Mukai Osamu and Ayano Go to star in TBS Winter 2014 drama "S - Saigo no Keisatsukan"

Mukai Osamu will be starring in the TBS Winter 2014 drama "S - Saigo no Keisatsukan" which will begin its run from January 2014 and will work with Ayano Go for the first time in this drama based on the same-titled manga. Mukai plays the role of Kamikura Ichigo, a retired pro boxer who joins the National Police Agency's Special Assault Team (SAT) as a sergeant. Kamikura boasts of great physical abilities and uses his bare punches to overcome the criminals. On the other hand, Ayano plays the role of Soga Iori who is the No.1 sniper in SAT and is cool, can concentrate well and has great observation skills. Being pole opposites, Kamikura and Soga will be at loggerheads in the drama.

Mukai commented that as this is his first police officer role and that he has many action scenes, he has been going to the gym to learn boxing in preparation for his role. He expressed hope that this drama will be as popular as the current season's hit "Hanzawa Naoki" which is talked about widely in schools and companies on the day after each episode's broadcast. As for Ayano, he said that Soga is a truly attractive role and feels that this character will probably bring some effects to himself even after it ends. As Mukai and Ayano are of the same age, they both expressed anticipation at being able to work together for the next few months.

Source: Dogatch

'Kagi no Kakatta Heya' to have special

Arashi member Ohno Satoshi's starring drama "Kagi no Kakatta Heya" which was aired as the 'Getsu 9' drama during April to June of last year, will come back as a special drama next year.

It is a mystery in which a protagonist named "Enomoto Kei" (Ohno), who is obsessed with keys and locks, solves the mysterious cases happening behind closed doors together with two lawyers "Aoto Junko" (played by Toda Erika) and "Serizawa Go" (played by Sato Koichi).

The drama is based on Kishi Yusuke's novel series, and the previous drama series featured the episodes from three novels; "Kagi no Kakatta Heya", "Glass no Hammer", and "Kitsunebi no Ie". However, this special drama will be the adaptation of Kishi's newest work from the series "Kagami no Kuni no Satsujin", which will be published on magazine "Shousetsu Yasei Jidai" on November 12th. The story will also include content from unpublished episode "Futatsu no Misshitsu" (tentative).

Ohno commented, "Next year, that man Enomoto will be coming back in front of you all! The filming has not been started yet, but I am excited to see what kind of strong enemies will make an appearance, and what kind of tricks will be waiting for me! It will be my first locked room mystery in about a year, and I will work hard memorizing the lines in order for me to solve it well. Please look forward to it everyone!"

Along with Ohno, Toda and Sato will be making appearances on the special drama as well.

Source: Oricon

xploring wrote:

Yoshitaka Yuriko chosen as lead of first half of 2014's NHK morning drama "Hanako to Anne"

Additional cast announced for Yoshitaka Yuriko's asadora

On September 18th, Yoshitaka Yuriko and other cast members of NHK's morning drama for 2014 "Hanako to Anne" made appearances at a press conference.

"Hanako to Anne" features half of Muraoka Hanako's life who is known as the translator of Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gable". It tells the story of the protagonist Hanako (Yoshitaka), who was born in a poor family in Yamanashi, trying to pursue her dream to be a translator, and how she inspires others after overcoming earthquake disasters and war.

At the conference, it was revealed that Nakama Yukie will play Hanako's lifelong friend named "Hayama Renko". Nakama expressed her enthusiasm saying, "This will be my first time co-starring with Yoshitaka-san. Although there is a big difference in age between us, I would like to work as good friends with Yoshitaka-san."

There was also an announcement for the other cast members, which include Ihara Tsuyoshi (as Hanako's father), Muroi Shigeru (as Hanako's mother), Ishibashi Renji (as Hanako's grandfather), Kaku Kento (as Hanako's older brother), Kuroki Hana and Tsuchiya Tao (as Hanako's younger sisters), Kubota Masataka (as Hanako's childhood friend), Matsumoto Akiko (as Kubota's mother), Cunning Takeyama (as a landlord), Asada Miyoko (as the matron of Hanako's dormitory in Tokyo), Tomosaka Rie (as Hanako's English teacher), and Suzuki Ryohei (as Hanako's husband).

NHK morning drama "Hanako to Anne" will air during March 31st ~ September 27th of 2014 with 156 episodes in total.

