Japanese Dramas & Movies from the 90s and early 00s

I am blown away. This is a drama that everyone needs to watch once.
A gripping, compelling and complex human drama about a successful pianist's destined journey through his trauma to finding closure and redemption. Masterfully written and edited, beautifully picturised and directed, with one of the most immersive and best scores I have heard in an Asian drama, and a brilliant, effortless performance by Nakai Masahiro. This was a poetic masterpiece.

An almost documentary-like drama of a deaf woman's journey from her childhood to adulthood, with one of the most caring and sensitive male lead ever, and lots of growth for all involved. A beautiful lesson in what it means to be 'family' and the importance of looking at the person, not the illness.

A murder for love and due to love, and a journey of two broken souls who are unable to meet under the sun thereafter; beautifully heartbreaking, depressing yet captivating.

Hailed as the darkest love story to be released in the 90s, this is a raw and heartbreaking depiction of a toxic love story that spirals and consumes the leads, with brilliant performances by the trio. I wish we had more real love stories like these which depict three people who were not meant for each other, rather than the usual 'happy endings' neatly tied with a bow.

A heartbreaking, forbidden love story of two lonely, broken souls.

A heartwarming, charming and feel-good film about a man who learns to live his life to the fullest after he discovers dancing. What a timeless classic.

This is not a perfect film by any means especially due to its lack of coherence, but it leaves you with little doubt that Kurosawa is indeed a master of his craft.
It's not just about how visually stunning each frame was or how beautifully sound and majestic the score was, but about the depth and power each short dream held in conveying various themes of loss of innocence, death, suicide, Kurosawa's relentless desire to create, the futility of one's existence, destruction etc. The list is endless and each dream is likely to speak to each person on different levels.

A hauntingly beautiful love story that will leave you depressed. Those raw emotions, the way they looked at each other, the electricity felt with each touch.. where do I even begin about this drama? Easily one of the best student/teacher themed romance dramas I have seen, though it was more than just romance.Romance aside, this is an uncomfortable watch that I'd recommend only for an open-minded and mature audience. There are themes of rape, violence, incest, nudity, homosexuality etc so please watch with caution. The resolutions may not be what you're looking for but you got to watch it for what it is, and the time it was set in. This drama definitely didn't sugercoat things and will evoke disgust at some point.

An endearing and fun dorama of a found family of 12 adorable kids, the ever so charming Kimu Taku and lovely Koyuki. What's there not to love about this drama that teaches you to fight for your dreams.

A feel-good and fun show centred around the aviation industry, with young and adorable Kimu Taku & Shibasaki Ko, and the very charming Tsutsumi Shinichi as Captain Koda.
Highly recommended if you're in the mood for something light and uplifting :)

A beautiful and heartwarming coming of age story with flawed, charming characters.

The title of this drama couldn't be any more apt. What a painfully dark and raw depiction of abuse, brilliantly acted by the whole cast. The first few episodes really broke me. No human deserves to be abused, but unfortunately there are so many sick people in this world who can't live and let live. To think that everything about this drama is as relevant even today... sigh. The world is in an inhuman place that way.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy dark psychological dramas. This just proves why Nojima Shinji is such a good screenwriter. I absolutely love his work.

A simple, loveable and heartwarming drama consisting of likeable, pleasant & real characters in the neighborhood that spread love and teach you to respect and accept one another. I loved them all, and would have loved for this drama to go on & on.
Seriously why do people not watch these kind of dramas?

A simple, feel-good romcom about 2 easy-going, smart, and charming adults who strike a friendship over bowling, and fall in love with each other slowly. A rare drama with zero negativity and leads who communicated constantly, and yet remained imperfect in their own ways. The supporting characters were really likeable and fun too. Time flew by with this one. It just flowed beautifully and ended in the best way it could. As charming as a classic could be, and should be!

A bittersweet humane story of two lonely souls, one who is blind and the other who sneaks into her house while on the run, finding solace, closure and support with each other's presence. A simple film full of loud silences, and a lot of heart.

Masterfully filmed and written by Iwai Shunji, with fantastic performances by Chara and Asano Tadanobu, this was a tragic, heavy & hypnotic piece of art depicting the journey of 3 mentally disturbed inmates who set out on a path to what they believe as the end of the world, with a bible and picnic basket.

