The 95th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2017) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Rikuou (TBS)
2) Saki ni umaretadake no boku (NTV)
3) Kangoku no Ohimesama (TBS)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Saki ni umaretadake no boku (NTV)
2) Kounodori 2 (TBS)
3) Ashi Girl (NHK)
4) Rikuou (TBS)
5) Onna Joshu Naotora (NHK)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Rikuou (TBS)
2) Kangoku no Ohimesama (TBS) / Keiji Yugami (FujiTV)
4) Onna Joshu Naotora (NHK) / Black Revenge (NTV)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Rikuou (TBS)
2) Kangoku no Ohimesama (TBS)
3) Kounodori 2 (TBS)
4) Keiji Yugami (FujiTV)
5) Doctor X 5 (TV Asahi)

Source: The Television

The 95th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2017) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Yakusho Koji - Rikuou
2) Sakurai Sho - Saki ni umaretadake no boku
3) Asano Tadanobu - Keiji Yugami

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Sakurai Sho - Saki ni umaretadake no boku
2) Ayano Go - Kounodori 2
3) Yakusho Koji - Rikuou
4) Takenouchi Yutaka - Kono koe wo kimi ni
5) Asano Tadanobu - Keiji Yugami

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Yakusho Koji - Rikuou
2) Ayano Go - Kounodori 2
3) Asano Tadanobu - Keiji Yugami
4) Miura Haruma - Otona Koukou
5) Takenouchi Yutaka - Kono koe wo kimi ni / Sakurai Sho - Saki ni umaretadake no boku

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Yakusho Koji - Rikuou
2) Asano Tadanobu - Keiji Yugami
3) Ayano Go - Kounodori 2
4) Sakurai Sho - Saki ni umaretadake no boku
5) Takenouchi Yutaka - Kono koe wo kimi ni

Source: The Televison

The 95th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2017) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Takahashi Issei - Onna Joshu Naotora
2) Takeuchi Ryoma - Rikuou
3) Kamiki Ryuunosuke - Keiji Yugami

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Kazama Morio - Saki ni umaretadake no boku
2) Kentaro - Ashi Girl
3) Hoshino Gen - Kounodori 2
4) Seto Koji - Saki ni umaretadake no boku
5) Takahashi Issei - Onna Joshu Naotora

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Takahashi Issei - Onna Joshu Naotora
2) Takeuchi Ryoma - Rikuou
3) Kamiki Ryuunosuke - Keiji Yugami
4) Sato Jiro - Black Revenge
5) Terao Akira - Rikuou

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Takahashi Issei - Onna Joshu Naotora
2) Kamiki Ryuunosuke - Keiji Yugami
3) Shison Jun - Ueki Hitoshi to Nobosemon
4) Yagira Yuuya - Onna Joshu Naotora / Kobayashi Kaoru - Onna Joshu Naotora / Yamamoto Koji - Totto-chan! / Iseya Yuusuke - Kangoku no Ohimesama / Takeuchi Ryoma - Rikuou

Source: The Televison

The 95th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2017) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Mitsushima Hikari - Kangoku no Ohimesama
2) Aoi Yu - Saki ni umareta dake no boku
3) Yamamoto Mizuki - Keiji Yugami

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Aoi Yu - Saki ni umareta dake no boku
2) Tabe Mikako - Saki ni umareta dake no boku
3) Mitsushima Hikari - Kangoku no Ohimesama
4) Yoshida Yo - Kounodori 2
5) Tomosaka Rie - Ashi Girl

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Mitsushima Hikari - Kangoku no Ohimesama
2) Yamamoto Mizuki - Keiji Yugami
3) Kanno Miho - Kangoku no Ohimesama
4) Yoshida Yo - Kounodori 2
5) Hirosue Ryoko - Okusama wa, toriatsukai chuui

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Mitsushima Hikari - Kangoku no Ohimesama
2) Yamamoto Mizuki - Keiji Yugami
3) Kaho - Kangoku no Ohimesama
4) Agawa Sachiko - Rikuou
5) Aoi Yu - Saki ni umareta dake no boku / Yoshida Yo - Kounodori 2 / Kanno Miho - Kangoku no Ohimesama / Sakai Maki - Kangoku no Ohimesama / Morishita Aiko - Kangoku no Ohimesama / Nakama Yukie - Ashita no Yakusoku / Tezuka Satomi - Ashita no Yakusoku / Matsushita Nao - Ima kara anata wo kyouhaku shimasu / Natsuki Mari - Shinjuku Seven / Katayama Yuki - Setoutsumi

