Preview of "Watashi no shitekurenai feromon kareshi" - Autumn 2022

Title: Watashi no shitekurenai feromon kareshi 私のシてくれないフェロモン彼氏

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 15 Nov 2022

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 12.58am

Broadcast by: TBS

Opening theme song: "Bakemono" by 703 goshitsu

Ending theme song: "Tuxedo" by Hiplin

Cast: Shimazaki Haruka, Watanabe Keisuke, Nakata Seina, Mori Kanna & Horii Arata

Winners of the Tokyo Drama Awards 2022

Here are the winners of the Tokyo Drama Awards 2022:

Grand Prix - Drama Series: Saiai (TBS)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Come Come Everybody (NHK)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Koi desu! ~ Yankii-kun to hakujou garu ~ (NTV)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Kinkyuu torishirabeshitsu Season 4 (TV Asahi)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Chef wa meitantei (TV Tokyo)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Mystery to iu nakare (FujiTV)

Excellence Award - Drama Series: Oi Handsome! (Tokai TV)

Drama SP - Grand Prix: Oliver na inu, (Gosh!!) kono yarou (NHK)

Drama SP - Excellence Award: Futari no Ultraman (NHK)

Drama SP - Excellence Award: My Small Land (NHK)

Drama SP - Excellence Award: Tsuda Umeko ~ Osatsu ni natta ryuugakusei ~ (TV Asahi)

Drama SP - Excellence Award: Kodoku no gurume 2021 Oomisoka SP ~ Gekisou! Zekkei zeppin toshiwasure road movie ~ (TV Tokyo)

Best Leading Actor: Suda Masaki - Mystery to iu nakare (FujiTV)

Best Leading Actress: Yoshitaka Yuriko - Saiai (TBS)

Best Supporting Actor: Odagiri Jo - Come Come Everybody (NHK)

Best Supporting Actress: Matsumoto Wakana - Yangotonaki Ichizoku (FujiTV)

Best script: Fujimoto Yuki - Come Come Everybody (NHK)

Best directing: Tsukahara Ayuko - Saiai (TBS)

Best theme song: "Aldebaran" by AI - Come Come Everybody (NHK)

Source: Tokyo Drama Awards

Preview of "Kanzen ni tsunda Ichiko wa mou charisma ni naru shikanai no" - Autumn 2022

Title: Kanzen ni tsunda Ichiko wa mou charisma ni naru shikanai no 完全に詰んだイチ子はもうカリスマになるしかないの

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 Nov 2022

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 12.30am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Cast: Fukagawa Mai, Nomura Shuhei, Saaya, Yuutarou, YUSHI, Iwasaki Uta, Fujimori Shingo & MEGUMI

Preview of "Saisho wa paa" - Autumn 2022

Title: Saisho wa paa 最初はパー

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 28 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Fridays at 11.15pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Good Luck!" by SixTONES

Cast: Jesse, Ichikawa Ennosuke, Kaki Haruka, Motoi Shunsuke, Aoki Yuzu, Sakoda Takaya, Hashimoto Jun, Koyabu Kazutoyo, Nishi Yosuke, Tomisatto, Ibaraki Woderu, Miyabe Junko, Higa Nikko, Kawakubo Sae, Ikeda Ryo & Tsuwano Ryo

Preview of "Piece of Cake" - Autumn 2022

Title: Piece of Cake ぴーすおぶけーき

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 25 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 1.29am

Broadcast by: NTV

Theme song: "Hallelujah" by Masao

Opening theme: "Broadway" by Ivudot

Cast: Motoi Shunsuke, Sasaki Mirei, Ochiai Motoki & Sakai Toshiya

Preview of "Elpis - Kibou, arui wa wazawai -" - Autumn 2022

Title: Elpis - Kibou, arui wa wazawai - エルピス - 希望、あるいは災い -

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 24 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Mondays at 10pm

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Cast: Nagasawa Masami, Maeda Goudon, Miura Touko, Miura Takahiro, Kondo Kouen, Iketsu Shoko, Kajihara Zen, Kataoka Shojiro, Yamaji Kazuhiro, Okabe Takashi, Rokkaku Seiji, Tsutsui Mariko & Suzuki Ryohei

