Kiseki: Sobito of That Day

Movie: Kiseki: Sobito of That Day
Romaji: Kiseki Ano Hi no Sobito
Japanese: キセキ あの日のソビト
Director: Atsushi Kaneshige
Writer: Hiroshi Saito
Producer: Kentaro Koike
Cinematographer: Mitsunori Kougo
Release Date: January 28, 2017
Runtime: 111 min.
Genre: Music
Distributor: Toei
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
Based on the true story of 4 member Japanese pop group "GreeeeN.” Jin (Tori Matsuzaka) is the producer of “GreeeeN” and his younger brother Hide is the lead member for the group. Their song "Kiseki" is released as their 7th single, becomes a huge hit. Hide and the other 3 members have others jobs including working as a dentist.

Cast
Tori Matsuzaka
Masaki Suda
Shiori Kutsuna
Yuna Taira
Yumi Asou
Kaoru Kobayashi
Ryusei Yokohama
Ryo Narita
Yosuke Sugino
Saori Koide
Eita Okuno
Toru Nomaguchi

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Haruchika

Movie: Bring on the Melody! / Haruta & Chika
Romaji: Haruchika
Japanese: ハルチカ
Director: Masahide Ichii
Writer: Sei Hatsuno (novel), Masahide Ichii, Masahiro Yamaura
Producer: Reiko Imayasu, Ayako Sato, Mitsuru Sato
Cinematographer: Masafumi Seki
Release Date: March 4, 2017
Runtime: 118 min.
Genre: Teen / Music
Distributor: Kadokawa Pictures
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
Haruta (Shori Sato) is handsome and smart, Chika (Kanna Hashimoto) is bright and naive. When they were children, they were friends until Haruta’s family moved away while he was in the 3rd grade. They meet again during a high school entrance ceremony. After all of these years, Chika is eager to join the wind instrument club. Due to an incident, the wind instrument club is about to be disbanded. Chika can't give up the flute so she attracts Haruta to her side and tries to recruit members from the wind instrument club. The group attempts to solve various cases taking place at their school while they plan to take part in a contest.

Cast
Shori Sato
Kanna Hashimoto
Yuri Tsunematsu
Hiroya Shimizu
Koki Maeda
Hiraoka Takuma
Moka Kamishiraishi
Himeru Nikaido
Kotaro Shiga
Keisuke Koide

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The 100th Love with You

Movie: The 100th Love with You (English & literal title)
Romaji: Kimi to 100 Kaime no Koi
Japanese: 君と100回目の恋
Director: Sho Tsukikawa
Writer: Satomi Oshima
Producer: Yoko Ide
Cinematographer: Mitsuru Komiyama
Release Date: February 4, 2017
Runtime: 116 min.
Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Time Travel
Distributor: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
On July 27th, university student Aoi Hinata (Miwa) has an accident. When she wakes up, Aoi Hinata finds herself in a classroom from one week before the accident.

At that time, her childhood friend Riku Hasegawa (Kentaro Sakaguchi) tells her "I will tell you a secret. I can turn back time." Aoi Hinata and Riku Hasegawa like each other, but never expressed their feelings. They share their feelings for each other and go back to one year earlier. They spend their time happily as girlfriend and boyfriend, but there is a big secret behind the time slip. In addition, July 27 is approaching.

Cast
Miwa
Kentaro Sakaguchi
Ryo Ryusei
Erina Mano
Yuki Izumisawa
Seiichi Tanabe
Rina Ohta
Goro Oishi
Keiko Horiuchi

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The Liar and His Lover

Drama: The Liar and His Lover / She Loves Lie So Much (literal title)
Revised romanization: Geunyeoneun Geojitmaleul Neomoo Saranghae
Hangul: 그녀는 거짓말을 너무 사랑해
Director: Kim Jin-Min
Writer: Kotomi Aoki (manga), Kim Kyung-Min
Network: tvN
Episodes: 16
Release Date: March 20 - May 9, 2017
Runtime: Mondays & Tuesdays 23:00
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot
Kang Han-Kyeol (Lee Hyun-Woo) is a great composer and gets inspired by the voice of others. He hides his identity from other people. Kang Han-Kyeol meets Yoon So-Rim. She is a female high school student with a great voice and she falls in love with him

Cast
Lee Hyun-Woo
Joy
Lee Jung-Jin
Lee Seo-Won
Hong Seo-Young
Choi Min-Soo
Sung Joo
Shin Je-Min
Chang Ki-Yong
Lim Ye-Jin
Song Kang
Park Jong-Hyeok
Kim In-Kwon
Park Ji-Young

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Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April)

Movie: Your Lie in April
Romaji: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso
Japanese: 四月は君の嘘
Director: Takehiko Shinjo
Writer: Naoshi Arakawa (manga), Yukari Tatsui
Producer: Juichi Uehara, Kasumi Yao
Cinematographer: Mitsuru Komiyama
Release Date: September 10, 2016
Runtime: 122 min.
Genre: Teen-Romance / Music / Based on a Comic
Distributor: Toho
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
Kosei Arima (Kento Yamazaki) won numerous piano competitions while under the strict watch of his mother. He was known as the human metronome during that time. Since the death of his mother, Kosei Arima has been unable to hear the sound of his piano. Kosei Arima then meets Kaori Miyazono (Suzu Hirose) through childhood friend Tsubaki Sawabe (Anna Ishii). Kaori Miyazono plays the violin and has a free sprit. Since meeting her, Kosei Arima is able to face the piano again. Meanwhile, Kaori holds a secret.

Cast
Suzu Hirose
Kento Yamazaki
Anna Ishii
Taishi Nakagawa
Yuka Itaya
Rei Dan

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Quartet

Title: カルテット
Title (English): Quartet
Also known as: Lovers & Liars
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Romance, suspense
Episodes: 10
Viewership ratings: 8.87%
Broadcast network: TBS
Broadcast period: 2017-Jan-17 to 2017-Mar-21
Air time: Tuesday 22:00
Theme song: Otona no Okite by Doughnuts Hole (Matsu Takako, Mitsushima Hikari, Takahashi Issei, and Matsuda Ryuhei)

Synopsis
Four people's paths cross one winter by chance: two women and two men in their 30s, all whose dreams have gone sadly unfulfilled. Instead of swelling toward the peak of their lives, their lives all seem headed gently downhill. Despite being total strangers, they decide to share a house together in the wooded resort area of a Karuizawa. But “chance” also hides some pretty big secrets in this brand new adult-sized drama that will have you laughing at odd chemistry, biting your nails at unexpected turns, and even alarmed by some stark truths of the human condition. -- TBS

Cast
Quartet Doughnuts
Matsu Takako as Maki Maki
Mitsushima Hikari as Sebuki Suzume
Takahashi Issei as Iemori Yutaka
Matsuda Ryuhei as Beppu Tsukasa
Restaurant & Music Hall Nocturne
Yoshioka Riho as Kisugi Arisu
Tomizawa Takeshi (富澤たけし) as Tanimura Daijiro
Yagi Akiko (八木亜希子) as Tanimura Takami
Others
Mummy-D as Handa Atsushi
Fujiwara Kisetsu (藤原季節) as Sumida Shintaro
Kudo Kankuro as Maki Mikio
Motai Masako as Maki Kyoko

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Chanpon Tabetaka

Drama: I Want to Eat Nagasaki Champon Noodles (English title)
Romaji: Chanpon Tabetaka
Japanese: ちゃんぽん食べたか
Director: Kazuhiko Shimizu, Hideaki Kawano
Writer: Masashi Sada (novel), Masaya Ozaki
Network: NHK
Episodes: 9
Release Date: May 30 - August 1, 2015
Runtime: 22:00-22:44
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
Masashi (Masaki Suda) went to Tokyo alone in his junior high days as violin prodigy. He is now in the 2nd grade of high school. He spends his days practicing violin to became a great soloist, but he failed to enter the music high school. He begins to doubts about his dream. Meanwhile, Masashi composes a love song for his classmate who likes a girl. The girl likes Elvis Presley’s song "Love me tender." Masashi can not focus on the violin.

Cast
Masaki Suda
Kanata Hongo
Shotaro Mamiya
Yuki Izumisawa
Aoi Morikawa
Naomi Nishida
Kenichi Endo

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Aogeba Totoshi

Title: 仰げば尊し
Title (romaji): Aogeba Totoshi
Also known as: Brass Dreams
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Music, school, youth
Episodes: 8
Viewership ratings: 10.54%
Broadcast network: TBS
Broadcast period: 2016-Jul-17 to 2016-Sep-11
Air time: Sunday 21:00
Theme song: Aria by BUMP OF CHICKEN

Synopsis
Hikuma Koichi was a saxophone player, but he suffers from the after-effects of an accident. Due to that, he turned his back on music. Hikuma Koichi finds hope in the high school brass band. The band consists of problem students. Koichi struggles to instruct the brass band and to give them hope.