WARNING: It's a rather disturbing film that clearly isn't for everybody, especially kids please stay away. READ THE TAGS.

"I am not Korean, Japanese. I am a tree without roots."
Action, romance, comedy, social commentary all rolled in one; this was just not what I expected. What a fantastic coming-of-age + slice of life dealing with some seriously deep and hard topics. As someone whose struggled with my identity all my life, this hit hard. Kobuzuka Yosuke never disappoints. Of course, this movie wouldn't have been possible without the master Kudo Kankuro, who just knows how to create the perfect balance of comedy, action, romance and heartbreak in every project.

A passionate and realistic love story between a young and immature beautiful woman and an older aged mature deaf man. Hands down, one of the most romantic Japanese dramas to date.

Kubozuka Yosuke, as gentle and soft as ever, with a sweet yet broken Koyuki.. need I say anything more?
What a simple, quiet and endearing little gem. I loved this with all my heart!

A minimalistic and quiet, yet powerful film that was engaging thanks to Beat Takeshi's idiosyncratic direction style and script, and Joe Hisaishi's haunting score. His nihilistic attitude towards violence is especially striking in this film.
This is clearly not Takeshi's best work, but it's one of my favourites from him.

A poetic and gloomy painting on loneliness filled with blank spaces, minimal dialogue, and a calming piano and jazz score. This was a pretty perfect adaptation to Haruki Murakami's short story.
Highly recommended, especially for those who enjoy films with a melancholic vibe that will leave you feeling empty.

A smartly written, gripping and unpredictable plot with 2 hot complex leads. This one had me hooked till the end. Way ahead of its time for 2003. What more do you need?
Highly recommended if you're looking for something thrilling.

A rather simple and quiet film about a young man's love for surfing, and his girlfriend. I adored the way this film humanized the deaf-mute leads as 2 people who were simply doing what they enjoyed, and are not any different from those who can speak and hear. Despite the lack of dialogue, their sincerity and commitment towards each other shone through.

Highly recommend this for Beat Takeshi's direction and screenplay in conveying the beauty of silences, which was well complemented by Joe Hiraishi's timeless and enchanting score.

A mature, adult romance of our leads who begin cohabiting, with an A1 score.

You can't tell me this was made 25 years ago.. it's amazing how the J dramas from the 90s feel so modern and yet have this classic old school romance vibe.
What do I say about this drama... ahh the perfection this was, the feels it gave me, the love I had for the characters and their journey together. Probably one of the best from the 90s, and now a favourite. Sorimachi Takashi and Esumi Makiko were just beautiful together, be it their bantering, the way they always rooted for each other, their friendship, their love for each other; just everything about their dynamic moved me so much. You can't tell me they were not soulmates.

If you've read the comments, you'll know that many dislike the last episode or the conclusion, and I won't deny that it broke my heart, but I think it depicted a reality that many films and dramas don't dare to portray, and that is platonic love. I would have loved for a different ending, but I was able to appreciate the ending and the writer's message behind it.

This drama was just LOVE. Highly highly recommend this coming-of-age gem for all, especially for all those who love to see a drama that dares to be different, and portray platonic love between men-women :)

Welp this was such a simple, heartwarming movie with a beautiful score. I liked it!

A realistic and well-written slice of life movie about a relationship between two individuals which blossoms over the internet, with very natural performances by Fukatsu Eri and Uchino Seiyou. The writer did a great job in bringing out both the safety and fears that comes with an online relationship. I also really adored the cinematography and the way we got glimpses of their everyday life. I can't believe this was released in the 90s, it could easily pass as a movie released today.
Highly recommended for those who like simple, feel good romantic films :)

What makes this such a classic isn't just the violence or the way it influenced an entire genre, but the way it is still as socially relevant. A flawed but iconic movie for the ages.

Watching this while the world is battling with COVID made this so much more compelling for me because a similar situation is playing out in the world today.
The story, the acting, the writing, the music - everything about this was awesome (and this is coming from someone who's not a huge sci-fi fan)
Special mention to Ito Hideaki who hit it out of the park with his acting, sometimes I forgot that he's playing both the twins.
And Desert Rose by Sting - what a fitting iconic song for this drama!

