Mitokomon (水戸黄門) TBS, Monday 8:00pm, premieres October 13 Kotaro Satomi is back as the star for the 39th season of this period drama, revolving around the legendary defender of justice, Mitokomon. While most of the regular cast remains the same, gravure idol Sayaka Isoyama has been added as a new face, taking on her first jidaigeki role. Other Cast: Ryuji Harada, Masashi Goda, Kaoru Yumi, Tento Matsui, Takashi Naito Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/mito/ Innocent Love (イノセント・ラヴ) Fuji TV, Monday 9:00pm, premieres October 20 Maki Horikita stars in this painful love story about a lonely woman named Kanon and a seemingly innocent but troubled pianist Junya, played by Yuzu's Yujin Kitagawa. As a child, Kanon loses her parents to a murderer and her brother is arrested as a suspect, leaving her all alone. Forced to leave her town to find a new life, she meets Junya and falls in love, but the path ahead of them is still filled with obstacles. Other Cast: Yu Kashii, Seiji Fukushi, Hiroki Narimiya, Yuki Uchida, Kosuke Toyohara Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/innocentlove/ Celeb to Binbou Taro (セレブと貧乏太郎) Fuji TV, Tuesday 9:00pm, premieres October 14 This romantic comedy stars Aya Ueto as a character supposedly modeled after Paris Hilton. Ueto plays Alice, the spoiled celebrity daughter of a hotel magnate and an actress. Somehow, she ends up becoming an unlikely couple with Taro Sato (Yusuke Kamiji), a poor, working-class widower raising three children. Other Cast: Ryoko Kuninaka, Takashi Kashiwabara, Mayumi Wakamura, Shinji Yamashita, Morio Kazama, Takayuki Takuma, Megumi Nakayama Official Site: http://www.fujitv.co.jp/celeb/ Team Batista no Eikou (チーム・バチスタの栄光) Fuji TV, Tuesday 10:00pm, premieres October 14 "Team Batista no Eikou" is based on an award-winning novel about the investigation of a series of deaths at a prominent hospital. It was recently turned into a movie starring Yuko Takeuchi, but the drama will have a male protagonist like the original novel. Atsushi Ito of "Densha Otoko" fame is taking the lead, while Toru Nakamura co-stars as a government official assisting in the investigation. Other Cast: Yumiko Shaku, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Yu Shirota, Yuko Natori, Ryuzo Hayashi, Daisuke Miyagawa, Shingo Tsurumi Official Site: http://www.ktv.co.jp/batista/ Oh! My Girl!! (オー！マイガール！！) NTV, Tuesday 10:00pm, premieres October 14 Up-and-coming ikemen actor Mocomichi Hayami is the star of this comedy series. He plays a poor bachelor who is trying to make a name for himself as an author of a mobile phone novel. Due to certain circumstances, he ends up sharing a home with a talented 6-year-old actress (Riko Yoshida), and as a result he is forced to play the part of a father figure. Rosa Kato plays the child's manager. Other Cast: Rie Tomosaka, YOU, Arata Furuta, Takeshi Kaga, Yoshinori Okada, Hitomi Takahashi Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/ohmygirl/ Aibou 7 (相棒) TV Asahi, Wednesday 9:00pm, premieres October 22 Still basking in the success of its film adaptation this past spring, the hit detective drama "Aibou" is back for a 7th season. This is said to be the final chapter for Yasufumi Terawaki's character, though it is not yet clear how much further the franchise will continue without one half of the crime-fighting duo. Fans will surely want to tune in to see what develops. Other Cast: Sawa Suzuki, Saya Takagi, Ittoku Kishibe Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/aibou/ OL Nippon (ＯＬにっぽん) NTV, Wednesday 10:00pm, premieres October 8 Alisa Mizuki takes the lead in this comedy series, playing a hard-working OL in a long-standing firm. But with economic pressures pushing her company towards outsourcing jobs to China, she finds herself challenged by some new overseas arrivals and their manager (Sadao Abe). This is another series from "Haken no Hinkaku" writer Miho Nakazono, and like that show, one of the themes here will be about finding meaning in one's work. Other Cast: Mikihisa Azuma, Yuko Asano, Minami, Yoshio Inoue, Moro Morooka Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/ol-nippon/ Omiya-san (おみやさん) TV Asahi, Thursday 8:00pm, premieres October 16 This fall, TV Asahi's Thursday night mystery drama slot is bringing back "Omiya-san" for a 6th season. Tsunehiko Watase reprises his role as the seemingly simple but intelligent detective Kanzaburo Torii. Although he is just a part of the data division at his station, he constantly manages to crack the cases that have stumped the rest of his colleagues. Other Cast: Atsuko Sakurai, Natsumi Nanase, Kin Sugai Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/omiyasan2008/ Nanase Futatabi (七瀬ふたたび) NHK, Thursday 8:00pm, premieres October 9 Originally a novel by "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo" author Yasutaka Tsutsui, this science fiction story has been adapted as a drama once before in 1979. The story revolves around the young Nanase (Misako Renbutsu), who discovers that she has psychic powers. Now aware of her abilities, she encounters several others with similar powers, and together they form a circle of friends. When they learn of the existence of a secret organization plotting to eliminate people like them, Nanase and her friends are forced to prepare for a confrontation. Other Cast: Shun Shioya, Miki Mizuno, Kanako Yanagihara, Kamejiro Ichikawa, Fumiyo Kohinata, Soichiro Kitamura, Tomohiro Kaku Official Site: http://www.nhk.or.jp/drama8/nanase/ Shoni Kyumei (小児救命) TV Asahi, Thursday 9:00pm, premieres October 16 The medical drama "Shoni Kyumei" highlights a major problem in recent years - there has been a steady decline in the number of pediatricians in Japan, making access to proper health care for children more difficult to find as hospitals close their pediatrics departments. In this series, Manami Konishi stars as a doctor at one such hospital. The story follows her struggles as she leaves to establish a new hospital dedicated to providing 24-hour emergency care for children. Other Cast: Takashi Tsukamoto, Ryo Katsuji, Sayaka Yamaguchi, Tomonori Jinnai, Ren Osugi Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/kyumei/ Kaze no Garden (風のガーデン) Fuji TV, Thursday 10:00pm, premieres October 9 "Kaze no Garden" is the latest drama from screenwriter Sou Kuramoto, recognized for shows like "Kita no Kuni Kara" and "Yasashii Jikan." Kiichi Nakai stars as an anesthesiologist in Tokyo who learns that he has terminal cancer. He decides to return to his home in Furano, Hokkaido, where his father (Ken Ogata, in his last TV role) lives. He also reunites with his two children (Meisa Kuroki, Ryunosuke Kamiki), whom he has not heard from since several years earlier, when his wife committed suicide and his father disowned him. One of his wife's legacies is a beautiful garden, which his father and children have been tending to. Other Cast: Ryoko Kuninaka, Eri Ishida, Hiroshi Fuse, Ayaka Hirahara, Guts Ishimatsu, Eiji Okuda Official Site: http://www.fujitv.co.jp/garden/ Yume wo Kanaeru Zou (夢をかなえるゾウ) NTV, Thursday 12:00am, premieres October 2 Inspired by a best-selling novel by Keiya Mizuno, "Yume wo Kanaeru Zou" tells the story of a young woman (Asami Mizukawa), recently dumped by her boyfriend and forced out of her home. Desperately wishing for a better life, she is surprised by the sudden appearance of a Kansai-ben-speaking version of the Hindu god Ganesha (Arata Furuta), who offers to lead her to the happiness she desires. The series actually takes place after a 2-hour special that stars Shun Oguri, based on the original novel. Other Cast: Mariko Okubo, Kenta Satoi Official Site: http://www.ytv.co.jp/yumezou/ Giragira (ギラギラ) TV Asahi, Friday 9:00pm, premieres October 17 The manga-to-drama adaptation "Giragira" places Kuranosuke Sasaki in his first lead role in a TV series. He plays the part of Kohei, a 36-year-old salaryman with a wife (Sachie Hara) and daughter. In the past, he was once a popular host, known as the "king of Roppongi," but he retired when he met his wife and never told her. When he suddenly gets laid off, he finds himself unable to get another job due to a lack of education and qualifications, leaving him no choice but to return to his former lifestyle. Other Cast: Miki Maya, Shohei Miura, Shunji Igarashi, Tsuyoshi Abe, Sei Ashina Official Site: http://giragira.asahi.co.jp/ Ryusei no Kizuna (流星の絆) TBS, Friday 10:00pm, premieres October 17 "Ryusei no Kizuna" shows a lot of promise, being based on a mystery novel by acclaimed author Keigo Higashino with a script written by the popular Kankuro Kudo. In addition, three rising stars - Kazunari Ninomiya, Ryo Nishikido, and Erika Toda - have been cast in the lead roles. The trio play siblings whose parents were murdered, and with no one else to rely on but each other, they grow up to become a team of swindlers, taking money from the rich. Fourteen years after the incident, as the statute of limitations approaches, they come across a man who seems to be their parents' killer, and they begin plotting against him. Other Cast: Jun Kaname, Toshinori Omi, Ryo, Susumu Terajima, Tomokazu Miura, Mika Nakashima Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/ryuseinokizuna/ Salaryman Kintaro (サラリーマン金太郎) TV Asahi, Friday 11:15pm, premieres October 10 TV