Preview of "Madoka 26-sai, Kenshuui yattemasu!" - Winter 2025

Title: Madoka 26-sai, Kenshuui yattemasu! / まどか２６歳、研修医やってます！

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 14 January 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Mizutani Midori

Cast: Yoshine Kyoko, Suzuki Nobuyuki, Takahashi Hikaru, Ohnishi Ryuusei, Yoshimura Kaito, Konishi Sakurako, Hotta Akane, Sano Hiroki, Iwao Kaishi, Itakura Toshiyuki, Morita Tetsuya, Mori Kanna, Akahori Masaaki, Mizobata Junpei, Sato Ryuuta, Kimura Tae & Okuda Eiji

Quick Review #87: Umi ni nemuru daiyamondo - Autumn 2024

Title: Umi ni nemuru daiyamondo / 海に眠るダイヤモンド

Rating: 9 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who like fictional stories with an actual historical setting and some suspense elements and are fans of the cast especially Kamiki Ryuunosuke

SPOILERS AHEAD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION~

Liked:

- Right from the start, this drama impressed me with its production quality in many ways. Be it the story which showcased the different types of love among the characters (romantic, family, friendship, comrades), the cinematography that resembled the quality you would see in movies or OTT productions or replicating the sights of Hashima through filming at various places and piecing everything seamlessly despite the island being in ruins now and not open to public access, it was evident that so much effort was put in to produce this drama. I also liked the fact that the story managed to address the questions that popped up over the course of the entire season and wrapped up everything nicely rather than try to keep things open-ended and suggest that there might be a sequel. 

The two biggest surprises to me were probably Sawadaaji's true identity as well as who Reo was. Honestly speaking, while Sawadaaji being Makoto was thrown up as a possibility on social media before, Reo being unrelated to anyone from Hashima and not resembling Teppei at all (it was just Asako's imagination projecting Reo's looks on Teppei) was very surprising and there were no clues prior to the revelation that could have allowed viewers to guess this.

 

- The scriptwriter was adept in weaving together so much detail which may not seem important at first but were evidently important when it came to describing the interpersonal relationships of the characters. For example, in the case of Teppei and Asako, while it is sad and regrettable that Teppei never got to tell Asako personally what happened to him and how much he loved her, the fact that he was able to convey his feelings for her in an indirect way by leaving behind the things which mattered most to her and protecting her happiness from afar were probably the best proof of his deep and long-lasting love for her. By leaving behind the blue giaman flower vase which he made for Asako for the purpose of proposing to her (notice how Asako always wore blue clothes when she spent time with Teppei and the sea blue-coloured bottle he had given to her which she treasured and used it as a vase for her flowers given by Teppei), this diamond that he made for her would be forever sealed in Hashima which resonates with the title of the drama i.e. the diamond which sleeps in the sea. He also remembered how much she desired to have a field of cosmos on the rooftop of her house so he went ahead to do the same at the yard of his house which faces Hashima.

Although one may wonder why he couldn't have reached out to Asako after he was no longer on the run, Teppei knew very well that his re-appearance wouldn't have changed their fates because Asako was already married with kids and had a new life of her own. Rather than disturb and disrupt her life as well as her family's, Teppei stayed away without the intention to let Asako know what happened to him and would rather let her bear a grudge against him for leaving without a word. One can only imagine how painful it must be for him to be on his own for decades, wander around different parts of Japan and not being able to be with his love and family. Moreover, he was not able to stay in Hashima until its final days so that must have been a lot to bear.

Likewise for Kensho and Yuriko, that proposal scene was such a classic and touching and their bond as a couple was so beautiful to watch. On the other hand, although Shinpei and Rina's happiness was short-lived, I thought that the process right up till their marriage was built-up nicely to contrast against the tragic fate that awaited them later.

- The characters featured in the story were endearing and memorable in their own ways so it would be hard for me to pick favourites among them. However, Kamiki Ryuunosuke definitely deserves special mention for being able to portray Teppei and Reo in so vastly distinct ways that it was impossible to mix them up with each other. Towards the end when Teppei was shown escaping to various locations in Japan to avoid those people after him and Rina, he showed a much jaded and worn out Teppei that was so different from the energetic and enthusiastic version back in Hashima. When Reo appeared in 2024, this felt yet like another version of Kamiki in the same story so hats off to him for being so versatile in his acting.

Disliked: 

- While the fact that Reo was unrelated to Hashima and Teppei wasn't a bad idea, I did feel that it was a bit anti-climatic and the reason that Asako gave for reaching out to Reo didn't come across as very convincing to me. As such, I thought that if Reo had some link to Hashima or there was a more compelling reason to "choose" him, I might have liked this development better.

- Although I understand that the story was largely from Asako's perspective, it was also regrettable that her friends and family were all gone so there was nobody else to corroborate her story. I would be really interested to know more about Kensho and Yuriko's life post-Hashima and Teppei's perspective and what happened especially in his late years. That I felt was a huge missing piece of the puzzle for me personally to make this story more complete.

Preview of "Jigoku no hate made tsureteiku" - Winter 2025

Title: Jigoku no hate made tsureteiku / 地獄の果てまで連れていく

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 14 January 2025 (Pre-release via Netflix from 7 January 2025)

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 11.56pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Theme Song: "Ame ga michireba" by Higuchi Ai

Cast: Sasaki Nozomi, Shibuya Nagisa, Inoue Yuki, Yoshizawa Shizuya & Itao Itsuji

Quick Review #86: Lion no kakurega - Autumn 2024

Title: Lion no kakurega / ライオンの隠れ家

Rating: 10 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who want to watch a well-crafted story about family love, friendship and comradeship with a tinge of suspense and great acting from the cast especially Yagira Yuuya, Bandou Ryouta & Sato Tasuku

SPOILERS AHEAD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION~

Liked:

- While the story initially hinted at something sinister due to the disappearance and supposed deaths of Aoi and Shuuto, there was actually an abundance of love, hope and positivity waiting to be discovered along the way. Despite the negativity about domestic abuse, some sleazy criminal stuff happening in the background and most of the attention being on getting to the bottom of things and saving the two of them from their abuser, the other characters including the leads were never neglected nor forgotten as the character development on the whole was balanced and well-taken care of. 

If it had been that the story simply ended with Aoi and Shuuto's rescue and moving on to a new life, it would have been so predictable. The last curveball at the end about Hiroto's realisation regarding losing his purpose in life with Mikkun not having to depend on him that much anymore and that Shuuto is back with his mother was definitely sad and painful to watch but absolutely necessary as a catalyst for everyone to move on with their lives in their own ways. Of course, if everyone can stay together forever, that might have been the ideal ending but in reality, it's sometimes necessary to part ways for the good of everyone. Being needed by someone can give a sense of purpose and fulfillment but nothing is constant in this world and deriving a sense of purpose based on another person's needs and wants is just not sustainable to begin with. And in Hiroto's case, it's high time that he lives for himself after all the sacrifices he had to make over the years. As such, the last episode was definitely the icing on the cake and helped to make this drama a lot more memorable and end on such an uplifting and happy note.

