Japanese TV Series for Those Who Are in a Rush

Arisu Ryohei—a listless, jobless and video-game-obsessed young man—suddenly finds himself in a strange, emptied-out version of Tokyo in which he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive. In this strange world, Arisu meets Usagi, a young woman who’s navigating the games alone. After a dangerous game which tests Arisu’s limits, the two set out together to unravel one mystery after another as they risk their lives and confront what it means to live.

• Death Game
• Death
• Suspense
• Smart Male Lead
• Survival
• Parallel Universe
• Strong Female Lead
• Psychological
• Manipulation
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Netflix

Ito and Nishi meet by chance while walking on a sidewalk's white line. Ito realizes he is drawn to Nishi, and they start a romantic relationship that lasts through high school, college, and adulthood. It's a moving tale of two partners whose love perseveres through changing times.

• LGBTQ+
• First Love
• Cheerful Male Lead
• Time Skip
• Character Development
• Childish Male Lead
• Gay Romance
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

WeTV, Viki

Following a failed confession to her first love, female high school student Mikoto Ochiai contemplates jumping off the roof of the school building. However, her thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of Jin Haiba, the physics teacher known for being a slacker and the butt of students' jokes. Rather than dissuade her from killing herself, he makes a request—will she enter into a romance with him before she dies? Together, the two gradually ponder why they should keep living and why they should not love each other in earnest.

• Student-Teacher Relationship
• Male Chases Female First
• Character Development
• Heavy Flirtation
• Attempted Suicide
• Inner Monologue
• Older Man/Younger Woman
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki

• Age Gap [Drama Life]
• Gay Romance
• Gay Male Lead
• Office Worker Male Lead
• LGBTQ+
• Older Man/Younger Man
• Secret Crush
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki

Osagami Kakeru is a blade master who is tasked with the mission of sealing the ''blades of filth'' called Kegareyaiba. These blades are born from the dark sides of people's hearts and make those corrupted by that filth murderers. However, with every blade sealed, the filth also affects Kakeru...

• Sword-fight
• Death
• Investigation
• Swordsman Male Lead
• Police Officer Supporting Character
• Murder
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki

Hira is a seventeen-year-old boy who suffers from stuttering speech. He tries to remain invisible at school and views the world through his camera lens. One day, Kiyoi Sou enters his class, and Hira finds himself pulled into Kiyoi's gravity. Kiyoi is popular, beautiful, and always surrounded by his classmates. Hira contents himself with just existing within Kiyoi's orbit, asking for nothing in return.

• Gay Romance
• Photography
• Inner Monologue
• LGBTQ+
• Dysphemia
• Gay Male Lead
• Popular Male Lead
• Shy Male Lead
• Secret Crush
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki, WeTV

Well-meaning but socially awkward, Kuronuma Sawako is nicknamed "Sadako" by her high school classmates because of her similar hair style with the main character from the horror movie "Ring." She doesn't have friends and goes about her day in quiet. She admires a fellow classmate, Kazehaya Shota, because of his easy-going and friendly nature, but unknown to her, Kazehaya has also been paying attention to her.

• Classmates' Relationship
• Shy Female Lead
• Love At First Sight
• Friendship
• Innocent Female Lead
• Nice Male Lead
• Cheerful Male Lead
• Naive Female Lead
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Netflix

Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she's written the name of another boy—Ida—on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!

• LGBTQ+
• Calm Male Lead
• Serious Male Lead
• Gay Romance
• Bisexual Male Lead
• Healthy Mains’ Relationship
• Misunderstanding
• Nice Male Lead

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki

"The world average age for the first sexual experience... 17.3". Is that early? Late? Seino Sakura has a serious personality. Hara Tsumugi has never liked a member of the opposite sex before. Minagawa Yuna is experienced and is currently dating a company employee. At the age of 17, the girl's "sexual values" begin to fluctuate.

• Coming Of Age
• Asexual Female Lead
• Social Commentary
• Sismance
• Character Development
• Virgin Female Lead
• Mother-Daughter Relationship
• Sexual Content
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki, Netflix, Abema TV

Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation...?

