The 17th Nikkansports Drama Grand Prix - Spring 2013

Best Drama: Kazoku Game

Best Leading Actor: Sakurai Sho (Kazoku Game)

Best Leading Actress: Nounen Rena (Ama-cha)

Best Supporting Actor: Kamiki Ryuunosuke (Kazoku Game)

Best Supporting Actress: Suzuki Honami (Kazoku Game)

Source: Nikkansports

Top 10 dramas with the highest single episode rating in the first half of 2013

1) Galileo Ep 1 - 22.6%

2) Ama-chan Ep 65 - 22.2%

3) Yae no Sakura Ep 1 - 21.4%

4) Aibou season 11 Last Episode - 20.7%

5) Tonbi Last Episode - 20.3%

6) Jun to Ai Last Episode - 20.2%

7) Specialist (drama SP) - 19.4%

8) Last Cinderella Last Episode - 17.8%

9) Kazoku Game Last Episode - 16.7%

10) Taxi Driver no Suiri Nishi (drama SP) - 16.2%

Source: Oricon

Spring 2013 drama ratings ranking

Here is the ranking of the spring 2013 dramas based on their average ratings at the end of the season:

1) Galileo (FujiTV) - 19.85%
2) Last Cinderella (FujiTV) - 15.16%
3) 35-sai no Koukousei (NTV) - 13.10%
4) Kazoku Game (FujiTV) - 12.96%
5) Sora tobu Kouhoushitsu (TBS) - 12.55%
6) Keiji 110kg (TV Asahi) - 12.06%
7) Doubles ~ Futari no Keiji (TV Asahi) - 11.76%
8) Kasukana Kanojo (FujiTV) - 11.51%
9) Iryu Sousa (TV Asahi) - 11.48%
10) TAKE FIVE (TBS) - 10.07%
11) Kakusho ~ Keishicho Sousa 3ka (TBS) - 9.90%
12) Sennyuu Tantei Tokage (TBS) - 9.86%
13) Otenki Oneesan (TV Asahi) - 9.84%
14) Kamo, Kyoto e Iku (FujiTV) - 9.80%
15) Kumo no Kaidan (NTV) - 9.25%
16) Machigawarechatta Otoko (FujiTV) 6.10%

Romaji lyrics of "Endless Game" by Arashi (Theme song of "Kazoku Game")

Title: Endless Game
Artist: Arashi
Lyrics: 100+
Melody: Chris Janey / Dyce Taylor
Theme song of FujiTV spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game"

sekasareru mama ni koware sou nan da
(Warning...) abaredasu shunkan
nemurezu asa wo mukaeru in my head
(Question) sono koe wa mimi wo fusaidemo
kono mama de sono mama de ii no ka?
(Warning...) nejirete yukunda
moshimo shitteiru no nara hold my hands
(Answer) Yes me wo tojita

fushigi na yume wo miterunda
chippoke de karappo na yuganda yokan ga tomaranai

arienai koto bakari sa mukau shikanai no sa
"seihirei ni miete sono omoi wa hanpirei"
wakaranai koto bakari sa demo mitai mono ga aru yo
"owarinaki sekai kurikaesu play the game"
doko e yukeru no? nozomeba itsu demo zero kara hajimaru replay
ichi ka bachi ka no phase e nidoto modorenakutemo

tsumari are mo kore mo subete
(Warning...) ozanari nanda
itsunoma ni ka nomi komareteta
(Question) kara no naka munashiku utsuru
konna ni mo sugu soba ni iru no ni
(Warning...) minai furi shitenda
moshi mo shiritakunai nara in your heart
(Answer) No matowari tsuku

ate no nai mama tadayoun da
tegotae no nai aijou yusaburareteiru bokura wa

kanashimi wo nugi sutete mukiaeba ii no sa
"uso mo hontou mo dochira demo nai kara"
kudaranai koto bakari sa demo shinjite itai yo
"usureteku sekai maki modosu memory"
nani ga aru no? sono door wo akeyou real to tsunagaru reset
susumu beki ketsumatsu ni kotae wa mienakutemo