Even though the cliffhanger before the finale seemed like a sharp turn from where the story was seemingly heading towards, it was actually an issue lurking in the background all along. Viewers like me were probably "conditioned" in such a way to focus too much on the case, Aoi, Shuuto and Mikkun so as to strengthen the impact of throwing Hiroto's issue into the limelight at the very end. What was brilliant about the final episode was that the nagging concerns and signs about Hiroto's sense of loss and not having a direction in life were there all the time but never properly addressed until it reached breaking point. As such, the finale didn't need a long time to convince viewers why Hiroto did what he did and why he had to refocus on himself and not put Mikkun's interests ahead of his own's. The scriptwriter probably wanted to reinforce the notion of "love yourself first before you can love others" and suggest that Hiroto needed to change first so that his relationship with Mikkun will become healthier and stronger in the long run. Otherwise, there may come a day when he resents having to sacrifice his life for the sake of Mikkun or that Mikkun depends so much on Hiroto that he can't do what he is actually capable of doing.

- The relationship dynamics and interactions between Hiroto and Mikkun was definitely a major attraction about this story. For example, their little gestures such as striking their palms, walking home together in the sunset at Mikkun's pace while Hiroto looked on gently and patiently made me smile because that was so beautiful and happy to see. Of course, there were times when Mikkun was quite a handful but Hiroto seemed to have his ways of dealing with that thanks to his years of taking care of Mikkun. I thought that the brotherly love between them came across very convincingly, thanks to the great chemistry and acting of Yagira and Bandou. 

As the story depicted the brothers becoming independent enough to forge their own paths while giving each other support from afar, it also showed a change in roles for them. Hiroto has always been a stabilising constant factor in Mikkun's life so it appears that Mikkun depends on Hiroto to live as he wishes. However, Mikkun later becomes a form of support for Hiroto and a motivator of sorts. Seeing this transition was really heartening and very encouraging.

- The acting here definitely deserves special mention. While it is easy to pay attention to the more "stand-out" roles like Mikkun, Lion/Shuuto or even the abuser Tachibana played by Mukai Osamu (he was really creepy and obnoxious in some scenes), Yagira had a very difficult role in the sense that Hiroto was rather ordinary and could easily fade into the background. Instead, Yagira's acting made Hiroto become someone who could offer a warm embrace to anyone and be a symbol of reassurance so his presence was definitely not overlooked at all. 

On the other hand, Bandou's role was challenging in that he needed to make Mikkun look convincing yet not go overboard with his expressions and gestures. As shared in an earlier post about the casting process of Bandou as Mikkun, his efforts in preparing for the character certainly haven't gone unnoticed. No wonder Mikkun has become a crowd favourite among viewers and even parents of children with ASD are saying that his portrayal was spot-on. 

Sato Tasuku may be a child but the scenes when Lion was put through physical and mental stress caused by the separation from his mother and his father's abuse definitely showed his potential in acting. Aside from the emotional pain that Lion bore, Sato was also able to show the innocence of a child effortlessly at the same time whenever Lion was in the company of the Komori brothers.

Disliked: 

Nothing - I can't really remember when was the last time I gave a perfect score in my reviews but I must say, this drama was definitely impressive.

Preview of "Zetsumeshi Road 2024" (Drama SP)

Title: Zetsumeshi Road 2024 / 絶メシロード２０２４

Official website: here

Official X: here

O.A. Dates: 20 December 2024 at 1.02am / 27 December 2024 at 12.52am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Cast: Hamatsu Takayuki

Quick Review #85: Zenryouiki ijou kaiketsushitsu - Autumn 2024

Title: Zenryouiki ijou kaiketsushitsu / 全領域異常解決室

Rating: 9.5 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who like mystery + suspense + humanity stories with a SPEC-vibe and Japanese mythology elements and/or are fans of the cast especially Fujiwara Tatsuya and Hirose Arisu

SPOILERS AHEAD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION~

Liked:

- As noted in my first impression post about this drama, it was hard to tell where the story was headed to other than the fact that it had the SPEC vibe, minus the wackiness but still retained some humour. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns in the story and how the hints and clues leading to the truth scattered throughout the drama were tied up really nicely at the end. The incorporation of Japanese mythology and gods as a key component of the story was totally unexpected but very intriguing even though my knowledge of this area is quite limited. With regard to the humanity aspect, the theme might be a bit heavy and serious at times but it was neither preachy nor presented in an unnatural manner. Instead, I felt that the messages conveyed to the viewers were really thought-provoking and meaningful.

It's been a while since I felt so satisfied with a drama's plot especially since I wasn't expecting too much and had picked up this title just because of the leads and my impression that this was going to be yet another mystery-suspense story. I'm glad that this drama proved me wrong.

Given how this drama ended, it looks likely that there will be a sequel in the future, hopefully soon.

- The cast especially Fujiwara and Hirose were excellent in bringing out the best in their roles. In particular, I like the relationship development of, revelations surrounding Okitama (Fujiwara) and Koyume (Hirose) and the wonderful chemistry showed by both actors. A number of scenes in the last 15 minutes or so were so bittersweet and heart-wrenching. Even the last-minute cameo by Mizobata Junpei was so interesting to watch (buying Tokyo Banana back to Kyoto after a business trip???) that it would be great to see him return if there is ever going to be a sequel.

Disliked: 

- The only thing which bothered me a bit was the names of the gods. As the names were in Kanji and sometimes quite difficult to pronounce and read at one go, it was a tad challenging to follow the story whenever a new god was introduced. Especially when Okitama and his gang was talking about the supernatural beings in Japanese mythology over the first few episodes and later introducing the various gods who appeared or got mentioned, it can get really mind-boggling and disruptive. For those familiar with Japanese mythology and the gods, this wouldn't have been much of a challenge though.

Preview of "Berabou ~ Tsutajuu Eiga no Yumebanashi ~" - NHK 2025 Taiga Drama

Title: Berabou ~ Tsutajuu Eiga no Yumebanashi ~ / べらぼう 〜蔦重栄華乃夢噺〜

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 5 January 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 8pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Narrator: Ayase Haruka

Cast: Yokohama Ryuusei, Yasuda Ken, Koshiba Fuuka, Sometani Shota, Hashimoto Jun, Yamoto Yuuma, Miyazawa Hio, Ochiai Motoki, Nakamura Aoi, Inowaki Kai, Nakamura Hayato, Ishizaka Kouji, Kataoka Ainosuke, Takahashi Katsumi, Satomi Kotaro, Tominaga Ai, Fukuhara Haruka, Ito Atsushi, Takanashi Rin, Kazama Shunsuke, Hashimoto Ai, Iijima Naoko, Kubota Sayu, Aijima Kazuyuki, Yoshizawa Hisashi, Harada Taizo, Adachi Yumi, Mashima Hidekazu, Ikuta Toma, Ayase Haruka, Watanabe Ken etc.

Preview of "Vanilla na mainichi" - Winter 2025

Title: Vanilla na mainichi / バニラな毎日

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 20 January 2025

Timeslot: Mondays to Thursdays at 10.45pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Total number of episodes: 32

Original novel by: Katou Tsubasa

Theme Song: "Namida no shoutai" by SUPER BEAVER

Cast: Renbutsu Misako, Nagasaku Hiromi & Kido Taisei etc.

