Preview of "MR - Iyaku jouhou tantousha -" - Autumn 2026

Title: MR - Iyaku jouhou tantousha - / MR -医薬情報担当者- 

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 4 October 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 5

Original novel by: Kusakabe You

Cast: Mukai Osamu, Kaname Jun, Masakado Yoshinori, Toyohara Kousuke, Takeda Rena, Sakou Yoshi, Jiyoung, Watanabe Makiko, Masu Takeshi, Matsuo Satoru, Morita Kokoro, Nozoe Yoshihiro, Kawashima Junya & Sano Yasuomi

Preview of "Utsuro na juujika" - Summer 2026

Title: Utsuro na juujika / 虚ろな十字架

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 6 September 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 9pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Higashino Keigo

Cast: Katori Shingo, Akaso Eiji, Suzuki An, Renbutsu Misako, Pierre Taki, Uzaki Ryudo, Sugimoto Tetta, Hanase Kotone, Yamanaka Takashi & Tanaka Yoji

Preview of "ALIUS Tokutei jishou sousa fairu" - Summer 2026

Title: ALIUS Tokutei jishou sousa fairu / アリウス　特定事象捜査ファイル

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 19 July 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 6

Cast: Sasaki Kuranosuke, Nakagawa Taishi, Tsunematsu Yuri & Sakai Maki etc.

Preview of "Consultant - Shi wo shippitsu suru otoko -" - Spring 2026

Title: Consultant - Shi wo shippitsu suru otoko - / コンサルタント - 死を執筆する男 -

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 June 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 6

Original novel by: Im Seong-sun

Cast: Ito Kentaro, Sakurai Hinako, Ichinose Hayate, Kaai Gamon, Okouchi Hiroshi, Tonesaku Toshihide, Suwa Taro, Sakata Masanobu, Kiba Katsumi, Kimura Fumino & GACKT

Preview of "Draft King - BORDER LINE -" - Spring 2026

Title: Draft King - BORDER LINE - / ドラフトキング - ボーダーライン -

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 22 May 2026

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: TBS

Original manga by: Kuromatsu Tetsurou

Cast: Muro Tsuyoshi, Miyazawa Hio, Denden, Ibu Masato, Kamiji Yuusuke, Miura Takahiro, Hirayama Yuusuke, Fujima Sawako, Kawakubo Takuji, Sakada Masanobu, Kataoka Tsurutaro, Fujita Tomohiro, Takeda Kouhei, Miyauchi Hitomi, Kido Taisei, Sato Kanta, Ukaji Takashi, Tanaka Yoji, Sendou Nobuko & Kimura Tatsunari

Preview of "BLOOD & SWEAT" - Spring 2026

Title: BLOOD & SWEAT

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 5 April 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 8

Cast: An, Jasper Paakkonen, Hamada Gaku, Takasugi Mahiro, Saotome Taichi, Kunimura Jun, Tokito Yuki, Elias Salonen, Merlin Rose, Mikko Nousiainen, Alina Tomnikov, Zephan Smith-Gneist, Antti Reini, Furutachi Kanji, Fukikoshi Mitsuru, Fukushi Seiji & Iwaya Kenji

Preview of "Stove League" - Spring 2026

Title: Stove League / ストーブリーグ

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 28 March 2026 at 1pm (all episodes shown at one go back-to-back)

Broadcast by: WOWOW & Lemino

Total number of episodes: 8

Theme Song: "Diamond" by Kamenashi Kazuya

Cast: Kamenashi Kazuya, Nagahama Neru, Hayama Shono, Kajihara Zen, Kimura Masaya, Itao Itsuji, Katsuji Ryo, Komoto Masahiro, Gouriki Ayame, Yoshida Kotaro & Nomura Mansai

Preview of "Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden" - Winter 2026

Title: Kitakata Kenzo Suikoden / 北方謙三　水滸伝

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 15 February 2026

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW & Lemino

Total number of episodes: 7

Original novel by: Kitakata Kenzo

Narrator: Suwabe Junichi

Cast: Oda Yuji, Kamenashi Kazuya, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Haru, Matsuyuki Yasuko, Sato Koichi, Tamayama Tetsuji & Sorimachi Takashi etc.

