TBS Program Catalog

Utahime 歌姫   가희   歌姫

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The setting is a time when Japan is revving up for the post-war boom, but people’s hearts still bear the scars of war. The original stage play has been transformed into a TV drama by the scriptwriter who created “Hana Yori Dango (BOYS OVER FLOWERS)”. The atmosphere of the Showa Era is faithfully recreated as the passionate and humorous characters play out their loves and dreams, living life to the fullest.

DAGASHIKASHI

だがしかし   다가시카시   粗點心戰爭

30 min. × 12 eps.|12 episodes

Shikada dreams of becoming a famous manga artist. The only problem—he’s terrible. His real talent is selling the complex and delicious snacks in his father’s “dagashi” shop. He never thought much about the family business until the trendy, eccentric Hotaru showed up. As a lover of “dagashi,” she can’t let his talent go to waste and decides she won’t stop ‘til she’s sold him on sweets.

LEADERS

LEADERS 前編・後編   LEADERS 전편・후편

149 min x 2 eps|2 episodes

Prior to the start of World War II, Saichiro Aichi witnessed firsthand the technological prowess and industrial strength developing in the automotive industry of the US and Europe. Under Saichiro’s strong visionary leadership and the efforts of his team, a do-mestic passenger car is finally built just as the march of war is heard approaching. Saichiro’s group bides its time through a devastating war by building military trucks and machinery only to confront a dire depression upon war’s end, due to a financial re-trenchment policy by the Bank of Japan. Short on capital and troubled by labor strife, as well as personal illness, Saichiro and his men refuse to give up. Here is an inspiring tale about visionary men who through blood, sweat and tears and the spirit of “monozukuri” battled back from the brink of bankruptcy to build a Japanese auto company that would be the pride of the world.

Love Letter

ラブレター   러브레터   愛情信

30 min. x 60 eps.|60 episodes

Minami is a deaf girl who, through sign language, tries to relate herself to her first love, Kaiji, and in so doing nurtures their puppy love for one another. In the process, Minami begins to develop an unrealistic desire to “hear Kaiji’s voice”. In response, Kaiji swears to Minami that he will “be her ears for her”. Alas, they are too young to keep to their promise… This is a beautiful but painful love story of the 15 long years of their unforgettable first love and family ties.

Roosevelt Game

ルーズヴェルト・ゲーム   루즈벨트 게임   羅斯福遊戲

85 min x 1 ep / 70 min x 3 eps / 60 min x 5 eps|9 episodes

”The most exciting baseball game score is 8 to 7!”
That’s what former U.S. President Roosevelt once said.
Aoshima Works is a medium-size precision instruments maker. Forced to navigate the rough waves of an unforeseen recession and fierce competition among rival companies scratching for advantage, company men on the brink of bankruptcy strive to survive by orchestrating a miracle reversal called the “Roosevelt Game”. Written by Jun Ikeido, author of a novel by the same name, and following his best-selling “Naoki Hanzawa”. A comeback story for the never-say-die working man.

Samurai Harem

明日のよいち!   내일의 요이치!   明日的與一!

30 min. x 12 eps.|12 episodes

Yoichi has been raised in the mountains by his samurai father, and now has great athletic skill and swordsmanship. One day, his father tells Yoichi that staying with him would not further increase his skills, and so it is decided that to grow stronger in body and mind he is to move to the city. Entering an affiliated dojo in the city, Yoichi is pleased to find that four sisters live at the dojo: Ibuki, Ayame, Chihaya and Kagome. Seeing the big city and girls for the first time has got Yoichi all turned around! On top of that he’s got to deal with bullies at school and assassins out to get him. With all these distractions will Yoichi ever get around to his studies to become a great samurai?

Second Chance Chauffeur

流星ワゴン   유성 왜건   流星休旅車

114 min ×1 ep / 70 min x 1 ep / 60 min x 8 eps|10 episodes

The long-awaited dramatization of Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s million bestseller and winner of the Naoki Literature prize, Second Chance Chauffeur begins with a man taking a ride in a car as he seeks to embark on a life do-over. But the drive sends him toggling supernaturally between past and future where he encounters his father. Both of the same age, the two forge an odd relationship that is neither father-son nor two friends. Kazuo (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is a staid and serious man who lost his family for failing to notice a dark illness that afflicted his wife. His father (Teruyuki Kagawa), on the other hand, was a freewheeling, passionate entrepreneur who built many successful businesses in the course of an illustrious career. Together, the two embark on a spiritual journey that prompts Kazuo to mature as a father and reach a place that will provide encouragement to all.

Summer Love Letter

ひと夏のラブレター   한 여름의 러브레터   夏天的情書

60 min. x 12 eps.|12 episodes

Chance encounters on a summer’s day lead two married couples into an unexpected set of parallel affairs. Hidden passions are released when one husband encounters the other’s wife. Then the remaining husband and wife also find themselves swept up in the passion of the moment.

The Man with the God Tongue

神の舌を持つ男   擁有神之舌的男人   신의 혀를 가진 남자

75 min × 1 ep / 60 min × 9 eps|10 episodes

Ranmaru Tomonaga may be a bit naive and dorky, but he’s got something of an endearing quality that is hard to dislike. Above all, he has a tongue like a gas-chromatography device, capable of analyzing whatever it comes in contact with. Sure enough, that tongue leads him into all kinds of trouble as he gets embroiled in solving one puzzling mystery after another. Along the way, he picks up a sidekick; an “uzakawa” (cute, but annoying) suspense drama fan girl named Hikaru Kamekanbo. They meet up with Kanji Miyazawa, a straight-laced man who is the only person capable of reining in the quirky pair and keeping them out of trouble. The three of them become traveling companions, traversing the countryside in a beat-up automobile, sleeping and eating in some of the nation’s best-kept secret hot springs, and searching for the mysterious “onsen” geisha “Miyabi” in a comical mystery adventure.

Unnatural

アンナチュラル   언내추럴   非自然 法醫女王

75 min × 1 ep / 70 min × 1 ep / 60 min × 8 eps|10 episodes

A story-a-week episodic medical mystery that treats the theme of reality changing when faced with imminent death. Mystery and exhilarating human drama unfold against the backdrop of the “unnatural death institute”, or “UDI”. For example, the body of a young man is brought into the UDI lab one day; his cause of death attributed to ischemic heart disease in which blood fails to be conveyed to the heart. But the victim’s parents are puzzled by the freak nature of their son’s death and turn to medical coroner Mikoto, to find out why. Together with her lab technician partner, Yuko Shoji, and rookie medical recorder, Rokuro, they examine the body for a possible drug poisoning, and then learn that another female colleague of the deceased man has just died suddenly.

We Made a Beautiful Bouquet

花束みたいな恋をした

124 min

Missing the last train of the day on Tokyo’s Keio Line at Meidaimae Station, college student Mugi Yamane (Masaki Suda) encounters Kinu Hachiya (Kasumi Arimura). Finding they have near identical tastes in music and movies, the couple quickly hit it off and embark on a romance that has them move in together when they graduate from college. They work temp jobs as they interview for full-time employment. They pick up a stray cat. Even as the iconic Shibuya Parco store closes and the mainstay TV show, SMAP×SMAP, airs its last show, Mugi and Kinu seek a status quo. They are inseparable and spend “the best 5 years ever!” hoping they’ll always be together. The many seasons they spend together will rekindle your memories of a halcyon time when the world was full of love.