nani mo tsugeru koto nai mama
(Silence) jikan dake wa
futashika na mama sugiteyuku
susume yo sore demo

itsumo aru hazu dakara kawaranai mono ga
"nakushita mono to umare yuku mono"
kono sekai wa muzukashii koto bakari janai darou
"kimi no kokoro ni ikizuita Endless"

kanashimi wo nugi sutete mukiaeba ii no sa
"uso mo hontou mo dochira demo nai kara"
kudaranai koto bakari sa demo shinjite itai yo
"usureteku sekai maki modosu memory"
nani ga aru no? sono door wo akeyou real to tsunagaru reset
susumu beki ketsumatsu ni kotae wa mienakutemo

"Last Cinderella" grabs top spot in Internet viewing ranking for spring 2013 dramas

Japan Brand Strategy released the results of the top 15 spring 2013 dramas which had the most page views and downloads from their respective TV stations' websites between 1 April and 9 June:

1) Last Cinderella (FujiTV)  / 766,000 unique viewers / 9.987 million page views

2) Galileo (FujiTV)  / 529,000 unique viewers / 3.989 million page views

3) Sora tobu Kouhoushitsu (TBS) / 461,000 unique viewers / 9.898 million page views

4) Kazoku Game (FujiTV) / 460,000 unique viewers / 3.605 million page views

5) Kumo no Kaidan (NTV) / 407,000 unique viewers / 3.95 million page views

6) 35-sai no Koukousei (NTV)  / 333,000 unique viewers / 3.199 million page views

7) TAKE FIVE (TBS) / 264,000 unique viewers / 2.26 million page views

8) Kasukana Kanojo (FujiTV) / 218,000 unique viewers / 1.772 million page views

9) Kamo, Kyoto e Iku (FujiTV) / 185,000 unique viewers / 1.249 million page views

10) Oteni Oneesan (TV Asahi) / 165,000 unique viewers / 807,000 page views

11) Sennyuu Tantei Tokage (TBS) / 157,000 unique viewers / 1.278 million page views

12) Doubles ~ Futari no Keiji (TV Asahi) / 133,000 unique viewers / 507,000 page views

13) Iryu Sousa (TV Asahi) / 77,000 unique viewers / 383,000 page views

14) Kakusho ~ Keishicho Sousa Sanka (TBS) / 72,000 unique viewers / 477,000 page views

15) Keiji 110kg (TV Asahi) / 60,000 unique viewers / 266,000 page views

Looking at what we have here, it seems like Last Cinderella has a very strong following and these viewers don't actually watch the drama during the first broadcast but rather choose to download it to view at their own free time. In the TV ratings world, Galileo reigns supreme but interest in the drama seems to be low because it only had 3 million plus of page views compared to No.1 and No.3 which have about 9 million. These results seem to show that what's popular on TV may not be what netizens prefer to watch. What comments do you have about these results?

Source: Sponichi / Japan Brand Strategy

Preview of "Kazoku Game" - Spring 2013

Title: Kazoku Game
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 17 April 2013
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Timeslot: Wednesdays 10pm
Original novel by: Honma Yohei
Theme song: Endless Game by Arashi
Cast: Sakurai Sho, Kamiki Ryuunosuke, Kutsuna Shiori, Uragami Seishu, Itao Itsuji, Suzuki Honami, Kutsuna Shiori and Kitahara Rie

Sakurai Sho attends prayer ceremony for spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game"

Arashi's Sakurai Sho attended the prayer ceremony for his spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game" held at Suiten Shrine on 16 April to wish for the success of the drama. "Kazoku Game" begins its run on FujiTV from 17 April at 10pm on Wednesdays. As the drama is the first to be shown in the newly set-up Wednesdays 10pm timeslot, Sakurai said that this drama feels like a newborn baby to him and hopes that everything can progress smoothly. Due to the fact that the ceremony was held at Suiten Shrine which is known for blessing women who want to have children and those who wish for a smooth delivery, Sakurai found himself surrounded by lots of female prayers and felt shy about being the only man around. While holding the Suiten Shrine ema with the drama's name and the words Sui 10 Good (Wednesdays 10pm Good), he called upon everyone to view "Kazoku Game" as it will be an unique and inspiring piece of work.

