"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 "Kumo no Kaidan" - Spring 2013

Title: Kumo no Kaidan
Official website: here
Broadcast by: NTV
Timeslot: Wednesdays 10pm
O.A. Start Date: 17 April 2013
Original novel by: Watanabe Junichi
Theme song: Kakushin by B'z
Cast: Hasegawa Hiroki, Inamori Izumi, Kimura Fumino, Hagiwara Masato, Aoyagi Sho, Yuuki Mio,  Kimura Midoriko, Hankai Kazuaki, Kaga Mariko, Takigawa Yumi, Ootomo Kouhei, Naitou Takashi

B'z to sing theme song for spring 2013 drama "Kumo no Kaidan"

B'z will be singing the theme song for NTV spring 2013 drama "Kumo no Kaidan" featuring Hasegawa Hiroki. The song titled "Kakushin" (Core) is the first theme song from the duo for the first time in four years and will be included in their 25th anniversary 2-CD best hits album to be released in September.

The drama is based on the same titled novel by Watanabe Junichi where Hasegawa plays Saburo, an unqualified doctor on an island's clinic, caught in a love triangle with Akiko (Inamori Izumi), the nurse working at the clinic, and Akiko (Kimura Fumino), the daughter of a hospital director from Tokyo.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Hasegawa Hiroki to star in NTV spring 2013 drama "Kumo no Kaidan"

Hasegawa Hiroki will star in the NTV spring 2013 drama "Kumo no Kaidan" (The Cloud Stairs) which begins its run in April in the Wednesdays 10pm timeslot. The drama is based on the novel by Watanabe Junichi which features Hasegawa as Saburo, a man who becomes a doctor in a clinic on a faraway island without the appropriate qualifications. Hasegawa commented that although he feels happy about his first leading role, he's worried at the same time. Although Hasegawa had played doctor roles in the past, this is the first time he is playing a fake doctor so he would not need to do the surgery scenes perfectly like a real doctor. Saburo will also be caught in a love triangle with Akiko (Inamori Izumi) and the daughter of a hospital's owner also named Akiko who had come to the island for a self-discovery journey.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi