Tales of the Bizarre: 2004 Spring Special
Hosted by veteran comedian Tamori, "Bizarre Tales 2004 Spring Special" presents five tales. 1. Koroshiya desu no yo (It's a Hitman, You Know) - starring Mizuki Alisa. 2. Jibun-counsellor (Self-counsellor) - starring Inohara Yoshihiko. 3. Be Silent - starring Watabe Atsuro. 4. Sasoimizu (Pump-priming) - starring Harada Taizo. 5. Saigo no Hitotoki (The Last Moment) - starring Nagasaku Hiromi.
Yoshinori Kobayashi
Masato Hijikata
Takao Kinoshita
Jun'ichi Tsuzuki
Also Directed by Yoshinori Kobayashi
Kiyoshi, a brilliant detective, inquiries on mysterious cases with his childhood friend, Ishioka, a novelist.
This mystery special consists of three thrilling stories by three notable writers.
When a devoted detective probes the suspicious death of her father, she uncovers massive corruption and finds herself in grave danger.
“Zouka no Mitsu” portrays the story of a beautiful criminal (Dan), who makes incomprehensible demands, saying, “If you want to pay, you decide the amount.” Tanabe will play the role of detective Hashiba, who tracks the criminal down.
A pet groomer at a salon in Shirogane, Nogami Meiko has a lot of celebrity dog-lovers as customers. She cheerfully serves customers with care, and her skills are tried and tested. The salon's owner, Kotomi, has a strong faith in her, and she is admired by her colleagues. Meiko leads a quiet and fulfilling life... however, there is another side to her. She has a plan for revenge that she must accomplish. In truth, when she was 19, she was imprisoned for murder but there was also another side to this case. And just as she's about to execute her plan, she meets a man named Mashima Takuro. She acts mysteriously around him and for some reason, he makes her feel better. Is he the only miscalculation to her? Or a reckoning?
Monster parents-a neologism that denotes parents who repeatedly make unreasonable demands to their children’s school and prevent it from functioning normally. Takamura Itsuki is the ace lawyer of a major law firm. One day, she is assigned on a case requested by a school board, and learns of the existence of "monster parents." She meets a parent who wants the school to fire a teacher with a dialect for fear that he may exert bad influence on her child, a parent who insists that her son get a regular position on the soccer team, a parent who refuses to pay the lunch fee because it doesn’t taste good and so on. She is, at first, reluctant about this case, but gradually becomes determined to solve the problems.
Suzuki is an eccentric at university hospital who has been conducting a research to come up with a miracle drug for cancer on his own. One day, Suzuki finally succeeds in developing a new type of anticancer drug that completely hinders the self-renewal of all cancer stem cells. However, his colleagues do not seem to share his excitement, and he is not even allowed to carry out clinical trial on humans. Suzuki is disheartened and completely at a loss by this but then he comes across a girl, Manami, who is suffering from terminal cancer. With help from her, he successfully carries out clinical trial. Yet, things take an unexpected turn. What will become of Suzuki, Manami and all the others around them? What is the fate of this new drug? Pandora's box released all the evils as soon as it was opened. What is it that is ultimately left inside?
Motoharu Akiyama is an elite pilot who has just completed astronaut training at NASA. Something happened in his past that caused him to go out searching for the meaning and purpose of life. However, he hasn't been able to find a satisfactory reply and the void in his heart has only expanded. But Akiyama has a meeting that changes his life. He meets Reiko Nishina, a director at an investment bank, who is looking at investing in an attempt at the first Japanese space shuttle launch. Although the meeting was pure chance, it affects Reiko greatly. She realizes that although it looks like she has everything, there is something she wants that she doesn't have. And this meeting has an effect on those around them also...
Also Directed by Masato Hijikata
A writer (Hidetoshi Nishijima) who has an artistic crisis purchases a stack of diaries written by a teenage girl (Yû Aoi) who is fatally ill. Living in different time lines both are able to communicate via writing diaries…
An incident in the past causes Ogata Kouhei (Tanabe Seiichi) to resign his position and leave the country in shame. Now, at the hotel's 30th anniversary, the hotel is facing a crisis; the president has just been submitted to the hospital, and the hotel is facing a potential takeover. Under his request, assistant manager Odagiri Kyoko (Ueto Aya) goes to Korea in order to convince Kouhei to return. Kyoko is caught up in an incident when her purse is stolen when she meets Mizusawa Keigo (Oikawa Mitsuhiro), who tries to help her. Ultimately, Kyoko comes back to Japan unsuccessful. However, under the advice from Korean hotel manager Shin Dong Hyuk (Bae Yong Jun), Kouhei returns to Tokyo Ocean Hotel as the position of the new general manager. Upon his return however, Kyoko once again meets Mizusawa Keigo. Little does Kyoko know, not only does Keigo want to take over the Tokyo Ocean Hotel, but he also carries affections for her.
Kageyama (Sho Sakurai) works as the butler for rich heiress Reiko Hosho (Keiko Kitagawa). Reiko happens to be a novice detective but lacks certain deductive skills needed by detectives. Because of this Reiko relies on Kageyamaa to help her solve cases. Meanwhile, Kageyama isn't afraid to mince words and often calls out Reiko with his sharp tongue!
Kie Hirano (Haruka Ayase) is an ordinary OL who often daydreams. Mitsumasa Kodai (Takumi Saito) at the same company as Kie Hirano, but he is an elite salaryman. He is the eldest son in the Kodai family and he is also telepathic. Mitsumasa Kodai got his special ability to read other people's mind from his British grandmother. Mitsumasa becomes attracted to Kie's warm heart and her dreamy temperament. They begin to date and enjoy their days together, but Mitsumasa Kodai's mother calls.
