Monday, January 21, 2008

Sasaki Fusai no Jingi Naki Tatakai


* Title: 佐々木夫妻の仁義なき戦い
* Title (romaji): Sasaki Fusai no Jingi Naki Tatakai
* Title (English): The Sasaki Couple's Merciless Battle
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Comedy, romance, law
* Episodes: 10
* Viewership ratings: 10.9 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: TBS
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-20 to 2008-Mar-23
* Air time: Sunday 21:00
* Theme song: Sono Mama by SMAP

Synopsis

Sasaki Norimichi and his wife Ritsuko are two lawyers with opposite personalities, who've been married for three years. However, their completely opposite personalities result in heated quarrels that lead them to the courtroom to settle a possible divorce, with the two representing themselves in an amusing legal battlefield. --Tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1991)


Cast

* Inagaki Goro as Sasaki Norimichi
* Koyuki as Sasaki Ritsuko
* Koide Keisuke as Sakuraba Hajime
* Sakai Wakana as Suzuki Megumi
* Furuta Arata as Inoki Tetsuo
* Yamamoto Koji as Ogawa Shinji
* Sakurai Sachiko as Yoshida Sae
* Enami Kyoko as Sasaki Yutoko
* Nishimura Masahiko as Chouno Kiyoshi
* Fujita Makoto as Baba Keiichiro

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Friday, January 18, 2008

Daisuki!!


* Title: だいすき!!
* Title (romaji): Daisuki!!
* Also known as: I Love You!!
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Family, human drama
* Episodes: 10
* Viewership ratings: 11.5 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: TBS
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-17 to 2008-Mar-20
* Air time: Thursday 22:00
* Theme songs:
o Ending theme: Haruka by melody.
o Insert theme: Togirenai Ai no Message by Yayoi


Synopsis

Yuzu, a 23-year-old mentally disabled woman with the mind of an 8-year-old, falls in love with Sosuke, a man with a similar disability. After Sosuke is involved in a fatal accident, Yuzu discovers she is 5 months pregnant with his child. Though Yuzu is intent on having the child, her mother, Miyoko, is immediately against it. After her family comes to terms with her pregnancy, Yuzu eventually gives birth to her daughter, Himawari. With many odds against her, Yuzu does her best to care for the daughter she so dearly loves.


Cast

* Karina as Fukuhara Yuzu
* Sasaki Mao as Fukuhara Himawari (age 5)
o Matsumoto Runa as Fukuhara Himawari (age 2)
* Kishimoto Kayoko as Fukuhara Miyoko
* Hiraoka Yuta as Fukuhara Ren
* Konno Mahiru as Anzai Maki
* Yo Kimiko as Kachigawa Setsuko
* Fukuda Saki as Sawada Kotone
* Nakamura Shunsuke as Sawada Sosuke
* Usuda Asami as Fujikawa Natsume
* Ren Hulk as Okamoto Takuya
* Konno Narumi as Tanaka Momoka
* Aijima Kazuyuki as Tanaka Ichiro

