Upcoming JDramas

YAY!! Ryo finally gets a lead role!! :woot:

Ryo to star in first drama
August 7, 2011

This October, NHK is launching a new television drama time slot on Tuesday nights, called gYorušDora.h The first show to fill the slot will be titled gBittersugar,h starring actress Ryo. Although Ryo has been acting since 1996, this will be her first time playing the lead role in a television series.

The drama is based on author Oshima Masumifs novel gNijiiro Tenki Ameh and its sequel gBittersugar.h The story portrays three women around the age of 40 whose friendship is damaged in an incident, leading them to tell each other how they truly feel.

Ryo plays a freelance writer. The other two main characters are being played by Wakui Emi and Suzuki Sawa. Cunning Takeyama, Hakamada Yoshihiko, Oshinari Shugo, Arakawa Chika, Inoue Waka, Togi Hideki, and Toyohara Kosuke will also appear in the series.

The gYorušDorah time slot will be on Tuesday nights from 10:55pm to 11:24pm. gBittersugarh will premiere on October 18 and run for 10 episodes.

Source:
Mantan Web

And it has Sawa Suzuki and Emi Wakui as well!! :applaud:

Kitano Kie to succeed Shinohara Ryoko in special episode of gUnfairh
Posted on August 7, 2011 by tokyograph



Actress Kitano Kie (20) will be playing a police detective for the first time as the lead role in a special episode of the Fuji TV drama series gUnfair.h Her character, a rookie officer, will be partnered with Terajima Susumufs (47) character, forming an unlikely combination.

Starring Shinohara Ryoko (37), the action/suspense series gUnfairh originally aired in 2006 and got its first special episode later that year. In 2007, a theatrical film titled gUnfair the movieh was released. Then in May of this year, it was announced that the franchise will return with another movie, titled gUnfair the answer,h scheduled for release on September 17.

Kitanofs character, named Mochizuki Akira, will appear in the new television special that is set for broadcast this fall. It is tentatively titled gUnfair the special ~Double Meaning Niju Teigi~.h Mochizuki is a rookie detective who joins the force as a successor to Shinoharafs character Yukihira Natsumi.

Other confirmed cast members include Abe Sadao (41), Kato Masaya (48), and new addition Yamamoto Koji (34). Although no longer the star, Shinohara will make a special appearance. Sato Koichi (50), who has been cast in the gUnfair the answerh movie, will also appear in the special.

Sources:
Mantan Web
Oricon

gAishiteruh drama series gets special episode with Mukai Osamu, Okada Masaki, Mizukawa Asami
Posted on August 7, 2011 by tokyograph

The award-winning drama series gAishiteru ~Kaiyou~h (NTV) is getting a sequel this fall in the form of a special episode. Inamori Izumi will return in the starring role, joined by Mukai Osamu, Okada Masaki, and Mizukawa Asami.

The original television series in 2009 was based on a manga by Ito Minoru. The story focused on the relationship between a mother and her young son Tomoya, after Tomoya kills another boy. It averaged a 14.8% rating, hitting as high as 18.6% for its final episode. It later won the Tokyo Drama Awards that same year.

The special episode sequel, titled gAishiteru ~Kizuna~,h is based on the mangafs short sequel that was published last year. It takes place years later, after Tomoya has already grown up into an adult. Mukai plays the part of Tomoya, while Okada plays the role of the younger brother Naoto who was born at the end of the original series. The story is mainly told from Naotofs perspective, painfully growing up as the younger brother of a killer. Mizukawa plays Naotofs girlfriend Kana.

NTV has not yet announced a specific broadcast date for the special.

Sources:
Mantan Web
Cinema Today

i want to watch rebound
aibu saki & hayami mokomichi

^ Uh, did you create two accounts here at J-D? :grumble:

Detective drama gAibouh confirmed for 10th season
August 11, 2011

The TV Asahi detective drama series gAibouh is now officially confirmed to have its 10th season starting this October. This will be the first television drama for co-star Oikawa Mitsuhiro since his unexpected marriage to actress Dan Rei last month.

Oikawa has played the partner of Mizutani Yutaka since 2009, but it is said that the 10th season will finally reveal his characterfs past.

This past February, the gAibouh series achieved a record viewership rating of 23.7% with the 16th episode of season 9. The season averaged 20.3% over its 18 episodes, marking the first time that the franchise has achieved better than 20% in a single season.

