If you enjoy watching dramas that are intense and have melodramatic themes, then get ready because we have a selection of great Japanese Dramas. These dramas will surely get you hooked from the first episode to the last.
1. First Love
This K-drama revolves around the lives and the relationship between Yae Noguchi and Harumici Namiki. They were each other's first loves. We follow them as Yae and Namiki retrace their memories with each other. We see how their love blossomed and the challenges they faced. Yae aspired to become a flight attendant. She had to quit her dreams due to an accident. Namiki aspired to become a piolet for the Japanese Air Defence. As an adult, he is disillusioned with his life.
2. Cursed In Love
As a child, Nao Hanaoka lived with her mother in a wagashi shop. She used to be friends with a neighborhood boy named Tsubaki Takatsuki. However, one day, Tsubaki’s father is found murdered in his shop, and Nao’s mother becomes the prime suspect in the murder. Tsubaki testifies against Nao’s mother. As a result, she is arrested, and Nao is kicked out of the shop. Nao and Tsubaki meet again when they are adults. Nao resents Tsubaki and is determined to discover the truth behind her mother’s arrest.
3. Mischievous Kiss: Love In Tokyo
Kotoko Aihara is not the brightest high school student but a bright and bubbly girl. She takes notice of and eventually falls in love with Naoki Irie, the most brilliant student in her high school. Naoki is arrogant and extremely intelligent. Unfortunately, when Kotoko tries to confess to Naoki, she is turned down. One day, when a severe earthquake damages Kotoko’s house, she and her father are forced to move in with another family.
4. From Five To Nine
We follow Junko Sakuraba, an ambitious young woman who dreams of one day working in New York. She is an English conversation teacher and desires to get out of Japan. She is headstrong and hardworking. However, her dreams of moving to New York seem unreachable. One day, when she attends a funeral held at a temple, she meets Takane Hoshikawa, a monk. Later, Junko’s family forces her to go on a blind date. She discovers that her date is the same monk she had met at the temple.
5. Vanishing My First Love
This drama revolves around the life of a high school student named Sota Aoki. He is a bright student who has a crush on a classmate named Hashimoto. One day, Aoki borrows an eraser from her and discovers that it has someone written on it with a heart. He notices that Kosuke Ida’s name is written on the eraser with a heart beside the name. Ida is another classmate. Aoki assumes that Hashimoto has a crush on Ida. However, Aoki accidentally drops the eraser, and Ida tries to pick it up and give it back to him. This is when Ida notices that his name is written on the eraser with a heart beside his name. Ida assumes Aoki has a crush on him.
6. Midnight Diner
There is a peculiar diner that is open from midnight to dawn. The man who owns this quaint diner is called Mater. He is busy with customers’ day in and out. The restaurant has a minimal menu with only three types of alcohol and a kind of soup. The master, however is open to making any dish the customer wants. We follow this diner as new customers stumble in and out. We see people who seem lost come to the restaurant to find comfort.
7. Atelier
We follow Mayuko Tokida as she tries to navigate her career. After graduating from college Mayuko found work at a prestigious fashion company called Emotion. This company specializes in making custom lingerie and underwear. Emotion is a legend in the industry known for its cut-throat work environment. We see Mayuko as she tries to survive in the hectic work culture of the fashion industry.
8. Angel Heart
We follow Ryo Saeba, a well-known private detective. He is also known as a city hunter. After the death of his partner, Kaori Makimura, he becomes cold and distraught. After Kaori’s death, her heart is transplanted into the body of another woman named Xiang-Ying. Xiang decides to pursue Ryo.
9. Call It Love
This drama revolves around the lives of Risa Shiroki and Hiroto Fukami. After moving from the countryside to attend university, Risa is determined to find love in the city. She desires to be in a loving relationship. She meets Hiroto Fukami, a gentle and kind man. Risa and Hiroto eventually fall in love with each other; however Risa is unaware of the dark past that Hiroto is trying to hide.
10. Alice In Borderland
We follow Ryohei Arisu, an unemployed young man with a turbulent life. One day, Arisu wakes up to discover that everyone in Tokyo, except his two friends, has disappeared. The city is empty. Arisu soon finds out that he is in a sick survival game. He eventually meets a mysterious person named Yuzuha Usagi.