TAIGA TAIGA JIRETTAIGAAAAAAAA! ?
Initially, I wanted to put a disclaimer that only people who understand and love Japanese humour should watch this but I loved it so so much that I'd love everyone to see it and appreciate it.
WHAT A FREAKING CLASSIC. All the characters, their comic timing, the chemistry they had together - it was a freaking riot. I laughed my ass off after a long time. Not only was it funny, but had so much heart. I rooted for and fell in love with each and every character. The writing was stellar, the editing & direction was pitch perfect. No words for the acting because it didn't seem like they were acting at all.

P.S  Make sure you watch the special episode first.

If you're looking for a drama with an interesting plot / cases, quirky and relatable characters, sassy bantering leads, an edgy direction fused with humour and wit; LOOK NO FURTHER. This drama is not perfect but it's the full package. I just didn't want it to end :(
Plus it has Kimu Taku who is as charming as ever.. I mean when is this man not charming? I just love him so much, and love that he always knows how to pick scripts.

I can see why this was so popular back in the day. It's a classic. There was an innocence & sincerity to the storytelling that moved me. It got me reminiscing about growing up in simpler times. All in all, this was a lovely coming of age drama that left me feeling good. The second half especially took me by surprise (in a good way) with the focus on friendship, ambition & taking charge of your own life; all that emodies transitioning into a young adult. Also, I am downloading that OST! I loved it so so much.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to watch a simple, feel good drama with a high nostalgic value.

I think the show did a fairly good job in making me root for the refined FL and otaku ML, like I could see why she would be drawn to him despite the huge differences between them. The FL was a sweetheart & the ML was really endearing. The internet friends were so awesome, I loved them all.

All in all, it was a sweet drama with winning characters & sincere performances (despite the exaggerated acting by the ML at times). Give it a try if you're in the mood for something light, heartwarming & different :)

Special mention for Oguri Shun & Hayami Mokomichi who were so damn HOT in this *swoons* despite having little to do.

A heartbreaking and solid psychological drama depicting the loneliness, the depression, the emotional turmoils and the heartbreak that comes with loving someone you shouldn't. It is scary how real this 23 year old drama was in portraying the complexity and messiness of modern relationships. Unless you're very lucky and have never had low self-esteem, or felt lonely, you will relate to Fujiwara Norika's fantastic performance as Akari, a woman who wanted to be loved and Tomita Yasuko's solid performance as a scorned wife who was driven crazy by the affair. Osawa Takao and Hiroshi Abe also delivered very sincere performances.
It was not an easy watch, but the journey and character development was worth it.
Highly recommend this for a mature audience.

The fantasy element of Rika internalizing her mother's rejection & regarding herself as an iguana beautifully captured the way parental neglect & beauty standards work towards shaping self perception. When reinforced time & time again, they shake one's core, and self-esteem, becoming their reality.

The acting was so so earnest that I rooted for the characters all the way (esp the FL & her mother), the soundtrack was beautiful, and all in all, it was such a sincere & heartwarming drama. At points, I did think that some of the plot points did not have to be stretched out but having seen the whole drama, I can see how all the little details & incidents formed part of the FL's journey which ended in a satisfying conclusion.

This was a show ahead of its time, and I cannot recommend this enough for the way it tackled such strong themes in such a simple, effortless & believable way. This is a drama that every individual will relate to.

Imagine having the ultimate king and queen of 90s J dramas pair up together, the expectations would be sky high and boy this didn't disappoint. The way the ML loved the FL, the angst, the chemistry.. ahh the feels these classic dramas bring, I can never get enough of them. This was by no means perfect and had its frustrating moments but Kimu Taku and Tokiwa Takako, as always, brought their A game and charm to this. The last 5 episodes were especially moving.

This was so cheesy yet it was surprisingly heartwarming & fun! I freaking loved it! If this isn't iconic then I don't know what is.

