New dramas starting in July 2017 on Waku Waku Japan

For those who have access to the cable TV channel Waku Waku Japan, do check out these new dramas beginning their runs here in July. Note that the start dates and timeslots are based on the channel's Singapore website so this may differ depending on the country you are in. I am only listing those dramas which are being shown for the first time on this channel so re-runs happening within July are not mentioned here.

Titles in brackets are the translated titles in English as listed by Waku Waku Japan on their website so you may need to rely on this to check your local TV schedule. You can also access the dramas' respective pages through the hyperlinks in the titles.

Have fun watching these dramas this month!

Yuusha Yoshihiko to Akuryou no Kagi / 勇者ヨシヒコと悪霊の鍵 (Brave "YOSHIHIKO" And The Demon's Key)
Autumn 2012 drama from TV Tokyo
Cast: Yamada Takayuki, Takuma Shin, Kinami Haruka, Muro Tsuyoshi, Okamoto Azusa, Sato Jirou
Start Date: 12 July 2017
Timeslot: Check website for the airtimes

Hanazakari no kimitachi e ~ Ikemen Paradise 2011 ~ / 花ざかりの君たちへ ~ イケメンパラダイス 2011 ~ (HANA-KIMI 2011)
Summer 2011 drama from FujiTV
Cast: Maeda Atsuko, Nakamura Aoi, Miura Shohei, Kiriyama Ren, Yamada Shintaro, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Tokuyama Hidenori, Sato Yuuki
Start Date: 18 July 2017
Timeslot: Tuesdays 9pm

Kanna-san! / カンナさーん! (Ms. Kanna!)
Summer 2017 drama from TBS
Cast: Watanabe Naomi, Kaname Jun, Yamaguchi Sayaka, Kudo Asuka, Triendl Reina, Jirou, Kawahara Eito, Toyama Toshiya, Asaka Mayumi
Start Date: 23 July 2017
Timeslot: Sundays 8pm

Code Blue - Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei - The Third Season / コード・ブルー　ドクターヘリ緊急救命 The Third Season (Code Blue - 3rd Season)
Summer 2017 drama from FujiTV
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui, Toda Erika, Higa Manami, Asari Yousuke, Arioka Daiki, Narita Ryo, Araki Yuuko, Baba Fumika, Terajima Susumu, Sugimoto Tetta, Ryou, Ando Masanobu, Shiina Kippei
Start Date: 23 July 2017
Timeslot: Sundays 9pm

Yowamushi Pedaru / 弱虫ペダル (Yowamushi Pedal)
Summer 2017 drama from NTV / Sky Perfect TV
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui, Toda Erika, Higa Manami, Asari Yousuke, Arioka Daiki, Narita Ryo, Araki Yuuko, Baba Fumika, Terajima Susumu, Sugimoto Tetta, Ryou, Ando Masanobu, Shiina Kippei
Start Date: 27 July 2017
Timeslot: Check website for the airtimes

Summer Nude (Summer Nude)
Summer 2013 drama from FujiTV
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Karina, Toda Erika, Katsuji Ryo, Kubota Masataka, Sato Shouri, Yamamoto Mizuki, Chiba Yuudai, Hashimoto Nanami (Nogizaka 46), Nakajo Ayami, Nagasawa Masami, Saiki Shigeru, Itaya Yuka, Takahashi Katsunori
Start Date: 24 July 2017
Timeslot: Mondays 9pm

Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ / デート ~ 恋とはどんなものかしら ~ (Dating - What's it like to be in love?)
Winter 2015 drama from FujiTV
Cast: An, Hasegawa Hiroki, Kuninaka Ryoko, Nakajima Yuto (Hey! Say! Jump!), Matsuo Satoru, Wakui Emi, Fubuki Jun, Matsushige Yutaka
Start Date: 27 July 2017
Timeslot: Thursdays 9pm

Team Batista 2 General Rouge no Gaisen / チームバチスタ2 ジェネラル・ルージュの凱旋 (TEAM BATISTA 2-The Triumphant General Rouge-)
Spring 2010 drama from FujiTV
Cast: Ito Atsushi, Nakamura Tooru, Kato Ai, Kinoshita Takayuki, Asami Reina, Natori Yuko, Totsugi Shigeyuki, Shiraishi Miho, Nishijima Hidetoshi
Start Date: 27 July 2017
Timeslot: Check website for the airtimes