Preview of "Nagatan to Ao to Ichika no ryourichou Season 2" - Winter 2026

Title: Nagatan to Ao to Ichika no ryourichou Season 2 / ながたんと青と - いちかの料理帖 - 2

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 20 February 2026

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 10

Original manga by: Isoya Yuki

Cast: Kadowaki Mugi, Sakuma Ryuto, Nakamura Aoi, Toda Keiko, Kobayashi Toranosuke, Tsunematsu Yuri, Kumada Rinka, Shiraishi Shunya, Mano Riku, Tokoshima Yoshiko, Iida Kisuke, Ono Takehiko, Yano Masato, Kurosawa Asuka, Horiuchi Masami, Fujii Mina & Zaiki Takuma

Preview of "Sirius no hansho" - Winter 2026

Title: Sirius no hansho / シリウスの反証

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 10 January 2026

Timeslot: Saturdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Daimon Takeaki

Cast: Nakajima Yuuto, Nimura Sawa, Kaneko Daichi, Kawashima Ririka, Yoshimura Kaito, Kondo Yoshimasa, Ayata Toshiki, Gozu Takeo, Watanabe Ikkei, Masuoka Tooru & Ogata Naoto

Preview of "Strobe Edge Season 2" - Winter 2026

Title: Strobe Edge Season 2 / ストロボ・エッジ  Season 2

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 January 2026

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 6

Original manga by: Sakisaka Io

Cast: Fukumoto Riko, Takahashi Kyohei, Yamashita Koki, Kosaka Nao, Nakazawa Motoki, Nakagawa Tsubasa, Inoue Sora, Inoue Neo, Oguri Yui, Tanabe Ririka, Kiryu Sakura, Hasegawa Kyoko, Nakamura Shunsuke, Nomaguchi Tooru, Inoo Kei & Chiba Yuudai

Preview of "Kabanya no souzoku" - Autumn 2025

Title: Kabanya no souzoku / かばん屋の相続

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 27 December 2025

Timeslot: Saturdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 4

Original novel by: Ikeido Jun

Cast:

Ep 1 - Machida Keita, Komoto Masahiro, Ishimaru Kanji & Kamikawa Takaya

Ep 2 - Sugou Araki, Ikehata Anji, Hirayama Hiroyuki & Kuroki Hitomi

Ep 3 - Ito Atsushi, Izumisawa Yuki, Minagawa Sarutoki, Masana Bokuzo & Ishiguro Ken

Ep 4 - Fujiwara Joichiro, Nakao Akiyoshi, Aoyagi Sho & Ishimaru Kanji

Preview of "Shadow Work" - Autumn 2025

Title: Shadow Work / シャドウワーク

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 23 November 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sano Hiromi

Cast: Tabe Mikako, Sakurai Yuki, Terajima Shinobu, Ishida Hikari, Kawanishi Takumi, Takezai Terunosuke, Triendl Reina, Uehara Miku, Sudo Risa, Machida Shion, Morioka Ryu & Miyazaki Tomu

Preview of "Strobe Edge Season 1" - Autumn 2025

Title: Strobe Edge Season 1 / ストロボ・エッジ  Season１

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 31 October 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original manga by: Sakisaka Io

Cast: Fukumoto Riko, Takahashi Kyohei, Yamashita Kouki, Kosaka Nao, Nakazawa Motoki, Nakagawa Tsubasa, Inoue Sora, Inoue Neo, Oguri Yui, Tanabe Ririka, Hasegawa Kyoko, Nakamura Shunsuke, Nomaguchi Tooru, Koyabu Kazutoyo, Inoo Kei & Chiba Yuudai

Preview of "1972 Nagisa no keika" - Autumn 2025

Title: 1972 Nagisa no keika / 1972 渚の螢火

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 19 October 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sakagami Izumi

Cast: Takahashi Issei, Aoki Munetaka, Shirota Yu, Kiyoshima Chika, Kakazu Issei, Sakumoto Takara, Hirota Ryohei, MAAKIII, Kita Kana, Jeffrey Rowe, Fujiki Shiisa, Bengaru, Sawamura Ikki & Kobayashi Kaoru

Preview of "Yoru no douhyou - Aru yougisha wo meguru kiroku -" - Summer 2025

Title: Yoru no douhyou - Aru yougisha wo meguru kiroku - / 夜の道標 - ある容疑者を巡る記録 -

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 21 September 2025

Timeslot: Sundays at 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Ashizawa Yo

