Preview of "Hachigatsu no koe wo hakobu otoko" (Drama SP)

Title: Hachigatsu no koe wo hakobu otoko / 八月の声を運ぶ男

Official website: here

Official X: here

O.A. Date: 13 August 2025 at 10pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Cast: Motoki Masahiro, Ishibashi Shizuka, Ito Aoi, Abe Satoko, Okuda Yohei, Kunihiro Tomiyuki, Ono Machiko, Tanaka Tetsushi & Abe Sadao

Preview of "Stingers Keishicho otorisousa kenshoushitsu" - Summer 2025

Title: Stingers Keishicho otorisousa kenshoushitsu / スティンガーズ　警視庁おとり捜査検証室

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 22 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Magic" by Pilot

Opening Song: "Masquerade" by harha

Cast: Morikawa Aoi, Fujii Ryuusei, Hongo Kanata, Shida Sara, Iuchi Haruhi, Sugimoto Tetta & Tamayama Tetsuji etc.

Quick Review #141: Terumae Romae 1 (movie)

Title: Terumae Romae / テルマエ・ロマエ　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who like to watch an entertaining film in a similar style as "Tonde Saitama" but set in the ancient Roman era and/or are fans of the cast especially Abe Hiroshi and Ueto Aya

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original manga.

Liked:

- If you are in the mood for some light entertainment i.e. chuckling rather than laughing out loud kind of humour, this is probably suitable for you. While much of the film was set in the ancient Roman era, the parallels and links between that and the current time in Japan was done pretty seamlessly and provided much comical relief until the tone turned a bit more serious towards the end.

- Abe Hiroshi is definitely very suitable for the lead role of Lucius, not just because of his ability to bring out both the serious and funny sides of the character but also due to his not-so-typical Japanese looks. In fact, if you look at the cast lineup, there were quite a number of actors known for their deep and well-defined features such as Kitamura Kazuki and Ichimura Masachika to play the Romans. As such, this deliberate casting choice helped to make the story flow more naturally so it was easier to immerse myself into the story.

And Ueto Aya was at her best in displaying her cute charm especially when she stood beside the towering Abe. However, those looking for romance between their characters might be a tad disappointed since this part was more or less hinted at but nothing really happened.

Disliked: 

- I thought that the story started pretty abruptly with a full blown explanation on why public baths were such a big thing in the ancient Roman era instead of introducing viewers to the scheme of things gradually. And if you are like me who knows very little about that era, it might not be so enjoyable because I couldn't really see the significance or importance of certain elements in this era or the terumae culture. While I did think at times that the style of this movie was somewhat similar to "Tonde Saitama" i.e. seemingly senseless and exaggerated humour, I actually enjoyed the latter more because I knew more about Saitama and the differences which various regions in Japan had when compared to one another so the jokes made a lot more sense to me. Being clueless about the Roman era probably limited my level of enjoyment for this movie especially the part about building a bathing era for the army engaged in battle for a prolonged period of time.

Quick Review #140: Rakujitsu - Summer 2023

Title: Rakujitsu / 落日　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a decent suspense story with good acting from Kitagawa Keiko, Yoshioka Riho & Takeuchi Ryoma

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- Although the drama was very short with just 4 episodes, this length was actually beneficial in helping the story to stay on course and the pace to be maintained at just enough to lure viewers to continue watching without feeling bored but not too fast enough to confuse. It felt as if an onion was being peeled layer by layer as the facts came to light one by one so it was quite satisfying to be surprised at many junctures.

- The acting from Kitagawa and Yoshioka was very good. While their characters may seem subdued at first due to the emotions and trauma they had hidden underneath, the moment when their pasts and vulnerabilities were revealed didn't come across as overly dramatic as they maintained the balance very well. On the other hand, Takeuchi may not have appeared much but he also left a deep impression on me with how he managed to show both sides of his character convincingly.

Disliked: 

- The thing I find about Minato Kanae's stories is, they always start off brilliantly but I always find the endings underwhelming for some reason. Not sure if the problem had to do with bringing her novels to life in dramas and movies though. While I knew that this story would probably not be conclusive or offer any concrete solutions at the end, I thought that the way the ending was presented felt a bit odd and forced to resonate with the title. 

Quick Review #139: Ame ni kieta himawari - Summer 2022

Title: Ame ni kieta himawari / 雨に消えた向日葵　　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a story about family ties and overcoming crime-induced trauma but don't mind the lack of suspense and/or would like to watch Muro Tsuyoshi and Sato Ryuuta's serious acting

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* Disclaimer: I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- The good thing was that this drama was only 5 episodes long so despite the heavy themes about the difficulties of overcoming crime-induced trauma and how families grapple with their loved ones being victims of crime, I thought that the overall mood was emotional but not too draggy. By showing those who are embroiled in the current case vs. those who had supposedly emerged from the pain of past trauma, it provided a good contrast and conveyed the message that time is the best medicine to cure those wounds but everyone has their own way and timeline to do that.