The 84th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2015) - Best Drama Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Sakura - Arashi (Ouroboros)

2) Mugi no Uta - Nakajima Miyuki (Massan)

3) Mondai Girl - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (Mondai no aru resutoran)

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Sakura - Arashi (Ouroboros)

2) Sakuramichi - Tohoshinki (Hanayome Noren)

3) Karei naru gyakushu - SMAP (Zeni no Sensou)

4) KISS.KISS.KISS - KAT-TUN (Second Love)

5) Anata ni koi wo shitemimashita - chay (Date ~ koi to wa donna mono kashira ~)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5

1) Sakura - Arashi (Ouroboros)

2) Mondai Girl - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (Mondai no aru resutoran)

3) Mugi no Uta - Nakajima Miyuki (Massan)

4) Shijo no Jinsei - Shiina Ringo (Marumaru Tsuma)

5) Karei naru gyakushu - SMAP (Zeni no Sensou)

Judges Ranking Top 5

1) Mugi no Uta - Nakajima Miyuki (Massan)

2) Mondai Girl - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (Mondai no aru resutoran)

3) Anata ni koi wo shitemimashita - chay (Date ~ koi to wa donna mono kashira ~)

4) Furimukanaide - The Peanuts (Date ~ koi to wa donna mono kashira ~)

5) Karei naru gyakushu - SMAP (Zeni no Sensou) / TOKYO NORTH SIDE - Yamada Takayuki (Tokyo-to Kita-ku Akabane)

Source: The Television

The 84th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2015) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Hasegawa Hiroki - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira

2) Oguri Shun - Ouroboros

3) Yasuda Ken - Mondai no aru resutoran

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Oguri Shun - Ouroboros

2) Watabe Atsuro - Zeni no Sensou

3) Nakajima Yuto - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

4) Hasegawa Hiroki - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira

5) Kamiki Ryunosuke - Gakkou no Kaidan

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5

1) Hasegawa Hiroki - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira

2) Oguri Shun - Ouroboros

3) Nakajima Yuto - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

4) Yasuda Ken - Mondai no aru resutoran

5) Kamiki Ryunosuke - Gakkou no Kaidan

Judges Ranking Top 5

1) Hasegawa Hiroki - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira

2) Yasuda Ken - Mondai no aru resutoran

3) Tsutsumi Shinichi - Massan

4) Yashima Norito - Massan

5) Watabe Atsuro - Zeni no Sensou

Source: The Television

The 84th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2015) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) An - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

2) Charlotte Kate Fox - Massan

3) Nakatani Miki - Ghost Writer

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) An - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

2) Charlotte Kate Fox - Massan

3) Horikita Maki - Masshiro

4) Nakatani Miki - Ghost Writer

5) Shibasaki Kou - Marumaru Tsuma

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5

1) An - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

2) Nakatani Miki - Ghost Writer

3) Charlotte Kate Fox - Massan

4) Maki Yoko - Mondai no aru resutoran

5) Hirose Suzu - Gakkou no kaidan

Judges Ranking Top 5

1) Charlotte Kate Fox - Massan

2) An - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

3) Nakatani Miki - Ghost Writer

4) Maki Yoko - Mondai no aru resutoran

5) Shibasaki Kou - Marumaru Tsuma

Source: The Television

The 84th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2015) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ (FujiTV)

2) Massan (NHK)

3) Ouroboros ~ Kono ai koso, Seigi (TBS)

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Ouroboros ~ Kono ai koso, Seigi

2) Zeni no Sensou

3) Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

4) Massan

5) Hanayome Noren

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5

1) Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

2) Massan

3) Mondai no aru resutoran

4) Ouroboros ~ Kono ai koso, Seigi

5) Zeni no Sensou

Judges Ranking Top 5

1) Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~

2) Massan

3) Zeni no Sensou

4) Mondai no aru resutoran

5) Ghost Writer

Source: The Television

Nikkansports Drama Grand Prix 2014 - Best Leading Actress

Nikkansports is announcing the winners for their Drama Grand Prix 2014 daily from today and the first announcement is for Best Leading Actress.

