And I guess everyone favourite spring drama, ITAZURA NA KISS~LOVE IN TOKYO. Furukawa Yuki & Miki Honoka make a great couple & the story line is fantastic as well. This Japanese remake is the best version of the manga ever. 35-sai no Koukousei & Last Cinderella are some of the best drama for this season as well. You won't be having any regrets watching these incredible series. Give it a try especially ITAZURA NA KISS~LOVE IN TOKYO. My favourite drama for this season. :D :-) :cheers:

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Post by forweg » May 6th, '13, 11:12

Keiji 110kg is a very entertaining police/detective comedy. Too bad nobody's subbing it.

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Post by aldricho » May 6th, '13, 11:51

try Minna! Esper Dayo! although a bit perverted but funny and Vampire Heaven :)

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Post by in2sky » May 6th, '13, 13:29

Keiji 110kg seems super cool, missing the subs though.
I'm going to try kasuka na kanojo right now, thanks guys!!

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Post by charia-chan » May 7th, '13, 10:06

Nobody has a suggestion for me?
Please check out my post just a few posts above.
I'd really appreciate advice.

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Post by saigo_x » May 7th, '13, 16:22

charia-chan wrote:So, I'm teaching high school students for an afternoon at my university's summer school.
The organizer wants me to pick up any topic/problem about Japanese society and likes the idea of showing some dorama scenes to visualize the issues.

Does anyone have suggestions for dorama episodes/scenes picking up distinct features of Japanese society?
Tokyo Wamkei: Zainichi Kankoku (Koreans in Japan)

Soredemo, Ikite Yuku: Ostracism of family of convicted criminal (not really a distinct feature of Japanese society though)

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Post by FOM » May 7th, '13, 17:47

charia-chan wrote:So, I'm teaching high school students for an afternoon at my university's summer school.
The organizer wants me to pick up any topic/problem about Japanese society and likes the idea of showing some dorama scenes to visualize the issues.

Does anyone have suggestions for dorama episodes/scenes picking up distinct features of Japanese society?

I thought of
Nobuta wo produce or Life for "Ijime/Bullying"
Brother Beat or Otome-san for "Family structures"
At home Dad for "Gender roles"


but I'd really appreciate your ideas. (especially if you can pinpoint certain episodes or scenes.^^)
(First off, my suggestions assume that your students are from the U.S. because that's where I'm from. Apologies if that's not the case... ;)

I think Brother Beat is a really good idea—it covers not only the family-focused social structure, with adult children living at home and inheriting family businesses considered a norm and not an exception, and the distinct “pecking order” in the way they address each other (Tatsuya is “Aniki,” Riku is “Riku-nii” to Junpei), but also the concept of the omiai (note Tatsuya’s formal omiai meeting in…episode 1, I think?) and “taking a son-in-law,” which is very foreign to most Americans. Moreover, the level of influence that Chisato’s parents have over her decisions reflects a subtle cultural difference—that in Japan, for her to openly defy her parents’ wishes for her marriage would constitute her pushing a boundary, while in America for her parents to try to dictate who she should marry would constitute them pushing a boundary. Both things happen in both places, but the answer to which party has the support of prevailing social mores is different.

Other than that, maybe Hi wa Mata Noboru for its perspective on Japanese law enforcement? Particularly the views on guns and weaponry, which contrast sharply with the prevailing American views—episode 3 deals with this in greatest detail. There’s also Tokyo DOGS…which is a very different kind of series, but it definitely has to do with the cultural divide specifically between Japan and the U.S. It’s more about the way American law enforcement is depicted in our movies and TV shows though—and Americans are the butt of many of the jokes, so it might not really register with people who aren’t used to watching Japanese TV shows (and therefore don’t have enough experience of the Japanese side of the divide to get the jokes).