- Given that Muro and Sato tend to act in more funny or somewhat eccentric kind of roles, it was a refreshing change to see them getting serious in this drama. However, I liked the fact that they didn't seem to be trying too hard to put on a straight face and their balanced acting this time would probably convince viewers that these two are indeed capable of good acting. Might take a bit of time to get used to seeing Muro hardly ever smiling in this drama though.

Disliked: 

- The thing is, the original novel is said to be a mystery story but there was really nothing to deduce especially with regard to the ongoing case featured in the drama. While this is one of the rare dramas which does not take a critical view of the police nor paint them to be unfeeling jerks when dealing with the victims and their families, you can't help but feel that the drama also didn't showcase them in a positive light especially when it comes to the investigation process. Somehow, I felt that the lapses in the process or how analogue their methods were just seemed to be quite illogical so that's why it took them so long to find the culprit and victim. As such, if you don't mind the lack of suspense or rather this element is considered weak in this drama, you might be able to enjoy this for the humanity aspect instead.

Quick Review #138: Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori - Spring 2025

Title: Nami uraraka ni, Meoto biyori / playe　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a cute and sweet love story and don't mind the predictability of the plot and/or are fans of the lead actors

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* Disclaimer: I have not read the original manga.

Liked:

- While I never expected much from this drama right from the beginning, it turned out to be way better than I thought. To be honest, the plot wasn't anything new nor did it offer much surprises along the way. However, what made this a gem was really the way the story was presented. Amid the messy and dramatic furin and love triangle/multi-angled stories which are very common these days, there was really nothing much to derail the main couples from their journeys of falling in love with each other. Everything was straightforward yet it was so refreshing and relaxing to see how things were progressing. I guess bucking the trend and going back to the good old-fashioned basics of a love story, also thanks to the fact that this story was sent in the older days, really helped to make this a lot more palatable than expected.

- The cast was simply amazing in more ways than one. For a start, Yoshine Kyoko and Honda Kyoya played their characters so well and managed to convey the shyness, awkwardness and innocence of the lead couple as they "went backwards" by getting married first then falling in love with each other. Surprisingly, it didn't feel like acting because they were so natural in their performances and I have to say, I was really impressed. Likewise goes for Yamamoto Maika and Koseki Yuuta - at one point, I became a bigger fan of the Fumiko-Fukami pairing that I wanted to see more of them and their interesting interactions. Last but not least, Namase Katsuhisa's narration was so hillarious and provided much entertainment for this story which could be a tad predictable at times.

- The theme song by BE:FIRST was such a perfect fit for this drama and it's rare these days that I could remember a song pretty well and liked it enough to add it to my playlist just after watching the first episode.

Disliked: 

- Towards the end, I felt that the story was showing signs of losing steam and wondered if it could be more compact by shedding an episode or two. Much as I liked most parts of this drama, the finale came across to me as rather slipshod because I was expecting more to round things up nicely. However, that prolonged recap of Natsumi and Takimasa's love journey with those flashbacks got on my nerves. To make things worse, I wanted more of Fumiko-Fukami but there was no wedding scene! If not for the poorly-done finale, I think I would have rated this higher.

Preview of "Ubai ai, Manatsu" - Summer 2025

Title: Ubai ai, Manatsu / 奪い愛、真夏

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 18 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays 11.15pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Cast: Matsumoto Marika, Yasuda Ken, Takahashi Maryjun, Shirahama Alan, Mori Kasumi, Ishiyama Junsei, Tanihara Nanato & Ishii Masanori

Preview of "Shiawase na kekkon" - Summer 2025

Title: Shiawase na kekkon / しあわせな結婚

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 17 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Don't look back in anger" by Oasis

Cast: Abe Sadao, Matsu Takako, Itagaki Rihito, Tamaoki Reo, Kanada Satoshi, Baba Tooru, Tsuji Nagiko, Sugino Yosuke, Horiuchi Keiko, Komatsu Kazushige, Okabe Takashi & Danta Yasunori

Preview of "Bokutachi wa mada sono hoshi no kousoku wo shiranai" - Summer 2025

Title: Bokutachi wa mada sono hoshi no kousoku wo shiranai / 僕達はまだその星の校則を知らない

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 14 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 10pm

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Theme Song: "Shura" by Yorushika

