For the second year in a row, I'm rounding out my year-end countdowns with a spotlight on my favorite Japanese dramas of the year. Though I don't write much about them on the blog, I've become a huge fan of Japanese series and tend to give pretty much anything a try.
This countdown is divided into three parts. First, I've got my top tier favorites of 2023, followed by other dramas I watched and enjoyed to some extent. Finally, I've got a few 2023 dramas I'm currently working through but haven't yet finished (mostly because subtitles aren't available quite yet).
MY TOP FOUR DRAMAS
My favorite kind of humor is awkward humor, and this drama is built all around that. 2023 was a weaker year for comedies, but this was the best of the bunch. It's about a group of "cool" guys who are a bit clumsy and awkward around others. It's also a story about friendship, which tends to be a theme I'm drawn to. The writing is a bit heavy-handed in places and could stand to be a bit more nuanced, but I laughed out loud more often in this drama than any other this year. NCT's Yuta is a particular highlight. He's so perfect in this role.
This comes with a major caveat because as of this posting only four episodes have been subtitled. However, unless something changes drastically in the next episodes I could see this becoming my favorite drama of the year. It's another story about friendship and people who have a hard time interacting with the world, but more of a dramatic take on the theme. The cast is excellent, and the script (from the writer of my favorite 2022 drama, Silent) is absolutely fantastic. I hope the rest of the series holds up!
This won't be for everyone, but I love how twisted and unique it is. The BL genre is super saturated, but Japan finds a really nuanced way to deliver it. Taikan Yoho is a slow burn and largely takes place in one space. It's got a great sense of tension throughout and the two leads had the best on-screen chemistry from any of the dramas on my list. It's a bit envelope-pushing in the context of Japanese dramas, which are usually pretty tame when it comes to intimate scenes. Also, I have to give a shout out to Genic's Atsuki Mashiko, who's blossoming into a great actor. He was also in my favorite comedy of last year (in a VERY different role).
This was the first drama I watched in 2023 and still one of the best. It's one of those romantic comedy style series that just makes all the right moves. The leads are fantastic and have fun chemistry, and the plot is engaging throughout. It's one of those rare dramas that maintains its consistency all the way through, which is a testament to the energy of the cast and the sharpness of the writing. I also liked how it centered around characters who were chasing their dreams in various fields.
OTHER 2023 HIGHLIGHTS
This was a really interesting, short drama about the end of the world. As you'd expect from that premise, it's not exactly a light, uplifting series, but I found the concept to be quite engaging.
While I can't say this was objectively *good,* it starred the guys from Bias List fave Ryugujo. It's also the first drama I've ever subbed on my own, so it holds a special place in my heart. If you can get into a schlocky vampire soap opera, it's a fun watch.
Japan does this style of subdued, observational realism better than any other market. While this wasn't a "big" story, I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters and it was occasionally quite funny. Anything that stars Akaso Eiji and Haru is bound to be great.
This is actually a spin-off of a not-so-great drama I never finished. It's a satire of dating variety shows starring the vocalists of Fantastics, so of course I was in! It was pretty funny.
I don't think this was super well regarded by most people, but I kind of loved it. I'm a sucker for straightforward summertime dramas set in beach towns. The cast was excellent and there was always plenty of interesting things going on. The ending was weak, but up until the last couple of episodes this was one of my favorite 2023 dramas.
This was another one that suffered from a lackluster finale. The first half of the drama was much stronger, and I love the concept of an "older" character going back to relive their college life (or experience it for the first time).
This has awful online user ratings/reviews, but I thought it was hilarious. It's about a group of hapless, goofy guys at a barely-functioning host club and the woman charged with getting the business back up to snuff.
This was a lot of fun and the cast was terrific. The episodes tended to get a bit formulaic, but I was always entertained and the series moves at a very fast pace. It's fun watching cunning people ruthlessly claw their way to the top of the business world.
I actually went back and watched this whole series (plus the movie) this year and really enjoyed it. Season two was an interesting extension and change in tone from the first one.
DRAMAS IN PROGRESS
I'm liking this so far and eagerly awaiting the remaining episodes on Netflix. It's a bit formulaic but the setting is interesting.
This one's getting less interesting as it goes on. I'm basically watching it for the fun cameos (Avu-chan! Generations' Mandy!) and the weird fashion.
This is a really great, female-forward drama. It's not fully subbed yet, but I've loved the episodes so far. It's such an interesting premise and the cast is very endearing.
This one's pretty sad so far but sometimes I'm in the mood for something that deliberately twists my emotions.
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