Source: Cinematoday

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Sakaguchi Kenji makes a comeback in "Iryu 4"

Sakaguchi Kenji will play the character Asada Ryutaro again in the new sequel "Iryu 4" which will be shown via FujiTV from January 2014 at 10pm on Thursdays. This time, the focus of the drama will shift from medical treatment to the medical business as Team Dragon gathers again to try to create the perfect hospital. There have been three parts in the Iryu series (2006, 2007 and 2010) and everyone thought that they were done with this series by the time Part 3 was completed.

Part 4 will be set against the backdrop of Japanese hospitals purchasing overseas hospitals with the hope of making entry into the global market but within Japan, the local hospitals have been closing one after another due to problems such as lack of doctors. In such a situation, members of Team Dragon come together again to create an ideal hospital.

Sakaguchi who counts "Iryu" as his signature work, expressed joy at being able to act in the sequel but commented that he did feel intimidated at having to act in long operation scenes again.

Co-stars in "Iryu 4" include previous Team Dragon members Inamori Izumi, Koike Teppei, Abe Sadao and Sasaki Kuranosuke as well as Hira Mikijiro who will act as Asada's teacher.

Source: Sanspo



Tanihara Shosuke to star in WOWOW's new drama "Chi no Wadachi"

Tanihara Shosuke will be the lead in the WOWOW drama "Chi no Wadachi" to be shown from 19 January 2014 at 10pm on Sundays. The drama which consists of 4 episodes, is based on the same-titled novel by Aiba Hideo and features Tanihara as a police detective in the criminal investigation department who is embroiled in a power struggle with his former buddy played by Neptune's Harada Taizo who is in the public security department after they cross paths again due to a former police officer's murder case. Harada's character's superior will be played by Takashima Masanobu while model TAO will play the role of an investigator from the special investigation division.

Source: Oricon



Arashi's Matsumoto Jun to star in Winter 2014 Gekku "Shitsuren Chocolatier"

Arashi's Matsumoto Jun will be starring in the FujiTV Winter 2014 Gekku "Shitsuren Chocolatier" (The out-of-love chocolatier) which begins its run from January 2014 in the Mondays 9pm timeslot. The drama is based on the same-titled shoujo manga by Mizushiro Setona which has sold more than 1 million copies to date and won the 36th Kodansha Manga Sho (shoujo manga category).

Matsumoto plays the role of Koyurugi Souta who was attending a confectionery school during his senior high school days and had fallen in love at first sight with his senior Saeko. The two of them began dating near Christmas but Souta was suddenly dumped by Saeko one day before Valentine's Day even though he had been preparing some handmade chocolate for his girlfriend who loves chocolate. In order to win Saeko back, Souta decided to head to France to learn how to become a chocolatier and later becomes known as the Prince of Chocolate.

Matsumoto expressed excitement at learning the various techniques to making chocolate and hopes to have enough time to make full preparations for it. He also commented that since the theme of the drama was being out of love, he hopes to convey the joy of being in love and the sadness of being out of love at the same time through this drama.

Source: Sanspo

http://doramaworld.blogspot.com.au/

It was announced that actor Miura Haruma will be starring in Fuji TV's new drama "Boku no Ita Jikan" that will air staring in January.

The drama will be scripted by Hashibe Atsuko ("Boku no Ikiru Michi"), and Miura will play a young man who tries to live his life positively while facing an intractable disease called 'amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.'


The protagonist is a college student "Sawada Takuto" (Miura) who is having a hard time with job hunting. He was born as an oldest son of a doctor, but his parents gave up on him as hopeless when he was in middle school. One day, he is informed that he is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and his days are numbered. Knowing this fact, he tries to face it with the remainder of his life.

The heroine named "Hongo Megumi", a college senior, who goes to the same college as the protagonist, and also in the middle of job searching, will be played by Tabe Mikako. This will be the first time for Miura and Tabe to co-star with each other since the two last co-starred in a movie "Kimi ni Todoke" back in 2010.

Other cast members are Saito Takumi (as the protagonist's senior), and Yamamoto Mizuki (as the heroine's friend). Nomura Shuhei, Asada Miyoko, and Harada Mieko will also be appearing in the drama.

"Boku no Ita Jikan" will air every Wednesday at 10:00 pm on Fuji TV.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2013/11/miura-haruma-to-star-in-new-fuji-tv-drama

NHK reveals details for next asadora

NHK has announced that their next morning drama that will air starting on September 29 in 2014, will be entitled "Massan."

"Massan" will be modeled after the founder of Nikka Whiskey, Taketsuru Masataka who is known as the "father of Japanese whiskey", and his wife Rita.