Supporting Cast & Guests

* Kobayashi Kinako as Haruka (ep1-4,7-8,10)
* Kobayashi Miyuki (小林美幸) as Chihiro (ep1-4,7-8,10)
* Tanaka Takuma (田中琢磨) as Takuro (ep1-4,7-8,10)
* Nomura Shinji (野村信次) (ep1)
* Kubozono Junichi (窪園純一) (ep1)
* Tsuda Kenjiro (津田健次郎) (ep1)
* Terada Chinatsu (てらだちなつ) (ep1)
* Ishikawa Yuji (石川裕司) (ep1)
* Tanaka Keizo (田中啓三) (ep1)
* Ogata Naoya (尾形直哉) (ep1)
* Tanaka Koutaro as Sasaoka Toshiya (ep2-6)
* Ogawa Nana as Sanada Kaori (ep2-6)
* Mano Yuko as Hiromi (ep2-4,6)
* Hoshaku Yuka as Sanae (ep2-4,6)
* Izumi Kyoko (ep2)
* Onodera Akira as Fujikawa Keisuke (ep2,8)
* Otonashi Mikiko (音無美紀子) as Shimoyanagi (ep2,4-6)
* Megumi as Nomura Yoko (ep3-7,9-10)
* Haruta Junichi as Tokawa Kenjiro (ep3,9-10)
* Dohi Mio as Miyoko (土肥美緒) (ep3-4,6)
* Kaoda Kaohiko (顔田顔彦) as Nomura Yoshiki (ep3)
* Masuda Yuichi (増田雄一) as Horiguchi (ep3)
* Matsumoto Tamaki as young Yuzu (ep3,6)
* Sakurai Ryutaro (櫻井遼太郎) as young Ren (ep3)
* Okayama Hajime as Kawasaki (ep4)
* Honda Makoto (本田誠人) as toy store clerk (ep5)
* Mihara Iona (三原伊織奈) as Satoko (ep5)
* Kagami Takeomi (加賀美剛臣) (ep5)
* Ishida Taro as Encho (ep6)
* Inoue Ko (井上康) as Hiromi's husband (ep6)
* Shimozuka Kyohei (下塚恭平) as parlor employee (ep6)
* Mikami Ichiro (三上市朗) as Kawai (ep7,9-10)
* Mikami Satoshi (三上哲) as cake shop manager (ep7)
* Sakurai Hijiri (桜井聖) as employment agency worker (ep7)
* Ura Chiaki (浦ちあき) as high school girl (ep7)
* Takamoto Aya (高本彩) as high school girl (ep7)
* Mizuno Yukari (水野友加里) as Kano (ep8-10)
* Takahashi Mai as Hiroko (ep8-10)
* Oishi Keita (大石継太) as doctor (ep8)
* Okuyama Nana (奥山奈々) as nurse (ep8)
* Iida Kisuke as doctor (ep9)
* Matsuda Machiko (松田真知子) as Sachiko (ep9-10)
* Shimamura Mika (島邑みか) (ep9)
* Matsuda Machiko (松田真知子) as Ikeda Kyoko (ep10)
* Aoyama Masaru as Nakayama (ep10)
* Ikeda Kimiko (池田貴美子) (ep10)


Awards

* 56th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actress - Karina
* 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 08): Best Actress - Karina
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Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi


* Title: 鹿男あをによし
* Title (romaji): Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi
* Also known as: The Fantastic Deer-Man
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Human drama
* Episodes: 10
* Viewership ratings: 9.9 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: Fuji TV
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-17 to 2008-Mar-20
* Air time: Thursday 22:00

Synopsis

Forced out of his research group after conflicts with his colleagues, Ogawa Takanobu takes up an offer to teach at a girls' high school in Nara. When taking roll call on the first day one of his students, Hotta Ito, sneaks into class late, claiming a bogus excuse--that she got a ticket after trying to park her deer in front of the train station. He makes immediate enemies with Hotta when he tells his superiors about her tardiness and attitude. In the following days, he begins to notice something unusual about Hotta, but he can't seem to put his finger on it.

With an odd group of colleagues who live together with him, Ogawa slowly accustoms to life in slow-paced Nara, where there seem to be as many deer as people. Walking through Nara Park one day, he begins to befriend the local deer population, feeding them rice wafers. After being confronted by a talking deer who commandeers him to prevent the destruction of Japan, he fails in his first mission and the talking deer exacts punishment--looking into the mirror the next day, he discovers he has turned into a deer from the shoulders up. Ogawa slowly begins to piece the puzzle together: the talking deer, the mysterious student, and a recent series of earthquakes that could spell doom for Japan...



Cast

* Tamaki Hiroshi as Ogawa Takanobu
* Ayase Haruka as Fujiwara Michiko
* Tabe Mikako as Hotta Ito
* Shibamoto Yuki as Nagaoka Yoshie
* Yamadera Koichi (山寺宏一) as the voice of the deer
* Sasaki Kuranosuke as Fukuhara Shigehisa
* Kodama Kiyoshi as Oharida Fumiaki
* Sasai Eisuke as Mizoguchi Akio
* Kimura Midoriko as Maemura Saori
* Sakai Toshiya as Natori Ryoichi
* Washio Machiko as Fukuhara Fusae
* Tayama Ryosei as Otsu Mamoru

