The 101st Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2019) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu
2) Nikaidou Fumi - Strawberry Night Saga
3) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu Season 3

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu
2) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu Season 3
3) Nakajo Ayami - Hakui no Senshi
4) Nikaidou Fumi - Strawberry Night Saga
5) Hamabe Minami - Kakegurui season 2

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu
2) Hamabe Minami - Kakegurui season 2
3) Nikaidou Fumi - Strawberry Night Saga
4) Uchida Rio - Mukai no bazuru kazoku
5) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu Season 3

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu Season 3 / Nikaidou Fumi - Strawberry Night Saga
3) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu
5) Uchida Rio - Mukai no bazuru kazoku / Hamabe Minami - Kakegurui season 2

Source: The Television

Winners of Nikkansports Dorama Grand Prix (Spring 2019)

There were 2,477 valid votes for this round of voting between 18 June and 25 June where the top 5 for each category in each season would then be eligible as nominees for the annual awards.The numbers in brackets indicate the number of votes received for the drama and/or actor/actress.

Best Drama
1) Inhand (812)
2) Anata no ban desu (297)
3) Strawberry Night Saga (266)
4) Perfect World (213)
5) Natsuzora (134)

Best Leading Actor
1) Yamashita Tomohisa - Inhand (876)
2) Tanaka Kei - Anata no ban desu (310)
3) Kamenashi Kazuya - Strawberry Night Saga (265)
4) Matsuzaka Toori - Perfect World (160)
5) Kubota Masataka - Radiation House (113)

Best Leading Actress
1) Yoshitaka Yuriko - Watashi, teiji de kaerimasu (483)
2) Nikaidou Fumi - Strawberry Night Saga (482)
3) Hirose Suzu - Natsuzora (364)
4) Harada Tomoyo - Anata no ban desu (356)
5) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabetsu 3 (314)

Best Supporting Actor
1) Hamada Gaku - Inhand (808)
2) Matsumura Hokuto - Perfect World (229)
3) Kusakari Masao - Natsuzora (183)
4) Eguchi Yosuke - Strawberry Night Saga (108)
5) Hakamada Yoshihiko - Anata no ban desu (89)

Best Supporting Actress
1) Nanao - Inhand (838)
2) Kimura Tae - Anata no ban desu (290)
3) Matsushima Nanako - Natsuzora (135)
4) Yamamoto Mizuki - Perfect World (117)
5) Sugisaki Hana - Idaten ~ Tokyo Olympic Hanashi ~ (106)

Source: Nikkansports

Preview of "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 3rd Season" - Spring 2019

Title: Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 3rd Season 緊急取調室 (Emergency Interrogation Room 3rd Season)
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 11 April 2019
Timeslot: Thursdays 9pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Theme Song: "Prime Numbers" by Ieiri Leo
Cast: Amami Yuki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Ookura Koji, Tsukaji Muga, Denden, Kohinata Fumiyo, Nakamura Shizuka & Ikushima Yuki

The 93rd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2017) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Haru - Anata no koto wa sorehodo
2) Sawajiri Erika - Haha ni naru
3) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Sawajiri Erika - Haha ni naru
2) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2
3) Kuroki Haru - Mi wo tsukushi ryourijou
4) Haru - Anata no koto wa sorehodo
5) Kiritani Mirei - Hito wa mitame ga 100 percent

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Haru - Anata no koto wa sorehodo
2) Sawajiri Erika - Haha ni naru
3) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2
4) Kuroki Haru - Mi wo tsukushi ryourijou
5) Takanashi Rin - Koi ga heta demo ikitemasu

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Haru - Anata no koto wa sorehodo
2) Sawajiri Erika - Haha ni naru
3) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2 / Kuroki Haru - Mi wo tsukushi ryourijou / Tabe Mikako - Tsubaki Bunguten Kamakura Daishoya Monogatari

Source: The Television

Winners of Nikkansports Sports Drama Grand Prix (Spring 2017)

There were 2,930 valid responses for this voting and numbers in brackets indicate the number of votes received for the drama or actor/actress:

Best Drama
1) Boku, Unmei no hito desu (1166)
2) Kizoku Tantei (703)
3) Reverse (203)
4) Chiisana Kyojin (125)
5) Hiyokko (107)

