Are you tired of those never-ending seasons of American shows repeating the same old story or bored of the Hallyyu wave of 16 episodes? This might be your sign to start something new and different: J-dramas. The Japanese entertainment industry often gets typecast within the anime radar, but people who have followed the J-drama waggon know the plethora of entertainment they serve.
J-Dramas might not be as popular as Korean or Thai ones, but they have been slowly gaining international prominence thanks to online platforms like Netflix and Dramacool. What makes J-dramas different from others is their simple narration of poignant storytelling, rich cultural context, and compelling characters. If you look closely, they have something for everyone, whether you’re inclined to dramatic love stories, perplexing mysteries, sci-fi, or slice-of-life sagas that provide a reality check into ordinary Japanese living.
Now if you are convinced enough, grab the comfiest seat with a warm cup of ramen and binge on these six popular J-Dramas across all genres:
1. Alice In Borderland
Based on the manga series Imawa no Kuni no Arisu by Haro Aso, the plot starts with Ryohei Arisu, an unemployed young man who is obsessed with video games, and whose life has not been very happy. One day, a mysterious light appears, causing everybody to slowly disappear except for Ryohei Arisu and his two friends. Tokyo is empty and turns dystopian. Ryohei Arisu and his friends are forced to take part in a survival game with their lives at stake where they meet other characters.
Stream On: Netflix
2. The Beginning Of The Sea
One of my current favourite watches. The heartwarming plot revolves around the 28-year-old Tsukioka Natsu who works for a printing company in Tokyo. One day, Tsukioka Natsu hears that his ex Nagumo Mizuki died. They were in a romantic relationship when they attended the same university but later Nagumo Mizuki suddenly told him that she wanted to end their relationship, and disappeared afterward. He didn’t hear anything about her for the past 7 years after their breakup. Later, Tsukioka Natsu attends Nagumo Mizuki’s funeral, where he meets a young child named Umi who turns out to be his daughter.
Stream On: Dramacool
3. Boys Over Flowers
Do I really need to introduce this to you? Makino Tsukushi is the only poor student at Eitoku Gakuen, a school for the ridiculously rich and privileged. Eitoku Gakuen is ruled by the Flower 4, or otherwise known as the F4, a group of four boys who come from extremely powerful families: Domyoji Tsukasa, the leader and heir of the Domyoji World Finance Group; Hanazawa Rui, the introverted son of a large company; Nishikado Sojiro, a player who is the heir of a tea ceremony school; and Mimasaka Akira, a madam killer with ties to the underground.
If a student gets on the F4’s bad side, he/she gets a red notice and is bullied and driven out of school. Makino hopes to pass her days quietly—without drawing any attention to herself—but one day, she stands up to Domyoji in defence of her friend. The next day, Makino receives the dreaded red notice. Even though she is harassed, Makino decides to keep going to school and declares war on the F4, because she’s a tough one.
Stream On: Viki
4. Great Teacher Onizuka
A classic in the list, this J-Drama is based on a manga of the same title. The story focuses on 22-year-old ex-bōsōzoku (gang) member Eikichi Onizuka, who becomes a teacher at a private middle school, Holy Forest Academy, in Tokyo, Japan. It is a continuation of Fujisawa’s earlier manga series Shonan Junai Gumi and Bad Company, both of which focus on the life of Onizuka before becoming a teacher. Using unusual methods, he manages to reach through to his students and help them with their problems. There are several live-action adaptations of this but the 1998 version remains a fan favourite.
5. Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo
At a high school entrance ceremony, Kotoko Aihara, who isn’t that sharp in studies, notices the pretty boy Naoki Irie. The case of love at first sight happens quite quickly but Naoki turns Kotoko down, saying “I don’t like dumb women.” One day, Kotoko Aihara’s house is severely damaged by a meteorite. (It’s fiction okay!) Until the house is rebuilt, Kotoko Aihara and her father decide to live with her father’s friend. When Kotoko Aihara moves to her new temporary house, she is surprised to learn that Naoki Irie lives there as well. Now the question is how will Naoki live with the guy who rejected her.
Stream On: Viki
6. Good Morning Call
Yoshikawa Nao stays behind to live by herself when her parents leave to inherit her grandfather’s farm in the country. On the day she moves into her new apartment, she discovers that it was also rented to Uehara Hisashi, a cute, super-cool, popular guy from her school. Not only did their housing agency unexpectedly close down, the landlord of the apartment told them that they had to pay more for their apartment than they had expected. With no money and no home to return to, Nao and Hisashi decide to live together as flatmates.
Stream On: Netflix
Also, read: Celestial Match: Know The Perfect K-Drama To Binge Based On Your Zodiac Sign
