Japanese Dramas I Have Watched

Hana Kimi

Hana Kimi is one of the first Japanese dramas I watched. It is about a girl that pretends to be a boy and enrolls in an all-boys high school to convince a high jumper to high jump again. This drama is really funny, but has its serious moments. My favorite character in the whole drama is Nakatsu. He develops feelings for the girl but is conflicted because he does not know she is a girl. He starts to think he might be gay. He loves to think in his head. We see him acting out his thoughts, which is hilarious. This is a classic J-drama so I think it is a good drama for those who have never watched a J-drama. Many of the actors in this drama are in other popular dramas so this drama can help you recognize more Japanese actors and actresses. For example, there is the male lead, Shun Oguri, is a well-known Japanese actor and the girl, Maki Horikita, has been in many popular productions as well. 

Hana Yori Dango

Now this drama is a drama any drama lover would know about. Even if you have never read the manga or watched this edition, you probably have watched other editions. This is the Japanese version of Boys Over Flowers. There is also an edition made in Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China, America and I have recently learned about an Indonesian one. This drama is a cliche rich boy poor girl drama. There is a poor but bold girl that goes against the F4, a group of the richest and handsomest guys in school. Their leader is a spoiled and rude guy that always bullies other kids at school. He falls in love with the girl because other girls would never go against him. This drama is probably the best starting drama. There are multiple famous actors, actresses, and singers in this drama. This is also one of the most Japanese dramas. Shun Oguri, the male lead of Hana Kimi, also stars in this.

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

This is a drama that I think doesn't really captivate you at first. I had to watch the first episode 3 times until I finally got interested in this drama. It's about a girl, who becomes a shut-in because she was rejected and called ugly. She now likes to wear capes and likes sculls and things related to horror. She also calls handsome people or stangers shiny people. Her aunt is rich, and owns a mansion, where the 4 handsomest guys in their college live. The aunt makes a deal with them. If they can turn her niece into a yamato nadeshiko, which is an ideal Japanese woman, they can live in the mansion until they graduate without paying a cent. I don't recommend this drama as a starter. Japanese dramas are usually scarier and more exaggerated. This drama is also not as famous as the other two I listed above.The male lead is a real charm though. His name is Kamenashi Kazuya, and he is in a boy group called KAT-TUN.

Switch Girl

There are two seasons that are both really short, like 8 episodes per season. This drama is really exaggerated so beware. The girl always has these super exaggerated expressions, but if you can look past that, you will enjoy this drama. This drama is about a girl who is a switch girl, which is when a person acts totally different in public than they would usually act at home. She is gorgeous at school but a slob at home. She tries to keep this a secret, but a handsome guy from school finds out her secret. He is also a switch boy, but he is the opposite of her. He is handsome at home but ugly at school. They help each other keep this a secret. This drama is cute, sweet, and funny. I really recommend it if you just want a quick, light drama.

Ouran High School Host Club

Ouran High School Host Club is definitely a comedy. From the male lead's acting to the special effects, this drama is super exaggerating. I love Yusuke Yamamoto (his real name) the male lead, and he is in many successful productons, like Hana Kimi. This drama is about a poor girl in a school for the rich, but she got in through a scholarship. She ends up breaking an expensive vase and is forced to work for the host club to pay it off. The "king" of the club thinks that she is a boy, because of her physical appearance. He makes her a host in the host club to pay off her debt faster. Host clubs are clubs that usually have young men who act as a host and charm the women. They find out that she is actually a girl and tries to protect her known identity, which is a boy, so she can continue to be a host to pay off her debt. If you want a funny drama with cute guys, this is a drama for you. 

Gokusen

This drama has three seasons in total and are pretty similar each time. I have only finished the first season and I am currently watching the 2nd one. I am neutral about this drama. Despite it being a popular drama, I find it boring. It is a little funny at times, but the same thing happens in every episode. This drama is about a young, optimistic teacher who is the homeroom teacher of the trouble-making class of 3-D. Little do her students know, she is actually the granddaughter of a yakuza leader, or a triad, and is good at fighting herself.She does her best to make the class accept her as their homeroom teacher.

Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo

I love this drama. I watched the Taiwanese version called It Started With a Kiss. It's a really cute drama. The leads' chemistry was strong and I loved the main girl because she is so cute and clumsy. I admit, she is kind of annoying but I have learned to look past that. There is also a Korean version called Playful Kiss, which I do not like. Season 2 just came out, so you should check it out.

This drama is about a bubbly girl who is in Class F, the class with the worse grade in their year. She falls in love with the smartest guy in her grade. She stays up all night to write a confession letter, but gets rejected before he even reads the letter. Devastated, she plans on forgetting about him. Only, fate is on her side. Her new house is suddenly destroyed by a meteorite, and her father's best friend invites them to live at his house. It just so happens to be her crush's house.


Love Shuffle


Love Shuffles is about four neighbors that met for the first time when they were all stuck in the elevator due to a power failure. They learn that each other are having problems with their relationship. One of them is a psychiatrist, who comes up with the idea of shuffling their partners every week. The plot is really unique. They slowly discover why their relationships don't work and what they truly like and want.

For a more in depth post:

http://asiandramapop.blogspot.com/2015/06/love-shuffle.html

 I watched more than just these, but these are some of the more poplar ones or ones I like the most. I shall continue to update as time passes by though.

Please excuse all the mistakes I have made, for I am just starting to do this. 

Please leave comments on any other dramas that you recommend me to watch. On my free time, I will definitely check them out.