Jdrama Winter 2014 Season Preview

This season feels both rather barren and full of interesting shows. We've got romance, action, mystery, period, terminal-illness, and even child drama. Plus lots of big names for younger people: Everybody's sweethearts Ashida Mana and Ishihara Satomi, popularity list topper Mukai Osamu and Miura Haruma, and idols from Arashi and SMAP.

But I still feel like "this is it?", for some reason. Maybe it's just that I feel like the number of dramas that even potentially interest me is too low. But then again, who knows how many of these I'll be able to watch weekly anyway.

	Boku no Ita Jikan The time I was there Featuring: Miura Haruma ♥, Tabe Mikako (again? seriously?) Time: Fuji Wed@10pm Start: Jan 8 A person with problems suddenly learns he is terminally ill (Nooo!). He tries to make the best of his life. I am left confused as to whether that means there will be lots of crying (on my part) or if it will focus on trying to be optimistic.
	Nezumi, Edo wo Hashiru The rat runs through Edo [period] Featuring: Takizawa Hideaki (Tackey&Tsubasa), Kutsuna Shiori ♥ Time: NHK Thu@8pm Start: Jan 9 Period drama. The rat saves the poor weak people from the rich strong meanies.
	Kinkyu Torishirabeshitsu Emergency interrogation room Featuring: Amami Yuki, Hayami Mokomichi ♥ Time: Asahi Thu@9pm Start: Jan 9 Female police in an all-male environment joins the interrogation group. She uncovers important information about a past case and drama ensues.
	Lost Days Featuring: Seven young actors Time: Fuji Sat@11pm Start: Jan 11 This is basically a typical cabin-in-the-woods cottage-in-the-mountains horror movie made into a Jdrama. Seriously.
	S - Saigo no Keikan S - The last policeman Featuring: Mukai Osamu ♥, Ayano Go ♥ Time: TBS Sun@9pm Start: Jan 12 Do you honestly want to know? It has Mukai Osamu, Ayano Go, and they're police, they catch criminals and they have political and personal dramas. That's all anyone needs to know.
	Shitsuren Chocolatier Heartbroken chocolatier Featuring: Matsujun ♥ (Arashi), Ishihara Satomi ♥, Mizukawa Asami Time: Fuji Mon@9pm Start: Jan 13 Matsujun has a love story. Also makes chocolate. Lots of pink is involved.
	Fukuie Keibuho no Aisatsu Assistant Inspector Fukuie's greeting Featuring: Dan Rei, Inagaki Goro (SMAP) Time: Fuji Tue@9pm Start: Jan 14 Fukuie solves homicides. She is smart yet annoying. It's refreshing to see a woman being the genius for a change.
	Ashita, Mama ga Inai Tomorrow, mom won't be there Featuring: Ashida Mana ♥ Time: NTV Wed@10pm Start: Jan 15 Ashida is sent to an orphanage after her mom goes to jail. She is trying to survive with the other kids, and waiting for her mom to come back, but a different family wants to adopt her.
	Yoru no Sensei Night teacher Featuring: Mizuki Alisa, Tanaka Kei, Oomasa Aya Time: Fri@10pm Start: Jan 17 Teacher trying to get problem students to become better people in a special non-school class. I think.
	Watashi no Kirai na Tantei The detective I hate Featuring: Tamaki Hiroshi ♥, Gouriki Ayame ☹ Time: Asahi Fri@11pm Start: Jan 17 Pretty, smart, but annoying private investigator solves murders. What else is new in the world of Jdrama.

Also: Kagi no Kakatta Heya (Jan 3) and Saikou no Rikon (some time in Feb) are getting SPs so look out for those.

Dramas I want to watch:

Boku no Ita Jikan: I feel undecided about this one. I'm really bad with this type of drama, but then there's Miura Haruma. By the way, seriously, is it a coincidence they put him up with Tabe Mikako? I like her since Yamada Tarou Monogatari, but they didn't do it as a leading couple for me in Kimi ni Todoke. That was just sad.

I guess I'll just have to try the drama and see.

Lost Days: This drama has the potential to be supremely good, but I bet it won't live up to any of it because it looks super low production. But I will try it for sure. Here's to hoping it's not too scary.

PS: Who watches dramas on TV at saturday midnight?

S - Saigo no Keikan: Mukai Osamu + Ayano Go = sold, sold, sold! Honestly the topic looks very uninteresting to me, but if the visuals are anything like that badass poster, I'll be content with just staring.

Shitsuren Chocolatier: I'm going to be not only watching, but subbing this drama. Its airing time is very inconvenient, on a monday, which will be troublesome to deal with, but is it possible for me to miss out on my ultimate faves Matsujun and Satomi-chan? No! I never thought such a couple would happen, but now that it happened, all I can think is: Why didn't I think of that!

This drama looks like the ultimate eye candy, by the way. Not only Matsujun's hair is perfect and Satomi is even prettier than usual, you need to see the chocolates I'm guessing he's going to be making (there were some preview pics on the official website). I'm drooling just thinking about them.

Fukuie Keibuho no Aisatsu: I want to watch this drama in theory but there is a very good chance it will be boring. Will decide after episode 1.

Ashita, Mama ga Inai: Will check out for the drama. Mana-chan grows up so fast, sometimes I don't even recognize her because I keep remembering her as 5 y/o.

Yoru no Sensei: This drama looks really crappy but I'm a 100% sucker for problem class dramas so I think it deserves a shot. Plus it has Oomasa Aya (why does this girl not manage to land bigger roles even after all this time?) and Tanaka Kei, who are decently popular, so it can't be too bad, right?

Watashi no Kirai na Tantei: Here's the dilemma. I love Tamaki Hiroshi. In fact, he is on the list of my ultimate faves (along with Matsujun, Miura, Mukai, among others, what can I say, it's a crowded list). However, I absolutely hate the face, voice, and existence of Gouriki Ayame. No idea why, she brings out the worst in me. In fact, she's my least favorite actress. So do I watch this or not?

As usual, it will be up to episode 1 to convince me that Tamaki is good enough, the plot is interesting enough, Gouriki is tolerable enough. Do you think it will succeed? I call its odds of success 35%.