Preview of "Japanese Style" - Autumn 2022

Title: Japanese Style ジャパニーズスタイル

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 22 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Saturdays at 11.30pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Hitomibore" by Vaundy

Cast: Nakano Taiga, Ichikawa Mikako, Kaname Jun, KAZMA, Ishizaki Huwie, Dan Rei, Emoto Akira, Miyazawa Miho, Matsukawa Naruki & Suda Masaki

Preview of "Kurosagi" - Autumn 2022

Title: Kurosagi クロサギ

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 21 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Fridays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi

Cast: Hirano Sho, Kuroshima Yuina, Inowaki Kai, Nakamura Yuri, Uno Shohei, Tokito Yuki, Yamamoto Koji, Bandou Yajuro, Funakoshi Eiichiro & Miura Tomokazu

Preview of "Shinsou wa mimi no naka" - Autumn 2022

Title: Shinsou wa mimi no naka 真相は耳の中

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 21 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Fridays at 12.52am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Theme Song: "Time Travel Melon" by Orange Spiny Crab

Cast: Ihara Tsuyoshi, Tsutsui Ayame, Morinaga Yuuki & Nakamura Yurika

Preview of "The Travel Nurse" - Autumn 2022

Title: The Travel Nurse ザ・トラベルナース

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 20 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Thursdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Goasatte" by DISH//

Narrator: Endo Kenichi

Cast: Okada Masaki, Nakai Kiichi, Nanao, Adachi Yumi, Tsunematsu Yuri, Izumisawa Yuki, Miyamoto Mayu, Noro Kayo, Iketani Nobue, Yoshida Uuronta, Maehara Mizuki, Yanagiba Toshiro. Asada Miyoko, Terajima Shinobu & Matsudaira Ken

Preview of "Sister" - Autumn 2022

Title: Sister シスター

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official LINE: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 20 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Thursdays at 11.59pm

Broadcast by: YTV / NTV

Original manga by: Ayapan & Shijimi Tsubasa

Theme Song: "qualia" by Rinne

Cast: Yamamoto Maika, Takimoto Miori, Sato Taiki, Akira 100%, Kajiwara Takuto, Koyama Rina, Sakurai Atsuko, Yoshizawa Hisashi & Mizobata Junpei

Preview of "Kimi no hana ni naru" - Autumn 2022

Title: Kimi no hana ni naru 君の花になる

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official LINE: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

Official YouTube: here

O.A. Start Date: 18 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Insert song by: 8LOOM

Cast: Honda Tsubasa, Takahashi Fumiya, Miyase Ryuubi, Tsuna Keito, Hachimura Rintarou, Mori Shuuto, NOA, Yamashita Kouki, Shida Sara, Kikuta Tatsuhiro, Kawazu Asuka, Kimura Masaya, Takatsuka Hiromu, Tajima Shougo, Fujimaki Kyousuke, Matsuda Jin, Kinami Haruka, Miyano Mamoru, Uchida Yuki, Takenaka Naoto & Natsuki Mari

Preview of "Kasouken no onna 2022" - Autumn 2022

Title: Kasouken no onna 2022 科捜研の女 2022

Official website: here

Official LINE: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 18 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Silent" by Sakaguchi Ami

Cast: Sawaguchi Yasuko, Naitou Takashi, Koike Teppei, Wakamura Mayumi, Kazama Tooru, Kaneda Akio, Saito Satoru, Nishida Ken, Yamamoto Hikaru & Ishii Kazuaki

Preview of "Tsukanoma no Ichika" - Autumn 2022

Title: Tsukanoma no Ichika 束の間の一花

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 17 Oct 2022

Timeslot: 12.59am on Mondays

Broadcast by: NTV

Original manga by: Tadano Natsu

Theme Song: "Futari" by SixTONES

Cast: Kyomoto Taiga, Fujiwara Sakura, Sasaki Taikou, Komai Ren, Yamanouchi Suzu, Asaka Mayumi, Kitarou & Tomita Yasuko

Preview of "Atomu no ko" - Autumn 2022

Title: Atomu no ko アトムの童

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here
Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 16 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Sundays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Narrator: Kanda Hakuzan

Cast: Yamazaki Kento, Matsushita Kouhei, Kishii Yukino, Okabe Dai, Baba Tooru, Yanagi Shuntaro, Rokkaku Seiji, Hyunri, Iinuma Ai, Toda Naho, Minagawa Sarutoki, Tsukaji Muga, Denden, Kazama Norio & Odagiri Jo