Asahi is bringing back the live-action "Salaryman Kintaro" series, which originally ran on TBS for four seasons between 1999 and 2004. This version of the story features a brand-new cast, with Masaru Nagai replacing Katsunori Takahashi as the gang leader-turned-salaryman Kintaro. Other Cast: Waka Inoue, Shingo Kazama, Noriko Aoyama, Ken Utsui, Shigeki Hosokawa Official Site: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/kintaro/ Fujiko F. Fujio no Parallel Space (藤子・Ｆ・不二雄のパラレル・スペース) WOWOW, Friday 12:00am, premieres October 31 This six-episode omnibus series adapts six stories from the sci-fi/fantasy manga anthology "Ishoku Tanpenshu" by Fujiko F. Fujio. Each story has a different cast and crew, and the first one up is "Nebumi Camera" featuring Masami Nagasawa as a woman who comes across an unusual camera that can reveal a person's worth. The other stories include "Aitsu no Time Machine," "Kawaiko-kun," and "Bokura Kyowakoku." Other Cast: Kane Kosugi, Tomoko Tabata, Mimura, Jun Kunimura, Kumiko Aso, Jun Kaname, Mitsuki Tanimura Official Site: http://www.wowow.co.jp/drama/fujikof/ Men-dol (メン☆ドル～イケメンアイドル～) TV Tokyo, Friday 12:12am, premieres October 10 TV Tokyo's new late-night drama series is a comedy about three ordinary girls aiming to become idols, but all of their auditions end in failure. One day, they witness a serious crime, and they find themselves being hunted down by a hitman. They are saved by a talent manager who is willing to give them their debut, but they have to dress up as boys in order to hide their identities. AKB48 members Haruna Kojima, Minami Takahashi, and Minami Minegishi play the starring roles. Other Cast: Hanako Takigawa, Yinling of Joytoy, Leona Hirota Official Site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/mendol/ Bloody Monday (ブラッディ・マンデイ) TBS, Saturday 8:00pm, premieres October 11 Ryo Ryumon's action/suspense manga "Bloody Monday" is being brought to life on the small screen. Rising youngster Haruma Miura stars as a genius hacker recruited by the police to save the world from a dangerous terrorist organization planning to unleash a deadly virus. Danger is lurking everywhere, as the terrorists have infiltrated the police and even his school. Other Cast: Michiko Kichise, Takeru Sato, Yutaka Matsushige, Nana Katase, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Sei Ashina, Hiroki Narimiya Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/bloody-monday/ Scrap Teacher (スクラップ・ティーチャー～教師再生～) NTV, Saturday 9:00pm, premieres October 11 This past April, four Hey! Say! JUMP members (Yuto Nakajima, Ryosuke Yamada, Yuri Chinen, and Daiki Arioka) starred in a drama special called "Sensei wa Erai!," where they played a group of students who transform an unpopular teacher into a more respectable man. In "Scrap Teacher," the four have been cast in similar roles as newly transferred students at a failing school, and they take on the task of reforming their incompetent teachers. Other Cast: Ai Kato, Yusuke Kamiji, Osamu Mukai, Norito Yashima Official Site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/scrap/ ROOM OF KING (ROOM OF KING) Fuji TV, Saturday 11:10pm, premieres October 4 This unusual comedy revolves around a group of housemates sharing a luxurious apartment. One is a freeter (Hiro Mizushima), one is a bank employee (Anne Suzuki), one is a gynecologist (Haruka Igawa), and one is a popular stylist (Atsuro Watabe). Along with a cook (Itsuji Itao), they have been scouted to participate in a competition that will determine who gets ownership of the apartment. Other Cast: Shigeru Saiki, Tatsuya Gashuin, Mickey Curtis Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/ROK/ Akai Ito (赤い糸) Fuji TV, Saturday 11:10pm, premieres December 6 After "ROOM OF KING" ends its run, Fuji TV will premiere its adaptation of the popular mobile phone novel "Akai Ito." Nao Minamisawa and Junpei Mizobata star as a young couple dealing with various trials in their lives, such as drugs, violence, and death. The story explores their growth through all of those experiences, as well as the relationship between the two, who seem to be magically connected by the "red thread of fate." The drama's plot will intertwine with a movie version that opens on December 20, while the show is still on the air. Other Cast: Ryo Kimura, Rei Okamoto, Anna Ishibashi, Nanami Sakuraba, Tomo Yanagishita, Sayuri Iwata, Mirai Moriyama Official Site: http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/akai-ito/ SCANDAL (SCANDAL) TBS, Sunday 9:00pm, premieres October 19 In this series exploring the lives of married women across different generations, Takako (Kyoka Suzuki) appears to be