Best Leading Actor
1) Kamenashi Kazuya - Boku, Unmei no hito desu (1,025)
2) Aiba Masaki - Kizoku Tantei (726)
3) Fujiwara Tatsuya - Reverse (281)
4) Hasegawa Hiroki - Chiisana Kyojin (183)
5) Oguri Shun - CRISIS Kouan Kido Sousatai Tokusouhan (167)

Best Leading Actress
1) Sawajiri Erika - Haha ni naru (609)
2) Arimura Kasumi - Hiyokko (455)
3) Amami Yuki - Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2 (437)
4) Haru - Anata no koto wa sorehodo (313)
5) Shibasaki Kou - Onna Joshu Naotora (284)

Best Supporting Actor
1) Yamashita Tomohisa - Boku, Unmei no hito desu (1,020)
2) Takito Kenichi - Kizoku Tantei (330)
3) Namase Katsuhisa - Kizoku Tantei (184)
4) Mitsushima Shinnosuke - Boku, Unmei no hito desu (174)
5) Tamamori Yuuta - Reverse (150)

Best Supporting Actress
1) Kimura Fumino - Boku, Unmei no hito desu (904)
2) Nakayama Miho - Kizoku Tantei (327)
3) Takei Emi - Kizoku Tantei (206)
4) Nanao - Boku, Unmei no hito desu (179)
5) Toda Erika - Reverse (149)

Source: Nikkansports

Top 10 Spring 2017 dramas with the highest satisfaction rating up to 2 May 2017 (Oricon)

Oricon conducts a survey on a pool of 690 monitor researchers nationwide after the broadcast of each drama episode where the respondents are asked to rate the episodes based on criteria such as the drama itself, lead actors/actresses, supporting cast, image quality, lines, music, artistic direction, story direction, time spent watching the episode, how much it is talked about on Twitter. The maximum points achievable is 100 and the results in brackets below indicate the average score based on the episodes shown up to 2 May 2017:

1) CRISIS Kouan Kido Sousatai Tokusouhan (87.8)

2) Kodoku no Gurume Season 6 (87.3)

3) Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2 (84.5)

4) Reverse (82.7)

5) Boku, Unmei no hito desu (81)

6) Chiisana Kyojin (69.3)

7) Tsuribaka Nisshi Season 2 Shinnyuu Shain Hamasaki Densuke (69)

8) Haha ni naru (66.7)

9) Frankenstein no Koi (63.5)

10) Onna Joushu Naotora (61.5)

Source: Oricon

Preview of "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2" - Spring 2017

Title: Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2 緊急取調室 2
(Emergency Interrogation Room Season 2)
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 20 April 2017
Timeslot: Thursdays 9pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Theme Song: "Saigo wa kanarazu seigi ga katsu" by AI
Cast: Amami Yuki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Ookura Koji, Mikami Ichiro, Denden, Oosugi Ren, Kohinata Fumio, Nakamura Shizuka, Ikushima Yuki

Production press conference of TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2"

The production press conference of TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2" was held at the TV station's HQ in Roppongi, Tokyo, on 10 April which was attended by cast members Amami Yuki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Kohinata Fumio, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Ookura Koji, Denden and Oosugi Ren. The drama which begins its run from 20 April in the Thursdays 9pm timeslot, features Amami in the leading role of Makabe Yukiko, a police detective who was posted to the Kintori (Kinkyuu Jian Taiou Torishirabehan) which handles tricky interrogations of suspects and criminals within the confines of the interrogation room. As such, they have nothing but their wits to engage in a psychological war with those being questioned. The first series achieved an average rating of 12.9% which led to the production of the SP and now Part 2. Besides Amami, her colleagues in Kintori include Tanaka, Denden, Oosugi and Kohinata as well as Hayami and Suzuki who form the detective duo nicknamed Motsunabe from the murder investigation unit working with Kintori. Ookura who first appeared in the SP as the director of the criminal investigation unit will also be featured in Part 2.

With the start of the new fiscal year and her drama, Amami who will turn 50 years old this year, expressed her wish to work hard this year and become an even better person. With a wonderful cast supporting her in this drama, she hopes to deliver a fantastic production with everyone's feelings and efforts.