Preview of "Reibai tantei Jouzuka Hisui" - Autumn 2022

Title: Reibai tantei Jouzuka Hisui 霊媒探偵・城塚翡翠

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official LINE: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 16 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Sundays at 10.30pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Original manga by: Aizawa Sako

Theme song sung by: Fukuyama Masaharu

Cast: Kiyohara Kaya, Koshiba Fuuka, Tanaka Michiko, Oikawa Mitsuhiro & Seto Koji

Quick Review #17: Hatsukoi no akuma (Summer 2022)

Title: Hatsukoi no akuma 初恋の悪魔

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: NTV

Rating: 7.5/10

Recommended for: fans of Sakamoto Yuji and the cast as well as those who like to ponder over the meaning of the lines

Liked:

- The acting from the cast. To begin with, I like the 4 main actors so it was a joy seeing them in action together. The chemistry between them got even better as their characters' friendship developed. Nakano Taiga and Matsuoka Mayu were the stars from the beginning to the midpoint while Hayashi Kento was the highlight towards the end. It was a pity though that Emoto Tasuku's role didn't get much of an opportunity to shine especially since Kotori's romance with Hattori didn't amount to much in the end.

- The subtlety of the gestures and actions rather than using words to illustrate a point or reflect the relationships and closeness between characters. It felt like being in a detective game where you had to look for clues such as body language to understand what was going on beyond what was spoken.

Disliked: 

- I would say that this drama can be quite polarising. Sakamoto Yuji's dramas are not that easy to understand at times with lots of dialogue in the conversations between characters so the subtlety this time can be a double-edged sword. You can either love or hate it. And till the end, I still wonder about the meaning of the title. I've thought of various interpretations but none of them seem that convincing even to myself. Thus, I am left wondering, so what exactly have I watched for the past 3 months?

- The dialogue this time didn't resonate as much with me as compared to some of his works like "Quartet" and "Omameda Towako" where there were countless quotable quotes and developments which hit close to my heart. Maybe it's the genre this time (the case solving wasn't challenging intellectually but I guess it never was meant to be), or maybe it's the setting that wasn't so engaging but I remember that I wasn't particularly satisfied nor fond of this drama after watching the first episode. There were some notable highlights as the season progressed but somehow, I never got to the stage of being "excited" or "fond" of this drama. Much as I think the characters were endearing in their own ways, I just felt that the story was decent but lacking at the same time.

Preview of "Boyfriend kourin!" - Autumn 2022

Title: Boyfriend kourin! ボーイフレンド降臨！

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 15 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Saturdays at 11pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Irodori" by King & Prince

Cast: Takahashi Kaito, Sakurai Yuki, Tanaka Minami, Suezawa Seiya, Kataoka Rin, Ito Shuko, Honda Chikara, Mitsuishi Ken & Miyake Ken

Winners of the Nikkansports Drama Grand Prix - Summer 2022

Note that the numbers in brackets indicate the number of votes received between 14 and 21 Sep 2022.

Best Drama

1) Shin Shinchoukouki (1,482)

2) Hatsukoi no akuma (1,000)

3) Roppongi Class (766)

4) Kamakuradono no 13 nin (313)

5) Junai Dissonance (243)

Best Leading Actor

1) Nagase Ren - Shin Shinchoukouki (1,485)

2) Hayashi Kento - Hatsukoi no akuma (991)

3) Takeuchi Ryoma - Roppongi Class (670)

4) Oguri Shun - Kamakuradono no 13 nin (308)

5) Shigeoka Daiki - Yukionna to kani wo kuu (233)

Best Leading Actress

1) Arimura Kasumi - Ishiko to Haneo (1,014)

2) Haru - Mahou no rinobe (617)

3) Sugisaki Hana - Prism (562)

4) Kuroshima Yuina - Chimudondon (412)

5) Nagano Mei - Unicorn ni notte (394)

Best Supporting Actor

1) Emoto Tasuku - Hatsukoi no akuma (547)

2) Saotome Taichi - Roppongi Class (502)

3) Hamada Gaku - Shin Shinchoukouki (412)

4) Mitsushima Shinnosuke - Shin Shinchoukouki (310)

