This was an off yr for dramas for me. I began so many but completed so few. Nonetheless, there have been a handful that I cherished so I wished to maintain this countdown going even in a much less bountiful yr. Hopefully there will probably be extra to stay up for in 2025!
Somewhat than submit my normal seize bag of dramas, this yr I’m going to really rank them.
Description (from MyDramaList): “Ichiro is a PE trainer in 1986 feared by his college students for a “powerful love” strategy, harsh tongue and continuously “inappropriate” conduct. He’s additionally a dad making an attempt to lift a rebellious daughter after having misplaced his spouse to sickness. When he will get transported in time to 2024, he encounters trendy sensibilities that train him about empathy but additionally provides folks of right now a motive to rethink their very own political correctness on this time traversing comedy about change.”
I simply adored this drama. It was the funniest, most artistic factor I watched all yr. The time journey side requires a lot suspension of disbelief, nevertheless it’s extra of a plot system than one thing to be dissected in any logical manner. I cherished attending to spend time in Showa-era Japan, nevertheless it’s the characters and writing that actually made this drama soar. Plus, it’s randomly a musical as nicely! There’s actually no such factor as “style” in relation to this one. Give it a strive for those who’re in search of one thing quirky with super-endearing characters.
Description (from MyDramaList): “Tsukioka Natsu is 28 years outdated. He works for a printing firm in Tokyo. Someday, Tsukioka Natsu hears that Nagumo Mizuki died. They have been in a romantic relationship after they attended the identical college. They broke up after Nagumo Mizuki all of a sudden advised him that she wished to finish their relationship, and she or he disappeared afterwards. He didn’t hear something about her for the previous 7 years after their breakup. Tsukioka Natsu attends Nagumo Mizuki’s funeral, the place he meets a younger baby named Umi. He’s shocked to study that Umi is Mizuki Nagumo’s daughter. Nagumo Mizuki’s mom talks to him and tells him that Umi is his daughter.”
That is for these of you who love a tearjerker. Severely, this drama twists your feelings till they bleed, however the emotional struggling is one way or the other so candy. That’s attributable to nice appearing and writing, together with the easiest baby actress I’ve ever seen. That is from the creators of Silent, which was my favourite drama of 2022. They know what they’re doing in relation to this specific format.
Description (from MyDramaList): “It tells the story of a middle-aged man, Makoto Okita, who’s caught in society’s outdated widespread sense and prejudices. He’s disliked by his household as a “stiff,” and his subordinates at work shun him for his insensitive conduct. However he has continued to forge forward on the trail he believes in, believing that that is “the one proper reply”. However a turning level comes for him when his son tells him, “I… by no means need to turn into somebody like my dad!!” So, a prejudiced man in his fifties makes a homosexual pal greater than 20 years youthful than him, and his “widespread sense” begins to vary!”
Thematically, this truly shares a lot in widespread with my high choose. This drama’s way more typical in its execution, however the characters are so beautiful to be round. It’s an attention-grabbing research in Japan’s altering social perceptions, however above all else it’s humorous and extremely heat, feel-good leisure.
Description (from MyDramaList): “Arisawa Ichika enrolls in an elite ladies’ highschool attended by the youngsters of rich households. Considering of her daughter’s future, her mom Chihiro tries her finest to scrape collectively the college charges, however life for the couple will not be straightforward. When Ichika advances to her second yr of highschool, the college merges with an all-boys faculty to turn into coeducational, Asuran Academy. The scholars are excited, however a brand new faculty rule is enacted that prohibits courting between girls and boys. What’s extra, the rule is so strict that any pupil who violates the rule and has sexual activity will probably be expelled.”
Sadly, this was a kind of dramas that was completely nice till its remaining episode. They didn’t land the ending, however that is nonetheless price expecting its means to take a lame idea and rework it into one thing fairly thrilling. I cherished the solid as nicely.
Description (from MyDramaList): “Mishima Futoshi, a junior highschool pupil within the countryside, is bullied by his classmates. The reason being that he’s seemingly homosexual. In actuality, Mishima does like guys, so he doesn’t resist their bullying, and as an alternative, finds solace in secretly cross-dressing. Someday on the rooftop of the college, Mishima finds the lipstick he had misplaced earlier than within the arms of Kirino Makoto, one of many bullies. Kirino was about to placed on the lipstick that Mishima used on his personal lips. That is the story of those two younger boys in search of a spot they will actually be themselves.”
I used to be on the fence about this one for the longest time. Its over-the-top exaggerated strategy is off-putting at first however as soon as I spotted that was the director’s manner of capturing youth I understood the drama way more. At its core, it’s an extremely candy coming-of-age story with a really distinctive perspective.