A collection of five short stories by Hoshi Shinichi
This renzoku follows four women in the "around 40" generation. Shifumi is an attractive woman who stole her classmate's boyfriend in high school, and despite criticism from others, she got married and had a child. However, she soon divorced and currently keeps a younger boyfriend. Three of Shifumi's former classmates: ordinary housewife Makiko, work-focused doctor Neri, and housewife Miwa. Miwa is having an affair with Shifumi's ex-husband Keishi (the boyfriend Shifumi originally stole from her.) Eventually, the various secrets and lies kept by the four women all come to light.
***Fushiawase wo Anata ni (We Bring You Misfortune) A woman sees a company called "Fushiawase wo Anata ni" (we bring you misfortune) promoting a new sales concept: giving its clients misfortune to motivate them to seek greater happiness. ***Kuuhaku no Hito (Blank Person) A woman wakes up in her bed every morning not remembering the events of the past night, and finding that someone has moved around the things in her room. ***Jigoku wa Manin (Hell Is Full) As there is no more room in hell, the evil/sinful find they cannot die. ***Kako kara no Nikki (Diary from the Past) A struggling author chances upon a diary which changes his life. ***Aketekure (Open Up!) A woman's husband dies in a car accident, but that same evening he is heard pounding on the door for someone to let him in.
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.
Also Directed by Takao Kinoshita
The body of a professor is discovered at a university lecture hall suspended from the ceiling of the stage, with a series of mysterious numbers written on the curtains nearby. Professor Eiko, a law professor at the university well versed in criminology, is asked to assist police in the investigation, and he uncovers clues that point to him as a suspect. Why is he being set up? As he and his assistant work to decipher the code left on the curtains, another professor at the university is murdered. And yet another mysterious code is left at the scene of the crime.
This comedy-romance is about the arranged marriage between an ex-cabin attendant suffering from the pain of lost love, and an elite employee of a trading company. After resigning from her job as a cabin attendant to get married, Setsuko’s would-be fiancé runs off. Following this tragedy, Setsuko spends her days chain-smoking and drinking heavily to escape her broken heart. Meanwhile, Kotaro, an employee of a big trading company, is offered an assignment in Milan. Although Kotaro wanted the job, he had one problem: the conditions state that he needs a wife. Hastily, a date is set for the two to meet for a potential arranged marriage. Despite the fact that neither of them is looking forward to the meeting, fate has a way of bringing two doubtful souls together
An incident in the past causes Ogata Kouhei (Tanabe Seiichi) to resign his position and leave the country in shame. Now, at the hotel's 30th anniversary, the hotel is facing a crisis; the president has just been submitted to the hospital, and the hotel is facing a potential takeover. Under his request, assistant manager Odagiri Kyoko (Ueto Aya) goes to Korea in order to convince Kouhei to return. Kyoko is caught up in an incident when her purse is stolen when she meets Mizusawa Keigo (Oikawa Mitsuhiro), who tries to help her. Ultimately, Kyoko comes back to Japan unsuccessful. However, under the advice from Korean hotel manager Shin Dong Hyuk (Bae Yong Jun), Kouhei returns to Tokyo Ocean Hotel as the position of the new general manager. Upon his return however, Kyoko once again meets Mizusawa Keigo. Little does Kyoko know, not only does Keigo want to take over the Tokyo Ocean Hotel, but he also carries affections for her.
A 19-year-old girl burdened by a cruel destiny, a 41-year-old man living in atonement, and a forbidden love that cannot be accepted by the people around them. ‘Iki mo Dekinai Natsu’ is as much a social drama as it is a love story. Takei plays said girl who learns that her mother never recorded her birth in their family register. While falling into despair after finding out the secret about her birth yet wholeheartedly trying to live to regain ‘herself’, she happens to run into a former journalist (Eguchi) who is suffering from a deep scar in his heart himself. Although they could be father and daughter, they start to develop much stronger feelings for each other, a love forbidden by society.
Hosted by veteran comedian Tamori, "Bizarre Tales 2003 Spring Special" presents five tales. 1. Kao wo Nusumareta (My Face was Stolen) - starring Inagaki Goro 2. Rental Love - starring Iijima Naoko 3. Oikaketai (I want to Chase [Him/Her]) - starring Kyono Kotomi 4. Chozeikin Taisaku Satsujin Jiken (Countering Excessive Taxation Murder Case) - starring Nishimura Masahiko 5. Kage no Kuni (The Country of Shadows) - starring Sakurai Sachiko
Fighting Girl is a Japanese television drama starring Kyoko Fukada.
Also Directed by Jun'ichi Tsuzuki
***Fushiawase wo Anata ni (We Bring You Misfortune) A woman sees a company called "Fushiawase wo Anata ni" (we bring you misfortune) promoting a new sales concept: giving its clients misfortune to motivate them to seek greater happiness. ***Kuuhaku no Hito (Blank Person) A woman wakes up in her bed every morning not remembering the events of the past night, and finding that someone has moved around the things in her room. ***Jigoku wa Manin (Hell Is Full) As there is no more room in hell, the evil/sinful find they cannot die. ***Kako kara no Nikki (Diary from the Past) A struggling author chances upon a diary which changes his life. ***Aketekure (Open Up!) A woman's husband dies in a car accident, but that same evening he is heard pounding on the door for someone to let him in.