A multi-genre movie that hit all the right spots with its comedy, the heartwarming romance, and the detective-yakuza story. There wasn't a single dull moment. Tsutsumi Shinichi was so charming.
Highly recommend this entertaining movie :)

I went in with low expectations but I was so impressed by this movie. If you're looking for fluff, or a light-hearted love story, this is not for you. This may make many uncomfortable especially if you cannot stomach watching relationships that are imbalanced, masochistic & toxic.
The ML was unconditionally devoted to the FL & wished for her to accept him the way he was, while the FL wanted to love on her own terms & conditions. The result was an imbalanced relationship between the two that was painfully dark, real & twisted. It was a well-written & tight-scripted movie that was carried by fantastic performances from the leads (esp the ML).
Highly recommended for a non-judgmental, mature audience.

A visually stunning film with a bittersweet story about friendship, love and teenage angst.
Iwai Shunji may not make the best films, but he's a master of creating poetry in motion with his frames.

A decent coming-of-age romcom with a loveable FL and a playboy who finally learn to be independent, take charge of their lives and cherish what's important. Even though this classic is 25 years old, it remains as relevant and relatable as ever, both in its moments of frustration and growth. I enjoyed the constant banter between the leads, as much as the emotionally stirring moments. Their chemistry was just lovely.
Definitely worth a one time watch :)

All the characters seemed human, especially the leads. Kotoko wasn't just a stupid senseless stalker. While she fangirled over Irie, she didn't just take everything he did & said. She stood up to him, spoke her mind & won him over with her sincerity & effort. IMO she wasn't as clingy or stupid as in the other versions. Irie, too, wasn't as insensitive or cold. He smiled, and we see him notice Kotoko's efforts from the beginning. You can see his feelings for her grow & evolve slowly. Unlike the other versions he acknowledged her efforts various times. The mum, too, wasn't as forceful with her wish for Kotoko & Irie to be together. She was sweet.
This is a MUST WATCH for those who love this franchise. It is short, sweet & heartwarming :)
Definitely my favourite, very close to the Taiwanese version.

I wasn't feeling this in the first 2 episodes but it really picked up in the 3rd episode. It was a well done mystery that had me guessing till the end. I was shocked by who did it (who would have even guessed?!) The story was unique & the chemistry between the leads was beautiful (as with J dramas from the 90s). The ending really moved me.
Recommended for anyone that wants to watch a good psychological mystery / suspense packed with some romance.

A really grounded & solid coming-of-age story of the FL who steps out into the world for the first time when she makes the decision to live by herself. I love how realistic this drama was in the portrayal of relationships & how grey they can be. Unfortunately, love doesn't always conquer the day. It takes a lot more for a relationship to tick. At the end, I appreciated how the FL was able to take charge of her life & grow up while maintaining the innocence & vulnerability she had. The actress who played her best friend Kyoko was fantastic. As much as I disliked Kyoko, she was as real as it gets for one who was struggling with her love for her best friend & unable to find clarity on her orientation & disposition. At the end, I was able to empathize with her despite her obsession & manipulation. All of them, including Kyoko, were only human & the world isn't the most inclusive & kind place.
All in all, I enjoyed watching this drama & would recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a story of growth. While this isn't a love story, it is a a decent story of love & friendship.

A really bizarre and unpredictable, yet moving and thought-provoking drama with sincere performances by an A1 cast of Kubozuka Yosuke, Tokiwa Takako, Yamada Takiyuki, Tsumabaki Satoshi, and Yamapi. A drama clearly made with a lot of love that is still as relevant as ever.
Highly recommended if you can look past the outdated effects. Trust me, this will end up moving you in ways you never thought. The title couldn't be any more apt.

BE STILL MY HEART.
Watching Toru gradually fall in love with Yuka and her innocence filled me with warmth, Their chemistry was just so lovely. A pure love story, indeed, though I do wish the show explored their relationship as companions more.
It's definitely worth watching once. Give it a try.

A realistic drama depicting the ups and downs of single parenting, and the hardships a single parent faces when dating; the adjustments that come with it for all 3 parties and the various forms love takes in such a relationship.
I am glad this wasn't a fluffy fairytale romance, but a story of substance.
Definitely a classic worth watching once :)

A realistic and disturbing film depicting a toxic relationship between two mentally unstable individuals who were each other's muse, and yet abused each other to no end physically, mentally and sexually.
This is not a film for everybody, especially not for kids / teens. Watch with caution.

