Japanese dramas and movies with controversial relationships

Teacher ML / student FL

This series explores the themes of teacher-student romance, depression and suicide in a unique way, with both seriousness and humor.

Tags: Student Female Lead, School Setting, Teenager Female Lead, Age Gap [Drama Life], Teacher Male Lead, Older Man/Younger Woman, Black Comedy, Miniseries, Student-Teacher Relationship, Adapted From A Manga  

Following a failed confession to her first love, female high school student Mikoto Ochiai contemplates jumping off the roof of the school building. However, her thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of Jin Haiba, the physics teacher known for being a slacker and the butt of students' jokes. Rather than dissuade her from killing herself, he makes a request—will she enter into a romance with him before she dies? 

Teacher ML / student FL

Even with a second season, it's still too short for me! That's why I bought the mangas hehe.

Tags: Student Female Lead, School Setting, Teenager Female Lead, Age Gap [Drama Life], Teacher Male Lead, Older Man/Younger Woman, Black Comedy, Miniseries, Student-Teacher Relationship, Adapted From A Manga 

One year has passed since the pair’s fateful meeting that day, and as they navigate high school assignments and celebrate birthdays, the origins of the mutual attraction between the two are gradually revealed…

Teacher FL / student ML

Teacher-relationship theme done with serious, great acting

Tags: Forbidden Love, Older Woman/Younger Man, Taboo, Disapproving Parent, First Love, Infidelity, Student-Teacher Relationship, Adapted From A Manga, Lovers Separated, Mother-Son Relationship 

This is a love story between Akira Kuroiwa, a 15-year-old boy who knows nothing of love, and Hijiri Suenaga, his new 25-year-old homeroom teacher. One fated summer, Akira begins to realize he has feelings for Hijiri, but Hijiri has a long distance fiancee. The story follows the pair over the course of several years.

Teacher ML / student FL

I know the ratings are really low, and you might ask yourself ''what am I watching'', but I thought it was absolutly hilarious and unique.

Tags: School Bullying, Student-Teacher Relationship, Obsessive Male Lead, Adapted From A Manga, Older Man/Younger Woman, Stalker Male Lead, Adult-Minor Relationship, Age Gap [Drama Life], Teacher Male Lead, Secret Crush 

Rintaro Aida is a handsome teacher. One of his students, Sachiko Sakurai endures unpleasant situations every day. The identity of the person who causes the unpleasantness is not known. Rintaro Aida always saves her from those situations.

Stalker ML

Tags: Stalker Male Lead, Office Worker Female Lead, Neighbors' Relationship, Drinking, Obsessive Male Lead, Stalking, Rich Male Lead, Adapted From A Manga 

Yomogida Fujiko is an office worker with an academic complex. She works hard and becomes a full-time employee at an insurance company, but because of her diligence, she is unable to refuse the work she is asked to do and accepts it with a smile on her face. One day, an elite company employee, Nishina Soma, moves into the room next door. Fujiko is soothed by the time she spends with her very kind and gentlemanly neighbor. But why did Nishina, a supposedly elite man, move into this shabby apartment, and why is he so kind to Fujiko...? It seems that Nishina, who does not speak much, is a stranger to Fujiko...?

Age gap (older ML / highschooler FL)

Tags: Older Man/Younger Woman, Entertainment Industry, Love At First Sight, Female Chases Male First, First Love, Adapted From A Manga, Band, Nice Male Lead, Rich Male Lead, Second Chance Romance 

One day, on a whim, Aki asks female high school student, Riko, if she believes in love at first sight. Charmed by his humming, she easily falls for him and they start dating, When Aki learns that Riko is a big fan of Crude Play, he keeps his association with the band a secret from her. But how long will he be able to keep his secret?

Age gap (older ML / highschooler FL)

The ML actually acted like a father figure so it was a bit weird.

Tags: Teenager Female Lead, Older Man/Younger Woman, Share House Setting, Age Gap [Real Life], Cohabitation, Adapted From A Manga, Freelancer Male Lead, Part-time Worker Supporting Character 

Due to family circumstances, high school student Miko Sonoda is forced to live at her uncle's boarding house. However, before she can arrive there, Miko is already met with a bad omen: while trying to find the place, she suspects that someone is following her! When her uncle comes to her rescue, the assumed stalker happens to be one of his tenants, leaving Miko embarrassed on her first day.

Teacher ML / student FL

Cute movie

Tags: Love Triangle, Student-Teacher Relationship, High School, Age Gap [Drama Life], Naive Female Lead, First Love, Adapted From A Manga, Transfer Student Female Lead, School Setting, Teenager Female Lead 

Yosano Suzume is a naïve country girl who transfers to a high school in Tokyo. When she gets lost on her first day in the big city, a man named Shishio comes to her rescue. He turns out to be her homeroom teacher. Suzume begins to develop feelings for Shishio that she has never felt before… “I’m in love with you.” While Shishio grapples with how to respond, Suzume’s classmate Mamura, who supposedly has an aversion to girls, tells her he’s in love with her. 

