Only Just Married
I love watching Japanese dramas. There are quite a few romantic ones to catch up on. In fact I'm beginning to think that there is probably a Tuesday night slot for these types of romantic dramas on TBS!
If you're learning Japanese language like me, you'll find it helpful to listen, as there will be many words and verb endings that will catch your attention. The repetition of words is an aid to remembering them, and it's helpful too to hear vocab learned in class or a textbook used in an everyday context.
Best of all, turn off the English subs and replace with Japanese ones! Then you're reading Japanese as well as listening, which is great for practice!
Japanese romantic dramas are really heart-warming. The settings are often beautiful Tokyo, and it's been wonderful in these months when we haven't been able to go there to be able to virtually sit in the cafes and restaurants!
Only Just Married 婚姻届に判を捺しただけですが
Konin Todoke ni Han o Oshita dake desu ga
We're starting off with Only Just Married, a 10-part series following Akiha and Shu as they negotiate a relationship that begins with convenience but begins to deepen into something more.
It's a really lovely show that examines what is valuable in a relationship: support, companionship, and simply enjoying and appreciating each other's company :)
I liked that Akiha-san is independent, resilient to knocks, and capable. She works hard to achieve the recognition that comes her way as a designer/illustrator.
Shu tries hard to learn how to understand his feelings - he's quite different to many of the male leads in J-drama that I've seen before. He's on his own journey of love, and at times he is quite sweet and vulnerable.
The cat Omochi deserves a special mention too,
because he is adorable!
Only Just Married began as a manga written and illustrated by Yuki Aoharu.
I loved this drama, and I think you might enjoy it too!
プロミス・シンデレラ Promise Cinderella
Promise Cinderella is a 2021 drama based on a beautifully drawn manga by Oreko Tachibana. (You can read the manga here!)
Hayame (Nikaida Fumi) is dumped by her husband, has her money stolen, and sleeps in a box in the park. Taunting teenagers surround her and one in particular, Issei (Maeda Gordon), singles her out to amuse him. He pays her large wads of cash for performing dares – which dare is left to the chance roll of a die.
He takes her to his wealthy home to live, protects her through her divorce, but he is an angry young man with a terrific hurt that he is struggling to overcome.
Issei’s grandmother is the grand matron of a prestigious ryokan and his older brother just happens to be Hayame’s hatsukoi – the first sweet love who came along just at the time in her young life when she was struggling too.
This is a great drama, the two leads are full of passion and energy, which reflect the drawings in the original manga. And much of the action is set in the traditional beauty of the ryokan. It’s great viewing!
Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo イタズラなKiss～Love in Tokyo
The first series of Itazurana Kiss is a very cute drama.
Kotoko (Honoka Miki) is a young girl in the lowest stream at school, who falls for the smartest boy Naoki (Yuki Furukawa).
When she confesses her love and admiration to him he rejects her and steps on her letter!
But in a Tanabata moment, a shooting star destroys the house she lives in with her kindly father, and when they temporarily remove to the smart home of his best friend, it turns out that it is the home of the boy Kotoko is in love with :)
Naoki is haughty and disdainful towards Kotoko, but gradually her sweet and disarming ways begin to charm him.
Mischievous Kiss is fun to watch, with lovely scenes of Tokyo as a beautiful backdrop. If you like watching dramas that make you feel happy afterwards, this is one for you!
5→9 From 5 to 9
5時から9時まで〜私に恋したお坊さん
5-ji Kara 9-ji Made: Watashi ni Koi Shita Obōsan
There was so much that didn't feel right about the opening of this drama! It begins with a young woman, Junko Sakuraba, being pressured into marrying Takane Hoshikawa, priest and heir to Ikkyou Temple, through an omiai (arranged marriage meeting).
Junko (Satomi Ishihara) is an English Foreign Language teacher at a language school in Tokyo, and her long-held dream is to live in New York - she's been saving for years!
But Takane is persistent, proves his integrity and his extraordinary kindness, and so gradually, gradually, Junko begins to fall for him. But this is only after the early episodes of near-stalking by Takane, and immense pressure from her close family who adore Takane too!
By episode 4, Takane's devotion and thoughtfulness begins to win Junko's heart, and there is some lovely acting by the two leads, and a lot of feel-good humour by the rest of the cast. Tomohisa Yamashita (Takane Hoshikawa) is great at portraying the socially awkward priest who cherishes Junko beyond everything!
And there are beautiful scenes of the temple and of Tokyo.
By the final episodes I was enjoying this J-drama very much, so do give it a try, you might enjoy it too! :)
From Five to Nine is a rom-com adapted from the manga series by Miki Aihara.
You might like the end theme song too: クリスマスソング by back number :)
We hope you love these J-dramas as much as we did!
And let us know your favourite Japanese dramas - we're always looking for a great show to watch!
Thank you for reading and see you next time,
Cathy and Yukki
xx
Sources
Princess Cinderella art from Anime News Network
Promise Cinderella J-drama poster Asian Wiki
Mischievous Kiss poster from imdb.com
From 9 to 5 poster from Rakuten Viki
Only Just Married photos from Rakuten Viki.