Guests

* Fujii Mina (ep1-7,10)
* Kawabe Natsuki (川辺菜月) (ep1-10)
* Higashi Ayu (東亜優) (ep1-10)
* Miyata Sanae (宮田早苗) (ep1-6,8-9)
* Nomura Shoji (野村昇史) (ep1)
* Endo Tatsuo (遠藤たつお) (ep1)
* Tsubaki Mayumi (椿真由美) (ep1)
* Iwata Asahi (岩田朝日) (ep1)
* Kuramoto Hiraku (倉本発) (ep1)
* Otsuka Tomoya (大塚智哉) (ep1)
* Yokobori Ayumu (横堀渉) (ep1)
* Sasaki Mutsumi (佐々木睦) (ep1)
* Natsuyagi Isao (ep1)
* Otsuka Nene (ep1,10)
* Yamaguchi Sayaka (ep1)
* Shirai Akira (ep1)
* Totsugi Shigeyuki (ep1)
* Tezuka Toru (手塚とおる) (ep1)
* Yamazaki Kaido (山崎海童) (ep1)
* Ikeda Kioo (池田宜大) (ep1)
* Shibasaki Noboru (芝崎昇) (ep1)
* Yamaguchi Hiroko (山口ひろ子) (ep1)
* Shibata Masashi (ep1)
* Suzuki Shohei (鈴木昌平) (ep1)
* Suzuki Takano (鈴木貴乃) (ep1)
* Adachi Maki (安達牧) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Suzuki Rino (鈴木梨乃) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Tokuda Kimika (徳田公華) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Nishikawa Fuka (西川風花) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Hishiyama Haruka (菱山はるか) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Henmi Reina (辺見怜菜) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Horisawa Kazumi (堀澤かずみ) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Mizuta Moegi (水田萌木) (ep1-7,9-10)
* Egashira Yui (江頭由衣) (ep2-10)
* Takuma Takayuki (ep2-5)
* Matsukawa Shinya (松川真也) (ep2)
* Baba Yuki (馬場佑樹) (ep2)
* Kaneko Hiroshi (金子裕) (ep2)
* Inoue Natsuha (井上夏葉) (ep2)
* Takase Yukina (ep3-6,10)
* Musaka Naomasa (ep3)
* Oki Kanae (沖佳苗) (ep4-5)
* Takano Aruka (高野歩日) (ep4-5)
* Koyama Hironori (小山弘訓) (ep4-5)
* Yura Arisa (由良有里紗) (ep4-5)
* Yoshitani Ayako (吉谷彩子) (ep4-5)
* Omi Maiko (近江麻衣子) (ep4-5)
* Otsuka Tatsuya (大塚達矢) (ep6,10)
* Tarumoto Maoka (樽本真生夏) (ep6)
* Tahara Hiraku (田原拓) (ep6)
* Furuhata Mutsutoshi (古秦むつとし) (ep7)
* Toda Keiko (ep9-10)
* Ishii Masanori (ep9)
* Kao Osamu (花王おさむ) (ep9)
* Kawai Tsuto (川井つと) (ep10)

Awards

* 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 08): Best Drama
* 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 08): Best Actor - Tamaki Hiroshi
* 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 08): Best Supporting Actress - Ayase Haruka

Notes

* The original novel was nominated for a Naoki Prize in the summer of 2007.


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Sunday, January 13, 2008

1 Pound no Fukuin


* Title: 1ポンドの福音
* Title (romaji): 1 Pound no Fukuin
* Also known as: One-Pound Gospel
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Romance, comedy
* Episodes: 9
* Viewership ratings: 10.6 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: NTV
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-12 to 2008-Mar-08
* Air time: Saturday 21:00
* Theme song: LIPS by KAT-TUN

Synopsis

Kosaku Hatanaka is a skilled boxer who turned pro at the age of 19, but he finds himself facing a string of defeats due to his inability to control his appetite, which always puts him in a heavier weight class. One day, due to excessive work out he collapses where he is found by Sister Angela, a naive fledgling nun and he immediately finds himself interested in her. --Tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2010)