Teacher ML / student FL

Cute movie; mainstream and predictable, but still entertaining.

Tags: Forbidden Love, Student-Teacher Relationship, Secret Relationship, Older Man/Younger Woman, High School, Calm Female Lead, First Love, Language Learning, Taboo, Female Chases Male First  

Kururugi Yuni is a smart high school student. She excels in all subjects except for English. A new English teacher begins work at Yuni's high school. His name is Sakurai Haruka and he is very handsome. Yuni begins to receive one-on-one tutoring from Mr. Sakurai Haruka. Soon, Yuni develops feelings for her teacher and she realizes that she is now in love. Yuni then confesses to her teacher. 

Teacher ML / student FL

Cute movie; mainstream and predictable, but still entertaining.

Tags: Student-Teacher Relationship, Forbidden Love, Older Man/Younger Woman, Female Chases Male First, First Love, Unrequited Love, Adapted From A Manga, Calm Male Lead, Hardworking Female Lead, Naive Female Lead  

Sophomore and representative of the archery club, Shimada Hibiki is a 17-year-old student who has never been in love. During her high school's entrance ceremony she sees Kosaku Ito, her 26-year-old world history teacher, who is well known to be a stern and cold person. Hibiki, rescued by Ito after a minor incident, discovers that their teacher is actually compassionate towards others and starts to develop romantic feelings for him. 

Teacher FL / student ML

Tags: Forbidden Love, Older Woman/Younger Man, Student-Teacher Relationship, Star Crossed Lovers, High School, Character Development, Lovers Separated, Taboo, Infidelity, Mother-Son Relationship 

ichi, a 26-year-old high school math teacher, tentatively accepts her boyfriend's proposal of marriage, uncertain of her love for him, but feeling pressure from her father and society to do what is expected of her. Hikaru is a 17-year-old boy frustrated by his home life with his single mother. After being expelled from many high schools for bad behaviour, he enters Michi's class as a new transfer student.

Teacher ML / student FL

Dropped

Tags: Student Supporting Character, Student Female Lead, School Setting, Sex Industry, Host/Hostess Club Setting, Mathematician Male Lead, Teenager Supporting Character, Teenager Female Lead, Adult-Minor Relationship, Age Gap [Drama Life]  

Hina, a student at Nikko High School, goes out one evening with her classmate Beniko. They get split up and Hina ends up in a strange meeting with a man named Ikumi in a game arcade. The next day, Ikumi turns up as the new teacher at her school. Ikumi doesn't seem to recognize Hina but the wheels of fate are slowly moving to reunite them in what is a passionate story of forbidden love.

Teacher ML / student FL; teacher FL / student ML

Not watched yet

Tags: Love Square, Student-Teacher Relationship, High School, Character Development, Sexual Content, Adapted From A Manga, Unrequited Love, Forbidden Love, Heartbreak, Life Lesson 

Mugi is in love with Akane Minagawa, a young teacher who used to be his home tutor. Hanabi is also in love with a teacher, a young man who has been a family friend since she was little. In each other, they find a place where they can grieve for the ones they cannot have, and they share physical intimacy driven by loneliness. Will things stay like this for them forever?

Teacher ML / student FL

Not watched yet

Tags: Student-Teacher Relationship, Female Chases Male First, Older Man/Younger Woman, Airhead Female Lead, High School, Calm Male Lead, Sismance, Height Difference, Eccentric Female Lead, Student Female Lead 

Samaru Ayuha is a high school student. She is honest and works hard at everything, no matter what. One day, she has trouble at a gyudon restaurant due to money. A man at the restaurant, Hiromitsu Yoshitaka, helps her out. The next day, she finds that Yoshitaka has come to her school as a substitute teacher for her ill homeroom teacher. Ayuha now believes that Yoshitaka is her fate in love. She keeps expressing her feelings to him.

Age gap (older ML / younger FL)

The pacing was weird (and ofc the age gap was weird)

Tags: Nice Female Lead, High School, Adult-Minor Relationship, Age Gap [Drama Life], Age Gap [Real Life], Older Man/Younger Woman, Teen Marriage, Nice Male Lead, Fast Paced Romance, Orphan Male Lead 

Kako, a 16-year-old high school girl, goes to a mixer pretending to be 22. While there, she meets Kouta, who at first has a very intimidating aura. But once he saves her from an awkward situation, she wants to know more about him, as does he. That is until he finds out she isn't 22. The next day Kako runs into him again, but this time, he's working as a police officer. Kako still wants to get closer to Kouta, but he isn't interested... or is he?