Name |
Cast |
Rating
(5-pt. system) |
Aired |
Synopsis |
MAHIRU NO TSUKI
(Midday Moon) |
Oda Yuji
Tokiwa Takako
Iijima Naoko
Naito Takeshi
Sato Aiko |
3.5 |
Jul-Sep 1996 |
Quite a
moving story, although it starts to drag a bit towards the latter end. The drama deals
with the after-effects of rape in which Tokiwa Takako is a happy and upbeat girl who meets
Oda Yuji who is kind of introverted and has a hard time finding the right girlfriend and
just when they're about to cement their interest in each other, she gets gang-raped. At
first she is unwilling to admit it but her behavior is naturally erratic, and after a
while, she opens up to Oda Yuji and they try to cope together. |
MAJOU NO JOKEN
(Forbidden Love) 
|
Matsushima
Nanako
Takizawa Hideaki
Shiraikawa Yumi
Kuroki Hitomi |
3.5 |
Apr-Jun 1999 |
A
controversial story because it deals with a younger male student (Takizawa Hideaki) and
older female teacher (Matsushima Nanako) love relationship, but one that is definitely
worth watching. Matsushima Nanako rebels against conventional society by ditching her
eligible fianc?and giving up her career to go off with Takizawa Hideaki, but they have to
face being ostracised by society. The ending's probably too optimistic to be believable,
but overall, the story definitely engaged the audience's interest. |
MEGURIAI
(Encounter) |
Fukuyama
Masaharu
Tokiwa Takako
Ooji Megumi |
2.5 |
Apr-Jun 1998 |
Quite
disappointing! After a GREAT first episode, it goes pretty much downhill from there,
especially given the promise of both the leading actor and actress. The story starts off
with Fukuyama Masaharu and Takako Tokiwa becoming first neighbours, then friends,
progressing to lovers. Tokiwa is a lively girl who's industriously saving up money to go
to New York to dance, and she goes off just as Fukuyama decides to propose to her.
She returns to Tokyo after an accident that cuts short her dance career...This all takes
place in episode one. The remaining episodes deal with the ensuing years, when
circumstances keep intervening so that they manage to resume their friendship but not
their relationship, even though both still harbouring feelings for each other. |
MINATSU NO MERRY CHRISTMAS 
|
Takenouchi
Yutaka,
Nakatani Miki,
Katou Ai,
Oosugi Ren,
Sugimoto Tetta,
Yamada Maiko |
|
Oct-Dec 2000 |
Takenouchi Yutaka plays a former professional boxer who drifts into the world of
"chinpira" (petty crimes). He's a collector for loan sharks but hasn't
quite stepped over into the gangster world, although a former boxer-now-turned-yakuza,
tries hard to reel him in. One day he meets up childhood friend, Nakatani Miki, who
grew up in the same orphanage with him in Okinawa. Miki is newly arrived to Tokyo,
having decided to leave Okinawa after her adopted mother dies, and is naive to the ways of
the big city. Upon arrival, she almost ends up being sold into the sex-trade, but
luckily, Yutaka comes to her rescue...
|
MUKODONO
(Son-in-Law)
|
Nagase
Tomoya
Takeuchi Yuko |
|
Apr-Jun 2001 |
One of the best dramas from that season. Nagase Tomoya is this huge superstar who needs to
protect his image as a very cool and lonely guy. But in real life, he’s just a normal
guy like everyone else, and has a regular girlfriend, Takeuchi Yuko that the media and
public know nothing about. One day, they decide to get married and that’s where the
story begins. The couple has to go through all sorts of obstacles, including keeping it
secret from his fans and the paparazzi. Tomoya also has to learn to get along with
Yuko’s family. A funny drama with some touching scenes and good on-screen chemistty
between the main actors. Definitely worth watching!
|