Mari Hoshino

An insensitive man whom nobody takes seriously. A girl who is too sensitive to what others think to live freely. When the paths of the two crossed unexpectedly. The serendipity brings their life into unusual directions. Will they find a true love?

5.6/10

Eiji Arima is a veteran detective who is about to retire. Shoichi Sera is a young lawyer and Misuzu Haruna is a prosecutor. These 3 people belong to the Gohan Taisakushitsu (‘Misjudgment Countermeasure Office’). Their job is to reexamine death-row convictions and check to see if anyone were falsely convicted.

Detective Kamei of the First Investigation Division receives a request from lawyer Shinichi Nakamura, the son of his deceased close friend, to re-investigate a car accident. Akiko, the wife of Yasuo Furuki, a painter from Hakone, died in the accident 5 months earlier by crashing into a guardrail. Nakamura's client, Akiko's younger sister Yuki Izeki, suspects that she was actually murdered by Furuki for insurance money. Overwhelmed by these thoughts, Yuki had sent an email reading "I'll never forgive that man. I'm going to kill him and avenge my big sister," announcing a murder to Nakamura. In the middle of their conversation, Nakamura receives a call from Hakone PD confirming that Yuki had turned herself in that morning...

The criminal library, dubbed the “Red Museum”, is a police facility that stores the investigation materials and evidence of major crimes where the statute of limitations has run out. Its director Saeko Hiiro is impassive and not good at communicating with people. One day, Satoshi Terada of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division is assigned to be Saeko’s subordinate. Although he is bewildered by Saeko’s dispassionate demeanor, Terada starts to organize the data which is the primary responsibility of the museum. He encounters a traffic accident on the way to collect evidence. A truck has hit someone. When Terada rushes over, the victim utters the mysterious words “25 years ago... murder swap” and breathes his last. Once Saeko hears this, she declares a reinvestigation.

Mystery writer Kosaku Asahina scores yet another scoop in a case that occurred in the streets. He even personally conducts investigations and frequently makes these cases the basis for his own novels. It maybe because his late father was a scholar that he is cool, but brims with curiosity and action. One day, Kosaku is facing the computer in his living room and writing a new novel. The novel is based on the baffling case of a female who fell to her death in Setagaya in the past. Kosaku had personally conducted interviews and inspected the scene of her death, but still cannot get to the truth. Then a letter addressed to his father Konosuke who died more than 20 years ago, is delivered to Kosaku. The name of the sender is the female whose mysterious death from a fall, is the subject of Kosaku’s new novel.

When the suspect of an arson case refuses to cooperate with the investigation, the detectives search his house and find a locked-up little girl. She doesn't talk and there are no clues to her identity, so assistant psychology professor Narumi Saku is asked to counsel her.

8.4/10

Based on the writings of a true life, vision-impaired lawyer comes a story about a blind man who manages to pass the extremely difficult bar exam and earn his lawyer’s license. Long desiring to help the weak, Kensuke Okochi gets a job at an attorney’s office while he and his wife, also blind, look forward to their first child. When a plaintiff in a divorce case decides to withdraw from litigation, Kensuke worries at first that it has to do with his own perceived inadequacies as a lawyer, but a few days later, he is visited by the female plaintiff, Satomi, showing injuries to her body. While it appears an open and shut case of domestic violence with an audio recording as proof, Kensuke detects a “certain scent” coming from the plaintiff which gives him pause as to her real intentions.

Hanazawa Taro is a policeman with with a body weight of 110 kg and works in a police box in the beautiful city of Kyoto. He has a really sharp perception, which allows him to smoothly deal with the various problems of the local residents as well as the tourists.

French chef Ken (Yuta Tamamori) travels back in time to Sengoku period. Due to traveling through the time slip, Ken has lost his memory, but still retains his knowledge on fine cuisine. Thanks to his excellence in cuisine, Ken eventually becomes the chef to powerful daimyo Nobunaga Oda (Mitsuhiro Oikawa).

7.3/10

A wedding is supposed to be the happiest moment in a couple's life. But what if someone among the attendants does not wish success for the newlywed couple? One morning, Takako, a wedding planner, finds a threatening letter sent to the wedding hall that says, "Cancel today's weddings. Otherwise, you will receive divine punishment." There are five weddings scheduled that day, but Takako ignores the letter and decides to duly host the weddings and find out who is behind the threat.