Preview of "Tokyo Sarada Bouru" - Winter 2025

Title: Tokyo Sarada Bouru / 東京サラダボウル

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 January 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Total number of episodes: 9

Original manga by: Kuromaru

Theme Song: "Wash Away" by Balming Tiger

Cast: Nao, Matsuda Ryuuhei, Nakamura Aoi, Takeda Rena, Nakagawa Daisuke, Itose Souichi, Nomura Fusso, Sekiguchi Mandy, Asai Daichi, Zhang Han, Xu Liting, Chiao Yuan-yuan, Nguyen Truong Khang, Abe Shinnosuke, Hirahara Tetsu, Imoto Ayako, Minagawa Sarutoki & Mikami Hiroshi

Preview of "TRUE COLORS...Sore wa, watashidake no iro" - Winter 2025

Title: TRUE COLORS...Sore wa, watashidake no iro / トゥルー カラーズ…それは、わたしだけの色。

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 5 January 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Total number of episodes: 9

Theme Song: "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper

Cast: Kurashina Kana, Maiguma Katsuya, Takito Kenichi, Kaname Jun, Tamaoki Reo, Hoshi Moeka, Morinaga Yuki, Morita Kokoro, Ise Kayo, Natori Yuko, Takashima Masahiro, Ishibashi Renji, Kitamura Kazuki, Sylvia Grab, Ito Ayumi, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Nakahara Takeo, Kaku Chikako, Kato Masaya & Watanabe Ken

Quick Review #84: Anata no ban desu Gekijouban (movie)

Title: Anata no ban desu Gekijouban / あなたの番です　劇場版

Rating: 1 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who wish to watch the characters of "Anaban" again but in a reshuffled setting and don't mind a ludicrous storyline

SPOILERS AHEAD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION~

Liked:

- Just for the sake of indulging in "Anaban" nostalgia, it was fun to see the residents gathered together albeit with some additions, omissions and new relationship dynamics. Those who ended up dead in the drama were resurrected for this movie so that should be something that their fans would love to see. There were two big surprises for me - the identity of one of Kuroshima's ex-boyfriends who turned out to be the murderer as well as the identity of the father of Ono-chan's (Nao) unborn baby (you will only find out about it at the end though and it was so shocking).

Disliked: 

- Since the story in this movie wasn't a continuation from the drama series and started off with a key change in the setting i.e. it was Shota (Tanaka Kei) instead of Nana (Harada Tomoyo) who went to the residents' meeting that set off the chain murders, a lot of things had changed as a result. While the residents still had issues with one another that provided some murderous intent here and there, this part actually didn't feature much in the movie's storyline. Instead, it was a spider web of sorts extending from Kuroshima (Nishino Nanase) that led to what happened on the cruise ship so the other residents really felt no more like a live background with nothing much going on for them. 

I was not impressed by the scriptwriter still tapping on parts from the drama series when the movie's storyline was reportedly positioned as a new one. It felt like these elements were stuffed into the storyline for the sake of milking the popularity of the "Anaban" franchise thus this hampered the flow of the story. It would have been better if a totally unrelated story was done with the existing characters instead.

- Given the number of characters involved, a 2-hr+ movie simply isn't enough to give everyone an opportunity to do their thing. As such, some characters were too forgettable because they hardly had lines and airtime. Some like Ono-chan who was easily one of the most interesting characters in the drama, didn't even feature prominently in the murder cases on the cruise ship. And I also wondered why they had to get Kadowaki Mugi to play such an insignificant role. It felt like a huge waste of talent to gather the cast and yet not utilize them to their full potential.

Quick Review #83: Gibo to Musume no Blues - Summer 2018

Title: Gibo to Musume no Blues / 義母と娘のブルース

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who like heartwarming family-oriented stories and/or are fans of the cast members

* Currently available on Netflix (subject to geographical location)

Liked:

- The storyline while predictable at times, was packed with lots of funny, sweet and touching moments. Be it the development of the stepmother-stepdaughter relationship, the slowly developing romance between Akiko and Ryoichi, the cute childhood friends-first love plot involving Miyuki and Hiroki, the rebuilding of Bakery Mugita or the one-sided love story of Akira towards Akiko, there was a lot to take in but the pace was managed just fine without feeling too draggy or rushed. 

- Acting-wise, everyone really managed to shine in their own ways. Ayase Haruka has always been quite good in juggling both comedy and serious acting so it was not surprising that she managed to make Akiko so endearing and fun to watch throughout the course of the entire drama. The scenes with Ryoichi (Takenouchi Yutaka) as their relationship developed provided some really fuzzy and nice romantic scenes as well. Her interactions with both the child actor Yokomizo Naho and the grown-up version of Miyuki played by Kamishiraishi Moka were also engaging and touching to watch. Likewise, Kamishiraishi was such a joy to watch as she showed how Miyuki had grown up well with Akiko's love and the positive traits of Ryoichi and I really liked her pairing with Inowaki Kai here. While I didn't quite like Akira as a character, Sato Takeru's performance was able to make him come across as someone you couldn't bear to dislike despite his flaws especially when it came to his mashed-up vocabulary.

- The theme song by MISIA really helped to accentuate the heartwarming vibe in this story especially during climax scenes or towards the end of the episodes.

Disliked: 

- Too little of Takenouchi here because Ryoichi died halfway in the story. I would have loved to watch more of him not just because I am his fan but also due to the fact that Ryoichi and Akiko were only just getting started in their romance. Too bad that it wasn't meant to be for them.

- I wouldn't say that I really disliked this part but it did get in the way more so in the beginning of the story. Since Akiko was using formal speech and in a stiff business-like manner quite often, the words she said were at times rather difficult to understand and not what you tend to hear in dramas/movies unless the setting was in a workplace, the corporate world or public sector. As such, for those not used to this kind of speech, you might find it a bit more difficult to follow what she was saying and a tad jarring to the ears even with subtitles to help in your understanding.

Things did improve gradually as Akiko softened up thanks to her interactions with Ryoichi, Miyuki and the people around them. While she maintained her "politeness" in her speech, it was definitely more palatable and felt more comfortable to watch.

Preview of "Yo ni mo kimyou na monogatari Winter 2024 SP" (Drama SP)

Title: Yo ni mo kimyou na monogatari Winter 2024 SP / 世にも奇妙な物語 冬の特別編 2024

Official website: here

Official X: here

O.A. Date: 14 December 2024 at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Storyteller: Tamori

Cast:

- Sato Shori, Katayama Yuki & Itakura Takeshi

- Onoe Matsuya, Tsuda Kanji & Fenix D'Joan

- Tanaka Takushi, Ikezu Shouko, Fujimoto Koudai, Hayashi Meari, Horii Arata, Morioka Yutaka, Arai Shingo & Nishihata Reika

- Seino Nana, Hosoda Yoshihiko & Fukutsu Kenzo

Preview of "Darekaga kono machi de" - Autumn 2024

Title: Darekaga kono machi de / 誰かがこの町で

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 8 December 2024

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sano Hiromi

Cast: Eguchi Yosuke, Makita Aju, Tsuruta Mayu, Hyunri, Miyagawa Ichirota, Omi Toshinori, Totsugi Shigeyuki, Honda Hakutaro, Denden & Ootsuka Nene