Cast

* Kamenashi Kazuya as Hatanaka Kosaku
* Kuroki Meisa as Sister Angela
* Kobayashi Satomi as Mukoda Seiko
* Okada Yoshinori as Ueda
* Yamada Ryosuke as Mukoda Katsumi
* Minamisawa Nao as Noriko
* Takahashi Issei as Ishizaka
* Mitsuishi Ken as Mitaka Hideo
* Motai Masako as Osamu Incho
* Ishiguro Hideo as Horiguchi
* Namioka Kazuki as Kojima
* Eguchi Noriko as Sister Milee
* Nakamura Kaori as Sister Grace
* Matsuzaka Sanae (松坂早苗)

Guest

* Tanaka Yoji as Onimaru Kappei (ep1)
* Ren Hulk as Oshiro (ep1)
* Bengal (ep1)
* Asami Reina (ep2)
* Fukui Hiroaki (ep2)
* Chinen Yuri (ep3)
* Nishiyama Sosuke (ep3)
* Kikawada Masaya (ep4)
* Fuwa Mansaku (ep7)
* Kiritani Kenta (ep7-8)
* Matsuzawa Ren (ep7-8)

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Saturday, January 12, 2008

Edison no Haha


* Title: エジソンの母
* Title (Romaji): Edison no Haha
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Human drama, comedy
* Episodes: 10
* Viewership ratings: 9.5 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: TBS
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-11 to 2008-Mar-14
* Air time: Friday 22:00
* Theme song: Ai wo Komete Hanataba wo by Superfly

Synopsis

The series focuses on Ayukawa Noriko, the teacher of a class of first-graders. One day, a boy named Kento transfers into her class from another school, where he was treated as a problem child. In reality, the inquisitive Kento actually displays potential as a prodigy, and it's up to Noriko to figure out how to handle him. The story draws inspiration from the childhood of famous inventor Thomas Edison, who was also considered a problem child by most adults around him. --Tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2182)


Cast

* Ito Misaki as Ayukawa Noriko
* Sakai Maki as Aoi
* Tanihara Shosuke as Miho
* Shimizu Yuya (清水優哉) as Kento
* Sugita Kaoru as Mizuki
* Matsushita Yuki as Kagami
* Tanaka Yoji
* Hosoda Yoshihiko
* Ito Masayuki

Guests

* Yasuda Ken as adult Kento (ep1)
* Katagiri Hairi as Matsudaira Kiyomi (ep5,10)
* Nagae Hidekazu (ep7)
* Shinohara Mai as dental hygienist (ep9)

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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Hachimitsu to Clover


* Title: ハチミツとクローバー
* Title (romaji): Hachimitsu to Clover
* Also known as: Honey and Clover
* Format: Renzoku
* Genre: Romance, friendship
* Episodes: 11
* Viewership ratings: 8.9 (Kanto)
* Broadcast network: Fuji TV
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-08 to 2008-Mar-18
* Air time: Tuesday 21:00
* Theme song: Canvas by Hirai Ken
* Related TV shows: Honey and Clover

Synopsis Honey and Clover follows the lives of five college students and their love triangles -- Tokyograph (http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-2019)


Additional synopsis From the manga:

Yūta Takemoto, Takumi Mayama and Shinobu Morita are three young men who live in the same apartment complex and are students at an art college in Tokyo.

One day, one of the art professors, Shūji Hanamoto, introduces his cousin's daughter, Hagumi Hanamoto, who has come to live with him and is a first year at the art school. Upon introduction, Takemoto and Morita fall in love with her. Morita expresses his love for Hagu in ways that scare her, especially calling Hagu 'mousey' and constantly photographing her, while Takemoto hides his feelings and tries to be a friend to Hagu. Hagu herself, though initially timid and afraid of company, gradually warms up to the three.

The group also includes another female: Ayumi Yamada. She is a master of pottery, and is well known by her name "Tetsujin" (Iron Lady). When not at school or hanging out with friends from the college, she helps run the family liquor store. She is very popular with all the guys, whether they are from the shopping district the liquor store is in or the other male pottery students, but Mayama is the only man she is in love with.

Unfortunately, although Mayama considers Yamada a friend, he does not return Yamada's love and is busy chasing an older woman, Rika Harada. Rika runs an architecture studio which she used to run with her husband, Harada before he died in a car accident which also left Rika disabled. Rika Harada and Shūji were very close friends and roommates in college. Mayama is sent by Shūji to help Rika, who has a hard time taking care of herself and running her business.

The story follows these five characters in their love triangles, graduating from college, finding jobs, and learning more about themselves.