Cast
Terao Akira as Hikuma Koichi
Tabe Mikako as Hikuma Natsuki
Mackenyu (真剣佑) as Kitora Ren
Nakagawa Tsubasa as young Ren
Murakami Nijiro as Aoshima Hiroto
Takagi Serai as young Hiroto
Ishii Anna as Arima Nagisa
Hamada Kokone as young Nagisa
Kitamura Takumi as Abo Keita
Taiga as Takamoku Kinya
Sano Gaku as Kuwata Yuji
Yamoto Yuma as Furusho Yoshiki
Kentaro as Igawa Kotatsu
Fujiwara Kaoru as Kibe Ikuo
Minakami Kyoka as Mukai Miwa
Okazaki Sae as Kusakari Ryoko
Ishizaki Natsumi as Misawa Natsumi
Tsuihiji Anna as Tokito Anna
Higuchi Mao (樋口真央) as Mori Mao
Hosaka Kei (穂坂啓) as Ueki Kei
Mutsu Natsume as Hatano Natsume

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Have a Song on Your Lips (Kuchibiru ni Uta o)

Movie: Have a Song on Your Lips
Romaji: Kuchibiru ni Uta o
Japanese: くちびるに歌を
Director: Takahiro Miki
Writer: Otsuichi (novel), Yuichi Toyone, Yukiko Mochiji
Release Date: February 28, 2015
Runtime: 132 min.
Genre: Drama / Music / Teen
Distributor: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot
Yuri Kashiwaga was once known as a genius pianist. One day, she returns to her hometown in Goto Islands from Tokyo. There, she begins to work as a temporary teacher at a middle school and advisor for the school chorus. The chorus aims to take part at a competition. Yuri gives the members of the chorus members an assignment. She instructs them to write a letter with the title of “To myself 15 years later.” The 15-year-old boys and girls write about their secrets and worries.

Cast
Yui Aragaki
Yuri Tsunematsu
Shota Shimoda
Wakana Aoi
Kyoka Shibata
Mayu Yamaguchi
Hayato Sano
Hibiki Muroi
Fumino Kimura
Kenta Kiritani

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Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu!

Title: 表参道高校合唱部！
Title (romaji): Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu!
Also known as: High School Chorus
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Youth, music, school
Episodes: 10
Viewership ratings: 5.9%
Broadcast network: TBS
Broadcast period: 2015-Jul-17 to 2015-Sep-25
Air time: Friday 22:00
Theme song: Sukida. by Little Glee Monster

Synopsis
Set in a high school chorus club that faces dissolution, this school drama tells the story of an unconventional high-school girl and how her determination to save the club changes the chorus members and the teacher.

Makoto who has moved from Kagawa prefecture to Omotesando high school in Tokyo is looking forward to joining the once-famous chorus club she had always admired. As she arrives, however, things are not as she had expected. The club hardly has any members, and its instructor - Ariake - who first taught Makoto the joy of singing is a mere shadow of his former self living in misery. Despite the unexpected reality, Makoto is determined to achieve her "goal" in the chorus club where her parents enjoyed their students life. However, her classmates react to her efforts to recruit new members with only hostility, with some even telling her to stop being engaged in the club. -- TBS

Cast
Yoshine Kyoko as Kagawa Makoto
Shison Jun as Natsume Kaito
Yoshimoto Miyu as Tani Yuria
Morikawa Aoi as Hikita Rina
Horii Arata as Sakuraba Daisuke
Takasugi Mahiro as Miyazaki Tasuku
Hagiwara Minori as Sasaki Miko
Izumisawa Yuuki as Aiba Rentaro
Aoi Wakana as Hasumi Kyoko
Shibata Kyoka as Kiriboshi Nami
Kojima Riria (小島梨里杏) as Takeuchi Fuka
Hasegawa Nina (長谷川ニイナ) as Aihara Honoka
Akira (瑛) as Yamada Andrew
Matsumoto Ramu as Kagawa Mayumi
Kabira Jay as Kagawa Yuuji
Chiba Kazuma (千葉一磨) as young Yuuji
Horiuchi Keiko as Kagawa Minayo
Sato Ryo as young Minayo
Kanda Sayaka as Seyama Emiri
David Ito as Amakusa Goro
Tateishi Ryoko as Harada Tomoyo
Hiraizumi Sei as Harada Banzai
Takahata Atsuko as Osone Tokuko
Shirota Yu as Suzuki Ariake

