Bokura no Yuuki is an incredibly compelling, complicated, somewhat eerie drama with an all-star cast (largely before they were stars).

Two teens (played by the Kinki Kids) sneak into a city they believe to be under lock-down after a massive earthquake. While there, they find there was no earthquake. The entire city has been quarantined by the government, due to a mysterious illness that has infected and killed every adult. Now that they've entered, they're trapped.

The children of this city, trapped in what amounts to post-apocalyptic circumstances, struggle to survive and war over limited resources and territory. The few remaining teens attempt to establish order and negotiate with the government that has abandoned them.

Bokura no Yuuki is an amazing survival tale with a level of intensity rarely seen in prime-time dramas. The story is very well constructed and paced. It is suspenseful, but also takes the time to develop each character and relationship.

The cast is mostly children, but they do a beautiful job portraying the many emotions in this drama: mourning, emotional upheaval, frustration, betrayal, childlike naivety and hope...

I can't say enough good things about this drama, although I will provide one warning. The first episode is misleading because the old-fashioned technology feels very "dated". The first episode turned me off the series initially, but when I pushed through to the second episode, I was thoroughly hooked. It is now among my very favorite dramas.

As an aside, this is MatsuJun's first acting role! At age 13/14, he's ridiculously adorable.

Leia Mais

A young woman rushes home to Japan from New York City to be by her dying father's side. She convinces an attractive young man she meets on the plane to act as her boyfriend during her father's final moments. But when they arrive, they learn it was all a ruse to bring his daughter home. And during the same visit, she learns she is pregnant by her jerk ex-boyfriend back in NYC...

Virgin Road is a wonderful older drama that blends a warm family story with a mature romance. There is a careful balance between the comedic masquerade of pretend lovers and the sensitive issues of pregnancy and impending single motherhood. The characters are mostly realistic, but things are kept interesting with over-protective silliness, petty jealousies, vengeful exes, and a deep, blossoming romance. The strong cast and carefully executed storyline more than make up for the age of the show.

This emotional, thoughtful, romantic and fun story is a classic well worth watching.

Leia Mais

Iguana no Musume is a bizarre 90's drama intended to be viewed as a modern fairytale, complete with magic. (Alternately, it can be viewed as a romantic and family drama studded with devastating mental illness. I prefer to view the show through this lens.)

A high school girl, Rika, has lived her entire life shunned, villified, and verbally abused by her mother. Her mother is disturbingly mentally ill and openly unable to love Rika. This mistreatment all stems from the fact that Rika's mother only sees an ulgy iguana when she looks at her. Rika grows up entirely convinced that she is actually an iguana and that everyone will shun her when they find out the truth.

The story mostly follows painfully shy Rika in high school, finally coming out of her shell, making friends and falling in love. Her mother attempts to sabotage progress at every turn and is quite easy to dislike.

This show very clearly shows its age, is based on a ridiculous premise and has some aggravatingly oblivious and over-simplified characters portrayed by blunt actors. However, it does have its strong moments. Highlights include clear, consistent character growth and an unexpected level of tradgedy. It's a wonderful example of the incessantly victimized heroine of shoujo manga. It's an easy, engaging and entirely bizarre watch.

Leia Mais

This is an incredibly warm-feeling drama. It's a relaxing, unstressful watch, without being boring. The episodes are well-paced and the overall story is nicely balanced between humor, sentimentality, and serious hardship. This is not a drama that will have you tearing your hair out with frustration.

It's a coming of age story for all 4 characters, despite their ages ranging from 6 to mid-30's. Three defiant, largely "good-for-nothing" men work so hard to provide a wonderful foundation for a child who has been betrayed by more typically "respectable" adults. They grow together as a haphazard family, while individually confronting their troubled pasts.

The sense of community and unselfishness reflected in this drama still makes me smile. The fact that it involves three good looking men caring for an adorable 6 year old, certainly doesn't hurt!

Leia Mais

More than a supernatural romance, this is a standard romantic comedy with a Freaky Friday twist. They blend the drama and humor seamlessly and do a very good job building chemistry. This series certainly became so popular for a reason. They aren’t afraid to use clichés or manufacture drama—most of which is well-scripted, properly executed, and fun; however, it has its cringe-worthy moments. Push through those iffy parts and you’ll likely leave very satisfied.

This is a Cinderella romance where the heroine is too strong and independent to bother with being wooed by some rich guy. But then they swap bodies REPEATEDLY and learn to appreciate the other's perspective. But, of course, they face all the challenges a k-drama rom-com couple needs to face: tragic pasts, romantic rivals, evil in-laws and more! So many clichés! But so high energy and fun! And among the Best. Endings. Ever.

(And you can just ignore all the hideous, sparkly track suits. They totally became 'A Thing'.)

One minor criticism -- this drama was marketed to me for the Strong, Independent Female Lead. While mostly true and ultimately satisfying, some of the worst clichéd moments seriously detract from her character.

Leia Mais

Altogether, this is a coming-of-age story about what it means to be human, and perhaps what it means to be a good human.

It's a poignant, bizarre slice-of-life/sci-fi high school romance about a boy who discovers a life-like female robot. Their relationship blossoms as he takes her to school and teaches her how to be human. The combination of humor, bizarre situations, coming-of-age issues and romance will appeal to fans of Nobuta wo Produce.

The acting is strong and the story is really well strung together. It manages to be surreal, cute and coherent all at once. Every character is likeable in some weird, peaceful way. Watching this series is both engaging and relaxing, almost like yoga or cloud watching.

Leia Mais

This is a hugely popular cross-dressing rom-com about a sheltered nun who fills in for her twin brother as a member of a popular boy band. Outrageous, addictive, quick paced and wildly romantic, this tops the lists as a must watch.

You're Beautiful is stuffed with outrageous situations and intense love triangles. It covers most of the cliches in the book and altogether stands as one of the least realistic romances I've seen. If you reflect on just what happened in any particular episode, you'll realize "Wow, what the heck did I just watch?" However, it all adds up to be one of the most engaging, infatuating, enjoyable dramas in recent years. It wholly deserves it popularity and can easily be rewatched multiple times (because you will want to share this series with friends).

The casting was spot-on, the use of music was incredibly, emotionally effective, and the storyline gleefully oversteps the line of "cautious" to throw everything and anything at the leads. It's great as a first drama to introduce to newbies or as a pick me up after a tough day.

Leia Mais

Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake is a mature romance, forbidden romance, coming of age story and tear jerker all rolled into one. It's an intensely emotional romance based around the harsh themes of prostitution and HIV, but perhaps more important is its exploration of self-respect, independence and personal responsibilty.

A girl prostitutes herself to buy concert tickets and then has a one night stand with a famous composer she idolizes. Later, she learns she has HIV. The story follows her maturation as a woman, the blossoming of her romance, and the progression of her disease.

Tough issues are addressed without being trivialized or romanticized. All aspects of her disease are handled maturely and rationally. The show plays out more as a general coming of age romance than a tear jerker. Highlights include an admirably strong female lead and strong chemistry with a gorgeous guy.

I watched it for the cathartically painful plotline, but came away impressed with how sweet a love story it was.

Leia Mais