5) Yasuda Ken - Hatsukoi no akuma (273)

Best Supporting Actress

1) Yamada Anna - Shin Shinchoukouki (1,033)

2) Matsuoka Mayu - Hatsukoi no akuma (904)

3) Hirate Yurina - Roppongi Class (832)

4) Koike Eiko - Kamakuradono no 13 nin (434)

5) Iriyama Noriko - Yukionna to kani wo kuu (173)

Source: Nikkansports

Preview of "Aibou Season 21" - Autumn 2022

Title: Aibou Season 21 相棒 シーズン21

Official website: here

Official Facebook: here

Official Instagram: here

Official LINE: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 12 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Cast: Mizutani Yutaka, Terawaki Yasufumi etc.

Preview of "PICU Shouni shuuchuu chiryoushitsu" - Autumn 2022

Title: PICU Shouni shuuchuu chiryoushitsu / PICU 小児集中治療室 

Official website: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 10 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Mondays at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme song: "Tomoni" by Nakajima Miyuki
Cast: Yoshizawa Ryo, Yasuda Ken, Kimura Fumino, Takasugi Mahiro, Takanashi Rin, Kanno Rio, Ikuta Erika, Nakao Akiyoshi, Kikuchi Rinko, Matsuo Satoru, Masana Bokuzo, Komoto Masahiro, Issey Ogata & Ootake Shinobu

Nominees for the 4th Asia Contents Awards - Japan (2022)

Here are the Japanese nominees for the 4th Asia Contents Awards which will be announced at the BIFF Theater, Busan Cinema Center on 8 October 2022. For the full list of nominees, please visit this website.

Best Content: Shinbun Kisha (Netflix)

Technical Achievement Award: TOKYO MER Hashiru kinkyuu kyuumeishitsu (TBS)

Best Actor: Suzuki Ryohei - TOKYO MER Hashiru kinkyuu kyuumeishitsu (TBS)

Best Actress: Yonekura Ryoko - Shinbun Kisha (Netflix)

Best Writer: Ooishi Shizuka - Ano toki kiss shite okeba (TV Asahi)

Best Supporting Actress: Nakamura An - DCU (TBS) / Nakajo Ayami - TOKYO MER Hashiru kinkyuu kyuumeishitsu (TBS)

Newcomer Actress: Ishii Anna - Kingyozuma (Netflix)

Newcomer Actor: Yokohama Ryuusei - Shinbun Kisha (Netflix)

Preview of "Tsumaranai juutakuchi no subete no ie" - Autumn 2022

Title: Tsumaranai juutakuchi no subete no ie つまらない住宅地のすべての家

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 10 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Mondays to Thursdays at 10.45pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Original novel by: Tsumura Kikuko

Cast: Inohara Yoshihiko, Kishi Souta, Natsukawa Yui, Nakada Yoshiko, Omi Toshinori, Kyono Kotomi, Ueki Shohei, Hamano Kenta, Akaza Miyoko, Inaba Yu, Misaki Ayame, Yamaguchi Mayu, Aoki Sayaka, Sudo Risa, Fuwa Mansaku, Nahana & Yoshiyuki Kazuko

Preview of "Inori no karute ~ Kenshui no nazotoki shinsatsu kiroku ~" - Autumn 2022

Title: Inori no karute ~ Kenshui no nazotoki shinsatsu kiroku ~ 祈りのカルテ ~ 研修医の謎解き診察記録 ~

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 8 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Saturdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Original novel by: Chinen Mikito

Theme Song: "Omoibana" by Kis-My-Ft2

Cast: Tamamori Yuuta, Ikeda Elaiza, Yamoto Yuuma, Hamatsu Takayuki, Hori Miona, YU, Toyoshima Hana, Harada Taizo, Matsuyuki Yasuko & Shiina Kippei

Quick Review #16: Junai Dissonance (Summer 2022)

Title: Junai Dissonance 純愛ディソナンス

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Rating: 2/10

Recommended for: NA

Liked:

- The first episode. If you had read my thoughts about that episode on Dorama World's Twitter and Facebook pages, you probably would remember how I praised it for being better than expected. If not for this episode, I would have given this drama a lower score.

