Japanese dramas are known for their versatile nature and for giving us constant reality checks. Though K-dramas are at their peak, the Japanese series became recognized. Japanese dramas have 8-10 episodes, which is a plus point. We all love a strong female lead who is independent. Most of all, she doesn’t need a man to save her. Let’s dive more into such dramas with a strong female lead.
1. Bread And Soup And Cat Weather
Akiko lives with her mother. However, suddenly, her mother dies. That makes her quit their editing job. As Akiko now has to take over her mother’s small restaurant. At the restaurant, they only serve two dishes: Sandwich and Soup. Akiko deals with a lot when transitioning from her job to taking over a restaurant. She learns various valuable lessons as she progresses in her life. Akiko holds the power in her life.
2. Yae No Sakura
Yae no Sakura is a historical Japanese drama. Yae is a firm believer in women’s rights. This series describes her journey as she struggles. During childhood, she was more interested in guns than sewing. She also participated in the war to save her homeland. Later, she divorces her husband, Kawasaki, and walks away from guns. She also developed an interest in learning. She then married Jo Niijima and became a Christian. She also helped him to found Doshisha University. She is a strong opponent of gender equality; while it rubs others the other way, her husband is supporting her. Yae afterward served as a nurse during the Russo-Japanese War.
3. Zenkai Girl
This story revolves around Wakaba chasing her dream of becoming an international lawyer and the struggles it holds. Her hard work pays off; She grabs her first job at a prestigious law firm, but to her surprise, the first task is to babysit the boss’s five-year-old daughter, Hinata. Wakaba loathes children but is unwilling to take the job. In contrast, she dropped Hinata off at her preschool. She meets SShota. Initially, when she met Shota, she thought of him as a creep. As the series progresses, she falls in love with Shana, which is against her dream of marrying a rich guy.
4. Gokusen
Gokusen is about a teacher who is trying to make a difference in student’s lives. Kumiko is an ideal teacher who entered Shirokjin High to become a maths teacher. Having high hopes from students, her world turned upside down when she found out she’d be teaching class 3-D. Class 3-D is a bunch of students who look like troublemakers. The students have sloppy outfits and multicolored hairstyles, and they don’t respect the teachers. This class is famous for scaring away the teachers. The class leader, Swada Shin, is recognized, as he once beat a teacher to death. Handling such students was a difficult task, but Kumiko was not an ordinary teacher. She was nominated to be the head of her clan. However, she declined. As the series progresses, Kumiko earns the respect of class 3-D.
5. Keizoku
Keizoku is a Japanese mystery drama. That starts when Shibata graduates at the top of her class. She is sent to the Tokyo metropolitan police department for her internship. She is assigned the unsolved cases. She decides to unravel the mystery these past cases hold. Despite being creepy, keizoku has comedic aspects too. Shibata started solving the cases one by one. Afterward, co-officers begin to help her. At the same time, Shibata has no idea about the dark past lurking over. This drama will keep you on the edge of your chair with its unique twists and turns.
6. The Queen’s Classroom
The queen’s classroom is set in Hanzaki Elementary School. A new term starts and students are excited. However, things get ablaze when Maya Akutsu becomes the homeroom teacher of grade six, class three. Students noticed how Maya never smiled at them and treated them mercilessly. Students were not even allowed to use the washroom during class hours. She placed a high emphasis on marks and gave pop quizzes every week. The person with the lowest grades was treated like a slave who had to do every odd job at school. Maya strives for perfectionism and punishes her students in an unorthodox way. The students are terrified. Then there was a passive war situation for about a year between students and Maya.
7. Balsa - Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit
This story is about a female bodyguard. Balsa is a 30-year-old bodyguard for hire. She has vowed to pay the price for eight deaths in her past by saving an equivalent number of people. During this journey, she encounters the prince. There she saves the prince’s life; she is assigned the task of being his bodyguard. Afterward, she realized that his father was trying to kill him. They two started on a struggling journey to make it out alive. Balsa’s past hinders the way, paving the way to identifying the prince’s mysterious connection to a legendary water spirit with the power to destroy the world.
8. Hamura Akira - Sekai De Mottomo Fuunna Tantei
Akira is a private investigator. She also works part-time in a murder bear bookshop as she likes reading mystery books. Whenever she works on any case, things become complicated. She experiences unlucky and unexpected situations. Due to this, she is widely popular as The world’s most unfortunate Private Investigator.
9. Kore Wa Keihi De Ochimasen!
This is not a business expense that revolves around the life of young women working in the accounting department. She works for Ten Ten company, which specializes in soap and cosmetics. Sanako’s motto is to balance everything. Her job is to check receipts and bills. She gets overly involved in business matters. The question is, Can a low-ranking employee approach these dishonest people and establish equality? Yamada brings a receipt for a trip to the theme park he visited with Mirae for research. However, there was a rumor that he went on a date in the same park. That makes Sanako question whether this is a business receipt or not. She suspects that it was a personal expense, not a business expense.
10. Hitorishizuka
Hitorishizuka is a mystery thriller drama. In literal terms, hitorishizuka means shizuka alone. This follows Shizuka’s life from 8 to 31 years old. Her life is intertwined with murders. That includes six murder stories, with its protagonist investing in the case. A tragic incident happened; five murders occurred at different times and locations. However, the detective believes that this is connected to the girl.