• LGBTQ+
• Lesbian Female Lead
• Lesbian Romance
• Neighbors' Relationship
• Foodie Female Lead
• Adult Romance
• Slow Burn Romance
• Adapted From A Manga
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

No streaming platform

Kanzaki Nao receives a hundred million yen and a card inviting her to the "Liar Game". The game's goal is to trick other players out of their money. Nao's opponent is her former teacher, Fujisawa Kazuo, who tricks her into handing her money over. She seeks help from a mastermind swindler, Akiyama Shinichi, who is to be released from jail the next day.

• Smart Male Lead
• Naive Female Lead
• Debt
• Secret Organization
• Survival
• Suspense
• Lying
• Swindler Male Lead
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

No streaming platform

15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya is an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat.

• Based On True Story
• Terminal Illness
• Tearjerker
• Adapted From A Novel
• Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA)
• Death
• Strong Female Lead
• Ill Female Lead
• Student Supporting Character
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

No streaming platform

Adachi Kiyoshi is a regular salaryman who, at the age of 29, was still a virgin. On his 30th birthday, he suddenly finds himself acquiring a new power - the ability to read other people's minds whenever he touches them. Shocked and unnerved by this new ability, he struggles to cope. That is, until one day he accidentally touches the handsome and popular fellow office-worker, Kurosawa Yuichi, only to find out that Kurosawa actually has secret romantic feelings for him. How will Adachi cope with this new revelation?

• Mind Reading
• Secret Crush
• Healthy Mains’ Relationship
• Nice Male Lead
• Magical Realism
• Inner Monologue
• Shy Male Lead
• Supernatural Power
• Mental Powers
• Adapted From A Manga
  

WHERE TO WATCH:

Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video

Koichi is cheerful and popular in the class. Mitsuru is talented and not good at socializing. The two high school students are strongly attracted to each other due to their opposite personalities. However, one morning, Koichi is hit by a truck in front of Mitsuru. Koichi got up on the spot and smiled as usual, and although he was indeed "alive", his classmates gradually began to forget about Koichi's existence.

• LGBTQ+
• Car accident
• Tearjerker
• High School
• Supernatural
• Mystery

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki, AppleTV

• Music
• Romance
• LGBTQ+
• Band
• Guitarist Male Lead
• Introverted Male Lead

WHERE TO WATCH:

Crunchyroll, WeTV

This Netflix Original drama is the latest installment in the Ju-on horror franchise. Set over 40 years, it explores a paranormal investigator's discovery of a connection between a series of terrifying incidents that all originated from the same house. Fresh scares are drawn from actual recorded cases in Japan's recent past. The story follows rookie actress Honjo Haruka, who seeks the help of psychic researcher Odajima Yasuo when she hears strange sounds at night in her house.

• Horror
• Supernatural
• Ghosts
• Gore
• Murder
• Curse

WHERE TO WATCH:

Netflix

Frustrated by life with her boyfriend, thirty-something Wako can't stop herself from being interested in high schooler Yumeaki, despite the age gap.

• Melodrama
• Forbidden love
• Older woman/younger man
• Infidelity
• Love triangle

WHERE TO WATCH:

Netflix

This story follows the adventures of a young office lady who is also a fujoshi. With the arrival of two new colleagues: Hongou (32), a mature man whose face doesn’t show any emotion, and Daichi (25), a bright young man full of life; it’s hard for her not to imagine these two in torrid situations.

• Comedy
• Workplace Setting
• Fujoshi
• Bromance

WHERE TO WATCH:

No streaming platform

Amaki Rinko is 27-years-old and single. She works as a wedding planner and has been promoted to chief of wedding planners. She is recognized for her excellent work at her job and also as a person with a good heart, but she has a complex. That she is still a virgin.

Meanwhile, her colleague Kamisaka Gen is also 27-years-old and single. He has the most contracts as a wedding planner. He also has an attractive appearance. Rinko happens to know that Gen is also a virgin. Rinko invites Gen to a love motel.

• Conctract relationship
• Romance
• Office workers
• Female chases male first
• Love triangle 

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki

Popular handsome man and weather forecaster Segasaki is actually a tyrant at home. Yoh, an ero-manga artist in a tight spot knows this very well. This is because the two of them are living together. More than that, it's because he cooks and cleans for Segasaki! To no surprise, in exchange for being provided food, he must "obey everything that Segasaki says". What comes from such a contract?

• LGBTQ+
• Cohabitation
• Weather forecaster male lead
• Manga artist male lead
• Possessive male lead

WHERE TO WATCH:

Viki, Apple TV

^{Edited by: devitto (1st editor)}