Mother (2010)

Synopsis

Suzuhara Nao becomes a teacher at an elementary school. She’s in charge of of first-year students and doesn’t have much passion for her job. One of her young students named Reina becomes attached to her new teacher. One day, Nao notices bruises on Reina and realizes that she is the victim of child abuse. At first Nao doesn’t say anything, but Nao notices more bruises with each passing day and Reina’s absences from school become more frequent. As a mother, Nao’s maternal instincts kicks in and she decides to take of Reina. Nao & Reina then takes a train from their native Hokkaido to Tokyo...

Magerarenai Onna 曲げられない女 (2010)

Synopsis

Ogiwara Saki, 33, is a woman who does not go with the flow of society but forges her own path. She hates flattering men and trying to be nice to people of the same sex. She has failed the bar exam ten times in a row but persists in her dream of being a lawyer while working as a clerk at a law firm. Saki’s good friend, Hasumi Riko, who is a mother of two children, was high school classmates with Saki, but is in fact 35, because she had deliberately declared herself to be two years younger. She has no qualms of lying for the sake of female happiness, pretending to be married to a man of wealth and blessed with children. Because her personality is the exact opposite, this accentuates Saki’s uncompromising way of life.

Utsukushii Rinjin 美しい隣人 (2011)

Synopsis

A mysterious & beautiful woman Saki Meyer (Yukie Nakama) moves next door to happy ordinary housewife Eriko Yano (Rei Dan). Meanwhile, Eriko's husband Shinji Yano (Atsuro Watabe), becomes confused by his feelings for temptress Saki.

Saki Meyer comes alone saying her foreign husband will be coming to Japan soon from abroad. She slowly intrudes into Eriko's life and her family. Saki tears down Eriko's trust and threatens Eriko's happy daily life.

Shinji Yano is Eriko's husband. He works for a large consumer electronic home appliance company. Shinji is popular because he takes care of his subordinates. He is promoted so he live alone in Osaka. After moving to Osaka, he comes home to Tokyo on weekends. Lately though, he does not go home as often. During this time he becomes drawn to a mysterious dark woman.

Toilet No Kamisama トイレの神様 (2011)

Synopsis

Kana Uemura's song "Toilet no Kamisama" turned into a 2-hour drama special on TBS. The song, which is nearly 10 minutes in length, tells of Uemura's relationship with her grandmother, from her childhood to her grandmother's death.

Okujou No Aru Apaato 屋上のある アパート (2011)

Synopsis

Katsuragi Asako, 27, having recently lost her job at a small publishing company, decides to change her life by moving out of her parent’s home and into her own apartment which comes with a rooftop. That move brings with it a mix of new and old friends as well as a new job and the potential for new loves. But moving to an apartment of her own isn’t the only thing it will take for Asako to make the changes she needs to make in herself...

Freeter, Ie o Kau SP フリーター、家を買うSP (2011)

Synopsis

The special episode will take place a year later, and it will focus on the conclusion of the love story between Seiji and Manami, who have been leading separate lives due to their work.

Freeter, Ie o Kau フリーター、家を買う (2010)

Synopsis

The story revolves around Take Seiji, who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site. Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: “Even though I’m just a freeter, I’m going to buy a house for the sake of my family.” One of the people he meets at the construction site is Chiba Manami, who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other. –Tokyograph

Review
What is fascinating about this drama is its honest insight into some of Japan's social problems and how both the young and old generations are trying to come to grips with it, while harking back to traditional values that are worth their weight in gold but sadly eroding away under pressure from modernisation.

CHANGE (2008)

Synopsis

Kimura plays Keita Asakura, 35, a primary school teacher from rural Nagano Prefecture whose recently deceased father had been a dietman from Kyushu. An all-around nice guy, Keita has no interest in politics and agrees to run only to get everyone off his back once and for all. But with the help of some sharp political operatives, he will be swept into the Diet and toward the prime ministership.

Once elected, he's bounced about and manipulated by the elders of the Seiyuto (Political Friends Party) as he tries to use his power to change things for the better.

3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei 1 3年B組金八先生 1 (1979)

Synopsis

Stars popular actor Takeda Tetsuya as an inspirational teacher put in charge of an unruly class of 9th graders. This highly-rated series reveals a rarely-seen side of Japan's educational system. - It may be an old J-drama, but it is a real classic and one not to be missed by any J-drama lovers. Takeda Tetsuya in his most memorable role.

Akai Ito

Synopsis

The story was one of the best-selling novels of 2007, it revolves around the "red thread of fate" connecting the young pair Mei and Atsushi and the trials they face.

Cast
 
Minamisawa Nao as Takemiya Mei
Miyatake Mio as young Mei

Aishiteru

Synopsis

Typical mother Noguchi Satsuki spent her days trying to balance her life as a wife to her hard-working husband Kazuhiko and mother to their only son Tomoya, a seemingly withdrawn fifth-grader with whom Satsuki struggled to communicate. Seiko and Ozawa Hideaki, living in the same neighborhood as the Noguchi family, were raising a rebellious junior high school daughter Mihoko and their first son Kiyotaka a second-grader who was showered with much love and affection by his mother.

On that ill-fated day when Kiyotaka was reported missing and was later found dead, Tomoya was taken into custody by police as the prime murder suspect. Tomoya slowly begins to open up about his innermost feelings as the hidden truth reveals the true motive behind his cruel act of violence. Satsuki, as mother of the perpetrator, comes face-to-face with her son’s true self while Seiko, as mother of the victim, deals with her sorrow and anger.

Ace wo Nerae!

Synopsis

"Ace", an all time favorite comic book that sold 15 million copies is finally dramatized! A positive success story of an ordinary high school girl who gradually discovers her hidden talent of tennis through severe trainings designed by her strict coach. Can she every become an "Ace" tennis player?

Hiromi Oka decides to join the high school tennis club from the moment she saw the star player Reika's (Matsumoto) excellent and smashing play. However, once the tennis lesson began, Hiromi finds herself bored in the succession of simple practice swings. One day, Munakata becomes appointed as the new head coach of the tennis team. His special training was nothing but original, extreme, and severe. In addition, he suddenly chose Hiromi, a tennis beginner, to be the member of the up coming tennis tournament Not only Hiromi, but also her teammates become confused and take the odd situation unfair. Jealousy of her friends and teammates mounted, and they started to talk behind her back. Finally, Hiromi decides to leave the team and run away from the uncomfortable reality, but the coach strongly refused. Instead, he gave her an even more severe and personalized training.