TV Asahi will broadcast the new season in the typical Wednesday 9:00pm time slot, though the first episode will be a 2-hour special starting at 8:00pm.

Source:
Mantan Web

gaijinmark wrote:Detective drama gAibouh confirmed for 10th season

That should make my brother happy: he likes this series a lot. :victory:

Matsushima Nanako to star in original drama gKaseifu no Mitah
August 13, 2011

Matsushima Nanako will take on the starring role for an NTV drama this fall, her first television series since 2009. Titled gKaseifu no Mita,h the story is an original work by screenwriter Yukawa Kazuhiko, whom she previously worked with for the shows gGTOh and gMajo no Jouken.h

In the drama, Matsushima plays a mysterious housekeeper named Mita Akari, whose age is a secret and who is completely unsociable. However, she is perfect in her housework, and through her work she resolves hidden issues among the family members of the homes she is dispatched to. Despite her clientsf eventual wishes to keep her as a permanent housekeeper, she always moves on to the next job, where a fresh set of domestic problems await.

The rest of the cast has not yet been announced, but NTV has launched the showfs preliminary website. Broadcast is scheduled for Wednesdays at 10:00pm, starting this October.

Source:
Cinema Today

Ayase Haruka reunites with Kimura Takuya in gNankyoku Tairikuh
Posted on August 13, 2011 by tokyograph

Actress Ayase Haruka (26) has just been revealed as the heroine of the big-budget TBS drama series gNankyoku Tairikuh that will air this fall. This teams her up once again with SMAPfs Kimura Takuya (38), as they previously co-starred in the 2009 series gMR.BRAINh and the 2006 drama special for the gHEROh franchise.

As announced in January, gNankyoku Tairikuh focuses on the difficulties faced by Japanfs first Antarctic research expedition team, who were also the subject of the hit 1983 film gNankyoku Monogatari.h In particular, one of the most notable aspects of that expedition was the miraculous survival of two of the dogs – out of the original 19 Sakhalin Huskies – even after the expedition team was forced to leave them behind and retreat from their base due to extreme weather conditions.

Kimura plays a researcher named Kuramochi Takeshi, one of the leaders of the team. Ayase plays the part of an elementary school teacher named Takaoka Miyuki, the younger sister of Kuramochifs deceased wife. The role is said to be a painful one, as she deals with the loneliness and uneasiness caused by Kuramochi being on the dangerous Antarctic expedition.

gNankyoku Tairikuh will premiere this October in TBSfs Sunday 9:00pm time slot.

Source:
Sankei Sports

Ayase Haruka reunites with Kimura Takuya in gNankyoku Tairikuh
Posted on August 13, 2011 by tokyograph

Actress Ayase Haruka (26) has just been revealed as the heroine of the big-budget TBS drama series gNankyoku Tairikuh that will air this fall. This teams her up once again with SMAPfs Kimura Takuya (38), as they previously co-starred in the 2009 series gMR.BRAINh and the 2006 drama special for the gHEROh franchise.

As announced in January, gNankyoku Tairikuh focuses on the difficulties faced by Japanfs first Antarctic research expedition team, who were also the subject of the hit 1983 film gNankyoku Monogatari.h In particular, one of the most notable aspects of that expedition was the miraculous survival of two of the dogs – out of the original 19 Sakhalin Huskies – even after the expedition team was forced to leave them behind and retreat from their base due to extreme weather conditions.

Kimura plays a researcher named Kuramochi Takeshi, one of the leaders of the team. Ayase plays the part of an elementary school teacher named Takaoka Miyuki, the younger sister of Kuramochifs deceased wife. The role is said to be a painful one, as she deals with the loneliness and uneasiness caused by Kuramochi being on the dangerous Antarctic expedition.

gNankyoku Tairikuh will premiere this October in TBSfs Sunday 9:00pm time slot.

Source:
Sankei Sports

yay! another project from haruka~
heard about this rumor several months ago but finally its now official!

to all Haruka fan..REJOICE!!!!!! :victory: :dancing: :woot: [/quote]

gaijinmark wrote:Matsushima Nanako to star in original drama gKaseifu no Mitah
August 13, 2011

Matsushima Nanako will take on the starring role for an NTV drama this fall, her first television series since 2009. Titled gKaseifu no Mita,h the story is an original work by screenwriter Yukawa Kazuhiko, whom she previously worked with for the shows gGTOh and gMajo no Jouken.h

In the drama, Matsushima plays a mysterious housekeeper named Mita Akari, whose age is a secret and who is completely unsociable. However, she is perfect in her housework, and through her work she resolves hidden issues among the family members of the homes she is dispatched to. Despite her clientsf eventual wishes to keep her as a permanent housekeeper, she always moves on to the next job, where a fresh set of domestic problems await.