It tells a story about a man, the son of a sake brewery, who is fascinated by the charms of whiskey and travels to Scotland. There, he falls in love with a Scotswoman. The two get married, and they devote themselves to distilling whiskey in Osaka and Hokkaido during the Taisho and Showa era.

As the protagonist's wife is a Scottish person, this will be the very first time for NHK's morning drama to feature a foreigner as the heroine.

The script will be written by Habara Daisuke ("Pacchigi!", "Hula Girl"), and the cast to play the heroine will be decided by the end of March through audition.

Source: Sanspo

gaijinmark wrote:

NHK reveals details for next asadora NHK has announced that their next morning drama that will air starting on September 29 in 2014, will be entitled "Massan." "Massan" will be modeled after the founder of Nikka Whiskey, Taketsuru Masataka who is known as the "father of Japanese whiskey", and his wife Rita. It tells a story about a man, the son of a sake brewery, who is fascinated by the charms of whiskey and travels to Scotland. There, he falls in love with a Scotswoman. The two get married, and they devote themselves to distilling whiskey in Osaka and Hokkaido during the Taisho and Showa era. As the protagonist's wife is a Scottish person, this will be the very first time for NHK's morning drama to feature a foreigner as the heroine. The script will be written by Habara Daisuke ("Pacchigi!", "Hula Girl"), and the cast to play the heroine will be decided by the end of March through audition. Source: Sanspo

Never thought I'd see the day where a dorama is made about whisky! Okay, whiskey... but still, one of my favourite drinks in the world! I hope the cast is good! Abe Hiroshi, maybe?
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玉木宏、藤木直人、佐藤健

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Popular child actress Ashida Mana has been cast in NTV's new drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai".



The drama features children at an orphanage who become separated from their parents due to various reasons, but try to live strongly regardless of the strict rules at the orphanage and cold looks from society.

In the drama, Ashida will play the role of a girl called "Post" who is the leader among other children at the orphanage. As her co-star, child actress Suzuki Rio will also make an appearance in the drama. Suzuki's role is "Maki", a girl who is left at the orphanage temporarily.



New NTV drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai" will air starting in January (every Wednesday at 10:00 pm).

Looks like it's going to be battle of the child stars. Ashida should be favored but don't count out Suzuki as the underdog. I thought she was great in 'Yae no Sakura' and 'Woman'.

Mizuki Arisa to star in TBS Winter 2014 drama "Yoru no Sensei"

Mizuki Arisa will be starring in the TBS Winter 2014 drama "Yoru no Sensei" which begins its run from 17 January 2014 in the Fridays 10pm timeslot. She plays the role of Yoruno Sakura, a former mamasan in a snack bar who becomes a newbie teacher in a senior high school's night class section. While dressed in elaborate clothes and appearing a bit stupid, she uses her passion to touch the hearts of her students whose ages range from their teens to 80s. This drama also marks the 27th drama in which Mizuki has a leading role in since she first did so 23 years ago in the 1992 drama "Houkago". Co-stars in this drama include Renbutsu Misako and Yamamoto Koji.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

http://doramaworld.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/mizuki-arisa-to-star-in-tbs-winter-2014.html

Inoue Mao to be the lead in 2015 NHK Taiga drama "Hana Moyu"

NHK announced on 3 December that Inoue Mao will be the lead of their 2015 Taiga drama "Hana Moyu" set mainly in Yamaguchi Prefecture where she will play the role of Fumi, the younger sister of Bakumatsu-era Choshu Domain philosopher Yoshida Shoin. This marks Inoue's first appearance in a Taiga and her first appearance in a NHK drama in four years since 2011's morning drama "Ohisama". During the press conference, Inoue commented that there are lots of things she has to study about her character and promised to take responsibility to work hard for the drama. Besides being Yoshida Shoin's younger sister, Fumi also married Kusaka Genzui, a key person in the Sonno Joi faction in the Choshu Domain. However, Kusaka later passed away so Fumi remarried Katori Motohiko, the first mayor of Gunma Prefecture. Filming begins in August 2014 and the drama will begin its run in January 2015.