Cast: Isomura Hayato, Hotta Mayu, Hiraiwa Kami, Ichikawa Miwako, Hidaka Yukito, Minami Kotona, Hyuga Wataru, Nakano Arisa, Tsukishima Rui, Kondo Hana, Koshiyama Keitatsu, Kikuchi Himena, Nose Rin, Kitazato Ruu, Eriya, Fuchikami Yasushi, Xu Fengfan, Shinohara Atsushi, Nishino Emi, Negishi Takuya, Chad Mullane, Suwa Masashi, Sakai Maki, Omi Toshinori, Kino Hana, Mitsuishi Ken & Inagaki Goro

Preview of "19 banme no karute" - Summer 2025

Title: 19 banme no karute / １９番目のカルテ

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 13 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Fujiya Kazuhito

Theme Song: "Ichi ni tsuite" by Aimyon

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Koshiba Fuuka, Arata Mackenyu, Shimizu Hiroya, Okazaki Taiiku, Iketani Nobue, Honda Chikara, Matsui Haruna, First Summer Uika, Tsuda Kanji, Ikeda Narushi, Namase Katsuhisa, Kimura Yoshino & Tanaka Min

Preview of "Housoukyoku senkyo" - Summer 2025

Title: Housoukyoku senkyo / 放送局占拠

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 12 July 2025

Timeslot: Saturdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Theme Song: "W" by Snow Man

Cast: Sakurai Sho, Higa Manami, Kato Seishiro, Sota Ryosuke, Gunpi, Saito Nagisa, Yamaguchi Daichi, Takiuchi Kumi, Sonin, Takahashi Katsunori, Kataoka Reiko, Fukuzawa Akira, Totsugi Shigeyuki, Kikuchi Fuuma etc.

Preview of "Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita" - Summer 2025

Title: Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita / 殺した夫が帰ってきました

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 11 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sakurai Mina

Cast: Yamashita Mizuki, Hagiwara Riku, Tanabe Ririka, Ootsuka Nene, Sakurai Yuki, Nozomi Futo, Doi Shiori, Kasahara Hideyuki, Sugawara Daikichi & Kawanishi Kenshiro

Preview of "Noumen Kenji" - Summer 2025

Title: Noumen Kenji / 能面検事

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 11 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original novel by: Nakayama Shichiri

Cast: Kamikawa Takaya, Yoshitani Ayako, Ohnishi Ryuusei, Ukaji Takashi, Takezai Terunosuke, Mizuki Arisa & Terawaki Yasufumi

Preview of "Ai no, gakkou." - Summer 2025

Title: Ai no, gakkou. / 愛の、がっこう。

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 10 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Reini" by Spiral feat. Yura

Cast: Kimura Fumino, Raul, Tanaka Minami, Nakajima Ayumu, Sakaguchi Ryotaro, Mikata Ryosuke, Nonami Maho, Hayasaka Miu, Arai Keishi, Beppu Yurai, Ryou, Tsutsui Mariko, Sakou Yoshi & Sawamura Ikki

Preview of "Daitsuiseki Keishicho SSBC kyoukouhangakari" - Summer 2025

Title: Daitsuiseki Keishicho SSBC kyoukouhangakari / 大追跡　警視庁SSBC強行犯係

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "BEACON" by DREAMS COME TRUE

Cast: Oomori Nao, Aiba Masaki, Matsushita Nao, Ito Atsushi, Takaki Yuuya, Adachi Rika, Maruyama Rei, Nomura Kouta, Honda Daisuke, Yashiba Toshihiro, Mizushima Rin, Watanabe Keisuke, Miyaji Masafumi, Mitsuishi Ken, Endo Kenichi & Sato Koichi

Preview of "Saigo no kanteinin" - Summer 2025

Title: Saigo no kanteinin / 最後の鑑定人

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Original novel by: Iwai Keiya

Theme Song: "Shinjitsu" by Yazawa Eikichi

Cast: Fujiki Naohito, Shiraishi Mai, Sakoda Takaya, Nakazawa Motoki, Abe Ryohei, Kurihara Rui & Matsuyuki Yasuko

Preview of "Chihayafuru - Meguri -" - Summer 2025

Title: Chihayafuru - Meguri - / ちはやふる - めぐり -

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2025

Timeslot: Wednesdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NTV

Original manga by: Suetsugu Yuki

Theme Song: "Meguri Loop" by Perfume

Cast: Touma Ami, Saito Jun, Santoki Soma, Arashi Rina, Takamura Kaito, Sakamoto Manato, Hara Nanoka, Fujiwara Taiyu, Ishikawa Raizo, Seto Kotoka, Takahashi Yutaro, Ohnishi Riku, Tachibana Yuki, Fujieda Yoshiki, Otomo Kazuki, Urushiyama Takumi & Kamishiraishi Mone etc.