Loan shark Ginjiro Manda meets with a former client, design firm CEO Tominaga. It was Tominaga’s wife who saved Manda from bankruptcy 10 years ago.

Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in all of Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball and became a criminal and now, at 17, has been sent to the Pterodactyl Juvenile Reformatory for hardened criminals. Headmistress Ishihara, the granddaughter of a World War II Nazi collaborator, runs the institution with an iron fist and the enthusiastic help of her sadistic assistant, Ilsa. After arriving at the hellhole, Jubeh soon learns from governor Mifune that his long-lost, younger brother Musashi had also done time there after a murder spree, but had since died mysteriously…

5.3/10

A series of suspicious deaths, starting with that of her boyfriend Kawazu Masayuki, prompts mystery novelist Yuki Rikako to investigate. She discovers that all the victims were once passengers on the same cruise ship a year ago and involved in an accident that left one man dead. Rikako must find out what really happened during that outing before more casualties result.

6.8/10

The story of a woman who fell in love with another man. The woman has a crazy jealous husband. What will she do to get her love? What will her husband do when he finds out?

4.3/10

High school student Ayumi kills herself and leaves behind a cryptic message that says "will be killed by boyfriend." Ayumi's classmates Satomi and Yuka investigate her suicide and quickly links her death to a popular cellphone dating simulation game called Keitai Kareshi. The main features of the game include a 'love gauge' that determines how well the player is faring and the ability to chat with other players. Satomi, Yuka download the game to their phones and begin interacting with their new virtual boyfriends. Soon after, Satomi shares the game with her co-worker who -- not long after the love gauge on her cellphone hit zero -- dies from electrocution. Meanwhile, Yuka sends the game to her manager who turns up dead the following day following a mysterious accident. The mystery deepens as Satomi discovers the image of Naoto, a senior student whom Satomi secretly admired, on her friend Hisami's cellphone. Written by Dr. Jay Trotter

5.2/10

Haru works at a part-time job for a bookstore. Her dream is to become an illustrator and she also loves cats. One day, after a cat named Chibutomu disappears from the bookstore Haru canvasses the neighbourhood in search of Chibutomu.

5.5/10

An ordinary salaryman named Tokichi Inaba who inadvertently becomes involved in the death of a legendary hitman. Facing bankruptcy and saddled with a 35-year mortgage, Inaba is coerced into becoming a hitman himself by the mysterious and beautiful troublemaker Chinatsu, all while trying to keep his new wife Misako in the dark about his double life.

6.5/10

An "air doll" suddenly come to life one day. Without her owner knowing, she goes for a walk around town and falls in love with Junichi. She starts to date Junichi and gets a job at the same store where he works. Everything seems to be going perfect for her until something unexpected happens.

6.9/10
4.6%

Too shy to speak out the word of appreciation, too busy to show that you care... Many excuses lie between each and every couple, when they look back the distance created during the long years in which they took each other for granted... Love Letters sent from husbands to wives and from wives to husbands, quietly voice their unspoken appreciation for each other over the years that they have shared. The original idea comes from the postcard project "Love Letters at Sixty" which has brought a wave of sympathy to the precious emotions shared by many married couples.

6.1/10

A ryokan maid is on trial for pushing a familiar guest off a cliff to his death. An eager attorney offers to take the case to gain notoriety.

With a mixture of drama, warlords, battles, love, tragedy all set with great music, this made for television movie has it all. Showing the rise of Tokugawa Ieyasu as portrayed by Matsudaira Ken (Abarenbo Shogun) this stunning portrait of an exciting era shows how the influence of three women played a pivotal role in the formation of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Brilliant performances by Nakamura Atsuo (Cold Wind Monjiro) and Nakamura Tamao (widow of Katsu Shintaro) highlight this production as such notables as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotami Hideyoshi, Lady Sena, Princess Asahi, and Lady Yodo jump from the pages of history all leading up to the Battle of Sekigahara that would change Japan forever!

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.

A violent fire one evening kills a husband and wife couple and burns their Kazusaya rice shop to ashes. Their daughter Sachi manages to make it out alive, but she claims the fire was set by henchmen from the rival Harimaya shop who abducted her sister. After policeman Watanabe Shogoro hears her story, he begins investigating the case, but desperate to avenge her parents' deaths, Sachi later enlists the aid of a mysterious woman who offers to kill Harimaya for a price. Watanabe soon discovers that there is more to this case than meets the eye.