a perfect housewife, but her family life is a mess as she deals with a rebellious daughter and an unfaithful husband. At a wedding party for a former co-worker named Risako (Naho Toda), she meets three other married women of different backgrounds, played by Kaori Momoi, Kyoko Hasegawa, and Kazue Fukiishi. When Risako suggests they play a "game" to see who is the last to pick up a man at a bar, the women get caught up in an incident that brings them together as friends. Other Cast: Ikki Sawamura, Ken Mitsuishi, Kenichi Endo, Fumiyo Kohinata Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/scandal2008/ Prisoner (プリズナー) WOWOW, Sunday 10:00pm, premieres November 16 This suspense drama is based on the book "Prisoner in Phnom Penh," a true account of a writer who was falsely imprisoned for half a year and attempted to escape. For the television version, the story has been moved to the fictional southeast Asian country Seraivia. Tetsuji Tamayama stars as a former teacher named Keigo who travels to the country to visit his senpai Yuzuhara (Shunsuke Nakamura), who is running an orphanage there. When a problem with Yuzuhara's funding arises, Keigo gets thrown in jail by a corrupt policeman. However, his cellmate Pon (Nao Omori) offers him an escape plan. Other Cast: Mayu Tsuruta, Mayumi Sada, Fumiyo Kohinata, Yutaka Matsushige, Ken Ishiguro Official Site: http://www.wowow.co.jp/dramaw/prisoner/ Tetsudo Musume (鉄道むすめ～Girls be ambitious～) tvk, Friday 9:00pm, premieres October 10 *schedule varies by network Tetsudo Musume, a line of Tomytec figurines based on female railway workers, forms the basis for this omnibus drama about the lives of seven women in the railroad industry. The series is scheduled to last for 13 episodes, with six of the story arcs lasting two episodes each. The stars of the show are idols Ami Tokito; Tomomi Kasai and Sae Miyazawa (of AKB48); Mai Endo, Erika Tonooka, and Erika Yazawa (of Idoling!!!); and Rin Takanashi. Official Site: http://tetsudomusume.siteinfo.jp/ Dandan (だんだん) NHK, Monday-Saturday 8:15am, premieres September 29 NHK's 79th morning drama series is "Dandan," starring the twins ManaKana as sisters separated at birth. One is a high schooler in the Shimane prefecture who is looking to attend a university in Kyoto. When she goes there, she meets her sister, who is working as an apprentice geisha. After realizing their connection and getting to know each other, they decide to become a singing duo. Other Cast: Hikari Ishida, Eisaku Yoshida, Sawa Suzuki, Isao Natsuyagi, Shiho Fujimura, Kotomi Kyono Official Site: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/asadora/dandan/ Cafe Kichijoji de (ｃａｆｅ吉祥寺で) TV Tokyo, Weekdays 11:50am, premieres September 29 The popular comedy manga "Cafe Kichijoji de" is now on the air as a live-action drama, marking TV Tokyo's first attempt at a daytime series. The original story revolved around the misadventures of five handsome men working at a cafe, and the resulting problems for their manager. For the drama, the character of the manager has been changed to a female and is the first starring role for talento Emiri Nakayama. Other Cast: Kazuki Kato, Akihiro Mayama, Momosuke Mizutani, Manpei Takagi, Jun Ikeda Official Site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/cafe/ Panda ga Machi ni Yatte Kuru (パンダが町にやってくる) TBS, Weekdays 1:30pm, premieres November 3 Morisanchu's Tomoko Murakami takes the lead as a 29-year-old talento who was once a promising child actress and singer, but whose career went downhill after the age of 20. Now, her work consists of minor gigs such as playing a panda character on a children's show. She marries a young patissier (Naoki Nokubo), but their new life together is far from the happiness that they both imagined, as they are visited by constant troubles. Other Cast: Kenichi Sakuragi, Kyoko Yoshizawa, Yoko Asaji Official Site: http://www.mbs.jp/panda/ Aishuu no Romera (愛讐のロメラ) Fuji TV, Weekdays 1:30pm, premieres September 29 Fuji TV's current daytime drama is "Aishuu no Romera," starring Aiko Ito as the heroine Tamaki. At a young age, her father died in an accident and her mother ran away from home, leaving Tamaki to take care of her ailing brother Ryota (played by actor Ryuya). One day, she hears news of her mother's death, and she rushes to the hospital, only to find out that her mother has completely changed and that her death was the result of suicide. Consoled by the hospital director's son Kyosuke (Kenji Aiba), she begins falling in love, but she soon finds out that Kyosuke's father was having an affair with her mother, which led to her mother's disappearance and suicide. Source: tokyograph