Winners of the 16th TAMA Movie Awards (2024)

Best Movie

Yoake no subete

Boku no ohisama

Special Award

Staff and cast members of "Boku ga ikiteru, futatsu no sekai"

Staff and cast members of "Lookback"

Best Actor

Fuji Tatsuya - "Ooinaru fuzai"

Yoshizawa Ryo - "Boku ga ikiteru, futatsu no sekai" / "Kingdom Daishogun no kikan" / "Kazoku"

Best Actress

Kamishiraishi Mone - "Yoake no subete"

Kawai Yumi - "Namibia no sabaku" / "An no koto" / "Lookback" / "Shigatsu ni nareba kanojo wa"

Best Up-And-Coming Director

Chikaura Kei - "Ooinaru fuzai"

Yamanaka Yoko - "Namibia no sabaku"

Best Up-And-Coming Actor

Matsumura Hokuto - "Yoake no subete" / "Dear Family" / "Kirie no uta"

Saito Jun - "Karaoke iko!" / "Mabuta no tenkousei" / "Karakai jouzu no Takagi-san" / "Seiyoku"

Best Up-And-Coming Actress

Morita Kokoro - "Tatsumi" / "Kuchinai Sakura" / "Sayuri" / "NN4444" / " Gudon no hohoemi"

Hayase Ikoi - "Ikoku nikki" / "Ano ko wa daare?"

Source: TAMA Eigasho

The criteria for success - Comparing the top 10 Japanese drama titles in terms of real-time ratings and TVer viewership from Winter 2023 to Summer 2024

In the past decade or so, much has been discussed about how TV real-time ratings alone no longer reflect the true extent of a Japanese drama's success or popularity now. Gone are the days when a drama could get double-digit real-time ratings with ease and that blockbuster hits were those looking upwards from 25%. Nowadays, anything above 10% is a rarity while single-digits even for primetime dramas would hardly raise eyebrows. Reasons for these trends are aplenty including a greater variety of mediums to watch dramas on including international OTT platforms and viewers can also go to on-demand streaming platforms to catch up on shows so there is less of a need to watch something in a designated timeslot.

To get an understanding of the differences in viewing patterns and volumes when it comes to real-time ratings and on-demand platform viewership, this analysis takes data from Video Research's (VR) household real-time ratings for the Kanto region and TVer's quarterly release of its top 20 most-viewed shows on its portal. The reasons why these two sources were chosen are that VR's data has been the go-to standard for audience measurement of TV and radio shows while TVer is a free portal owned jointly by the 5 key TV networks and provides titles from all of them. 7 seasons' worth of data from Winter 2023 to the recently concluded Summer 2024 were used for the purpose of this analysis.

Let's begin by looking at some interesting observations over the 7 seasons in question:

- "VIVANT" was the only drama in the 7 seasons which took top place in terms of real-time ratings and on-demand views. 

There were also some unusual examples like "Brush up life" which got No.10 in terms of real-time ratings but was No.1 for on-demand views, "Sayonara Maestro" which was No.1 on TV but No.10 on TVer and "Anata ga shitekure nakutemo" which was No.1 on TVer but nowhere to be seen in the real-time top 10 ranking for the season.

What this suggests is that what works well in terms of attracting viewers to tune in real-time may not be the same for on-demand platforms. 

- Nowadays, even if a drama does not get a double-digit average rating for the entire season, there is still a likelihood for it to be the No.1 drama of that season if the competition isn't stiff. Examples would be "Keishicho Outsider" (9.49%) and "Gekokujou Kyuuji" (9.63%). Coincidentally or not, these two dramas were shown during the colder seasons i.e. Winter 2023 and Autumn 2023 which were said to be "good seasons" for TV dramas since people tended to stay home more when it was cold. 

And the summer season which was usually seen as a "dumping ground" for dramas since people would be out holidaying during the summer vacation, saw "VIVANT" buck the trend by being the highest rated in these 7 seasons with 14.26%.

Goes to show that weather or the season is no longer a key determinant of a drama's success in terms of real-time ratings?

- To make it to the top 10 dramas of the season in terms of real-time ratings, the average qualifying score is 7.24% which was what most top 5 dramas of the season would exceed. However, in actual fact, out of the 70 dramas in this analysis, 42 actually didn't cross this bar. The most extreme example would be the Autumn 2023 where only the top 2 exceeded this figure.

In addition, the gap between the No.1 and No.10 dramas were around the 5% mark with the least difference seen in Winter 2023 - "Keishicho Outsider" vs. "Brush up life" (3.26%) and the most difference in Summer 2023 - "VIVANT" vs. "CODE" (9.12%).

What this suggests is that the margin between the dramas outside the top 3 tends to be very small but their gaps with the top contenders is comparatively wider.

- In terms of views on TVer, the average "passing mark" to make it to the top 10 is about 24 million views for the entire season. However, depending on the competitive landscape for that season, the number of views needed to become No.1 differed greatly. 

"Brush up life" managed to get No.1 with 30.72 million views while "Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!" got its title with 33.42 million views. However, "Destiny" easily got the same position with just 28.84 million views. 

On the other hand, "Anata ga shitekure nakutemo" and "VIVANT" got No.1 with 54.81 million views, "Ichiban suki na hana" got 40.26 million views but "Umi no hajimari" was far ahead of its competition with a whooping 71.48 million views. This was more than double of the second-placed "Otto no katei wo kowasu made" at 32.58 million views!

As for the cut-off point on the lower end of the ranking, it took "Reversal Orchestra" just 12.88 million views to enter the top 10 but "Kururi" and "Minami-kun no koibito" needed more than 18 million views to scrape through since most of the top 10 titles for their respective seasons were above 20 million views.

And here are the details for the 7 seasons who are interested:

While it may be difficult to quantify and set a standard criteria to determine a drama's success in terms of TV ratings and on-demand views for now, it is no longer possible for content producers like TV stations to ignore the latter market and be hung up over real-time ratings only. Some dramas may have fared poorly on TV but still gained a lot of attention through their great numbers on on-demand platforms or being talked about online. As seen from the enormous number of views for some of the blockbuster hits in these seasons, it suggests that more consumers/viewers are making a conscious choice to watch what they want at their own convenience rather than be tied down by a fixed timeslot. And since there are more measurement metrics nowadays to judge whether a drama has performed well, it is probably time for the media as well to focus less on making a hoo-ha whenever a title expected to do well e.g. with a star-studded cast or big-time actor/actress as the lead suffers from poor real-time ratings.

Times have changed so the way we look at success has to evolve as well.

The story behind Netflix's rise in the Japanese market to hit the 10-million members milestone in less than 10 years

With Netflix's recent announcement that they have hit the 10-million members milestone one year shy of their 10th anniversary since they entered the Japanese market, there were a number of articles which analyzed how they did it and the challenges along the way. As such, I have extracted and added some more information to the key points raised so that you can gain a better understanding of the issues in the Japanese entertainment industry which isn't necessarily friendly towards a foreign company like Netflix.

(Source 1) / (Source 2)

- While Netflix does not provide a regular update on its membership numbers in Japan, it recently announced that it had surpassed the 10-million membership milestone in the first half of 2024. This was just one year shy of its 10th anniversary since it entered the Japanese market on 2 September 2015. As recent as 4 years ago, Netflix had announced that it reached the 5 million members milestone in Japan so this effectively meant that they had doubled their membership base in just 4 years.