Cast: Yoshioka Hidetaka, Noda Yojiro, Takiuchi Kumi, Takasugi Mahiro, Wada Masato, Kimura Midoriko, Odani Koue, Yoshioka Mutsuo, Kobayashi Masahito, Masaki Reiya, Emi Kurara, Sakamoto Manato, Asakura Aki, Kashiwabara Shuji, Harada Konosuke & Uno Shohei

Preview of "Hei no naka no biyoushitsu" - Summer 2025

Title: Hei no naka no biyoushitsu / 塀の中の美容室

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 22 August 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 7

Original novel by: Sakurai Mina

Cast: Nao, Kaho, Narumi Riko, Mitsuishi Ken, Kobayashi Satomi, Inori Kirara, Nakajima Sena, Kamikawa Shuusaku, Nakajima Ayumu, Nishida Naomi, Nagai Mijika, Hirooka Yuriko, Ise Shima, Kinashi Noritake, Asaka Mayumi & Yuki Saori

Quick Review #140: Rakujitsu - Summer 2023

Title: Rakujitsu / 落日　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 8 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a decent suspense story with good acting from Kitagawa Keiko, Yoshioka Riho & Takeuchi Ryoma

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- Although the drama was very short with just 4 episodes, this length was actually beneficial in helping the story to stay on course and the pace to be maintained at just enough to lure viewers to continue watching without feeling bored but not too fast enough to confuse. It felt as if an onion was being peeled layer by layer as the facts came to light one by one so it was quite satisfying to be surprised at many junctures.

- The acting from Kitagawa and Yoshioka was very good. While their characters may seem subdued at first due to the emotions and trauma they had hidden underneath, the moment when their pasts and vulnerabilities were revealed didn't come across as overly dramatic as they maintained the balance very well. On the other hand, Takeuchi may not have appeared much but he also left a deep impression on me with how he managed to show both sides of his character convincingly.

Disliked: 

- The thing I find about Minato Kanae's stories is, they always start off brilliantly but I always find the endings underwhelming for some reason. Not sure if the problem had to do with bringing her novels to life in dramas and movies though. While I knew that this story would probably not be conclusive or offer any concrete solutions at the end, I thought that the way the ending was presented felt a bit odd and forced to resonate with the title. 

Quick Review #139: Ame ni kieta himawari - Summer 2022

Title: Ame ni kieta himawari / 雨に消えた向日葵　　　　　　　　　　　　

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

For those who want to watch a story about family ties and overcoming crime-induced trauma but don't mind the lack of suspense and/or would like to watch Muro Tsuyoshi and Sato Ryuuta's serious acting

* Potential spoilers ahead!

* Disclaimer: I have not read the original novel.

Liked:

- The good thing was that this drama was only 5 episodes long so despite the heavy themes about the difficulties of overcoming crime-induced trauma and how families grapple with their loved ones being victims of crime, I thought that the overall mood was emotional but not too draggy. By showing those who are embroiled in the current case vs. those who had supposedly emerged from the pain of past trauma, it provided a good contrast and conveyed the message that time is the best medicine to cure those wounds but everyone has their own way and timeline to do that.

- Given that Muro and Sato tend to act in more funny or somewhat eccentric kind of roles, it was a refreshing change to see them getting serious in this drama. However, I liked the fact that they didn't seem to be trying too hard to put on a straight face and their balanced acting this time would probably convince viewers that these two are indeed capable of good acting. Might take a bit of time to get used to seeing Muro hardly ever smiling in this drama though.

Disliked: 

- The thing is, the original novel is said to be a mystery story but there was really nothing to deduce especially with regard to the ongoing case featured in the drama. While this is one of the rare dramas which does not take a critical view of the police nor paint them to be unfeeling jerks when dealing with the victims and their families, you can't help but feel that the drama also didn't showcase them in a positive light especially when it comes to the investigation process. Somehow, I felt that the lapses in the process or how analogue their methods were just seemed to be quite illogical so that's why it took them so long to find the culprit and victim. As such, if you don't mind the lack of suspense or rather this element is considered weak in this drama, you might be able to enjoy this for the humanity aspect instead.

Preview of "Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita" - Summer 2025

Title: Koroshita otto ga kaettekimashita / 殺した夫が帰ってきました

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 11 July 2025

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Original novel by: Sakurai Mina

Cast: Yamashita Mizuki, Hagiwara Riku, Tanabe Ririka, Ootsuka Nene, Sakurai Yuki, Nozomi Futo, Doi Shiori, Kasahara Hideyuki, Sugawara Daikichi & Kawanishi Kenshiro