The Best Romantic Japanese Dramas – Our List
Are you a big fan of soapy romance stories? What about a few touches of conflicting emotions, passion, and a liberal dose of fun? Let me tell you that Japanese TV shows have the right range of content for you to enjoy all these and much more.
However, due to the sheer number of shows hitting the Japanese screens every year, picking the best ones is a tough task. Here are our selections to make your task easy:
- Nodame kantâbire
- Sumika Sumire
- Rich man, poor woman
- Kahogo No Kahoko
- Hotaru no Hikari
- Last Cinderella
- Koinaka: Best Friends in Love
- Boku to Star no 99 nichi
- Koizora
- Boku dake no Madonna
- Kimi wa Petto
- Mischievous Kiss: Love in TOKYO
- Flower and the Beast
- Ex-Enthusiasts: MotoKare Mania
While Japanese television dramas come with a variety of themes, romance is one of the most popular ones. Being the perfect mix of fun, seriousness, and tragedy along with the flavor of Japanese culture, these TV shows are great for binge-watching. A note of caution- they can be really addictive. But the truth is, the trip is really worth it for romance fans. So here we are with the 15 top romantic TV shows from Japan for your viewing pleasure.
Nodame kantâbire
Originally, Nodame kantâbire was a popular Japanese manga series with a perfect combination of love and music. The hero, Shinichi Chiaki is an ambitious music student with talent in piano and violin. He meets Megumi Noda, or “Nodame”, who is a talented piano student. Other than that, Nodame is also known for her eccentric behavior. The story then moves ahead about their love and relationship.
The series presents a different angle in the usual rich boy-middle class girl drama. Tomoko Ninomiya, the creator of the manga, based the character of Megumi Noda on a real-life piano player whom she met. Actually, the 11 episodes of the series cover the events of up to the 9th volume of the manga. In addition, there is also a four-hour-long sequel called Nodame Cantabile New Year’s Special in Europe.
Running Years– 2006
Episodes Number– 11
IMDB Rating – 8.3/10
Sumika Sumire
Here is a romance with a combination of fantasy and unfulfilled dreams. Now that’s an interesting combination. Sumika Sumire is about Kisaragi Sumi a 65-year-old lady who missed enjoying life in her youthful day. But her wish comes true and she turns back into a 20-year-old university student. Needless to say, this unbelievable setting leads to some hilarious encounters and plenty of romantic adventures.
But that’s not all. The fact is, she can remain in the form of a young girl only during some specific hours of the day. As a result, the situation gets more complicated than she would have liked. The best part is, Sumire can deal with the problems of a young girl with the maturity of a 65-year-old. All in all, if you are in the mood for some light-hearted fun , this youthful romantic drama is a great choice.
Running Year– 2016
Episodes Number– 8
IMDB Rating – 6.7/10
Rich man, poor woman
Now, the title may sound as obvious as the Cinderella story. But the truth is, this TV drama has got more depth than that. It is about Sawaki Chihiro, who is a hardworking student in search of a job. She meets Hyuga Toru, who is the CEO of a software firm during a job interview. Though she fails to secure a job in the firm it is the start of an interesting journey that relates the two different lives.
Contrary to what the name suggests, this drama is not about class differences. It is more of a character drama with interesting leads and some great music. Also, Oguri Shun and Ishihara Satomi deliver great performances in the lead roles. Each of the episodes is 45 minutes long and deliver the right ingredients that you need from a romantic drama.
Running Year- 2012
Episodes Number– 11
IMDB Rating – 7.6/10
Kahogo No Kahoko
Fond of sweet and dreamy romances between two characters from the opposite poles? This drama will be a good choice for you. The plot revolves around 21-year-old Kahoko who is an overprotected child of her parents. But she has to step out of her secure world as she starts working for a company. At the same time, she meets a young man who belongs to a world that is totally opposite to her own.
While romance is an integral part of this drama, it is also about the journey of self-discovery of a young woman. In addition, it offers a close look into the social and family life in Japan. The drama is also known as Overprotected Kahoko in some platforms. There are 10 episodes with a running time of 60 minutes each.