Source: Mantan Web

Oizumi Yo and Matsuyuki Yasuko co-star in WOWOW drama "Chi no Shio"

Oizumi Yo will be taking on the leading role in the new WOWOW drama "Chi no Shio" (The Salt of the Land) which is to be shown from 16 February 2014 at 10pm over four weeks. He will play the role of an archaeologist Kamimura Kensaku who discovers the Shiona Ruins which actually changes the historical view held about it all along. As a result of the discovery, it also helps to revitalise the local area surrounding the ruins as a tourism hot spot. Despite it being in the early stages of investigation, Sakuma Rina (Matsuyuki Yasuko) decides to publish details of the find in a history textbook. While Kamimura is hard at work at a new spot on the site to dig for more of the ruins, remains of a female student who went missing 13 years ago are found instead. At the same time, a scholar who holds a different view to Kamimura's discovery comes to Rina and claims that Kamimura fabricated the archaeological discovery...

Co-stars in this drama also include Tanabe Seiichi, Tanaka Kei, Itao Itsuji and Jinnai Takanori.

Source: Theater Guide




Dan Rei & SMAP's Inagaki Goro to co-star in FujiTV Winter 2014 drama "Fukuie Keibuho no Aisatsu"

Dan Rei and SMAP's Inagaki Goro will be working together in the upcoming FujiTV Winter 2014 drama "Fukuie Keibuho no Aisatsu" (The Greeting of Assistant Inspect Fukuie) which will be shown in the Tuesdays 9pm timeslot. This is the first leading role for Dan in a private network drama and she will be playing a police detective in it. Her role as Assistant Inspect Fukuie is a person who gets largely ignored by the people around her but has strong deduction abilities to discover things often not noticed by others which helps her to solve cases. Fukuie also has a habit of asking countless questions to solve her doubts and doesn't listen to her superior's orders. In contrast, Inagaki's role as Ishimatsu, an inspector and Fukuie's superior, works in the exact opposite manner from Fukuie because he sticks to the book and is upset with Fukuie hogging the limelight by solving cases in unconventional ways and snatching his chances to shine. Co-stars also include Emoto Tokio who plays a technician from the forensics department and always gets put into difficult situations by Fukuie's weird demands.

Dan commented that it is a refreshing idea to play a woman working in the midst of men as her roles to date are mostly of women suffering in silence or career women which she hardly has any experience to speak of. As such, she is happy to be able to play a not-so-ordinary female detective to start the new year. As for Inagaki, he said that he became very interested in the role after reading the script and thought that this was a very different type of police detective story.

Source: Crank In

http://doramaworld.blogspot.com.au/

The drama 'Saikou no Rikon', which aired on Fuji TV earlier this year, will be returning with a special drama, 'Saikou no Rikon Special 2014', in February.

'Saikou no Rikon' was a love comedy that revolved around two married couples living alongside the Meguro River. Eita played the role of protagonist 'Hamasaki Mitsuo', a businessman who works for a vending machine installation company. Ono Machiko played his wife 'Yuka', Maki Yoko played his ex-girlfriend 'Akari', and Ayano Go played her husband 'Ryo'.



The series gained attention for the lines written by scriptwriter Sakamoto Yuji, the cast's enthusiastic performance, and the ending featuring the cast dancing to Kuwata Keisuke's "Yin Yang". It even received several awards after the broadcast had ended.

Eita commented, "The real thrill of this drama is 'things you can't foresee will happen'. Also, things that aren't supposed to happen between husband and wife happens. At that time, how do the characters respond? What do they decide to do? Please look forward to the unique wordplay and dialogue of Sakamoto's world."

Source & Image: Oricon

Ashita, Mama ga inai

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ashita,_Mama_ga_Inai

A drama about kids in an orphanage. Sounds very interesting

xploring wrote:

Popular child actress Ashida Mana has been cast in NTV's new drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai". The drama features children at an orphanage who become separated from their parents due to various reasons, but try to live strongly regardless of the strict rules at the orphanage and cold looks from society. In the drama, Ashida will play the role of a girl called "Post" who is the leader among other children at the orphanage. As her co-star, child actress Suzuki Rio will also make an appearance in the drama. Suzuki's role is "Maki", a girl who is left at the orphanage temporarily. New NTV drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai" will air starting in January (every Wednesday at 10:00 pm).

