Matsui Rena is a Japanese singer and actress who was born in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on July 27, 1991. She was selected as a member of the all-female pop group SKE48 in 2008 after a successful audition, later going on to join the group AKB48 and then Nogizaka46. She left SKE48 in 2015 and has since gone on to make a name for herself in the world of acting, appearing in dramas such as “Tokyo Vampire Hotel” (2017), “Princess Jellyfish” (2018), and “Yell” (2020).

Matsui Rena

All her life, Aiko Maeda (Rena Matsui) has suffered from low self-esteem. Born with a large and very visible birthmark on her face, Aiko has spent her entire life trying to hide from other people. Even now, as a graduate student, she continues to shy away from others rather than embrace the opportunity to make friends and find love.

Despite her tendency to shy away from social situations, Aiko agrees to an interview with an author writing a book about facial scars and birthmarks. When the book takes off, Aiko is pleasantly surprised, but that joy leads to uncertainty when she learns the book is being adapted into a film, and the director, Shota Tobisaka (Ayumu Nakajima), wants to cinematize her story. Agreeing to work with the Shota, Aiko soon finds herself in unfamiliar territory when she realizes the handsome director completely accepts her for who she is.

Entirely unfamiliar with love, Aiko finds herself unable to stop herself from falling for the amiable Shota. Will these new feelings of hers be reciprocated or will her first real crush end in heartache?

Adapted from Naoki Prize-winning author Rio Shimamoto’s romantic novel, “The Nighthawk’s First Love” is a 2022 Japanese film directed by Yuka Yasukawa.

The Nighthawk’s First Love

Growing up in a small, rural town, Reiji Kurose (Towa Araki) has never once believed he would ever have a chance to escape his small, dismal life. Living with his hard-working mother, his shut-in brother, and his unstable grandmother, Reiji’s life has been anything but cheery; which would explain why his outlook on life is far more grim than that of his childhood friend, Sakuko Akiyama (Miyu Honda).

Sharing her dreams of one someday moving to glamorous, chaotic Tokyo, Sakuko tries to help Reiji see past the gloomy nothingness of his small town. Unfortunately, even her best efforts can’t seem to draw her friend out of his growing depression. For Reiji, only the performances of his favorite idol group, Acrylic, and the group’s most beautiful member, Nagi Aoe (Hinako Kitano), can chase away the ever-present dreariness of his life. Needless to say, when he discovers Nagi working at a convenience store in his hometown, Reiji’s life takes an unexpected turn.

Unwittingly dragged into a series of scandals, Reiji’s once gloomy life takes an even darker turn as he’s pulled deeper into an intricate web of lies, obsession, and betrayal. With his world becoming ever-darker, will Reiji find a way to escape the dismal abyss that threatens to swallow him whole?

Adapted from the manga of the same name by Ryou Minenami, “Boy’s Abyss” is a 2022 Japanese psychological thriller drama directed by Hiroaki Yuasa.

Boy's Abyss

🌞 Light or Darkness 🌚

Katsuragi Hayame (Nikaido Fumi) is a housewife living an uneventful and unspectacular life with her husband. But when the latter comes home one day and abruptly drops a bombshell – telling her he has met another woman and wants a divorce – he whole, mundane world falls to pieces. Without thinking, she walks out of the house intending never to come back. But fate has more misery in store for her: A thief robs her of all the money she has on her – leaving her homeless and penniless.

Destiny isn’t done with her yet, though. As Katsuragi Hayame wallows in self-pity, she encounters a bratty male high school student that she once humiliated named Issei (Maeda Gordon). He mischievously tells her that if she plays a game with her, he will give her a place to stay. She plays along, but their personalities clash. As they get to know each other a little better, Issei finds himself drawn to the older woman – but soon finds that he is not the only one vying for her heart!

“Promise Cinderella” is a 2021 Japanese drama series that was directed by Shosuke Murakami, Junichi Tsuzuki, and Shinichi Kitabo.

Promise Cinderella

Fuji TV

Tsukimi Kurashita (Kyoko Yoshine) lost her mother to illness while she was still a young girl. Her enduring memory of her mother is jellyfish – after an emotional visit to an aquarium with her mother. Ever since, she has been completely obsessed with these aquatic creatures.

She lives in a Tokyo apartment with a group of young women on the fringes of society, most of whom have little or no romantic experience, shun outsiders, and are unemployed.

Tsukimi Kurashita dreams of escaping this dreary apartment and her housemates. She wants to retreat into her own world and become an illustrator.

But her life is sent on a brand new course on the fateful day when she quarrels with an uppity pet store clerk about a jellyfish, which she believes may be on the verge of death.

A remarkable looking stranger intervenes: a stunning beauty queen (who later turns out to be a cross-dressing man): Kuranosuke Koibuchi (Koji Seto). The stranger buys the jellyfish for Tsukimi Kurashita, who repays the favor by letting this exotic beauty stay with her at the apartment – much to the disdain of her housemates.

But the chaos has only just begun, as both Koibuchi Kuronosuke and his brother Koibuchi Shu (Asuka Kudo) slowly begin to fall for Tsukimi Kurashita…

This drama was based on a hit manga series of the same name, and also spawned an animated series and a 2014 live-action film.

“Princess Jellyfish” is a 2018 Japanese drama series that was directed by Ishikawa Junichi.

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