Running Year– 2017
Episodes Number– 10
IMDB Rating – 7.2/10
Hotaru no Hikari
Here is a drama about a working woman whose personal life is totally devoid of glamour and romance. Hotaru works in a famous interior design company just relaxes in her home in her spare time. Most importantly, she is not interested in dating men at all. But her laidback private life is shattered as one fine day, her boss moves into her house. As if that was not enough, she falls in love with a handsome young designer in her workplace.
One interesting aspect of this series is that it offers a look into the life of a working woman in Japan. The drama also has an interesting English name – It’s Only A Little Light In My Life and it is based on a Japanese josei manga series. It was telecasted in the NTV network and had Ayase Haruka and Fujiki Naohito in the main roles. The popular series was also followed by a sequel with the same characters and was released in 2010.
Running Year– 2007
Episodes Number– 10
IMDB Rating – 7.6/10
Last Cinderella
When you think of a lady who is a beauty salon manager, the image of a glamorous woman comes to mind. However, 39-year-old Sakura is not at all interested in looking pretty. Moreover, she is afraid to fall in love, even though she secretly desires it. Finally, she decides to do something about her love life and starts dating a younger man. But things get complicated as she is plunged into a series of events that change her life.
With the perfect mix of romance and comedy, this series became quite popular when it was broadcasted on Fuji TV. The acting is of superior grade and the actors Ryoko Shinohara, Haruma Miura and Naohito Fujiki do a great job. Also, it has the right spicy elements to keep you hooked. On the whole, a great rom-com for a lazy afternoon and evening.
Running Year– 2013
Episodes Number– 11
IMDB Rating – 7.5/10
Koinaka: Best Friends in Love
This Japanese drama series deals with two school friends, Aoi Miura and Akari Serizawa. Separated by time, they meet again after years. The fact is Aoi always wanted to meet her again as she was his first love. The problem is, Akari is somebody else’s girlfriend now. The series discovers their dilemmas and insecurities as they try to seek love in their own ways.
While it has some serious elements in it, the good thing is, the drama has plenty of sweet and cheerful moments to keep you happy. Even though the story doesn’t have much depth in it, there is sufficient material to please the lovers of the romance genre. Also, the ending is fun and packs up the story in a nice way. Some say that love is friendship. Others may disagree. You can watch this series, enjoy it and decide for yourself.
Running Year– 2015
Episodes Number– 9
IMDB Rating – 7.1/10
Boku to Star no 99 nichi
This romantic comedy is a fresh take on a tried and test context about the love affair of a bodyguard. Security guard Kohei Namiki is assigned the duty of guarding South Korean actress Han Yoo-Na who is in Japan for 99 days. As usual, two different people from totally different backgrounds come together to form the central theme of the plot. At the same time, we learn about the lives of the two people and some of their secrets.
The story takes us through a timeline of 100 days to discover how their relationship turns out in the end. Actor Hidetoshi Nishijima and Korean actress Kim Tae-hee make a nice pair who deliver good performances. If you love simple and light-hearted love stories that induce a smile, this show is surely a good choice. The series was produced by Fuji TV and was broadcasted in both Japanese and Korean.
Running Year– 2011
Episodes Number– 10
IMDB Rating – 6.6/10
Koizora
From soft romance, we move into a love story with darker tones. This series is based on a hugely popular romantic novel by Japanese author Mika. The novel was also turned into a movie and a manga adaptation. The story is based on the author’s own life and talks about a simple high school girl. She meets a Hiro, a showy boy and they fall in love. The story presents the events in their life as they face various challenging situations.
There is an underlying tone of sadness in the series but the soft theme of love remains constant throughout. In addition, it also focuses on the importance of family and friends in the lives of people. However, the original novel was criticized for introducing themes of dark sexuality and violence in the minds of young readers. In case you like love stories with a touch of pathos, this one is a great choice.