Fukue Yumiko is a struggling actress who isn't afraid to lie, cheat, or exploit her own sexuality if it means her own success. But as she becomes a big star, one TV reporter decides that it's time someone uncovered her dark past and reveal just how far she was prepared to go for her own fame.

6.1/10

Tokyo Friends is a Japanese television drama released on June 3, 2005. Unlike many other dramas, it was never aired on TV but released as a set of 3 DVDs. Volumes one and two contain the first 4 episodes while volume three contains the last episode. Each episode is approximately 70 minutes. The Tokyo Friends Premium Box was also released which includes all 5 episodes, a bonus DVD, and 12 postcards. Although this is a very typical Tokyo-story and was never aired on TV, it was quite successful probably because it was Ai Otsuka's debut as an actress.

Miyuki receives an invitation from her friend Hikune Youhei to the themed inn called "Ruins", located in a virtual ghost town haunted by the legend of a vampire. However, what Kindaichi had originally dismissed as spooky rumours with no basis became horribly real when their fellow guests staying at the inn are found dead one by one, with their bodies drained of blood and wounds in their necks that resembled vampire bites

Miyo Hanayama (Etsuko Ichihara) works as a home care nurse, supporting the home care of patients who are close to death. Shigeaki Noguchi (Shigeru Kamiyama) complains that his wife has stopped talking to him since he collapsed once. Noriko Imaizumi (Hideko Yoshida) refuses to undergo surgery because her business has taken off and continues to recuperate at home. And 18-year-old Emi Akizuki (Juri Ueno) insists on visiting the town where she used to live. Everyone is trying their best to live their lives while keeping an eye on their imminent death, which may come at any moment. Meanwhile, Yuki (Mari Hoshino), a nurse like Miyo, discovers she is pregnant.

Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already has a girlfriend by the name of Midori. Even so, Yuko's feelings for Yutaka continue to grow regardless of his aloofness. Before long she finds herself reluctantly cajoled into working as a hostess in a small karaoke bar. Fatalistically accepting his dalliances with flames old and new, she perseveres not so much in hope of a more substantial relationship, but rather out of fear of losing him. There are other men out there waiting for her -- kinder, more considerate and eagerly available. But for Yuko, there is only the non-committal, yet torridly magnetic Yutaka. Why him? Not even Yuko seems to know the answer.

6.7/10

Infection takes place in a dark, isolated hospital, where one doctors mistake has led to dire consequences for a patient. In a hospital death is just a breath away.

6/10
6%

Thirty-something office lady Chikako Yamaguchi falls for a man at her gym - Shun Izaki. She proposes but he rejects her. That same Izaki saw Chikako's mother Hanae at the shop where she works and they fell in love with each other. The attraction of a younger man changes Hanae's perception of herself as a woman. Chikako enjoys seeing her mother blossom, oblivious to the fact that this is due to the man who rejected her. When she learns of Hanae and Izaki's relationship, she sees her mother for the first time as a rival. They are no longer mother and daughter. They are simply two women.

Aoki, a naive, gullible young girl, strays towards the party life instead of taking her school work seriously.

7.7/10

Three friends have become masters of the "Go-Con": Japanese group dating. But after playing the game so long, they begin to wonder if their love lives are going nowhere.

6.2/10

Misaki decides to join the Brass Band Club having heard of its prestigious past from her father, a former member. However, Misaki finds that much has changed and the club is now full of dull and inactive students. Misaki determines to do her best to return the club to its glory days, but she must help many of the students overcome their personal problems.

After a car accident kills both her parents, the 16-year-old Ayumi (Fukada) and her brother are adopted by their aunt and uncle respectively. Their nightmares begin after they move in with the two families. Ayumi is forced to quit school and work in Water Inn, which is owned by her aunt's husband, who seems to be filled with hatred for Ayumi. In the inn, Ayumi is surrounded by people who seems to either hate her or dislike her. Her only friend is Lin (Chen) who is an illegal foreign worker. When she runs into troubles, she has 3 guardian angels who takes turn to help her: her aunt, Lin, and Sasaoka Yuzuri, the son of a politician and who has a promising future. Yuzuri's interest in her, however, incurs the jealousy of her cousin and the wrath of her uncle who loves his own daughter Yuriko (Nakamura) very much. In the meanwhile, she also has to find ways to bring her brother under her own

6/10