During the event, Amami held an impromptu "questioning" of how her co-stars think of her. Tanaka revealed jokingly that even though he is actually older than Amami, she calls him "Tecchan" while he addresses her in the honorific way of "Amami-san" because he doesn't dare to drop the "-san" in case she flares up at him. Suzuki then chipped in to say that Amami's ability to assimilate into a group of middle-aged men like them is her strong point and weak point and they almost forget at times that she is the only woman among them. Denden praised Amami for her beautiful face which is balanced on both sides so it is difficult to draw a good potrait of her. Meanwhile, Oosugi said that they tried to play tricks on Amami in order to make her angry and that she behaves like a middle-aged man and woman at the same time which led her to nod in agreement. Kohinata then teased Amami for having nice long legs and described her as a man with a nice figure from her waist to her legs. Last but not least, Ookura said in jest that he's so scared of Amami that he might cry if she really gets angry at him.

Hayami said that during the filming, everyone is busy so he hopes to be able to whip up a meal for them at times. Upon hearing this, Amami praised Hayami for making a wonderful cake during Valentine's Day which made him remark that he feels like cooking has become his main job rather than acting.

When asked about what kind of interesting happenings they had on the set, Suzuki revealed that Amami set up a "Amami Bakery" in the studio where she arranged for catering services providing fresh bread, ham, cheese and vegetables to make declicious sandwiches for everyone. As such, he looks forward to the spread provided by Amami Bakery that he would skip breakfast and have his meal at the studio instead.

Sources: Sponichi / Mantan Web / Nikkansports / Yomiuri Hochi / Oricon

Oricon's most anticipated Spring 2017 dramas ranking

Oricon conducted a survey on 1,364 people from their teens to 50s where they chose which Spring 2017 they are looking forward to watch. Dramas which were not announced before the start of the survey i.e. 7 March were not included and only dramas from the private networks and NHK were considered in this list.

There are two rankings here i.e. the primetime (7pm to 10pm) and midnight categories (shown after 11pm). Numbers in brackets indicate the overall weighted score in terms of anticipated ratings, leading actor/actress, supporting cast and content which account for 20 marks each. As such, the maximum score a drama can get is 80. The asterisk indicates dramas which are based on novels/manga so those without have original scripts.

Primetime Category
1) Reverse * (73)
2) CRISIS Kouan Kido Sousatai Tokusouhan (72)
3) Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu (70)
4) Boku, Unmei no Hito desu (67)
5) Keishicho Sousa Ikka Kyuugakari season 12 (66)
6) Tsuribaka Nisshi Season 2 * / Kizoku Tantei * (65)
8) Keishicho Sousa Ikkacho Season 2 (56)
9) Haha ni naru / Frankenstein no Koi (51)
11) Hito wa mitame ga 100 percent * (42)
12) Anata no koto wa sorehodo * (41)
13) Chiisana Kyojin (40)
14) Sakurako-san no ashimoto ni wa shitai ga umatteiru * (39)
15) Yongo Keibi (38)
16) Mi wo tsukushi ryorijou * (31)

Midnight Category
1) Kodoku no Gurme Season 6 * (66)
2) Massage Tantei Jo (43)
3) Hibana * (40)
4) Joshu Seven (37)
5) Final Fantasy XIV Hikari no Otousan (33)
6) Omae wa mada Gunma wo shiranai * (25)
7) Koi ga heta demo ikiteimasu * (20)
8) SR Saitama no Rapper ~ Maiku no Hosomichi ~ (11)
9) Teppen! Sannin no Papa (7)

Source: Oricon

Filming of TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2" begins on Valentine's Day

 The filming of TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2" starring Amami Yuki began on Valentine's Day (14 February) where the main cast members including Amami, Tanaka Tetsushi, Denden, Oosugi Ren, Kohinata Fumio, Hayami Mokomichi and Suzuki Kosuke gathered to mark the occasion. Hayami who is known for his good cooking skills, made a cake personally and presented it to Amami as a Valentine's Day gift which made her very happy and asked him to come to the filming studio to cook for them even on days when he has no scheduled filming.

Hayami joked that he would have preferred to receive chocolates for Valentine's Day but he decided to make a cake on that morning instead which would please both men and women. Rather than making a chocolate cake which will look rather dark, he decided to make it colourful by using raspberries, mint and orange zest. Suzuki who went to visit Hayami when he was making the cake, exclaimed that the latter was so good at baking to come up with something like this. As for his other co-stars, Tanaka teased Hayami by asking if he added olive oil to the cake (Hayami uses olive oil regularly on his cooking shows) while Denden, Oosugi and Kohinata all heaped praise on him.