Running Year– 2008
Episodes Number– 6
IMDB Rating – 7.5/10
Boku dake no Madonna
Imagine this. You are a single guy living a simple life as a security guard. One night you come home to find a beautiful girl, whom you have never seen before, sleeping on your bed. Well, this is how the main plot of this boy-meets-girl romantic drama starts out. Sounds interesting? But there are many other interesting elements that come up as the plot progresses.
On the other hand, this is also the story of a young boy maturing into a man through various life situations. The plot remains delightfully fresh and the lead actors, Takizawa Hideaki and Hasegawa Kyoko deliver great performances. It was telecasted in Fuji TV back in 2003 and gained a lot of popularity. Even though this is the oldest romantic drama in this list, it is surely one that you will enjoy watching.
Running Year– 2003
Episodes Number– 11
IMDB Rating – 7.5/10
Kimi wa Petto
You may have watched many romantic dramas but the unique plot of this one is sure to surprise you. This too is based on a manga by Ogawa Yayaoi. Sumire Iwaya has not only broken up with her boyfriend but has also been demoted in her career. But she somehow picks up a young man from a box who reminds her of her former pet Momo. And guess what? She takes the man home as her pet!
Apart from being a light-hearted drama it also has a sweet tone that you will find appealing. Moreover, Iriyama Noriko and Shison Jun, the two lead actors, share fantastic chemistry that makes the drama more enjoyable. At a first glance, the plot can seem somewhat bizarre. However, it deals with human emotions and relationships at a deeper level. All in all, it is perfect if you want to enjoy romance with a weird Japanese touch.
Running Year– 2017
No. of episodes– 16
IMDB Rating – 6.7/10
Mischievous Kiss: Love in TOKYO
This is a hugely popular teenage romance drama based on the manga “Itazura Na Kiss” written by Tada Kaoru. The story revolves around high school student Kotoko Aihara, who falls in love with Naoki Irie. Unfortunately, Naoki turns her down by calling her a “dumb” woman. However, fate has other plans in store as the two are brought together by a change in circumstances.
The popularity of the series resulted in the making of a second season that was aired in 2014. Also, the same plot was adopted in other countries as a drama series. This includes South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Running Year– 2013
No. of episodes– 16
IMDB Rating – 7.8/10
Flower and the Beast
This is another drama series adapted from a popular manga series crafted by Miwako Sugiyama. Now, high school romance is a very popular theme in Japan and the series tells the story of Kumi Kumakura. Once she is transferred to a new high school, she comes close to Hyō Kakizono with whom she shares her first kiss. However, she discovers that he has the reputation of being a playboy.
Overall, the show presents the perfect mix of love, heartbreak, and the joys of youthful life. The best part is that the series consists of 10 episodes which are just 25 minutes in length. So it is perfect as a quick dose of entertainment that might remind you of your own high school days. Owing to the popularity, a second season was also broadcasted in 2019.
Running Years– 2017-2018
No. of episodes– 10
IMDB Rating – 6.7/10
Ex-Enthusiasts: MotoKare Mania
The last one on the list is about breakups and reunions. No doubt that is a common theme but there is the twist. The girl claims that she is “crazy about her ex-boyfriend” and frequently takes his support to help her through life. However, that happens only in her dreams. Interestingly, just as she starts liking someone else, she runs into her ex again.
The next part is a journey into the world of romance that has the usual ups and downs with occasional surprises thrown in. The show was adopted from a Manga series and was directed by Namiki Michiko. It has Araki Yuko and Kora Kengo in the lead roles. If you want a silly dose of fun and romance with a Japanese flavor, this is definitely a good choice.
Running Year– 2019
No. of episodes– 9
IMDB Rating – 5/10
If romantic dramas are your choice, these shows will definitely deliver the maximum variety on the theme. Keep in mind that Japanese drama shows cater to a wide variety of genres. So if you want to taste some other flavors beyond romance, there are quite a few popular options out there. With its immense variety and superior quality, it is no wonder that the popularity of Japanese drama shows has risen sharply in the past few years.
Eli Civil
A software engineer, entrepreneur, and Japanese culture enthusiast. I travel the world while working from my laptop and try to visit Japan as often as I can. About Eli Civil
