2024 Manga Adaptations (January - June)
Hello everyone! If you are looking forward to some new and interesting Jdoramas this spring, check out this article and see if there is any drama that seems promising to you. Some of these dramas have already aired, but that does not mean that we cannot catch up! There is a nice selection of genres and plots and we will see if the dramas will live up to our expectations. Do not forget to let us know whether you have already started watching any of these or you plan to. So let's begin!
Spring is in the air ... ♡ ♬
Kokoro ga Pokitto ne
(The Heart Snaps/Crazy for Me)
This drama is set in Tokyo and it follows the troubles and life of Kojima Haruta (Abe Sadao), a 40-year-old man who has been mentally-ill for a long time and tries to get better by working as a furniture repairman. However, his life changes drastically when he meets Hayama Miyako (Mizuhara Kiko), a 26-year-old woman who becomes more than obsessed with a man she falls in love with.
The plot seems hilarious, and I'm looking forward to Kiko's acting.
Ishitachi no renai jijo
(Doctors' Affairs)
If you are a fan of medical dramas and doctors in general, then this might be for you. Check out the righteous and good surgeon Morita Haruki (Saito Takumi) who is always trying to save people even when the corrupt society is against him. But what happens when he meets his senior colleague Kondo Chizuru (Ishida Yuriko) and falls in love?
This seems to be yet another love story between a younger man and older woman set in a world of medicine and doctors. Would you like to watch it?
Yokoso Wagaya e
(Welcome to Our Home)
The drama follows the family of Kurata Kenta (Aiba Masaki), their relationships, dreams and struggles. It is also a mystery drama since the family members try to find out the identity of a person who starts targeting their home, stalking them and disturbing them. The family must come in terms with their own inner problems in order to get rid of a mysterious outsider.
It sounds like a horror to me, but it seems that it is more of a family/mystery/suspense kind of drama. It seems interesting though.
Bijo to Danshi
(A Beauty and a Man)
Kazuko (Nakama Yukie) is a capable but unpopular manager who is trying to scout a younger male actor Ryo (Machida Keita) into a famous star. While Ryo is becoming more and more aware of the pleasures related to acting, two two of them also fall in love.
The younger-man-and-older-woman has always been a popular love genre in Japan, and this one seems to follow the same or similar pattern. I'm not sure what kind of struggles they are going to face, but you can check them out if you would like to watch the drama about the show business itself.
doS Deka
(Ms. Sadistic Detective)
The drama is about a sadistic female detective Kuroi Maya (Tabe Mikako) and her nice, submissive partner Daikanyama Shusuke (Okura Tadayoshi). They become buddies and face the bad criminals together.
A new drama with yet another hilarious title! The cover is suggestive too! Still not convinced that this is just a regular romance comedy drama? I say, do not worry, it is :)
Yamegoku - Yakuza Yamete Itadakimasu
(Yamegoku ~ I’ll Have You Quit Yakuza)
A popular and former AKB48 star Oshima Yuko plays a mysterious police detective Nagamitsu Bakushu who is in charge of dealing with the members of Yakuza and supporting the rehabilitation of the yakuza members, however, she cannot stop treating them like enemies and getting everyone around her involved.
Seems pretty interesting to me. I'll check out the first episode, even though I have never watched Oshima act before.
Algernon ni Hanataba o
(Flowers for Algernon)
The story follows Shiratori Sakuto (Yamashita Tomohisa), a man who is 28 with the intelligence of a 6-year-old boy. He works for Dream Flower Service, a flower distribution center. Later on he is transformed into a genius through surgery which had been performed before on a white mouse called Algernon. However, the trouble begins when Algernon dies and Sakuto realizes that his new life won't last either.
Not sure what to think about this one, at first I thought "a drama about a mouse.... well why not?". But now I see that there might be some serious themes and issues suggested in this drama, especially about mentally-challenged people. Sounds kinda touchy, and there is a similar drama from 2002, I'm not sure if the plot is exactly the same.