A good mix of romance and comedy, filled with loads of bickering between the immature yet adorable leads and their strong-willed yet loving families, and some lessons on marriage. Takenouchi Yutaka and Tokiwa Takako were at their cutest here, loved their pairing!
Though slightly tedious at times, it was a fun one-time watch :)

RIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :(

Kimu Taku is truly a gift that keeps on giving. This man just knows how to pick good scripts. This could have been more tight-scripted, nonetheless it was a decent one-time watch that kept me engaged for a good 3/4 of the drama.
Give it a try if you love the classic dramas. It's not the most unpredictable plot but the way it unfolded gave it an edge, especially for the time it was made in.

One of those rare Nojima Shinji dramas that wasn't dark.
A simple coming-of-age drama focusing on a group of friends struggling to find their place and purpose in life post University. The drama covered a range of topics like struggles in the workplace, loneliness, the difference between reality & dreams, marriage, pregnancy etc.
The characters were relatable and I empathized with them. The acting was very sincere. But at times, I also felt that Nojima Shinji tried too hard with this one. Some of the resolutions were neatly tied with a bow though I could see his attempt to make it real. Having watched most of Nojima Shinji's works which are after this drama, I can say that he's grown as a writer, and has settled into his own style and flair (little touches of which are present in this drama).
Nonetheless, it was a fairly decent & enjoyable drama. I would recommend this for anyone that wants to watch something that is light & not too complex (yet somewhat real).

I don't know what is it about these kind of films that I find so charming... there was little plot and it was rather slow, but the atmosphere of the film was calming yet lonely; the sounds of the construction work in the background, the backdrop of the developing town / city, the sound of that hot summer afternoon etc
The film takes you through an experience of the little mundane things in our life, all the way to what it means to feel, to love, to have your heart broken and be back to square one - loneliness. So much depth conveyed so simply and poignantly.
Now I feel sad, and lonely.
This is not a film for everybody.

on hold

"We'll go to hell together."

A film about two middle-aged married adults consumed by passion and desire for one another, with lots of nudity and sex. While this is your usual cheating story, it takes it a step further with two selfish leads who have the audacity to justify what they did and blame others for not understanding them.
Even though the film lacked depth, I guess it's worth a watch for the natural acting and chemistry between the leads.

The FL was really haughty and condescending, and the ML was way too nice. It wasn't that easy to root for either of them but love found them in the end.
I didn't dislike it, but wouldn't strongly recommend it as it has a lot of frustrating moments. Despite my review, I can see why it was such a rage back in the day.

I think I would have enjoyed this more had they casted a different actor to play Togashi. It's not that he is bad, but none of his performances so far have impressed me. He paled in comparison to the FL, and I wonder if a better actor would bring more to the character of Togashi, and would make me feel the chemistry between the lead actors. The writing was decent, and the characters had chemistry (like you can understand why the 2 leads would be drawn to each other) but I couldn't feel the chemistry between the leads. Pity because I think the writer wrote some beautiful & tender scenes for them.
All in all, this was a DECENT watch. It had the potential to be a lot better, but I would say the good outweighs the bad, and people should watch this to see how rape affects not only the victim, but people around the victim as well. I expected this to be very dark, but it was fairly watchable (90s J dramas can be very dark & this wasn't one of those).

I wanted to love this, but I struggled to even like it. It went downhill in the 2nd half. I loved the FL initially and rooted for her and I think that had a lot had to do with the actress. She had an innocence and silent strength to her. But I grew to dislike her towards the end of the series. I also disliked pretty much every other character in this drama, especially both the male leads, and the so called friend Naoko. The romance was also subpar and unconvincing.
The ending theme with the dogs playing was the most random thing ever, but probably the best thing about this drama. A close second, would be the character development for Shima. He went from controlling and abusive, to a much more calmer and empathetic person.
Miyazawa Rie deserved a better script :(

This film represented what it must have felt like growing up in Tokyo in the 90s, where easy access to sex, coupled with the lack of money, loneliness and uncertainty made life harsh. Not to mention, the Japanese economy was booming and life was no longer as simple thanks to the internet and mobile phones. The VHS format brought me back to my older days, but the way it was filmed with those close-up shots and constant moving camera made me uncomfortable. Either the director was a pervert or he intended to film that way to make the viewer anxious and feel a part of the characters' world.
There was little plot or character development but it was all about the experience of teenage angst and growing up. I didn't particularly enjoy it though I don't think it's a bad movie. I guess if you relate to it, you might enjoy it much more.
This one's not for the conservative viewer even though there is no explicit nudity or sex scene.