Mikami Hiroshi to play the sadistic director of a children welfare home in "Ashita, Mama ga inai"

Mikami Hiroshi will be taking on the key role of the sadistic director of a children welfare home in the upcoming NTV Winter 2014 drama "Ashita, Mama ga inai" which begins its run from 15 January 2014 and features child actor Ashida Mana as its lead. This is Mikami's first appearance in a private network since four years ago and he plays the role of Sasaki Tomonori, who is the director of "Kogamo no Ie" which takes in children who cannot stay with their mothers for reasons like sickness or economic hardship. Sasaki always wears a black coat and drags his feet while using a walking stick and would always use harsh words on the children staying in the welfare home. As such, he is nicknamed "Demon King" by the children but nobody really knows about the pain and troubles Sasaki hides underneath this facade. When asked about his impression of his young co-stars like Ashida and Suzuki Rio, he said that he was impressed by their ability to understand what they were doing and really thinks that they are able to act with their hearts which is quite unthinkable considering that they are only primary school students.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Kimura Takuya to star in TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi"

SMAP's Kimura Takuya will be starring in the TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi" which will be shown in March 2014 over two nights. This is his first period drama appearance in 7 years and 3 months (last appearance was a blind swordsman in the movie "Bushi no Ichibun" in December 2006) and he will be playing Miyamoto Musashi in this SP which is also a special programme to celebrate TV Asahi's 55th anniversary. Filming has already begun.

Source: Sanspo

xploring wrote:

Kimura Takuya to star in TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi" SMAP's Kimura Takuya will be starring in the TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi" which will be shown in March 2014 over two nights. This is his first period drama appearance in 7 years and 3 months (last appearance was a blind swordsman in the movie "Bushi no Ichibun" in December 2006) and he will be playing Miyamoto Musashi in this SP which is also a special programme to celebrate TV Asahi's 55th anniversary. Filming has already begun. Source: Sanspo

Kimutaku as Musashi?

And how can they possibly squeeze the entire story of Musashi into two nights?

Odagiri Jo to be back in TV Tokyo Spring 2014 drama "Reverse Edge Okawabata Tanteisha"

Odagiri Jo will be making his return to dramaland with the TV Tokyo Spring 2014 drama "Reverse Edge Okawabata Tanteisha" based on the hit manga by Hijikata Yumine and Tanaka Akio. The timeslot for the drama's broadcast and O.A. start date are yet to be decided. Odagiri will be working with One Hitoshi, the director who was responsible for TV Tokyo's signature hits such as "Moteki" and "Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi".

Odagiri will play a private detective for the first time as Muraki who believes in walking his way to earn his money. He will take on requests to investigate urban legends taken on by Okawabata Tanteisha which is located in Asakusa.

Source: Sponichi

xploring wrote:

Kimura Takuya to star in TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi" SMAP's Kimura Takuya will be starring in the TV Asahi drama SP "Miyamoto Musashi" which will be shown in March 2014 over two nights. This is his first period drama appearance in 7 years and 3 months (last appearance was a blind swordsman in the movie "Bushi no Ichibun" in December 2006) and he will be playing Miyamoto Musashi in this SP which is also a special programme to celebrate TV Asahi's 55th anniversary. Filming has already begun. Source: Sanspo

Who play otsu character

xploring wrote:

Popular child actress Ashida Mana has been cast in NTV's new drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai". The drama features children at an orphanage who become separated from their parents due to various reasons, but try to live strongly regardless of the strict rules at the orphanage and cold looks from society. In the drama, Ashida will play the role of a girl called "Post" who is the leader among other children at the orphanage. As her co-star, child actress Suzuki Rio will also make an appearance in the drama. Suzuki's role is "Maki", a girl who is left at the orphanage temporarily.

It's gotten a reaction after just one episode:

Hospital protests airing of Mana Ashida drama


Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto City has requested for Ashida Mana's new NTV drama "Ashita, Mama ga Inai", which began airing on January 15 (Wednesdays 10pm), to be removed from broadcast, accusing the drama of "portraying children and social workers in orphanages incorrectly, infringing upon human rights".

The drama is centered upon a group of children who live in an orphanage and how they seek love among the adults who look after them.

The drama features not only Ashida, but also fellow child actress Suzuki Rio, who rose to fame in the NHK Taiga drama "Yae no Sakura".

Jikei Hospital is the only hospital in Japan that allows parents to leave their children behind anonymously in a service known as "Kounotori no yurikago" or "Baby Post" in Japan.

Ashida's character, a child who was abandoned at a Baby Post, is called "Post" in the drama. Jikei Hospital criticizes this as a form of "psychological torture and a violation of human rights."

The hospital also complained that the "descriptions of how the workers verbally violate the children and force them to cry are far from the truth. This is misleading and causes unnecessary bigotry."

The allegations referred to the owner of the orphanage, portrayed by actor Mikami Hiroshi, whose scenes included lines such as, "If you cry you get to eat" and "You are like dogs in a pet shop."

Source: Nikkan Sports