The rest of the cast has not yet been announced, but NTV has launched the showfs preliminary website. Broadcast is scheduled for Wednesdays at 10:00pm, starting this October.

Source:
Cinema Today

Great news! :woot: :applaud: :victory:

Even though it's already halfway through summer...



Mukai Osamu, Takei Emi, Nakayama Yuma, and Ashida Mana to star in annual Fuji TV summer drama

by ustar on August 17, 2011 at 3:01 am

Itfs been revealed that Mukai Osamu, Takei Emi, NYCfs Nakayama Yuma, and Ashida Mana will be starring in this yearfs Fuji TV summer drama, gHonto ni Atta Kowai Hanashig.

gHonto ni Atta Kowai Hanashih is a horror mystery series that started in 1998, based on haunted stories from all over Japan. The narrator for this series is SMAPfs Inagaki Goro, and he will introduce four stories as the manager of eHonkowa Clubf.

This will be the first time all four stars will take on acting in the horror genre. Ashida said with spirit, gItfs a scary story, but I am doing my best with the acting. Please look forward to it.h Takei confessed, gWhen Ifm the one watching, I close my eyes during scary scenes,h while Mukai showed his willingness by saying, gThe directorfs obsession for ghosts is wonderful. I want to meet his expectations.h

Producer Goto Hiroyuki commented, gPlease look forward to the expressions of fear on the cast that represents 2011.h

gHonto ni Atta Kowai Hanashih will air on Fuji TV starting September 3rd.

Article from tokyohive

Sakurai Sho, Kitagawa Keiko to star in gNazotoki wa Dinner no Ato deh drama series
Posted on August 18, 2011 by tokyograph

gNazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de,h a bestselling novel published last year by author Higashigawa Tokuya, is being turned into a Fuji TV drama series this fall. The show will star Arashi member Sakurai Sho (29) and actress Kitagawa Keiko (24).

gNazotoki wa Dinner no Ato deh won this yearfs Honya Taisho (an award voted on by bookstore employees nationwide) and has so far sold 1.4 million copies. The novel is a comical mystery whose main character is Kageyama (Sakurai), a sharp-tongued butler and chauffeur for Hosho Reiko (Kitagawa), the well-bred daughter of an internationally famous corporation.

However, Kageyama is no ordinary butler. Reiko also happens to be a novice detective, though she lacks in deductive skills. While serving her refined meals, Kageyama listens to the details of her cases and helps her deduce the mysteries while verbally abusing her with gpoliteh insults.

The series will include even more comedy than the original work. One of the highlights of the show will likely be the disguises that Kageyama wears to accompany Reiko to the crime scenes, keeping an eye on her investigations.

Fuji TV will broadcast the series on Tuesdays at 9:00pm, starting in October.

Source:
Sankei Sports

Miyazaki Aoi to star as Madame Butterfly in drama special
Posted on August 18, 2011 by tokyograph

Actress Miyazaki Aoi (25) will make her first appearance in a television drama since the hit taiga drama gAtsuhimeh three years ago. She will play the starring role in an NHKfs gDoyo Drama Special Chouchou-san,h based on the Puccini opera gMadame Butterfly.h

The drama is actually adapted from Ichikawa Shinichifs novel gChouchou-san,h which was in turn adapted from gMadame Butterfly.h Ichikawa will be handling the screenplay for the drama as well.

Like the opera, the story is set in Nagasaki in the early 1900s. It portrays the ups and downs of a young woman known as Butterfly (Miyazaki), who lost her parents at a young age and has become an apprentice geisha. She later meets a naval officer and gets married, though the officer intends for the marriage to last only while he is stationed in Nagasaki.

The impressive cast includes Ito Atsushi, Noda Hideki, Nishida Toshiyuki, Toda Keiko, Tomosaka Rie, Yo Kimiko, Ikewaki Chizuru, and Ibu Masato.

Filming starts on August 22 and is expected to take until October. NHK plans to air the drama on November 19 and 26.