- Paying for cable TV and on-demand streaming portals may have been commonplace outside of Japan but this was seen as something that wouldn't work so well in Japan because there were various free platforms for the domestic viewers to watch programmes made by private TV stations. Since subscription-based platforms like WOWOW and Sky PerfecTV! were reportedly having 3 to 4 million subscribers at their peak, the market consensus was that the Japanese market would not see membership numbers exceeding 5 million for the paid TV streaming segment. 

- When Netflix launched the drama series "Zenra Kantoku" in August 2019 after it started operating in Japan 4 years ago, that attracted a lot of attention and was said to be why its subscription number surged to 3 million members in the following month.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it added another 2 million members within a span of 12 months and easily cleared the 5 million subscribers milestone in September 2020.

- However, Netflix did not reveal its membership numbers after 2020 which industry insiders suspected to be due to a slide in its membership base after the pandemic. Adding on to the speculation was that the up-and-rising domestic competitor U-NEXT had seen its membership jump to 4.33 million after its merger with Paravi thus fanning the sentiment that it was giving Netflix a serious run for its money.

With this latest announcement though, it has become apparent that U-NEXT is still far from Netflix in terms of membership numbers and had actually been growing steadily over the years.

- The significance of a 10-million membership base can be put into perspective by comparing this with Japan's population numbers. Based on the current population of 124.5 million people, Netflix's membership number may be just 10% of that but when compared to the number of households i.e. 48.85 million, that works out to more than 20% (considering most households would only need one subscription even if it is to be shared among family members living together).

Most if not all free-to-air dramas these days are seeing low real-time ratings and that anything above 10% is considered a hit. Assuming that just half of Netflix's members in Japan watch one drama, that would be similar to having a reach of 10% of all households nationwide. And not to forget that people outside of Japan can also watch these Japanese titles on the Netflix platform so actual viewership reach (Netflix's worldwide membership base is said to be more than 283 million) would be wider than a domestic drama aired on free-to-air TV only.

- Considering that only paid subscribers can get access to a Netflix title, it was unusual to see that a pet phrase in a Netflix drama was chosen as one of the top 10 buzzwords in 2024. The line "mou ee deshou" by Pierre Taki in the drama "Jimenshitachi" released earlier this year seemingly proved to be popular enough for its inclusion in the buzzword top 10 ranking and even became a parody and game by comedian Chocolate Planet.

- It also seems that Japanese titles are gaining traction in the world with "Jimenshitachi" making it to the top 10 ranking in 30 countries. Another title i.e. "Shinobi no ie" released in February was the No.1 title in 16 countries during its first week of release and also made it to the top 10 in 92 countries. 

On the domestic front, "Jimenshitachi" was No.1 in Japan for 6 weeks in a row, "Shinobi no ie" was No.1 for 4 weeks while "City Hunter" and "Gokuaku Joou" both hogged the top spot for 3 weeks in a row following their releases.

- However, Netflix's entry into the Japanese market was not smoothsailing from the start. It has always been nicknamed as a black ship (kurofune) in a reference to the Western ships that came to Japan between the 16th and 19th centuries which essentially means a foreign disruptor in the Japanese market. The Japanese entertainment content industry was indeed exclusive and isolated to domestic players while being resistant to foreign competitors for a long time. With the success of Netflix and the titles it had produced over the years with domestic industry players, it has opened up more possibilities for Japanese titles making it in the world through this platform.

- Looking at Japanese dramas made by Netflix with Japanese directors and/or TV stations, you can see that there had been a steady flow of investment in J-content. Note that this list only mentions the first season's release year for those having multiple seasons and doesn't include the Japanese movies, anime and music content also available on the platform: 

2015

Underwear

2016

Hanabi

Shinya Shokudou

2017

Bokudake ga inai machi

Honoo no tenkousei REBORN

Salaryman Kantaro

100 man en no onnatachi

Nobushi no gurume

2018

Uchuu wo kakeruyo daga

Jimmy ~ Aho mitai na honma no hanashi ~

Mobusaiko 100

2019

Zenra Kantoku

2020

Imawa no kuni no Arisu

Juon: Noroi no ie

Ai naki mori de sakebe - DEEP CUT -

FOLLOWERS

2021

Gokukufudou

2022

First Love Hatsukoi

Hiyama Kentarou no ninshin

Kingyozuma

Shinbun Kisha

2023

Sanctuary

Kimi ni todoke

Yu Yu Hakusho

Mitarai-ke, enjou suru

Rikon shiyouyo

THE DAYS

Maiko-sanchi no makanai-san

2024

Shinobi no ie

Renai Battle Royale

Jimeshitachi

Gokuaku Joou

Sayonara no tsuzuki

- In Toyo Keizai's interview with Sakamoto Kazutaka, the vice president of Netflix Japan's Content Department, he revealed that the first three years of Netflix's entry into the Japanese market was not easy. From the start, they concentrated on acquiring as much content as possible and even dabbled in producing their own original content like the drama version of "Hibana" adapted from Matayoshi Naoki's novel but the results were not that satisfactory. Coupled with the fact that Japanese works did not really make an impact in the world back then, the US headquarters didn't think that it was worth spending money on making their own Japanese content. This was contrary to the notion that many people had about Netflix having a lot of money to spare and would be willing to do so just because they were a foreign company.

However, the efforts paid off gradually as more Japanese works made it into Netflix's top 10 global ranking. With reference to the most-viewed ranking released for the first half of 2024 (January to June), Japan accounted for the second-most number of non-English titles in the ranking while South Korea took the top spot.

- The success of Netflix's original titles have also translated into gains for the shooting locations such as Kobe City where "City Hunter" was shot at. It was reported in the media that the city managed to get economic gains of more than JPY 400m thanks to the popularity of the title.

- Unexpectedly, the music used in these original titles have also benefited from the popularity. The ending song for "City Hunter" i.e. TM NETWORK's "Get Wild Continual" soared up the karaoke rankings and saw a doubling of its monthly listener numbers on Spotify.

Another example would be from the reality show "Boyfriend" where its theme song "Dazed & Confused" by South Korean artist Glen Check grabbed the No.2 spot in Spotify Japan's Viral Top 10 ranking despite Check being relatively unknown in Japan.

- Netflix's growing prominence in the entertainment industry is said to have brought about significant benefits in neighbouring South Korea such as improvement in labour conditions. For example, the daily filming hours are restricted to 12 hours and not to exceed more than 52 hours a week. Even though this may mean an increase in costs due to the higher number of filming days, there is an increasing trend of more efforts put in to secure enough budget so as to accommodate such arrangements. However, there are also downsides such as the reportedly sky high salaries for the cast taking up a huge chunk of the budget and a drying up of suitable stories to be made.

- While Netflix intends to replicate the good stuff from their experience in South Korea and apply that to Japan, they are also mindful of potential pitfalls in areas like budget management. Hopefully, this will bring about a positive ripple effect in the industry for the long term.