Source: The Televison

The 95th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2017) - Best Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Doors ~ Yuuki no Kiseki ~ - Arashi (Saki ni umareta dake no boku)
2) Showtime - Amuro Namie (Kangoku no Ohimesama)
3) Jupiter - Little Glee Monster (Rikuou)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Doors ~ Yuuki no Kiseki ~ - Arashi (Saki ni umareta dake no boku)
2) Kiseki - Uru (Kounodori 2)
3) Iiwake - JUJU (Kono koe wo kimi ni)
4) Reboot - Tohoshinki (Ashita no Yakusoku)
5) Gyutto - Sexy Zone (Wagahai no heya de aru)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Showtime - Amuro Namie (Kangoku no Ohimesama)
2) Jupiter - Little Glee Monster (Rikuou)
3) Human - WANIMA (Keiji Yugami)
4) Tomoe Gakuen - Fukuyama Masaharu (Totto-chan!)
5) Iiwake - JUJU (Kono koe wo kimi ni)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Jupiter - Little Glee Monster (Rikuou)
2) Doors ~ Yuuki no Kiseki ~ - Arashi (Saki ni umareta dake no boku)
3) Showtime - Amuro Namie (Kangoku no Ohimesama)
4) Tomoe Gakuen - Fukuyama Masaharu (Totto-chan!)
5) Mikansei no Answer - Ueda Tatsuya (Shinjuku Seven)

Source: The Televison

Winners of the 10th Confidence Award Drama Prize (Autumn 2017)

Here are the winners of the 10th Confidence Award Drama Prize for the Autumn 2017 season:

Best Drama: Keiji Yugami

Best Leading Actor: Asano Tadanobu (Keiji Yugami)

Best Leading Actress: Ayase Haruka (Okusama wa, toriatsukai chuui)

Best Supporting Actor: Kamiki Ryuunosuke (Keiji Yugami)

Best Supporting Actress: Tezuka Satomi (Ashita no Yakusoku)

Best Script: Fukuda Yasushi (Saki ni umareta dake no boku)

Best Newcomer: Sakuma Yui (Ashita no Yakusoku)

Source: Confidence Award Drama Prize

Winners of Nikkansports Dorama Grand Prix (Autumn 2017)

There were 1,055 valid responses for this round of voting and the numbers in brackets indicate the number of votes received for the drama or actor/actress:

Preview screening event of NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku"

The preview screening event of NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" was held on 4 October which was attended by cast members Sakurai Sho, Aoi Yu, Igawa Haruka, Takashima Masanobu, Kazama Morio and the scriptwriter Fukuda Yasushi. This drama will begins its run from 14 October in the Saturdays 10pm timeslot.

Preview of "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" - Autumn 2017

Title: Saki ni umaretadake no boku 先に生まれただけの僕 (I was only born earlier than you)
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official LINE: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 14 October 2017
Timeslot: Saturdays 10pm
Broadcast by: NTV
Theme Song: "Doors ~ Yuuki no Kiseki ~" by Arashi
Cast: Sakurai Sho, Aoi Yu, Seto Koji, Kinami Haruka, Morikawa Aoi, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Ikeda Tetsuhiro, Kinoshita Houka, Tabe Mikako, Igawa Haruka, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Akiyama Natsuko, Takashima Masanobu, Kazama Morio

Filming wraps up for NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku"

The filming for NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" starring Sakurai Sho had been completed recently. The drama will begin its run from October in the Saturdays 10pm timeslot. The drama is based on an original script by Fukuda Yasushi who is known for works such as "HERO" and "Galileo" and was directed by Mizuta Nobuo who has dramas like "Mother" and "Woman" under his belt.

Sakurai plays the role of Narumi Ryosuke, a 35-year-old former businessman who is transferred by his company Kashimatsu Bussan to become the principal of a private senior high school named Kyoumeikan Koukou and turn its fortune around. The struggling school's results are on the lower end of the spectrum, its sports teams aren't doing well in competitions and its enrollment numbers are about to slide below the minimum level required to keep it afloat. Narumi knows nothing about education nor managing a school so he has to rely on his knowledge as a businessman to deal with the situation and introduce reforms in Kyoumeikan with the aim of boosting enrollment numbers, improve the quality of the teachers and students and make the school profitable again. He is met with strong resistance from the students who have never savoured success and the teachers who have no motivation to improve but tries to show them the reality and harsh truths of society through his first-hand experience. The heroine Mashiba Chihiro who is at loggerheads at first with Narumi but later gets inspired by him will be played by Aoi Yu while Narumi's girlfriend cum former colleague Matsubara Satoko will be played by Tabe Mikako. Co-stars also include Seto Koji, Igawa Haruka, Kazama Morio and Takashima Masanobu.

