Descending Stories: A Life In Rakugo

Set during the early Showa period, Yakumo enters the world of rakugo. He forms a friendship with talented storyteller Yurakutei. Yakumo admires Yurakutei’s talent and struggles to achieve his level of performance. With the help of geisha Miyokichi, Yakumo grows up as a rakugo storyteller. Yurakutei and Miyokichi get married, but they die in a mysterious accident. Yakumo takes Konatsu, who is the child of Yurakutei and Miyokichi, and raises her. Konatsu grows up blaming Yakumo as her parents’ enemy. Konatsu and Yakumo’s disciple Yotaro chases after the truth of her parents’ death, which Yakumo hides.

Ju-On: Origins

A paranormal researcher searches obsessively for a cursed home where something terrible happened to a mother and her child long ago.

Gochisousan

Uno Meiko is the daughter of parents who run a western style restaurant in Tokyo. She marries and moves to Osaka with her husband. Meiko experiences cultural differences between Tokyo and Osaka, as she lives as a mother and wife in Osaka.

JOKER GAME

Taking place in the year 1937 on the eve of World War II, the story involves a mysterious spy training organization known as the "D Agency." The organization is established by Lieutenant Colonel Yuuki from the Imperial Japanese Army. His ideals lead him to recruit people beyond military academy graduates and personnel, while training them to become skilled agents in arts of manipulation. These agents would become a specialized team to conduct operations. One such antihero agent, under the name Jirou Gamou, goes on a harrowing mission to uncover secret documents titled "Black Notes," while battling forces from within and without his own ranks.

A Calm Sea and Beautiful Days with You

During the Showa-era, newlyweds Natsumi Ebata and Takimasa Ebata enter an arranged marriage without a single day of courtship. Through tender yet exasperating moments, the two slowly bridge the gap between them, discovering love in the quiet routines of their shared days.

Forgery It's tough being a man

Naniwa no Bansan! Oishii Oishii Hashiri Meshi

In the bustling city of Osaka, a captivating gourmet drama unfolds, revolving around the enigmatic Ban Akira, a taxi driver with a unique gift for ferrying distressed passengers with intricate dilemmas to exquisite dining establishments.

The Queen of Villains

During the heyday of women's pro wrestling in bubble-era Japan, Dump Matsumoto bursts into the ring, shattering norms and turning the nation against her.

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju

When a certain man is released from prison, he knows exactly where he's heading first. After falling in love with a traditional comic storyteller's rendition of the story called "Shinigami," he is determined to become his apprentice. The performer, Yakumo, has never taken an apprentice before, but to everyone's surprise, he accepts the eager ex-prisoner, nicknaming him "Yotaro." As Yotaro happily begins his new life, he meets others in Yakumo's life, including Yakumo's ward Konatsu. Konatsu was the daughter of a famous storyteller, and Yakumo took her in after her father's tragic death. Konatsu loved her father's storytelling, and would love to become a performer in her own right—but that path is not available for women.

Oshin

Oshin is a Japanese serialized morning television drama, which aired on broadcaster NHK from April 4, 1983 to March 31, 1984. The series follows the life of Shin Tanokura during the Meiji period up to the early 1980s. Shin was called "Oshin", which is an archaic Japanese cognomen.

Usotoki Rhetoric

Based on the manga by Ritsu Miyako, this unique drama pairs a penniless detective with a razor-sharp eye for detail with a mysterious woman who can detect lies...?! Together, they unravel complex cases where truth and deception intertwine like threads in a delicate web, all set against the backdrop of a retro-modern cityscape.

Yell

NHK's 102nd morning drama depicts the life of a famous composer. Koyama Yuichi with his wife Oto. They meet each other through music and overcome hardships together. Yuichi composes songs that became "Yells" for people all over Japan in the Showa Era (1926-1989) in which radical changes were going on.　

Showa Monogatari

Shōwa Monogatari is a 2011 Japanese anime film and television series about the Yamazaki family, who live in Tokyo during Shōwa 39, the same year Tokyo hosts the 1964 Summer Olympics. The film, directed by Tadahiro Murakami, was released in Japan on January 29, 2011. Hiroshi Kugimiya directed the 13-episode television series, which had its broadcast run between April and July 2011

Pachinko

This sweeping saga chronicles the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive.

Kids on the Slope

Two different students - a successful but aloof academic and a rebellious but kindhearted delinquent - form a friendship through their love for music.

Anpan

In wartime Japan, spirited Nobu transforms from a militarist schoolgirl into Kochi’s first female reporter, as she and childhood friend Takashi endure personal loss and struggle to find their own truths amid the upheaval of the Showa era.

Antarctica

Set in the 1950's, a Japanese Antarctic research exploration team and 19 dogs that accompanied the team are stationed at the Showa Base in Antarctica. After a year, the exploration team is ordered to withdraw from the Antarctic station due to severe weather conditions. The dogs have to be left behind. The following year, the next team arrives at the Showa Base station and a miraculous reunion occurs between a dog handler accompanying the new tean and two dogs, Taro and Shiro, that are brothers.

A Journey In Japan

We go on a one month backpacking adventure around Japan. In this 2 part documentary series we travel to Japan for the very first time. Travelling there for one month, starting in Tokyo and then using the Japan Rail Pass to explore the country.

Hiyokko

The 17-year-old Yatabe Mineko grew up in a family of seven in a mountain village in northeastern Ibaraki Prefecture. Her father Minoru has gone to Tokyo to work in order to earn extra money. However, her life completely changes when her father does not come back for the New Year. Mineko asks her family to let her go to Tokyo to find him and promises to send money home. In the autumn of 1964, she and two childhood friends Tokiko and Mitsuo are hired to start working at a small factory in Tokyo’s working class neighborhood. After work each day, Mineko searches for her father and gets disheartened at times. Mineko overcomes challenges and starts to lay down roots in Tokyo as she experiences many meetings and farewells amid the laughter and tears with regulars, people of the shopping street, friends, and colleagues. But will she be able to find her father?

Black Kite

Yasu's mother passed away when he was very young and his father abandoned him. Yasu's wife, Misako, also lost both her parents when she was young. The two spend their days in happiness, watching their young son, Akira, grow up. Unfortunately, a freakish accident occurs that results in Misako sacrificing her life to protect her son. Yasu loses himself in grief and remorse, but recovers as he vows to raise his 3 year-old son as best as possible.