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SHARK

2 DVD

Drama: Shark
Romaji: Shark
Japanese: SHARK
Director: Takashi Kubota, Ryo Nishimura
Writer: Sayaka Kuwamura
Network: NTV
Episodes:
Release Date: January 11, 2014 --
Runtime: Saturdays 24:50-25:20
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Cast

Sho Hirano
Takahiro Hamada
Hokuto Matsumura
Hikaru Iwamoto
Tomohiro Kamiyama
Ryusei Fujii
Rio Yamashita
Erina Mano
Kohki Okada
Rina Kawaei

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Kaeru no Oujo-sama

(3 DVD)

Title: カエルの王女さま

Title (romaji): Kaeru no Oujo-sama

Format: Renzoku

Genre: Comedy, musical

Episodes: 11

Viewership rating: 9.1 (Kanto)

Broadcast network: Fuji TV

Broadcast period: 2012-Apr-12 to 2012-Jun-21

Air time: Thursday 22:00

Theme song: Shine by Ieiri Leo

Synopsis

The scene is set in the town of Yume (Dream) city. Due to financial difficulties, the town is in the process of merging with another city, meanwhile turning into a garbage disposal facility. The formerly prosperous town was referred to as the "Town of Songs", represented by the music hall, now torn down and in ruins.

Returning from New York having performed on Broadway, Kurasaka Mio was born and brought up in this city of dreams. Upon finding out the state the city, she stands up together with a group of mothers in a chorus group called "The Chansons" to bring the city back to life.

Mio is a dropout musical star, attending auditions on Broadway until her agent tells her that there are no more auditions available for her to attend. The one and only time she got through an audition was for a substitute role.

On the other hand, Isaka Chuko is the mayor's daughter and also is a housewife, who struggles to rebuild "The Chansons". While her father tries to go through with the merging of cities, she rivals Mio, who disposes of the old concept behind chorus' in attempt to incorporate a show choir into the routine. Chuko sticks to tradition and will not let Mio have her way without confrontation.

A super positive musical comedy, Mio and Chuko team up to chase their dreams together with the chorus girls. --Fuji TV

Cast

Amami Yuki as Kurasaka Mio

Ishida Yuriko as Isaka Chuko

Oshima Yuko as Nonomura Mahiru

Oshima Yoko as Baba Mizore

Kikuchi Mika‎ as Minagawa Tamako

Fukuhara Miho (福原美穂) as Haneda Minami

Chiba Yudai as Takagaki Shinobu

Tamayama Tetsuji as Inui Kazuki

Katase Nana as Sakurai Reina

Hamada Mari as Sakura Mama

Koizumi Kotaro as Isaka Tetsuro

Kuno Akiko (久野綾希子) as Mori Kanae

Kishibe Ittoku as Isaka Kiyotada

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Ikemen Desu Ne

(3 DVD) 

Title: Ikemen Desu Ne
Also Known As: 美男ですね / Ikemen Desu Ne
Genre: Romance, Music, Drama
Network: TBS
Episodes: 11
Release Date: 2011-Jul-15 start
Air time (JST): Friday 22:00
Language: Japanese
Subtitles: English

Synopsis
Remake of the Korean hit drama You’re Beautiful which is about the fictitious top idol band A.N.JELL. The original Korean version aired in 2009 and starred Park Shin Hye, Jang Keun Suk, Lee Hong Ki, and Jung Yong Hwa. The story revolved around a fictional boy band named A.N.JELL. Park Shin Hye played a nun-in-training who has to pose as her twin brother and take his place in the group, leading to a complicated relationship between the group’s members.


Cast
Takimoto Miori as Sakuraba Yoshio (Male) / Sakuraba Miko (Female)
Tamamori Yuta as Katsuragi Ren
Fujigaya Taisuke as Fujishiro Shu
Yaotome Hikaru as Hongo Yuki
Kojima Haruna as NANA
Rokkaku Seiji as Deguchi
Yamazaki Shigenori as Hashimoto
Shimizu Yutaka (清水優)
Tanoshingo (楽しんご) as Tooru
Nose Anna as Sawagi Yumiko
Katase Nana as RINA
Imori Miyuki as Sakuraba Shigeko
Yanagisawa Shingo
Takashima Masanobu as Ando Kou
Manda Hisako as Mizusawa Reiko

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