japanese drama recommendations

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-04-23 Posts: 397

I'm looking for some Japanese dramas to watch. My favorite kind of dramas are the funny/stupid kind. I'm thinking of dramas where nothing is taken seriously and the main character is usually weird. Some examples that come to mind are Unubore Deka, Trick, Saru Lock, Majidesuka Gakuen, Kiken na Aneki, Densha Otoko, Shimokitazawa Glory Days, SPEC, etc.

I know there is not that many of those types of Dramas, so any other really good drama is fine too. A couple dramas I have really liked in the past are Mr. Brain, Orange Days, Last Friends, JIN, Buzzer Beat, Tiger & Dragon, etc.

It would be nice if there was a website where I could enter dramas I like and it recommends other dramas for me.

TheVinster Member

From: Illinois Registered: 2009-07-15 Posts: 985

Well the Summer season is just starting so you can look through a list and read some plot summaries and watch them as they go. As far as past dramas? My favorite comedy drama is Hanazakari no Kimitachi he. Straight-up good dramas are Hana yori Dango, you already said Orange Days, and a bunch more. I'm not currently in the position to look up what those are but I'd start with Hanazakari if I were you.

dtcamero Member

From: new york Registered: 2010-05-15 Posts: 653

I like the new season of ホタルノヒカリ. モテキwas pretty awesome too...

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howtwosavealif3 Member

From: USA Registered: 2008-02-09 Posts: 889 Website

I second Hanazakari. It's very silly and funny. I would say give t at least 2 eps. For me the first ep was a turnoff for obvious reasons but I grew to love the show

Tykkylumi Member

From: England Registered: 2009-07-08 Posts: 144

I really enjoyed My Boss My Hero.

thurd Member

From: Poland Registered: 2009-04-07 Posts: 756

Recently I got hooked on Bloody Monday, if crime/thriller drama is your thing I think its worth seeing.

Its one of the rare shows where somebody actually acts (or at least doesn't fail as badly as usual). Kichise Michiko is brilliant as femme fatale, I don't know if it isn't the only thing she can pull off but at least she does this well. Rest of the cast is weak or mediocre but at least no character annoys me.

comeauch Member

From: Canada Registered: 2011-11-04 Posts: 175

My Boss, My Hero: Watch the first episode and you'll be hooked, it's almost guaranteed XD
Also I liked Nodame Cantabile, but it's more serious.

howtwosavealif3 Member

From: USA Registered: 2008-02-09 Posts: 889 Website

Lol. Blood monday. It gets crappy and really melodramatic so I would recommend fast forwarding if it gets boring or cringy. It had fun plot twists but it had lotsa prOblems

shinsen Member

Registered: 2009-02-18 Posts: 181

I'll add a third voice to "My Boss, My Hero", it's a very fun dorama. Other recommendations:
Kimi hannin janai yo ne (the closest in setting to Unubore Deka that I can think of)
Keibuho Yabe Kenzo (very light and funny)
Nobuta wo Produce (it has so much soul)
Great Teacher Onizuka (old one, but there's apparently a new series that just started this week)
Seigi no Mikata
Hammer Session
Gal Circle
Rebound

Last edited by shinsen (2012 July 06, 6:28 pm)

partner55083777 Member

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-04-23 Posts: 397

Wow, thanks for all the recommendations. I've actually already seen Hotaru no Hikari, Moteki, GTO, Hammer Session, Nodame Cantabile, Bloody Monday, and Keibuho Yabe Kenzo. I'm going to try downloading the rest of the recommendations.

I noticed that Hanazakari no Kimitachi has been remade in 2011. Has anyone seen this version?

TheVinster Member

From: Illinois Registered: 2009-07-15 Posts: 985

2011 version is terrible. I tried watching an episode and it was about as bad as you might expect when they put an AKB48 member into an acting role. Not that most Japanese actors/actresses are even that good in the first place... Perhaps I'm a bit bias though.

Rael89 Member

From: new york Registered: 2008-07-26 Posts: 103

Is the moteki drama as good as the film version? I loved the movie, but I don't wanna ruin it by watching the show if its sub-par.

partner55083777 Member

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-04-23 Posts: 397

Rael89 wrote:
Is the moteki drama as good as the film version? I loved the movie, but I don't wanna ruin it by watching the show if its sub-par.

I watched the drama first, and I was actually slightly disappointed by the movie. I would definitely recommend the drama.

Kyoshi88 Member

From: Netherlands Registered: 2011-02-23 Posts: 40

The new GTO is actually pretty fun, but might be dull if you already watched the anime/previous drama. Tobo bengoshi or Liar Game is pretty good too.

Splatted Member

From: England Registered: 2010-10-02 Posts: 776

Sorry that this is slightly off topic but it didn't seem worthy of it's own thread.

A while ago someone (I think it was Zorlee) posted a link to a site for watching Japanese television in Japanese. It was designed for Japanese people, so was entirely in Japanese, and had a great selection of all different types of programs. (Much better than sites like DramaCrazy) For some reason I didn't bookmark it at the time and I've been trying to find it again ever since. Can anyone remember it?

I did find another site through japaneselevelup.com, but it's not as good as I remember the other one being.

http://youtubeowaraitv.blog32.fc2.com/ (Note: This is the Variety show page. You can select Drama/anime/music PVs on the top left.)

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