I'm Home
Fans of Kimura Takuya will be probably happy to see him in a new mystery drama. Based on the manga "I'm Home" by Ishizaka Kei, the story is about Ieji Hisashi (Kimura Takuya), a salary man who has some sort of amnesia due to the accident he had. He also cannot see the faces and facial expressions of his wife and son. This drama will be about him trying to uncover the secrets of his past life, including the relationship to his family and his former self.
Such a creepy cover, and it looks like some kind of a psychological horror to me. I'll check it out for sure.
Taiga: Hana Moyu
(Flower Burns)
Inoue Mao stars in yet another historical drama, and this time the story is set in the year 14 of the Tempo era (1843), and it follows the life of a little girl named Fumi (Inoue Mao). It will depict her love interests, marriages and struggles. (as you can see, the cover looks like a reverse harem :)
Yume wo Ataeru
(To Give a Dream)
The drama is about Yuko (Komatsu Nana), a young and beautiful model whose career takes off and she appears in TV shows, magazines, variety shows etc. However, her life is not as great as it seems because she cannot balance her private and public image, and after she falls in love with a dancer Seiko, her nightmare begins....
What kind of nightmare I wonder? Some kind of Helter Selter nightmare? In that case, yes I'm all for it!
Tatakau! Shoten Girl
(Fight! Bookstore Girl)
Kitamura Aki, 23, (Watanabe Mayu) and Nishioka Riko, 40, (Inamori Izumi) are the employees at Pegasus Bookstore. They have completely different personalities and this drama based on the novel "Shoten Garu" by Kei Aono follows their friendship and love struggles. It seems like a nice and relaxing drama.
64
I''m really looking forward to this one, because it reminds me of a fantastic American tv show True Detective. It could be even a spin-off, plot wise. The story is about the unsolved case related to the kidnapping and murder of Shoko-chan which took place in just 7 days in 1989 (Showa 64). Now the detectives must deal with the exact copycat in the present time and find the answers.
Tenno no Ryoriban
(The Emperor’s Chef)
Sato Takeru is going to star as Akiyama Atsuzo, a young man who becomes the chef for the Emperor of Japan at the age of 26. It seems like a cool historical drama and there will be probably a lot of delicious food :) The drama is based on a novel "Tenno no Ryoriban" by Hisahide Sugimori in which the main character is based on a real person Tokuzo Akiyama. Another interesting fact is that Sato Takeru had been taking cooking lessons for months at a culinary school.
Fuben na Benriya
(The Inconvenient Benriya)
The comedy drama about Matsui Hideo (Suzuki Kosuke) who runs a benriya business (odd jobs for hire) in a small nameless Hokkaido village. Umemoto Soichi (Endo Kenichi), Takeyama Jun (Okada Masaki) and Matsui become all stranded due to a snowstorm in this small village and must deal with each other.
LIQUID - Oni no Sake, Kiseki no Kura
The story is about a sake maker Sagara Shuichi (Ito Hideaki) and his relationship to other people and workers who have found their way at the legendary master Washio Yusaku's brewery house.
I like the description and I think it looks more than promising. Can't wait to check it out!
Other upcoming Jdoramas worth checking out:
WILD HEROES (action, comedy)
DR RINTARO (medicine, romance)
MOTHER GAME (family, drama)
Kyoto Ninjou Sousa File (crime, drama)
Tenshi to Akuma (detective, mystery, suspense)
Asadora: Mare (drama, family, life)
Kabukimono Keiji (historical, drama)
Yami no Bansosha (detective, mystery)
SCAPEGOAT (political)
Temisu no Kyuukei (law, drama, thriller)
So this is it. What do you think about these upcoming spring Jdoramas, do you like them? Are you going to watch some of them or maybe you have already started? Do not forget to share your thoughts below and thanks for reading the article! Bye! xxx