Preview of "Slow Train" (Drama SP)

Title: Slow Train / スロウトレイン

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Date: 2 January 2025 at 9pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Cast: Matsu Takako, Tabe Mikako, Matsuzaka Toori, Hoshino Gen, Chae Jong-hyeop, Matsumoto Honoka, Iketani Nobue, Kura Yuki, Furutachi Kanji, Uno Shohei, Iizuka Satoshi, Sugawara Daikichi, Nakamura Yuko, Maida Nono, Lily Franky & Iura Arata

Winners of Yahoo! Japan Search Awards 2024

Here are the winners of Yahoo! Japan Search Awards 2024 in selected categories:

For the full list and winners in other categories, please refer to here.

Top 5 Most Searched Dramas

1) Tora ni tsubasa

2) Hikaru kimi e

3) Umi no hajimari

4) Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!

5) Black Pean Season 2

Top 5 Most Searched Movies

1) Gekijouban Haikyu!! Gomisuteba no kessen

2) Kingdom Daishougun no kikan

3) Last Mile

4) Inside Out 2

5) Hen na ie

Top 5 Most Searched Actors

1) Kawai Yumi

2) Chae Jong-hyeop

3) Deguchi Natsuki

4) Wakaba Ryuuya

5) Matsumoto Wakana

Top 5 Most Searched Musicians

1) Number_i

2) Mrs. GREEN APPLE

3) NewJeans

4) WEST.

5) ME:I

Quick Review #82: Onmyouji 0 (movie)

Title: Onmyouji 0 / 陰陽師0

Rating: 2 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who are fine with watching an uneventful prelude to Abe no Seimei's rise to become a top onmyouji

* Currently available on Amazon Prime Video (subject to geographical location)

Liked:

- Tsuda Kenjiro's narration was really good and fitted the vibe of this movie.

Disliked: 

- While I already adjusted my expectations to a certain extent considering that this was focused on the early days of Seimei and probably wouldn't be that exciting, the story still turned out to be very underwhelming and I even found myself dozing off multiple times. Although this movie was the commemorative work to mark the 1100th birthday of Seimei and was produced with the back-up of the original novel's author Yumemakura Baku's, the final result was disappointing, at least to me.

- Even for fans of Yamazaki Kento, I would find it hard to recommend this to them. Perhaps it's the way the story was but it certainly didn't portray Yamazaki in a very favourable light, both in terms of the onscreen image and the character's behaviour.

- Considering that the Heian era was known for its art and beauty, it was quite disappointing to see that the visuals certainly did not reflect this unique trait of that period. It could be due to the fact that most of the story actually took place within the Onmyouji Academy and there was only one female character among the guys. Even so, most of the characters were nobles from the aristocratic class or government officials so the costumes they wore or the set designs could have been a bit more elaborate, intricate and colourful.

Quick Review #81: Nankyoku Tairiku - Autumn 2011

Title: Nankyoku Tairiku / 南極大陸 (Antarctica)

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who want to watch a motivational story based on facts about how people overcame challenges posed by the harsh conditions in Antarctica and rebuild Japan in various ways during the days after WWII and/or are fans of stories about the bond between man and dogs

* Currently available on Netflix (subject to geographical location)

* Spoilers ahead!!!

Liked:

- While the drama was definitely not shot in Antarctica (given how far it is from Japan and the inaccessibility and danger of going there) but rather in Nemuro, Hokkaido, the harsh winter conditions would still have made this a very difficult piece of work to film for the crew, cast and the Sakhalin huskies featured. Just the Antarctica scenes took two and a half months to film while the entire drama was shot over 6 months and completed before it was aired. For the amount of effort put in, it was a visual feast to watch this drama for the beautiful snowy scenery without actually having to be there in person. Thumbs up for the cinematography!

- Considering that this is a dramatisation of an actual situation, the story was grounded in reality most of the time so it didn't come across as a far-fetched or overly idealistic portrayal of the Antarctica expedition or a blatant attempt to show Japan in a very patriotic or nationalistic light. Adding on to the difficulty of taking on such a dangerous mission at that time was the fact that it was just a decade after the end of WWII when Japan was trying to rebuild itself in many ways but it was still being viewed with suspicion and disdain by the international community. As such, not everything went well and there were some developments which were simply painful to sit through such as the unintentional "abandonment" of the huskies at the Showa Base. However, I think that was a good reflection of how life never goes the way you want it at times.

- For animal lovers especially those who like dogs or are big fans of stories featuring the strong bond between man and dog, a key component of this drama was how the first wintering squad depended a lot on their canine friends despite the initial misgivings by some members about the huskies' abilities. The scenes of how Kuramochi (Kimura Takuya) desperately tried to save his huskies but to no avail and was only reunited with the survivors one year later were really tear-jerking. I was especially impressed with these canine actors which were so spot-on with their actions, expressions and those soulful eyes. It's been said that filming with children and animals is extremely challenging so the high level of precision shown here by the canine actors was simply amazing. They were definitely an integral part of this drama's success.

- Acting was on the whole on a high level. And since this drama was aired more than 10 years ago, it also invoked some nostalgia because a lot had happened over the years - some actors are no longer so active in showbiz, gotten into trouble in various ways or had passed away. Given the star-studded cast, this is probably something that cannot be replicated anymore in present.

- Nakajima Miyuki's voice and the theme song were a perfect fit to bring out the grandeur and scale of this story.

Disliked: 

- The only part of the story which I found to be draggy was in the second half of Ep 9 when they were showing how difficult it was for the third Antarctica expedition to get the go-ahead and for Kuramochi to return to Antarctica to save his huskies. I got the point but there was simply no reason to keep going on and on about the same thing.

- While the drama featured the glorious and positive side of the bond between man and dog, the scenes showing the final fates of the abandoned huskies were very upsetting so you might have to be prepared for that. 

- Perhaps due to the fact that Sakai Masato's character was designed to be a very stern, stubborn and unyielding personality, his facial expressions and acting in two-thirds of the drama were so stiff and uncomfortable to watch. Likewise for Ayase Haruka whose character was sort of subdued and holding herself back on various fronts, her acting also felt stiff and boring at certain junctures. I wouldn't blame these on their acting abilities though but it would take a lot to make such unappealing characters become more palatable to the viewers.

- I liked Kimura's acting this time as a whole especially his scenes with the huskies although there were still undeniable traces of his usual stylish KimuTaku vibe seeping through at times. And I don't know if anyone else also felt the same way but Kuramochi somehow behaved and looked to be way more modern than the Showa era so this got me a bit bothered at times. While everyone else looked like they did belong to that time setting, Kimura stood out in a not-so-ideal manner so some people may not like that part of his performance.