Cast

* Narumi Riko as Hanamoto Hagumi
* Ikuta Toma as Takemoto Yuta
* Harada Natsuki as Yamada Ayumi
* Mukai Osamu as Mayama Takumi
* Narimiya Hiroki as Morita Shinobu
* Takizawa Saori as Teshigawara Miwako
* Kimura Yuichi as Lohmeyer-senpai
* Matsushige Yutaka as Professor Shoda
* Maekawa Yasuyuki as Teranobori Yasuhiko
* Kashiwabara Takashi as Nomiya Takumi
* Izumiya Shigeru as Yamada Daigoro
* Murakami Jun as Hanamoto Shuji
* Seto Asaka as Harada Rika

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Saturday, January 5, 2008

Nodame Cantabile Shinshun Special in Europe


# Title: のだめカンタービレ 新春スペシャル IN ヨーロッパ
# Title (romaji): Nodame Cantabile Shinshun Special in Europe
# Episodes: 2
# Viewership ratings: 18.9 (1st), 21.0 (2nd)
# Broadcast period: 2008-Jan-04 and 2008-Jan-05
# Air time: Friday, Saturday 21:03
# Theme songs:
* Opening theme: Symphony No. 7 by Beethoven, arranged by Hattori Takayuki
* Ending theme: Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, arranged by Hattori Takayuki

Synopsis

This 2 night special takes off during their graduation, where Chiaki-senpai & Nodame left for Europe. The first special centered on Chiaki’s story, the story tells about Chiaki’s dream to be a conductor. Nodame on the other hand attended the conservatory to attain her dream to one-day play the piano for Chiaki. After her hard work, Nodame was given a chance to have a mini recital. During the recital, Chiaki saw her worth and realized that he cannot go on with out her.


* Ueno Juri as Noda Megumi aka Nodame
* Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi
* Eita as Mine Ryutaro
* Mizukawa Asami as Miki Kiyora
* Koide Keisuke as Okuyama Masumi
* Wentz Eiji as Lantoine Frank
* Becky as Vishnyova Tanya
* Yamaguchi Sayaka as Namiki Yuko
* Giry Vincent (ジリ・ヴァンソン) as Jean Donnadieu
* Ishii Masanori as Katahira Hajime
* Fukushi Seiji as Kuroki Yasunori
* Takenaka Naoto as Franz Stresemann
* Kichise Michiko as Elize
* Yamada Yu as Son Rui (ep2)
* Ibu Masato as Mine Tatsumi
* Endo Yuya as Okochi Mamoru
* Kondo Koen (近藤公園) as Tamaki Keiji
* Sakamoto Makoto as Hashimoto Yohei
* Matsuoka Rinako as Suzuki Moe
* Matsuoka Emiko as Suzuki Kaoru
* Kimura Ryo as Takahashi Noriyuki
* Hashizume Ryo as Kimura Tomohito
* Sakurai Chizu as Aizawa Maiko
* Yamanaka Takashi as Iwai Kazushi
* Kobayashi Kinako as Kinjo Shizuka
* Fukada Aki as Inoue Yuki
* Kojima Tenten (小嶌天天)

* Namioka Kazuki as Katayama
* Mukai Osamu as Kikuchi Toru (ep1)
* Nukumizu Yoichi as Hara Hiroshi (ep1)
* Rosanna (ロザンナ) as the apartment manager (ep1)
* Zdenek Macal (ep1)
* Miura Ryosuke
* Deguchi Yumiko (出口結美子) (ep1)
* Mike Ziebach (マイク・ジーバク)
* Pavel Eret (パヴェル・エレット) (ep1)
* Katagiri Hairi as Son Rui's mother (ep2)
* Nekoze Tsubaki (ep2)
* Manuel Doncel (マヌエル・ドンセル) (ep2)
* Tominaga Ryohei (富永凌平) (ep2)
* Jonathan Head (ジョナサン・ヘッド) (ep2)
* Nakamaru Shion (中丸シオン) (ep2)
* Tsutsumi Masataka (堤匡孝) (ep2)
* Daniel Kahl (ep2)
* Panzetta Girolamo (パンツェッタ・ジローラモ) (ep2)
* Thane Camus (ep2)


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