Japanese Dramas 101: What to Watch Guide

The following is a list of some of the most popular Japanese dramas among us international viewers, and their reviews and stories.

Mei Chan no Shitsuji (Mei chan's butler)

Story: Girl goes to an elite (elite means for rich people only) girls school, and has a handsome guy as her school butler. Every girl in that school has their own personal butler. She and her butler have to compete with the other girls at the school (who look down on her) and their butlers. But there is one important rule, you cannot fall in love with your butler. But the love between them is blossoming nonetheless.

Ratings: 9/10

Recommend: Yes definitely

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (The Wallflower)

Story: The main girl is a wallflower- she hides in her room all day, is very antisocial, is afraid of people because of their beauty because she thinks they are too “bright”, and likes ugly things, horror movies, etc. She even looks like a horror movie ghost. four flower boys (handsome boys) are given free housing in her huge family mansion (she is from very wealthy family) under the condition that they have to turn her into a lady.

And so the story goes. The show is so funny because of the scary horror girl humor, and the antisocial being forced to hang out with handsome boys humor, etc. And the main guy and the girl kinda have a thing going.

Ratings: 8/10

Recommend: yes (but I must say, the Japanese anime version is way better and funnier)

Atashinchi no Danshi (The Boys of My Family)

Story: Unlucky girl running from debt collectors gets a chance of a lifetime to have all her debts paid off by an old billionaire if she marries him for a month. But at the end of the month it turns out that he is dying and he has another trick condition that she has to do. Otherwise she would have to repay all the debt money (which she doesn't have). The condition is- she has to become step-mom to the old man's many sons (who are the same age as her) and live with them in an eccentric, full of surprise castle. The story is about her growing relationships with the children and how they don't want her at first but she slowly wins their hearts.

Rating: 8/10

Recommend: Yes

Hana Kimi (For You in Full Blossom)

Story: A girl is a fan of this guy (her role model, inspiration) who is a top track and field athlete that does high jump. One day after an incident, the guy completely gives up jumping. So the girl goes to the boy's school (an all-boys boarding school) disguised as boy to make the guy who gave up the sport jump again. Then many funny things happen since she is a girl pretending to be a guy, and she and the athlete guy eventually fall in love.

Rating: 10/10

Recommend: Yes definitely

Gokusen (Season 1,2,3)

Story: A mafia boss's successor decides to become a high school teacher (her dream job). She is teacher for a class full of the roudiest, most delinquent school boys who are so violent and scary that no other school or teacher want to accept them. All their previous homeroom teachers gave up with fear and ran away. So when she comes, the students think she's a girl and is a wimp and aren't scared of her. But she is secretly a terrifying mafia leader so she totally handles them with ease. The show is super funny and also has a lot of cool action scenes, and a deep developing relationship between teacher and students (especially between her and the super handsome bad boy student who is the leader of these students).

Seasons: Each season of this drama has the same girl as the teacher but different students. So it is really fun every season. 

Rating: 9/10 (the only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because there isn't a strong love story too, just a might happen. But thats because this story isn't about boy girl love, its more about teacher student parental love, and friendship, and youth)  

Recommend: Yes definitely

Yukan Club (Leisure Club)

Story: A bunch of smart, pretty elite boys and girls in a school make a club because they are bored, where they solve mystery cases.

Rating: 6.5/10

Recommend: No. Its not very interesting, just time pass.

Hana yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) (2 Seasons)

Story: A poor girl is sent to an elite (fancy school for rich people) school by her parents so that the elite education will open up a brighter future for her. But turns out, this school sucks. It is controlled by the F4, a group of 4 flower boys (rich, handsome, talented boys) who are heirs of the biggest companies in the country. The F4, especially its leader, are bullies and when they don't like someone they pick on them so bad and even make the rest of the school pick on them till they leave the school. Noone stands up the the handsome, but evil F4, until the main girl. She slaps the F4 leader after which she becomes his bullying target. But still she fights strong and he falls in love with her for her strong personality (and later she also falls for him obviously). The love story is really powerful and because the show has 2 seasons, the story is very well developed. This show did very well in many different countries.

Versions: This show is based on a manga (Japanese comic) of the same name. There is also a Japanese anime version, a Korean drama version, and a Taiwanese drama (Meteor Garden) version of this show. There is also a low-budget American version of this drama, but because its low-budget, it’s not good at all. (Please don't waste your time watching the American version)

The Japanese drama version is the best one, in my opinion. I watched Japanese version, then Korean version (did not watch Taiwanese yet).

If you want to watch different versions, I suggest Japanese, then Korean, then Taiwan.

Rating: 9/10

Recommend: Yes definitely

Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend)

Story: A girl gets a perfect robot boyfriend. Then funny things happen. Really nice love story.

Rating: 9/10

Recommend: Yes definitely

Attention Please

Story: A tomboy girl decides to become an air hostess (which obviously is a super feminine job). The story is about her journey through the training, new formed friendships, her strict but dedicated teacher, her proving everyone who doubts her wrong, and working hard through the most difficult tasks. 
Review: This is a really good workplace drama, really showcases how hard work can help one achieve dreams. The relationship of the lead with her peers and teacher is well shown. However, there is almost no romance in the story. So that made me not like the show.

Rating: 7/10

Recommend: No

Yamada Taro Monogatari

Story: Two elite boys in a school for rich elite boys are most popular in school. But one of these boys is actually really poor and is head of family for a poor family of more than 5 children. Main girl is trying to score a rich boy she falls for him but when he turns out to be poor she doesn't know what to do.

Review: Okay story. Not great. Like I've said before, I like romantic stories this drama was not romantic enough for me. It was more about friendships

Rating: 6.5/10

Recommend: No

Switch Girl

Story: Girl dresses up as a beautiful and elegant popular girl in school (switch on). But when she goes home and switches off, she looks like a disgusting nerd and acts like it.

She keeps this a secret from everyone at school till one day, a guy finds out. She is scared that he will tell people, but he keeps it a secret and then they start growing a friendship. Meanwhile, the guy is the opposite. He wears yucky ugly glasses and keeps a low-profile in school to be unnoticed, but when the glasses come off he is a super handsome guy that could possibly become super popular if he wanted to.

Rating: 7/10

Recommend: No

Kimi wa Petto (You're my pet): 

Story: Girl is a successful businesswoman, but while her career is really busy she doesn’t have anyone to go home to and is lonely. She ends up keeping a human handsome guy as a pet like a dog. I don’t remember how they end up deciding to do this crazy thing. Anyway, he acts like a pet and in return he gets a home I think and she gets company.

Versions: There is also a Korean movie version of this drama. Actually I haven’t seen this Japanese version yet. I’ve only seen the Korean movie.

Review: The Korean movie version was pretty good, so I think a Japanese drama version will be even better. But I’m not sure since I haven’t watched it.  Also the plot sounds so weird and fetish-like with the whole keeping a human as a pet thing. But that is so not what the story is about. The central theme of the story is their growing love, how they become like a family since they are living together, and how they fall in love.

Rating: No rating because I haven’t seen the drama version yet.

Recommend: Maybe yes

Proposal Daisakusen (Operation Love)

Story: guy goes to his past to make sure to get his girl

Haven’t watched this one yet, but plan to

My boss my hero: 

Haven’t watched this one yet, but plan to

Nodame Cantibile: 

Haven’t watched this one yet, but plan to

Yankee kun to Megame chan: 

Haven’t watched this one yet, but plan to