Sources:
Sponichi Annex
Cinema Today

Eguchi Yosuke to star in third gPandorah drama series
August 21, 2011

WOWOWfs popular drama series gPandorah has been green-lit for a third season, titled gPandora III: Kakumei Zenya.h The cast this time will feature actor Eguchi Yosuke as the main character.

Written by well-known screenwriter Inoue Yumiko, gPandorah started as an 8-episode series in 2008 and got a second 7-episode series in 2010. The first series revolved around a miracle treatment for cancer, while the second involved a food development that could eliminate world hunger.

Following in the same theme of dangerous discoveries, the gPandorafs boxh for the new series will be a medical treatment invented to prevent suicides. Eguchi plays Suzuki, a neuroscience researcher in a wheelchair who develops the treatment out of his desire to counter Japanfs high suicide rate.

gPandora IIIh will run for 8 episodes. Unlike the previous seasons, the plot will unfold over a span of 8 days, with each episode covering one day. There are also said to be 8 main characters, including Suzuki. The others are being played by Uchino Masaaki, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Kamikawa Takaya, Yamamoto Koji, Itaya Yuka, Fukuda Mayuko, and Izumiya Shigeru.

gPandora III: Kakumei Zenyah will air on Sundays at 10:00pm, beginning October 2.

Source:
Cinema Today

gShinya Shokudoh live-action drama gets new series this fall
Posted on August 21, 2011 by tokyograph


The 2009 television drama series gShinya Shokudoh is returning for a second season this fall. The main cast will reprise their roles, including lead actor Kobayashi Kaoru.

gShinya Shokudoh was based on Abe Yarofs manga of the same name about an unusual restaurant thatfs only open at night. The first series aired in a late-night time slot between October and December 2009, and ratings reached as high as 2.7%. The show was also recommended for the 47th Galaxy Awards.

New cast members include Ayata Toshiki, Fuwa Mansaku, Matsushige Yutaka, and Mitsuishi Ken.

The production staff will mostly stay the same, though Kobayashi Shotaro (gMainichi Kaasanh) has been added to the team of directors and Arai Haruhiko (gW no Higekih) has been added as a screenwriter.

TBS and MBS will air the new series in a late-night time slot again, though the specific day and time have not yet been announced. The show is scheduled to last 10 episodes, starting in October.

Sources:
Mantan Web
Anime News Network

xploring wrote:an unusual restaurant thatfs only open at night.

If they only served dinner, they it would stand to reason that they're only open at night. :mrgreen:

Pandora returns! :woot:

xploring wrote:
The 2009 television drama series gShinya Shokudoh is returning for a second season this fall. The main cast will reprise their roles, including lead actor Kobayashi Kaoru.

YAY! I liked the first Shinya Shokudo, it didn't really have a plot, each episode folllowed a different customer that came into the restaurant. I hope they keep that format.

Eikura Nana & Kanno Miho to fight over one man in upcoming drama
by HPriest on August 23, 2011 at 5:58 pm

Fuji TV has officially announced their Thursday drama for the upcoming season! Itfs been revealed that the stars of the drama will be the trio of Eikura Nana (23), Kanno Miho (34), and ARATA (36) who are all involved in a complicated love triangle.

The drama is called gMitsu no Aji ~ A Taste of Honey ~h and tells the love story of the country-bred eMorimoto Naokoe (Eikura), who follows her first love, her uncle eIkesawa Masatoe (ARATA) to a medical school in Tokyo. However, Masato is said to already have a girlfriend at his age, medical researcher eHarada Ayae (Kanno), unfolding a complicated love triangle once Naoko runs into him again at the school.

gMitsu no Ajih was penned by Oishi Shizuka, who already was responsible for the script of NHKfs eadulteryf drama gSecond Virging, and is said to contain the same amount of spiciness.

Fuji TVfs producer described the drama as the following, gItfs going to be a love story 100% filled with sensuality and density, depicting the pain and agony of being in love.h

Eikura commented, gIfm totally getting sucked in by the script right now. I hope itfs going to turn into a drama that will get straight into your mind, just like when you are listening to calm and emotional music.h

Kanno, being a fan of Oishifs works, is excited as well and said, gThis time the theme is to express the frustration of a woman in her thirties who is getting her love snatched away by another woman. I hope that Eikura and I will stimulate each other in order to show you our best performances.h

gMitsu no Ajih will premiere on Wednesdays in October.

Source: Sanspo

Article courtesy of tokyohive