Source: Oricon

Amami Yuki to star in TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2"

Amami Yuki will be starring in the upcoming TV Asahi Spring 2017 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu 2" (Emergency Interrogation Room) which continues from the first series in Winter 2014 and the 2-hour SP in September 2015 and will begin its run from April 2017 in the Thursdays 9pm timeslot. The script will be written by Inoue Yumiko and in tune with the times since the law dictates now that all interrogations have to be video-taped, the drama will also introduce this into the story. The theme of the second season focuses on ordinary people being the most frightening when they cross the line to venture into the world of crime.

Amami plays the role of Makabe Yukiko, a police detective who was posted to the Kintori (Kinkyuu Jian Taiou Torishirabehan) which handles tricky interrogations of suspects and criminals within the confines of the interrogation room. As such, they have nothing but their wits to engage in a psychological war with those being questioned. The first series achieved an average rating of 12.9% which led to the production of the SP and now Part 2. Besides Amami, her colleagues in Kintori will also appear in Part 2 including Tanaka Tetsushi, Denden, Oosugi Ren and Kohinata Fumio as well as Hayami Mokomichi and Suzuki Kosuke who form the detective duo nicknamed Motsunabe from the murder investigation unit working with Kintori. Ookura Koji who first appeared in the SP as the director of the criminal investigation unit will also be featured in Part 2.

Although it has been some time since the filming for the last series, the cast including Amami, Tanaka, Kohinata and Hayami meet up several times a year for meals where they constantly talk about doing a Season 2 for the drama and share ideas with one another. As such, Amami commented that they are all very happy to be able to work together again in this drama. In preparation for the filming, Amami who cut her long hair by 20cm for the previous series, went further this time by cutting her hair by 25cm and sporting a fringe so as to project a new image of her character. Amami said that if there is going to be Season 3 in future, she wouldn't mind cutting her hair again for it. Due to the number of interrogation scenes, there are a lot of lines to remember but Amami revealed that the content is so interesting that it will be a breeze going through them.

Sources: Oricon / Sanspo

Top 10 highest-rated single episode ratings for dramas shown in the first half of 2014 (Oricon)

1) Gochisousan - NHK - 13 March 2014 (Episode 136) - 25.3%

2) Hanako to Anne - NHK - 9 May 2014 / 26 May 2014 (Episodes 35 and 49) - 24.8%

3) Aibou New Year SP & Aibou season 12 2-hour finale SP - TV Asahi - 1st Jan 2014 / 19 Mar 2014 - 19.6%

4) Gunshi Kanbee - NHK - 5 Jan 2014 - Episode 1 - 18.9%
S Saigo no Keisatsukan - TBS - 12 Jan 2014 - Episode 1 - 18.9%

6) Hanasaki Mai ga damatte inai - NTV - 18 Jun 2014 - Final Episode - 18.3%

7) Roosevelt Game - TBS - 22 Jun 2014 - Final Episode - 17.6%

8) Kaseifu wa Mita! - TV Asahi - 2 Mar 2014 - 17.4%

9) BORDER - TV Asahi - 22 May 2014 - Episode 7 - 16.7%

10) Kinkyuu Toshirabeshitsu - TV Asahi - 23 Jan 2014 - Episode 3 - 16.1%
Specialist 2 - TV Asahi - 8 Mar 2014 - 16.1%

Source: Oricon

Production press conference of TV Asahi Winter 2014 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu"

The production press conference of TV Asahi's Winter 2014 drama "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu" was held on 6 Jan which was attended by the lead cast members Amami Yuki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Sasai Eisuke, Kusakari Masao, Denden, Osugi Ren, Kohinata Fumio as well as the scriptwriter Inoue Yumiko. In order to pray for the success of the drama, there was also a rice-cake making session held during the event.

Amami cut her long hair by 20cm for the first time in 10 years in order to play the role of an interrogation expert within a team made up entirely by men. She commented that she wanted to look sharp for the role and was pleased with the fact that the short hairstyle also made it easier for her to manage. Amami also revealed that her male co-stars like Tanaka, Denden, Osugi and Kohinata would sometimes get too carried away with chit-chatting before the camera started rolling and she would have to remind them "loudly" that the filming is starting.

Source: Sponichi

Preview of "Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu" - Winter 2014

Title: Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu (Emergency Interrogation Room)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 9 January 2014
Timeslot: Thursdays 9pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Scriptwriter: Inoue Yumiko
Theme song: Door by JUJU
Cast: Amami Yuki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Sasai Eisuke, Kusakari Masao, Den Den, Osugi Ren, Kohinata Fumio