For school-age issues, maybe 14-sai no Haha or Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta? 14-sai deals with teen pregnancy as well as societal issues surrounding single motherhood and class structures (because the boy’s family is wealthy and the girl’s family is not). Taisetsu na Koto reflects some really odd (from an American—or at least my my—perspective) ideas about how far the school’s authority and responsibility extends into the personal lives of both its students and teachers, and also shows a teacher repenting for social infractions by bowing to his colleagues (bowing to show respect is one of those things that Americans know about Japan in a general/stereotypical way, but I’ve always found it interesting to see it put in context, especially in a modern-day setting). Sorry I can’t be more specific about episodes or scenes with these ones though—it’s been a while since I’ve watched them. ;)

Speaking of bowing, there’s also a memorable scene in Tatta Hitotsu no Koi where Hiroto (a young guy from the lower class struggling to keep his late father’s business from going under) has to win back a well-to-do client by swallowing his pride and bowing at his feet. I like this example because it illustrates that bowing isn’t only a day-to-day sign of greeting and respect, like the Japanese equivalent of a handshake, but that in the right context it actually means something, and requires courage, determination, and personal sacrifice. Can’t remember which episode it was in, but I would guess maybe 3 or 4—pretty sure it was in the first half of the series, at least. This series also deals a lot with class issues—the party scene in episode 1 has some interesting stuff about that. Not necessarily distinctive to Japan though, I suppose—the “rich girl falls for a guy from the wrong side of the tracks” story is familiar to Americans.

Oh! Also Smile, which deals with a Japanese man of Filipino descent and the racist attitudes he confronts in his daily life—not to mention the way racism interacts with their criminal justice system. Obviously racism itself is nothing new in America, but I found it fascinating to see it through a different cultural lens—unfamiliar prejudices can really shed light on ones that are closer to home. Hard to say what particular scene would address this, but I remember a bit in the first episode (I think) where the main character gets stopped by a policeman on the street and has his bag searched basically just because he looks Filipino.

There’s also Kimi wa Petto and Anego, both dealing with women in the workplace, as well as continuing shifts in women’s roles in romantic relationships. The “three highs” concept addressed in Kimi wa Petto (that a woman is always looking for a man who is “higher” than her in education, height, and income) is very interesting, as well as the abuse that Sumire receives (from both men and other women) for being an “elite”—i.e. an intelligent woman with elite university degrees. Anego gives a pretty good breakdown (I think in the first episode) of the idea that many women in the workforce have the explicit goal of finding a husband among their colleagues, and feel pressured to do so within about five years of entering the company.

I suppose at this point I’m trailing off a bit into issues that might take more than an afternoon and a few brief out-of-context film clips to address properly—but in any case, hope you’ll find something useful in this mess! ;)

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Post by antspace » May 7th, '13, 18:53

@Charia-chan:

I would recommend Ando Natsu. A warm dorama about a traditional sweets shop: okashi mmmmm.
Another one is Home Drama, about a group of people who lost their loved ones in a bus accident. A nice study on how they try to cope.
AND of course Tiger & Dragon about the old art of Rakugo!

charia-chan
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Post by charia-chan » May 7th, '13, 21:13

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! That helps a lot.
I'll summarize some categories and see what my professor likes best.

The students are from Germany, that's where I am from.^^

Really, really appreciate all your help, people!

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Post by FOM » May 7th, '13, 21:20

charia-chan wrote:The students are from Germany, that's where I am from.^^
LOL -- ah well...only off by a continent... ;)

Hope the class goes well!

mglory67
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Would love some recommendations

Post by mglory67 » May 7th, '13, 21:34

Seems like a cool group here.

Are there any kitchen sink or family type dramas anyone likes out there? I've seen one that I really liked called "I've Been Married to Hell" and would be interested in watching a few more with a similar theme. Let me know if you have any ideas. :salut:
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Post by antspace » May 7th, '13, 21:57

I guess a nice family type drama is 11 Nin mo Iru! Very funny!
Hotman is also quite nice. Sorimachi Takashi is the ultimate father :-)
A family life gone awry is found in Himitsu. An accident leads to the death of the mother. The daughter changes a lot afterwards. It leads to the ultimate test of family life!
:blink

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Post by charia-chan » May 8th, '13, 05:38

Otome-san and Brother beat for family drama, maybe.
Or you might wanna try At home Dad.

funretrolook
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SMILE

Post by funretrolook » May 10th, '13, 03:45

FOM wrote:
charia-chan wrote:So, I'm teaching high school students for an afternoon at my university's summer school.
The organizer wants me to pick up any topic/problem about Japanese society and likes the idea of showing some dorama scenes to visualize the issues.

Does anyone have suggestions for dorama episodes/scenes picking up distinct features of Japanese society?