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of valid votes received for the actor/actress/drama:

Best Leading Actress
1) Ayase Haruka - Kyouwa Kaisha Yasumimasu (341)

2) Yonekura Ryoko - Doctor X (293)

3) Charlotte Kate Fox - Massan (280)

4) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Hanako to Anne (164)

5) Ueno Juri - Arisu no Toge (149)

6) An - Hanasaki Mai ga damatte inai (146)

7) An - Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ (128)

8) Koizumi Kyoko - Zoku Saigo kara nibanme no koi (126)

9) Nakatani Miki - Ghost Writer (123)

10) Eikura Nana - N no tame ni (120)

Source: Nikkansports

Valentine's Day event for FujiTV Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~"

A Valentine's Day event for FujiTV Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~" was held on 14 Feb at Yokohama Akarenga Warehouse which was attended by the leads An and Hasegawa Hiroki. As the drama is largely shot in Yokohama, it was thus decided that the event was to be held there as well. When asked about their memories of Valentine's Day, An revealed that she had made chocolates bearing her friends' faces to them in the past but on hindsight now, it should have been a weird experience for them to eat chocolates with their own faces on it. As for this year, An said that as she received many mandarin oranges from Fubuki Jun who plays Hasegawa's mother in the drama, she made chocolates with orange peel this year to be given out. However, as An thought that Hasegawa should be receiving many chocolates on V-Day, she decided to give him his favourite salad dressing sauce instead of chocolates. As for Hasegawa, he said that as he was in boys' schools all along, he never thought that he would receive any chocolates on V-Day and even ran away from someone who had called out to him when he was in junior high. However, he still received about 5 to 6 chocolates on that same day from different girls.

As part of the event, messages from both actors were included in the laser-mapping show where An's version was "3.14 mo owasurenaku" while Hasegawa's message was "Love & Peace" which will be appearing in the 5th episode of the drama to be shown on 16 Feb.

Source: Sponichi

Preview of "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ " - Winter 2015

Title: Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ デート ~ 恋とはどんなものかしら ~
Official website: here
Official Twitter page: here
O.A. Start Date: 19 Jan 2015
Timeslot: Mondays 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Theme song: Anata ni koi wo shite mimashita by chay
Cast: An, Hasegawa Hiroki, Kuninaka Ryoko, Nakajima Yuto (Hey! Say! Jump!), Matsuo Satoru, Wakui Emi, Fubuki Jun, Matsushige Yutaka

Further cast announcements for FujiTV Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~"

Further cast announcements for the FujiTV Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~" were made on 5 Dec. Kuninaka Ryoko will play the role of Shimada Kaori, a former delinquent who is a carefree person that shows a lot of concern towards anyone. As she had played mostly good characters in the past, Kuninaka expressed her surprise when she got the offer and viewed it as a new challenge for her in the new year. As Kuninaka and Mukai Osamu are expected to get married in December, this drama will be her first after her marriage. Hey! Say! Jump! member Nakajima Yuto will play Washio Yutaka, a kendo expert who works at a sporting goods manufacturer and hates to go around the bush. Kaori's brother Sotaro will be played by Matsuo Satoru.

As for the role Yabushita Yoriko's (An) mother, this will be taken on by Wakui Emi while her father will be played by Matsushige Yutaka. As for Taniguchi Takumi's (Hasegawa Hiroki) mother, this will be played by Fubuki Jun.

Source: Sponichi

An and Hasegawa Hiroki to co-star in new FujiTV Winter 2015 Gekku "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~"

An will be taking on her first leading role in the a FujiTV Gekku when she appears in the new Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ " (Date ~ What kind of thing is love?) alongside Hasegawa Hiroki which begins its run from 19 Jan at 9pm on Mondays. The drama is set in Yokohama and will be a bittersweet romantic comedy.

An plays the role of Yabushita Yoriko, a 29-year-old economics expert who holds a Masters degree from University of Tokyo and works in the field of macroeconomics research. She is rigid and refuses to pander to others. As she aims to get married by 30, she registers at a marriage agency in order to find a partner. On the other hand, Hasegawa plays a jobless man named Taniguchi Takumi who depends on his mother for a living while being absorbed in the world of literature, arts, music and entertainment. He regards himself as a high-class nomad and decides to register at the same marriage agency as Yoriko in order to find a rich woman who he can depend on for a living if his mother is no longer around. The two of them who are said to be unable to love and unsuitable for love get paired up together and through a number of dates, become closer to each other while viewing the topic of marriage as a mere contract rather than the union of two people who are in love with each other.

Source: Sponichi