Preview of "Yuukai no hi" - Summer 2025

Title: Yuukai no hi / 誘拐の日

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2025

Timeslot: Tuesdays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Original Korean drama by: Jung Hae-yeon

Theme Song: "us" by yama

Cast: Saito Takumi, Nagao Yuno, Fukazawa Tatsuya, Adachi Yumi, Nozomi Futo, Sato Kanta, Hasegawa Hatsunori, Suzuki Kosuke, Uchida Yuki & Eguchi Yosuke

Preview of "Ashita wa motto, ii hi ni naru" - Summer 2025

Title: Ashita wa motto, ii hi ni naru / 明日はもっと、いい日になる

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 9pm

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Theme Song: "Chiisana uta" by JUJU

Cast: Fukuhara Haruka, Hayashi Kento, Ikuta Erika, Katsumura Masanobu, Kazama Shunsuke & Yanagiba Toshiro etc.

Preview of "Doctor Price" - Summer 2025

Title: Doctor Price / ドクタープライス

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 6 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10.30pm

Broadcast by: YTV / NTV

Original manga by: Sakatsu Tsukasa & Ayuzu Masaki

Theme Song: "Fake Show" by Omoinotake

Cast: Iwata Takanori, Makita Aju, Miura Takahiro, Narumi Riko, Kitayama Hiromitsu, Hayashi Yasufumi, Tsubokura Yoshiyuki, Yusuke Santa Maria & Shinohara Ryoko

Preview of "Replica Mototsuma no fukushu" - Summer 2025

Title: Replica Mototsuma no fukushu / レプリカ　元妻の復讐

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 July 2025

Timeslot: Mondays at 11.06pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Tanaka Tomo / Hirai Hacchi

Opening theme song: "CHEAT" by Kis-My-Ft2

Ending theme song: "B.U.G." by Dios

Cast: Triendl Reina, Miyamoto Mayu, Kimura Ryo & Senga Kento

Preview of "Konbanwa, Asayama-ke desu" - Summer 2025

Title: Konbanwa, Asayama-ke desu / こんばんは、朝山家です。

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 6 July 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10.15pm

Broadcast by: ABC TV / TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Come back home" by FUNKY MONKEY BABY'S

Cast: Nakamura An, Ozawa Yukiyoshi, Satou Honami, Kojima Ken, Kageyama Yuka, Watanabe Miyu, Shimada Tetta, Tosa Kazunari, Sano Hiroki, Takezai Terunosuke, Kawai Aoba, Maruyama Tomomi, Uno Shohei & Matsuo Satoru

Preview of "Revenge Spy" - Summer 2025

Title: Revenge Spy / リベンジスパイ

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 5 July 2025

Timeslot: Saturdays at 11pm

Broadcast by: TV Asahi

Theme Song: "Asymmetry" by Naniwa Danshi

Cast: Ohhashi Kazuya, Shibuya Nagisa, Takahashi Mitsuomi, Oriyama Nao, Tsukaji Muga, Seino Asahi, Nakajima Hiroko, Shimizu Shin, Ito Shuko, Yui Karen, Daichi Nobunaga, Saeki Arata, Bona, Mizobata Junpei & Takashima Masanobu

Preview of "DOPE Mayaku torishimaribu tokusouka" - Summer 2025

Title: DOPE Mayaku torishimaribu tokusouka / ドープ　麻薬取締部特捜課

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 4 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 10pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original novel by: Kisaki Chiaki

Theme Song: "Never ends" by Uru

Cast: Takahashi Kaito, Nakamura Tomoya, Araki Yuuko, Miura Masaki, Toyoda Yuudai, Kumada Rinka, Oshinari Shugo, Iriyama Noriko, Sano Kazuma, Fernandez Naoyuki, Kumai Keita, Aoto Niko, Koike Teppei, Matobu Sei, Ito Atsushi & Iura Arata

Preview of "Renai Kinshi" - Summer 2025

Title: Renai Kinshi / 恋愛禁止

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official TikTok: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 3 July 2025

Timeslot: Thursdays at 11.59pm

Broadcast by: YTV / NTV

Original novel by: Nagae Toshikazu

Theme Song: "Koe prod. * Taku Takahashi (m-flo)" by IS:SUE

Opening theme song: "Kyoshoku no kisu" by shallm

Cast: Ihara Rikka, Sato Daiki, Konishi Sakurako, Kokubo Toshihito, Ishikawa Manahiro, Ishii Masanori & Watanabe Keisuke