Source: Sanspo

Production press conference of spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game"

The production press conference of FujiTV spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game" was held on 9 April which was attended by cast members Arashi's Sakurai Sho, Suzuki Honami, Kamiki Ryuunosuke, Kutsuna Shiori, Itao Itsuji, Uragami Seiju and AKB48's Kitahara Rie. The drama will begin its run from 17 April at 10pm on Wednesdays. Sakurai plays a weird home tutor hired by Suzuki Honami's character who speaks harsh words peppered with sarcasm and also solves problems facing the family members including bullying, shoplifting, extramarital affairs. Sakurai commented that this is the first time he is playing such a controversial character so he hopes that this drama will set off a lot of discussion and attention in families and schools.

The drama is based on a novel by Honma Yohei and had been made into a movie starring the late Matsuda Yusaku. The theme song "Endless Game" will be sung by Arashi but the release date is yet to be decided.

Source: Sanspo / Sanspo

Hana Arashi Campaign kicks off on FujiTV

Arashi attended the announcement press conference of the "Hana Arashi Campaign" on 18 March which is aimed at promoting FujiTV's upcoming programmes in spring. The promotional campaign will run from 26 March which is the day when Aiba Masaki's winter 2013 drama "Last Hope" airs its last episode until 17 April which is when Sakurai Sho's new spring drama "Kazoku Game" will begin its run. In conjunction with the campaign, there is a sakura tree outside FujiTV which is decorated with pink LED lights. The public will be able to activate the lighting on the tree through a designated smartphone app. Matsumoto Jun who tried the application, commented that the lighting turned out to be more beautiful than he had expected.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Kamiki Ryuunosuke & Kutsuna Shiori to appear in "Kazoku Game"

Kamiki Ryuunosuke and Kutsuna Shiori will be acting in the FujiTV spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game" which begins its run from 17 April. Kamiki will play the role of the elder son in the Numata household who's good at everything but has a dark secret unknown to anyone. His younger brother will be played by Uragami Seishuu who refuses to go to school after being constantly compared to his elite brother. Uragami was selected for the role after going through an audition for 200 candidates. As for Kutsuna, she plays the role of a mysterious woman who seduces the father of the Numata household played by Itao Itsuji who only pampers his elder son.

Source: Sanspo

Suzuki Honami to appear in FujiTV spring drama "Kazoku Game"

Suzuki Honami will be making her return to private network drama serials for the first time in 15 years when she appears in FujiTV's spring drama "Kazoku Game" which stars Arashi's Sakurai Sho. The drama will begin its run from 17th April at 10pm on Wednesdays. Suzuki plays the role of the mother in the Numata household who has two sons and hires the mysterious and eccentric home tutor Yoshimoto Arano (Sakurai) for her children. She gets pretty much ignored by her husband and sons at home and is feeling stressed about being a housewife. As a result of Yoshimoto's arrival, her family starts to undergo unexpected changes.

Source: Sanspo

Sakurai Sho to star in FujiTV spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game"

Arashi's Sakurai Sho will be starring in the upcoming FujiTV spring 2013 drama "Kazoku Game" which will be shown in the newly-restored Wednesdays 10pm timeslot. He plays a weird and unconventional home tutor who has a 100% success rate in getting his students into Todai and helps a student in the second year of junior high to cope with the senior high school entrance exams as well as solve the problems in the family at the same time. The drama is actually a remake of the 1981 novel by Honma Yohei which won the Subaru Literature Award and had featured the late Matsuda Yuusaku and singer Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi in a 1983 movie and 1985 drama SP adaptation respectively.

The Wednesday 10pm timeslot used to feature hit-name dramas like "Shomuni" and was revived to be a drama timeslot again as part of FujiTV's programming changes from April onwards. Sakurai commented that he used to have a home tutor when he was in junior high and senior high so he is thankful for the help then and recalled how he used to feel nervous about facing his tutor.

Source: Sanspo