I thought of
Nobuta wo produce or Life for "Ijime/Bullying"
Brother Beat or Otome-san for "Family structures"
At home Dad for "Gender roles"


but I'd really appreciate your ideas. (especially if you can pinpoint certain episodes or scenes.^^)
Oh! Also Smile, which deals with a Japanese man of Filipino descent and the racist attitudes he confronts in his daily life—not to mention the way racism interacts with their criminal justice system. Obviously racism itself is nothing new in America, but I found it fascinating to see it through a different cultural lens—unfamiliar prejudices can really shed light on ones that are closer to home. Hard to say what particular scene would address this, but I remember a bit in the first episode (I think) where the main character gets stopped by a policeman on the street and has his bag searched basically just because he looks Filipino.
Precisely. I also thought Smile touches on several issues in Japanese society, such as racial discrimination, gangs, etc. This is one of the first J-dramas my husband and I watched because we thought it had a special relevance to us since we're Filipinos. Thankfully, none of the sort happened to us while visiting Japan :)

Another issue worth talking about that I think hasn't been mentioned here is suicide. In episode 5,
after struggling in vain to revive the food company (where Vito, the main character works), the owner finally hangs himself.
I love Japan and all, but to think that [honorable] suicide has been a part of their culture for centuries is a really sad thing.

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Post by ADiosMio » May 16th, '13, 05:55

Hey guys,

Looking for advice again. I'm a woman in her mid-twenties and I'm looking for dorama aimed at my age and gender (drama made for both men and women is good too but I don't want really manly or perverted dramas... If there even is such a thing xD There's no HBO Japan haha). So mainly like... No kiddie shows.

I've watched Kimi wa Petto, Zettai Kareshi, Hotaru... Something (forget name o__o), HanaKimi, Hana Yori Dango (these are a bit too young for me but the latter was especially good. HanaKimi was a bit immature.), At Home Dad, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (great), Kenji to Yasuko (also very good), Nobuta wa Produce (was meh), Attention Please! (didn't really enjoy), Kurosagi (was okay), among others.

Any suggestions? As a warning I'm a little tired of "frigid office woman gets warmed up by luv" but I'll take it if it's especially good. Thank you for the help in advance :D

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Post by FOM » May 16th, '13, 07:16

ADiosMio wrote:Hey guys,

Looking for advice again. I'm a woman in her mid-twenties and I'm looking for dorama aimed at my age and gender (drama made for both men and women is good too but I don't want really manly or perverted dramas... If there even is such a thing xD There's no HBO Japan haha). So mainly like... No kiddie shows.

I've watched Kimi wa Petto, Zettai Kareshi, Hotaru... Something (forget name o__o), HanaKimi, Hana Yori Dango (these are a bit too young for me but the latter was especially good. HanaKimi was a bit immature.), At Home Dad, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (great), Kenji to Yasuko (also very good), Nobuta wa Produce (was meh), Attention Please! (didn't really enjoy), Kurosagi (was okay), among others.

Any suggestions? As a warning I'm a little tired of "frigid office woman gets warmed up by luv" but I'll take it if it's especially good. Thank you for the help in advance :D
Oooh, sounds like you’re in my wheelhouse—I’m also mid-twenties and female, and I’ve seen several of the things you list…

So here are my suggestions:

I didn’t like Nobuta wo Produce either, but I’ve loved just about everything else starring Kazuya Kamenashi (Shuji from Nobuta)—especially Sapuri (aka Suppli), Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge, and One Pound Gospel (aka 1 Pound no Fukuin). Sapuri is an older-woman/younger-man workplace rom-com with some parallels to Kimi wa Petto, though with less emphasis on the “frigid career woman” angle. Yamato Nadeshiko is one I tend to put in the Hana Yori Dango category—fun, romantic, set in a world of heightened reality, but ultimately more satisfying than HanaKimi (which I enjoyed, but found lacking. I really love Hana Yori Dango, on the other hand—that series is my comfort-food… ;). One Pound Gospel is based on a Rumiko Takashashi manga (if that means anything to you), so it’s sort of cleverly-slapsticky, and very sweet.

