No romance!

Dramas or movies I liked that don't have a major romance plot.

Criteria: Main Characters may be married or have a lover, if it's "just there" or in the past. Side characters may have a romance plot, if it's only a very minor part of the drama/movie, e.g. just in one or if it's a very long drama, a few episodes or similar. Genre, length, Country etc. don't matter.

List might be in alphabetical order, if MDL hasn't glitched again.

Saeng mars 11, 2024
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  • 99.9: Keiji Senmon Bengoshi

    1. 99.9: Keiji Senmon Bengoshi

    Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama. crime/detective genre, comedy, eccentric main character, food, puns

    My review

  • Damashie no Kiba

    2. Damashie no Kiba

    Japanese Movie - 2021

    10

    Film. business, intrigues and plot twists, fast-paced, interesting female characters.

    My review.

  • Departures

    3. Departures

    Japanese Movie - 2008

    10

    Film. gentle, death, cello music

    Main character has been married for a while, and they do have troubles, but it's neither a "romance" nor is the marriage the focus of the film.

    My review.

  • Double Tap

    4. Double Tap

    Chinese Drama - 2021, 16 episodes

    10

    Drama. crime drama, winter setting, interesting female characters, chinese province, police

    My review.

  • Freckles

    5. Freckles

    Japanese Movie - 2022

    10

    Film. Aro-ace main female character and her journey in a hetero-romantic society.

    [No review, as this hit too close for me.]

  • Haken Anime!

    6. Haken Anime!

    Japanese Movie - 2022

    8.0

    Film. business, anime, female leads, fast-paced.

    My review.

  • Happy Flight

    7. Happy Flight

    Japanese Movie - 2008

    10

    Film. comedy, always one mis-step away from catastrophy, gives insight about the behind-the-scenes of the work at airports and in airplanes

    [No review from me, this one says it all.]

  • Her Love Boils Bathwater

    8. Her Love Boils Bathwater

    Japanese Movie - 2016

    8.5
  • Isekai Izakaya 'Nobu'

    9. Isekai Izakaya 'Nobu'

    Japanese Drama - 2020, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama. Isekai, comedy, food

    Season 2 is similar, but has a stronger romance subplot between side characters.

    My review.

  • Juhan Shuttai!

    10. Juhan Shuttai!

    Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama. manga publishing business, ganbarimasu!, female lead, mixing comedy and serious issues

    Once, there's an interested glance from one character towards the female lead, but nobody else ever notices it, and it's never spoken of.

    My review.

  • K

    11. K

    Japanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes

    9.5

    Drama. comedy, bordering on slapstick, buddy cops parody, no wait they are actually good detectives!

    [no review yet.]

  • Kagi no Kakatta Heya

    12. Kagi no Kakatta Heya

    Japanese Drama - 2012, 11 episodes

    10

    Drama. Crime/detective drama, very classic main character & side kicks, a "Howtheydunnit"

    My review.

  • Midnight Museum

    13. Midnight Museum

    Thai Drama - 2023, 10 episodes

    Drama. supernatural, SF, theological themes this dramas tries to do it all

    "gives censored Chinese BL vibes" as someone said, but it's really all the viewers decision to see something or not.

    [no review yet, need to rewatch]

  • Midnight University

    14. Midnight University

    Thai Movie - 2016

    Filmsuper-natural, mild gore (Thai-typical ghosts), potential for romance but qickly abandoned.

    [No review yet, need to rewatch it first]

  • Monster

    15. Monster

    Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes

    10

    Drama. dark, unpredictable story, grey characters, some gore.

    My review.

  • Mr. Long

    16. Mr. Long

    Japanese Movie - 2017

    9.5

    Film. check the TW in my review! not for the faint-hearted, still very sweet between the main protagonist and the boy.

    A 5 minute tragic love story in the middle of the film, no tropey romance.

    My review.

  • Mr. Nietzsche in the Convenience Store

    17. Mr. Nietzsche in the Convenience Store

    Japanese Drama - 2016, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama. convenience store, plot what plot comedy, absurd conversations at 3 a.m.

    My review.

  • Muchu sa, Kimi ni

    18. Muchu sa, Kimi ni

    Japanese Drama - 2021, 5 episodes

    10

    Drama. teenagers, weird weird weird, in this world we mix and connect

    My review.