Sakurai commented that this is the first time he had completed the filming of a drama before its broadcast so it was an invaluable experience for him to concentrate fully on the filming without being distracted by a tight schedule. In addition, he is eagerly looking forward to seeing how the final product turns out to be especially since everyone had put in their best effort for this drama. As it had been about four and a half years since he last starred in a drama, Sakurai revealed that he had been very nervous especially about having to say 10 to 20 pages of lines on his own at one go. However, it was fulfilling for him to be able to take up this challenge.

Source: Oricon

Seto Koji to appear in NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" as an English teacher

Seto Koji will be appearing in the NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" starring Sakurai Sho which will begin its run from October in the Saturdays 10pm timeslot. The drama is based on an original script by Fukuda Yasushi and features Sakurai as Narumi Ryosuke, a 35-year-old former elite businessman who is transferred by his company Kashimatsu Bussan to become the principal of a private senior high school named Kyoumeikan Koukou and turn its fortune around. The struggling school's results are on the lower end of the spectrum, its sports teams aren't doing well in competitions and its enrollment numbers are about to slide below the minimum level required to keep it afloat. Narumi knows nothing about education nor managing a school so he has to rely on his knowledge as a businessman to deal with the situation and introduce reforms in Kyoumeikan with the aim of boosting enrollment numbers, improve the quality of the teachers and students and make the school profitable again. He is met with strong resistance from the students who have never savoured success and the teachers who have no motivation to improve but tries to show them the reality and harsh truths of society through his first-hand experience. The heroine Mashiba Chihiro who is at loggerheads at first with Narumi but later gets inspired by him will be played by Aoi Yu while Narumi's girlfriend cum former colleague Matsubara Satoko will be played by Tabe Mikako.

Seto will play be playing Shimazu Tomokazu who is an English teacher at Kyoumeikan and an advocate and expert on the new teaching style i.e. active learning. Although Shimazu had studied in the UK and can speak like a native, he is very shy and keeps to himself so he is hardly noticeable among the students and teachers. Upon hearing about Shimazu's ingenious teaching style, Narumi is very excited about it and wants this to become one of the first things which the school should implement as part of its reforms. Shimazu is also secretly in love with his colleague Mashiba.

As part of preparations for the filming, Seto went to observe active learning lessons where he noticed that the students were actively taking part. As such, he could not help but think that if this learning method was in use when he was a student, he could have learnt more in a more enjoyable setting. As for his character in this drama, Seto commented that as Narumi and Shimazu will be aiming to change the school in the story, he hopes that this will provide a catalyst of change for the viewers and bring about a change in himself as well. Although there is always fear and worry about changing something or taking on a challenge, things may actually turn out to work out well.

Source: Oricon

Sakurai Sho, Aoi Yu & Tabe Mikako to star in NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku"

Sakurai Sho will be starring in the new NTV Autumn 2017 drama "Saki ni umaretadake no boku" (I was only born earlier than you) which will begin its run from October in the Saturdays 10pm timeslot. The drama is based on an original script by Fukuda Yasushi who is known for works such as "HERO" and "Galileo" and will be directed by Mizuta Nobuo who has dramas like "Mother" and "Woman" under his belt.

Sakurai plays the role of Narumi Ryosuke, a 35-year-old former elite businessman who is transferred by his company Kashimatsu Bussan to become the principal of a private senior high school named Kyoumeikan Koukou and turn its fortune around. The struggling school's results are on the lower end of the spectrum, its sports teams aren't doing well in competitions and its enrollment numbers are about to slide below the minimum level required to keep it afloat. Narumi knows nothing about education nor managing a school so he has to rely on his knowledge as a businessman to deal with the situation and introduce reforms in Kyoumeikan with the aim of boosting enrollment numbers, improve the quality of the teachers and students and make the school profitable again. He is met with strong resistance from the students who have never savoured success and the teachers who have no motivation to improve but tries to show them the reality and harsh truths of society through his first-hand experience. The heroine Mashiba Chihiro who is at loggerheads at first with Narumi but later gets inspired by him will be played by Aoi Yu while Narumi's girlfriend cum former colleague Matsubara Satoko will be played by Tabe Mikako.

Sakurai who played a senior high school student in 2007 TBS drama "Yamada Taro Monogatari" when he was 25, expressed his surprise at being offered a role of a young 35-year-old school principal. It has been 4 years since he starred as the lead in a drama series since 2013's FujiTV drama "Kazoku Game" so he hopes to be able to grow with his character who transforms from a businessman to a school principal. Aoi who had experience working with Sakurai in the movie "Hachimitsu to Clover", praised him for being a respectable leading actor who is calm, clever and can be relied on. Tabe who last worked with Sakurai 10 years ago in "Yamada Taro Monogatari", expressed anticipation at how they will interact this time since the nature of their characters' relationship is different from 10 years ago.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Oricon