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Tora ni tsubasa
3) Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai

2) Umi no hajimari

3) Black Pean Season 2

4) Billion x School

5) Hidamari ga kikoeru

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Tora ni tsubasa
3) Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

4) Kazoku dakara aishitan janakute, aishita no ga kazoku datta

5) Otto no katei wo kowasu made

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

2) Tora ni tsubasa

3) Ano ko no kodomo

4) Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai

5) Classmate no joshi, zenin suki deshita

Source: The Television

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Meguro Ren - Umi no hajimari

2) Nakano Taiga - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

3) Ninomiya Kazunari - Black Pean Season 2

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Meguro Ren - Umi no hajimari
2) Ninomiya Kazunari - Black Pean Season 2
3) Yamada Ryosuke - Billion x School
4) Watanabe Shota - Aoshima-kun wa ijiwaru
5) Narita Ryo - Furitsumore kodoku na shi yo

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Meguro Ren - Umi no hajimari
2) Nakano Taiga - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin
3) Ninomiya Kazunari - Black Pean Season 2
4) Narita Ryo - Furitsumore kodoku na shi yo

5) Yamada Ryosuke - Billion x School

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Nakano Taiga - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin
2) Meguro Ren - Umi no hajimari

3) Yamada Ryosuke - Billion x School

4) Takahashi Fumiya - Densetsu no head Sho

Ninomiya Kazunari - Black Pean Season 2

Source: The Television

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Ito Sairi - Tora ni tsubasa
2) Matsumoto Wakana - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
3) Koike Eiko - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Matsumoto Wakana - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Ito Sairi - Tora ni tsubasa

3) Nakamura An - Aoshima-kun wa ijiwaru

4) Koshiba Fuuka - GO HOME ~ Keishicho mimoto fumeinin soudanshitsu ~

5) Koike Eiko - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Ito Sairi - Tora ni tsubasa
2) Matsumoto Wakana - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
3) Matsumoto Marika - Otto no katei wo kowasu made

4) Kawai Yumi - Kazoku dakara aishitan janakute, aishita no ga kazoku datta

5) Matsushita Nao - Sky Castle

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Koike Eiko - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

2) Ito Sairi - Tora ni tsubasa

3) Kawai Yumi - Kazoku dakara aishitan janakute, aishita no ga kazoku datta

4) Matsumoto Wakana - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai

5) Sakurada Hiyori - Ano ko no kodomo

Source: The Television

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Matsumura Hokuto - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai

2) Sakurai Sho - Warau Matoryoushika

3) Ikematsu Sousuke - Umi no hajimari

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Matsumura Hokuto - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Ikematsu Sousuke - Umi no hajimari
3) Abe Ryouhei - GO HOME ~ Keishicho mimoto fumeinin soudanshitsu ~
4) Takeuchi Ryoma - Black Pean Season 2
5) Mukai Koji - Mountain Doctor

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Matsumura Hokuto - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Sakurai Sho - Warau Matoryoushika
3) Nomura Kouta - Otto no katei wo kowasu made
4) Ikematsu Sousuke - Umi no hajimari
5) Tozuka Junki - Tora ni tsubasa

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Hosoda Kanata - Ano ko no kodomo
2) Sakurai Sho - Warau Matoryoushika

3) Matsuyama Kenichi - Tora ni tsubasa

Yoshida Aoi - Kazoku dakara aishitan janakute, aishita no ga kazoku datta

5) Ikematsu Sousuke - Umi no hajimari

Source: The Television

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Doi Shiori - Tora ni tsubasa

2) Arimura Kasumi - Umi no hajimari
3) Ishida Yuriko - Tora ni tsubasa

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Kurata Ema - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
2) Izutani Rana - Umi no hajimari
3) Arimura Kasumi - Umi no hajimari
4) Kinami Haruka - Billion x School
5) Ooshima Yuuko - GO HOME ~ Keishicho mimoto fumeinin soudanshitsu ~

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Arimura Kasumi - Umi no hajimari
2) Doi Shiori - Tora ni tsubasa

3) Kurata Ema - Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai
4) Koyuki - Sky Castle
Ootake Shinobu - Umi no hajimari

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Ishida Yuriko - Tora ni tsubasa
2) Doi Shiori - Tora ni tsubasa

3) Kayashima Mizuki - Ano ko no kodomo

Izutani Rana - Umi no hajimari

Hashimoto Ai - Shinjuku Yasen Byouin

Source: The Television

The 121st Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2024) - Best Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Sayounara mata itsuka - Yonezu Kenshi (Tora ni tsubasa)

2) Atarashii koibitotachi ni - back number (Umi no hajimari)

3) Zarame - Aimyon (Furitsumore kodoku na shi yo)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) strawberry - BUMP OF CHICKEN (Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai)
2) Atarashii koibitotachi ni - back number (Umi no hajimari)
3) Kimi wa boku no mono - Snow Man (Aoshima-kun wa ijiwaru)
4) Sayounara mata itsuka - Yonezu Kenshi (Tora ni tsubasa)
5) Sono saki ni aru mono - Oda Kazumasa (Black Pean Season 2)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Sayounara mata itsuka - Yonezu Kenshi (Tora ni tsubasa)

2) Atarashii koibitotachi ni - back number (Umi no hajimari)

3) Zarame - Aimyon (Furitsumore kodoku na shi yo)
4) Koukyuu French yori anata to tsukuru shinya no French toast ga suki - SARM (Otto no katei wo kowasu made)
5) Koi no bugiugi night - Southern All Stars (Shinjuku Yasen Byouin)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Sayounara mata itsuka - Yonezu Kenshi (Tora ni tsubasa)

2) Atarashii koibitotachi ni - back number (Umi no hajimari)

Wasurete kudasai - Yorushika (GO HOME ~ Keishicho mimoto fumeinin soudanshitsu ~)

Charade - Superfly (Maruhi no Mitsuko-san)

5) Ruru - Ado (Billion x School)

Source: The Television

Quick Review #80: Kokuhaku (movie)

Title: Kokuhaku / 告白

Rating: 6 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who want to watch a short suspense thriller in an extreme condition and are fans of Yang Ik-june

Liked:

- Thanks to the fact that the movie was just 73 minutes long, the story moved on pretty speedily after the 30-minute mark and culminated in a rather unexpected ending. The thriller parts i.e. the psychological and physical aspects really kept me on the edge of my seat despite the story being set in one place and featured only the two male leads with a long dead female lead who appeared in flashbacks.

- Yang was definitely the scene stealer in this film with his portrayal of Ji-yong who was alternating between the "normal" and "extreme" states for most of the film. The fury, craziness and sorrow blended into his character was really brilliant.

Disliked: 

- You have to be a bit patient in the beginning because the first 30 minutes or so was comparatively bland and slow-moving compared to the rest of the movie. It can be really easy to give up on this movie if you can't bear with this part.

- While the twist in Ikuta's character Asai was interesting to see, it did feel as if the change was too little and too late. As such, there was not really much Ikuta could do for most of the film to stand out other than be pushed to the brink both physically and psychologically by his co-star.

- Likewise for Nao, she hardly got the chance to say anything as the dead female lead Sayuri which I felt was a pity and I would have wanted to see more of her acting.

Nominees of the 49th Hochi Movie Awards (2024)

Here are the nominees of the 49th Hochi Movie Awards (2024) as announced on 12 November 2024. The numbers in brackets refer to the number of nominees in that category and the list is in the Japanese alphabetical order. Winners will be revealed in late November:

Best Japanese Movie (15)

PERFECT DAYS

Karaoke iko!