P.S What were the parents of these teenagers doing?! Goes to show that irresponsible parenting exposes kids to an ugly, messed up world which might take them a lifetime to recover from.

WTF was that ending?! I want to recommend this but that ending was so damn melodramatic and idiotic that it took away everything this drama kinda established organically. URGHHHHHHHHH it definitely ruined the drama a little for me.
OK the rest of the drama aside -
The synopsis makes this sound like some kind of superficial drama where a woman ping pongs between two men, but this was surprisingly more than that. I am not a fan of love triangles but I could really feel the way the FL's heart shifted from one brother to the next. It was pretty organic and not like those convoluted love triangles these days.
I'm gonna say this for the nth time but they just don't make these kind of mature romances anymore, especially they don't show passion this way anymore.
Do I recommend this? Only if you're a fan of either of the leads.

DECENT one time watch. It checked all the boxes for a good love story, but I didn't love it even though there was nothing that I really disliked about it. I didn't particularly care for the characters (neither love nor dislike). The OST was A1, as with a lot of J dramas from the 90s. Watch if you want to see a romance-centric drama. I much prefer the FL's other dramas like Risou No Kekkon, Beautiful Life or Aishiteiru to Ittekure for those who enjoy romance.

This is the first drama written by Nojima Shinji that I did not like. It was so disappointing. Given the plot and his ability to write dark stuff, I was expecting something really thrilling, dark & well-written.
It wasn't bad per se, but I couldn't understand the relationship between a lot of the characters, like Jiro & the high schooler, Jiro & the teacher (WTF would you provoke someone to hit you?!)
The ML was way too calm & that irked me so much I wanted to shake him up lol. I wish they wrote him better, and also casted a better actor as the ML.
The leads did not have chemistry at all.
The only thing I liked about the drama were the OSTs, & the actors who played Jiro and Miyuki.

If you liked the vibes of movies like 'Love Rosie' / 'Harry Meets Sally' or dramas like 'In Time With You', then you might enjoy this. Otherwise, don't bother.

For a romance dorama, this surprised me initially with unpredictable twists, likeable and earnest characters, and a star-crossed romance of 2 stubborn and flawed individuals who constantly loved and yearned for each other yet somehow 'missed' each other. Sometimes it's not as simple as just saying 'I love you' because they clearly did all the time, yet isn't it the most important.. The first 5 episodes were great.
It got tedious and overtly frustrating in the middle and some introspection for the leads would have been great to avoid the detours, but the sincere performances by all 4 leads kept me going. It's quite a paradox that despite some important conversations being avoided, the characters were pretty honest and true to who they were. I was glad when it was finally over because it felt like it took forever. The ending, too, was unfortunately lackluster and in the end, we barely got to understand or hear why they went through so much pain / angst.
"Love shouldn't be something you have to work at. It should bring people closer naturally."
This dialogue accurately sums up the drama and the leads' journey for me.
This isn't a drama for everybody. There are far better 90s dramas out there. You have been warned.

P.S Mental note to myself: Avoid this screenwriter's works like a plague LMAO

This was such a waste of my time. Nothing really happened in this movie, not until the last 15 mins or so. It was painfully slow & had some problematic elements that did not add/contribute to the story at all. Given the genre, I expected more thrill & intensity. Most importantly, the film didn't answer the basic question of why she was being stalked & harrassed by the doctor (whose face we never ever get to see). Best thing about it was the street shots of Tokyo at night; gorgeous cinematography there. The score was cool too.
Don't bother with this one unless you have nothing better to watch.

Dropped at E4.

Dropped at E3.

On hold.