  • Mysterious Lotus Casebook

    19. Mysterious Lotus Casebook

    Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes

    10

    Drama.  Wuxia, bromance, detective cases, intrigue

    Some time is spent saying good-bye to a past love.

    My review.

  • Nishi Ogikubo Mitsuboshi Yoshudou

    20. Nishi Ogikubo Mitsuboshi Yoshudou

    Japanese Drama - 2021, 6 episodes

    10

    Drama. bar setting, alcohol and canned food, melancholic, hopeful

    My review.

  • Order of the Sommelier

    21. Order of the Sommelier

    Chinese Drama - 2022, 64 episodes

    10

    Drama. Xianxia, bromance, time travel / alternate universe, supernatural. 

    short love-stories between side characters in some episodes.

    My review.

  • Peaceful Property

    22. Peaceful Property

    Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes

    10

    Drama. goofy Thai humour, heart-wrenching, Thai ghosts!, food, solid writing and acting

    Bit of queerbaiting, with lots of allusions to New and Tay's work in BL dramas, but easily ignored, as it's mostly in a livestream chat.

    My review.

  • Rokuhodo Yotsuiro Biyori

    23. Rokuhodo Yotsuiro Biyori

    Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama.  sweet sweet sweet, found family, food, comedy, mention of the covid pandemic in the last episode.

    My review.

  • School Meals Time Graduation

    24. School Meals Time Graduation

    Japanese Movie - 2022

    10

    Film. school-setting, food, comedy, 1980s Japanese province, food as metaphor for education

    My review.

  • Shall I Have a Cup of Coffee?

    25. Shall I Have a Cup of Coffee?

    Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes

    9.0

    Drama. slice-of-life, coffee making and coffee drinking, gentle, mention of the Covid pandemic at the end.

    My review.

  • Stove League

    26. Stove League

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes

    10

    Drama. baseball off-season, business (managing a team)

    My review.

  • Teacher Ma, Grade 3 Kor.

    27. Teacher Ma, Grade 3 Kor.

    Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes

    9.5

    Drama. comedy, school-setting, 1970s Thailand-Laos border town, some corporal punishment shown

    Two blink-and-you-miss-it maybe-romance scenes between the male lead and his colleague.

    My review.

  • The Edge of Metamorphosis

    28. The Edge of Metamorphosis

    Japanese Movie - 2022

    9.0

    Film. inter-generational friendship between two women over BL manga

    [No review, as this did not speak to me personally, and I couldn't give an appropriate rating.]

  • The Ghost and I Becoming Family

    29. The Ghost and I Becoming Family

    Taiwanese Movie - 2022

    10

    Film. comedy, ghost marriage between a homophobic cop and a gay ghost, redemption arc, comedy violence

    My review.

  • Trillion Game

    30. Trillion Game

    Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes

    8.5

    Drama. fast-paced, business but in a very superficial sense, playing the late-stage-capitalist game, female opponent

    My review.

  • Twenty-Four Eyes

    31. Twenty-Four Eyes

    Japanese Movie - 1954

    10

    Film. World War 2, Japanese Ultra-nationalism, school setting, female lead. Slow and sad.

    From 1954.

    My review.

  • Ume Kiranu Baka

    32. Ume Kiranu Baka

    Japanese Movie - 2021

    10

    Film. main autistic character, slice-of-life, societal commentary

    My review.

  • Unnatural

    33. Unnatural

    Japanese Drama - 2018, 10 episodes

    10

    Drama. pathologists, no gore!, crime drama, strong female characters

    Some interest from one character towards the main protagonists for a short while, but never acted upon.

    My review.

  • White Cat Legend

    34. White Cat Legend

    Chinese Drama - 2024, 36 episodes

    10

    Drama. detective story with wuxia elements, comedy, bromance and friendship, palace intrigue in the later episodes

    My review.

  • Yuzuki-san Chi no Yon Kyodai.

    35. Yuzuki-san Chi no Yon Kyodai.

    Japanese Drama - 2024, 32 episodes

    10

    Drama. light, slice-of-life, 15 minute episodes

    My review.

  • Zombie Detective

    36. Zombie Detective

    Korean Drama - 2020, 24 episodes

    10

    Drama. some gore (zombie!) but no people eating, comedy, sometimes slapstick, detective cases

    The female lead's sister seems to be push the female lead towards the male lead, but he doesn't even notice.

    My review.

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