Yoake no subete

52 hertz no kujiratachi

Missing

An no koto

Kakushigoto

Hebi no michi

Samurai Time Slipper

Last Mile

Boku ga ikiteru, futatsu no sekai

Goman to zenryou

11 nin no zokugun

Aimitagai

Shoutai

Best Director (14)

Irie Yu - An no koto

Wim Wenders - PERFECT DAYS

Okuyama Hiroshi - Boku no ohisama

Katayama Shinzo - Ame no naka no yokujou

Kusano Shogo - Aimitagai

Shiraishi Kazuya - 11 nin no zokugun / Gobangiri

Sekine Kousai - Kakushigoto

Tsukahara Ayuko - Last Mile

Narushima Izuru - 52 hertz no kujiratachi

Hagiwara Kentaro - Goman to zenryou / Blue Period

Fujii Michihito - Shoutai / Seishun 18 x 2 Kimi e to tsuzuku michi

Mitani Koki - Suomi no hanashi wo shiyou

Miyake Sho - Yoake no subete

Yoshida Keisuke - Missing

Best Leading Actor (13)

Ayano Go - Karaoke iko!

Ikematsu Sousuke - Honshin

Nakano Taiga - 11 nin no zokugun

Narita Ryo - Ame no naka no yokujou

Hiraizumi Sei - Ashita wo tsuzuru shashinkan

Fujigaya Taisuke - Goman to zenryou

Matsumura Hokuto - Yoake no subete

Yakusho Koji - PERFECT DAYS / Hakkenden

Yamaguchi Makiya - Samurai Time Slipper

Yamazaki Kento - Golden Kamuy / Kingdom Daishogun no kikan

Yamada Takayuki - 11 nin no zokugun

Yokohama Ryuusei - Shoutai

Yoshizaqa Ryo - Boku ga ikiteru, futatsu no sekai

Best Leading Actress (13)

An - Kakushigoto

Ishihara Satomi - Missing

Eguchi Noriko - Amarokku / Okaasan ga issho / Ai ni ranbou

Kamishiraishi Mone - Yoake no subete

Kawai Yumi - An no koto / Namibia no sabaku

Kiyohara Kaya - Seishun 18 x 2 Kimi e to tsuzuku michi

Kusabue Mitsuko - 90-sai. Nani ga medetai

Kuroki Haru - Aimitagai

Shibasaki Kou - Hebi no michi

Sugisaki Hana - 52 hertz no kujiratachi / Ichiko / Kuchinai sakura

Nao - Goman to zenryou / Sensei no shiroi uso

Nagasawa Masami - Suomi no hanashi wo shiyou

Mitsushima Hikari - Last Mile

Best Supporting Actor (13)

Aoki Munetaka - Missing / Hebi no michi

Ikematsu Sousuke - Boku no ohisama / Baby Walkure Nice Days

Okada Masaki - Last Mile / Angry Squad Koumuin to 7 nin no sagishi

Okuda Eiji - Kakushigoto

Shison Jun - 52 hertz no kujiratachi

Nakamura Tomoya - Missing / Last Mile

Fuji Tatsuya - Ooinaru fuzai

Matsumura Hokuto - Dear Family

Mitsuishi Ken - Yoake no subete / Dear Family

Yasuda Ken - Kuchinai sakura

Yamada Takayuki - Shoutai

Yoshizawa Ryo - Kingdom Daishogun no kikan

Wakaba Ryuuya - Ichiko / Boku no ohisama

Best Supporting Actress (14)

Kawai Aoba - Kakushigoto / An no koto / Route 29

Kawaei Rina - Hen na ie / Dear Family / Angry Squad Koumuin to 7 nin no sagishi

Kuroki Haru - Gold Boy / Seishun 18 x 2 Kimi e to tsuzuku michi / Hakkenden

Sakura Yuno - Samurai Time Slipper

Takaishi Akari - Shinmai kisha Torokko Watashi ga yaraneba dare ga yaru!

Nakamura Yuri - Ichiko / Amarokku / Onihei Hankacho Kettou

Nishida Naomi - Ienai himitsu / Goman to zenryou / Aimitagai

Fujima Sawako - Yoake no subete / 90-sai. Nani ga medetai / Chacha / Aimitagai

Furukawa Kotone - Ienai himitsu / Cloud

Maeda Bibari - Goman to zenryou

Miyoshi Ayaka - Honshin / Sensei no shiroi uso

Yamada Anna - Golden Kamuy / Shoutai

Yoshioka Riho - Shoutai

Yoshine Kyoko - Karaoke iko!

Best Newcomer (8)

Kubozuka Airu - Happiness / Koi wo shiranai bokutachi wa

Koshiyama Keitatsu - Boku no ohisama

Saito Jun - Karaoke iko! / Karakai jouzu no Takagi-san / Muroi Shinji Yaburezarumono / Muroi Shinji Ikitsuzukerumono

Shiramoto Ayana - Hako Otoko

Nakasu Touma - Kakushigoto

Nakanishi Kiara - Boku no ohisama

Hamura Jinsei - Gold Boy

Hayase Ikoi - Ikoku Nikki / Ano ko wa daare?

Quick Review #79: Chinmoku no Parade (movie)

Title: Chinmoku no Parade / 沈黙のパレード

Rating: 6 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who are fans of the Galileo series and want to see the lead trio back in action but don't mind a somewhat underwhelming suspense story

Liked:

- If you are a fan of the Galileo series and would like to see the leads Fukuyama Masaharu, Shibasaki Kou and Kitamura Kazuki back in action again, you should be satisfied with this movie which retained the usual formula in past installments to a certain extent.

- Since it had been some years from the first Galileo drama series, it was natural to see some progression and development in the characters from then to now. As such, there were notably more emotional scenes this time especially for Kitamura. While I was surprised to see such a vulnerable side to Kusanagi (Kitamura) in the movie, I was also impressed by the subtlety in Kitamura's acting as he didn't go too overboard when conveying the outpouring feelings of his character. Shibasaki's character Utsumi also showed a newfound stability and maturity as she no longer "hovered" around Yukawa (Fukuyama) cluelessly and could hold her own as a more experienced police officer now compared to when she first started out. Even Yukawa who used to be quite "emotionally detached" and a tad harsh at times, had a softer feel and felt much more "human-like" than before.

Disliked: 

- Despite my point above about this movie being quite standard Galileo fare, there were still some adjustments such as the famous scene when Yukawa always had to scribble lots of mathematical calculations on any surface for his deductions - this was omitted. Perhaps it was because the characters had "grown" over the entire series of dramas and movies so that kind of "dramatic scene" no longer fitted the current vibe in this movie. While I don't mind this kind of change to fit the characters' current state of mind and/or situations, these missing elements might not go down so well with longtime fans who enjoy watching them.

Likewise, because Yukawa is no longer emotionless, Utsumi has become so mellow and mature while Kusanagi is not cheeky and frivolous this time, it can be a bit of a turnoff for existing fans of the series if they are watching this for some nostalgia from the good old days. To be honest, the fun interactions between the three of them was something I used to enjoy but the atmosphere this time was a bit too heavy for that.

- The story or rather the truth behind the case was easy to guess from the start. If you have watched enough suspense/mystery stories to date and saw how the build-up to the murder was done, it would have been an obvious giveaway on what to expect. As such, I didn't enjoy the suspense element because I knew what was coming and that was very anti-climatic as a suspense story.

* NOTE: Do watch the credits till the end for the footage from past installments in the Galileo series. Great for a nostalgic walk down memory lane!