If you aren’t turned off by slapstick, another one I was pleasantly surprised by recently was Nodame Cantabile—which finds an odd but somehow effective balance between instances of broad slapstick and real character development. I’ve never cried so often at something so silly. I studied music in school, so the setting and subject matter (students working toward being professional musicians) were probably part of what drew me to it—but I don’t think a music degree is a prerequisite for enjoying it… ;)

Other than that, I’d also recommend Rich Man Poor Woman (with Shun Oguri and Satomi Ishihara), if you haven’t seen that one yet. Another workplace rom-com, but more in the “lonely arrogant jerk” mold than the “frigid career woman” mold, and easily one of my favorites. And Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku, which I think of as sort of the drama equivalent of a beach read—funny and sweet, nice to come home to after a long day (and stars Jun Matsumoto, which I always consider a plus). Also possibly Love Shuffle—the premise is sort of contrived, but if you forgive that it’s quite entertaining. And if you like things that are a little more on the serious side, I’d also highly recommend Sunao ni Narenakute—it’s really well written and makes good use of complex characters without becoming too melodramatic. Oh! And Tonbi—which really has nothing to do with anything you’ve listed (at least the ones I know), but I love it. A father-son story that takes place over thirty years, equally funny and touching, and surprisingly engaging given that most of the story is told in flashback.

Think that’s all I’ve got for now. Hope you find something interesting in here that you haven’t seen yet… ;)

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Post by ooyoo » May 16th, '13, 08:31

ADiosMio wrote:Looking for advice again. I'm a woman in her mid-twenties and I'm looking for dorama aimed at my age and gender (drama made for both men and women is good too but I don't want really manly or perverted dramas... If there even is such a thing xD There's no HBO Japan haha). So mainly like... No kiddie shows. .../... Any suggestions? As a warning I'm a little tired of "frigid office woman gets warmed up by luv" but I'll take it if it's especially good. Thank you for the help in advance :D
I think most J-Dramas are aimed at your demographic LOL Some of my favorites:

Love Shuffle
Pride
Long Vacation (an oldie but goodie)
Sunao ni Narenakute
Toshi Densetsu no Onna

Some other dramas with strong female leads, but not necessarily aimed at younger women:
BOSS
Unfair
Nagareboshi
Kaeru no Oujo-sama
Tsuki no Koibito

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Post by kitty10 » May 16th, '13, 10:37

ADiosMio wrote:Hey guys,

Looking for advice again. I'm a woman in her mid-twenties and I'm looking for dorama aimed at my age and gender (drama made for both men and women is good too but I don't want really manly or perverted dramas... If there even is such a thing xD There's no HBO Japan haha). So mainly like... No kiddie shows.
Adding to the recommendations:

Love Revolution
Hero (Kimutaku classic, but of the cop genre)
Itoshi Kimi e
Love Generation
Koori no Sekai
Slow Dance
Koi no Chikara
Bus Stop

Enjoy!

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Post by ADiosMio » May 17th, '13, 21:23

FOM wrote:Sapuri is an older-woman/younger-man workplace rom-com with some parallels to Kimi wa Petto, though with less emphasis on the “frigid career woman” angle. Yamato Nadeshiko is one I tend to put in the Hana Yori Dango category—fun, romantic, set in a world of heightened reality, but ultimately more satisfying than HanaKimi (which I enjoyed, but found lacking. I really love Hana Yori Dango, on the other hand—that series is my comfort-food… ;)
Downloaded Sapuri and Yamato Nadeshiko, they're in my to-watch list :D HanaKimi was unsatisfying to me because like a lot of other J Dramas, the plot forced the heroine to pick the obviously worse choice of two love interests
(blonde guy, forget his name, was much nicer and liked her more.) Same thing happened in Zettai Kareshi--human dude was SO MUCH BETTER and sweeter than robot dude. Watching Renai Dekinai Riyuu right now and from what I gather from similar stories it's going to go the same direction (picking Yu over Takei). Barf.
If you aren’t turned off by slapstick, another one I was pleasantly surprised by recently was Nodame Cantabile
Actually watched that (one of the ones I forgot), it was good enough to keep watching which kinda says a lot haha.
Other than that, I’d also recommend Rich Man Poor Woman (with Shun Oguri and Satomi Ishihara),
This one doesn't look too much to my taste (with more traditional gender roles, I mean just the title is gross lol) but it comes so highly recommended that I'm going to download it :)

Anyway thank you for the well thought-out post!

Ooyoo and Kitty: Thank you, I'll check out your suggestions too :) And yeah I do think most dramas are aimed at my demographic... Doesn't help much lol @__@ I've never actually watched a serious/sad drama before (comedy and light-hearted romance are my favorite genres) but it wouldn't hurt to try one

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