Disliked: 

- The story is the biggest issue. The warning signs were there but I still pressed on till the end, with the hope that the story would turn things around especially how Ep 1 had shown so much promise. On hindsight, it was clear that the story was not prepared to go to the extent of showing true "dissonance" and the romance was so lacking that it hardly met what a "junai" love story should be - the love between the leads was hardly considered pure nor heart-wrenching. 

Often, the villains looked as if they would do something drastic and evil but all "pulled back or were pulled back" from going that final mile so every bad thing done just felt half-baked and the so-called "consequences" of the bad deeds hardly left an impact nor impression. To make it worse, there were times when there was no logical explanation on why someone behaved in a certain way or had a change of mind. 

If the drama had been like this from the start, I think I would have been less frustrated and annoyed at it - at least there's consistency. To start off high and go all the way down, that's also a feat, albeit in a not-so-good way.

- Due to the limitations posed by the story, I thought some of the characters were not developed to their full potential so it was such a pity that they ended as forgettable roles. And that's a pity considering the cast this time who could do more than this. I was so looking forward to see how things would develop between Higa Manami and Sato Ryuuta's characters.

For example, the cynical Nitta Masaki who disappeared after Ep 1 - I thought this would have given Nakajima Yuuto a great chance to showcase the gap between the goody-two-shoes surface and the jaded and untrusting inner self. Although I understood that Nitta's pride and self confidence took a serious beating in the 5 years after he left his teaching job, the monologue scenes about Nitta's true feelings about the people around him and the world he was in helped in making the character more comprehensive and easier to understand so it wasn't surprising that the Nitta I saw from Ep 4 onwards felt so flat and one-dimensional.

Likewise for Sae, the spunky teenager just evolved to become a wishy-washy adult who seriously lacked that elusive charm for viewers to believe that she would have 2 men going gaga over her. I get it, she went through a lot in the 5 years but still... It also didn't help that the wardrobe and image design in her adult years were not so flattering to look at.

Manami's change to become a love story writer also felt terribly forced. It was not mentioned specifically why she chose this path as by the time she got together with Nitta, she was still the unglam version back in the high school arc. And the weird vibes between her and her elder brother - that was also never addressed which could have given an idea as to why she was so antagonistic towards Kosaka or developed an interest in Nitta.

Last but not least, Michika's hatred for Manami's father disappeared so quickly but there had to be some more build-up to explain how he grew to fall for her and forget about the past. And there really wasn't much of an explanation of any emotional turmoil he had when it came to putting down his revenge and choosing love instead. It seemed that he was more hung up over whether Manami could forget Nitta. Same goes for Manami's side - I find it a bit difficult to reconcile how things happened between them when there were just some "touch-and-go" interactions that hardly featured prominently in the story.

Winners of the 14th TAMA Movie Awards (2022)

Best Movie

LOVE LIFE

Haken Anime

Special Award

The cast and staff of "Metamorufooze no engawa"

The cast and staff of "Koi wa hikari"

Best Actor

Sato Jirou (Sagasu / truth ~ Sukashimashiki tomurai no hate ~ / Violence Action)

Matsuzaka Toori (Rurou no tsuki)

Best Actress

Baisho Chieko (PLAN 75)

Hirose Suzu (Rurou no tsuki)

Best New Director

Katayama Shinzo (Sagasu)

Morii Yuusuke (Kochira Amiko)

Best New Actor

Isomura Hayato (Believers / PLAN 75 / Idoujirei wa ongakutai! / Sakana no ko / Zenkamono / Kanojo ga suki na mono wa)

Yokohama Ryuusei (Rurou no tsuki / Akira to Akira / Usogui / Anata no ban desu Gekijouban / DIVOC-12)

Best New Actress

Kawai Yumi (PLAN 75 / Ai nanoni / Chotto omoidashita dake / Joshikousei ni korosaretai / Hyakka / Fuyusobi)

Ito Aoi (Sagasu / Koi wa hikari / MIRRORLIAR FILMS Season 4)

Source: TAMA Movie Awards

Preview of "Kodoku no gurume Season 10" - Autumn 2022

Title: Kodoku no gurume Season 10 孤独のグルメ Season 10 (The Solitary Gourmet Season 10)

Official website: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Fridays at 12.42am

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Kusumi Masayuki & Taniguchi Jiro

Cast: Matsushige Yutaka