Riku Hagiwara is a Japanese actor. He was born on February 18, 1999, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and made his acting debut in 2008. Since then, he has appeared in a wide variety of films and television dramas, including “Trapped in the Box” (2021).

Riku Hagiwara

Piano instructor Miri Kono (Mayu Hotta) struggles with feelings of disappointment and inadequacy after failing to achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a professional musician. Finding comfort wherever she can, Miri often treats herself to melon juice from a food truck run by Sora Aoki (Riku Hagiwara). As a man suffering from dissociative amnesia, Sora understands what it’s like to live with disappointment and loss. Connecting with Miri over rounds of melon juice, Sora wonders if he might have a future with her. But how can he hope to build a future with her when she has no idea he lives with a memory disorder? This 2023 Japanese romance drama was directed by Kentaro Otani and Akihiko Takaishi.

Every Precious Moment

🍉 Melon Memento🍉

Sora Aoki

Fuji TV

As a standup paddleboard instructor, summer is unquestionably Natsumi Aoi’s (Nana Mori) busiest season. Living and working at a popular seaside destination, it’s only natural for Natsumi to meet people from all walks of life. Little did she know that this summer, those people would ultimately change her life forever.

As Natsumi’s childhood friend, Takumi Makino (Fuju Kamio) has always been by her side. Never leaving his seaside home, Takumi is now a carpenter who still has a knack for being around anytime Natsumi needs him. Kento Mizushima (Shotaro Mamiya), on the other hand, is an out-of-towner who also works in construction. But his major company ties and degree from a prestigious university set him miles apart from Takumi. Joining him on this seaside adventure is Osamu Sasaki (Riku Hagiwara), a second-year clinical resident and Kento’s high school best friend. Enjoying a little seaside escape of their own are Airi Takigawa (Ai Yoshikawa), Mamoru Yamauchi (Alan Shirahama), Lisa Ogura (Sawa Nimura), and Sosuke Hayakawa (Koji Mizukami).

Coming from all walks of life, this group of young people finds their fates slowly entwining during their seaside adventures. Eventually forced to confront their complex feelings and bottled-up emotions, will any of them find the one thing they’re all so desperately searching for?

Everything a seaside summer romance should be, “Cinderellas of Midsummer” is a 2023 Japanese romance drama directed by Ryo Tanaka.

Cinderellas of Midsummer

⛱️ Summer Guys Team🌞

TV Asahi

As a popular fitness trainer, Soyogi Mikami (Reina Triendl) is highly disciplined, especially regarding her diet. Consuming only what she needs to meet her nutritional requirements, Soyogi has lost all interest in the joy of eating. Yuga Tsukuyomi (Riku Hagiwara), a dietary manager with a deep passion for food and cooking, enters her life unexpectedly. When they meet, Yuga offers to make Soyogi a snack so delicious that it reignites her love for food. His regular snack offerings initially raise concerns from her protective older brother, but Yuga's willingness to sign a no-romance agreement puts him at ease. However, as Soyogi and Yuga share midnight snacks, an unexpected romance begins to bloom. Yuki Saito, Atsushi Kaneshige, and Yuki Shimizu directed this 2023 Japanese romantic comedy series.

Midnight Snack

🌜Soul Food🥢

Yuga Tsukuyomi

When he was in high school, Hira Kazunari (Hagiwara Riku) was known as the quiet, friendless, loner. Struggling his way through school, Hira might have gone through his entire school career without making a single friend, had fate not decided to intervene by bringing Kiyoi Sou (Yagi Yusei) into his life.

As one of the school’s most popular students, “King” Kiyoi was everyone’s favorite. But for Hira, Kiyoi was so much more than that. Falling in love with Kiyoi the moment he first laid eyes on him, Hira knew his life would never be the same. After graduating high school, Hira and Kiyoi found a way to take their tentative friendship to a whole new level. From strangers to lovers, Hira and Kiyoi have spent the past few years together quite happily.&nbsp;

Now nearing his graduation from university, Hira has taken a position as the assistant to a successful photographer while Kiyoi begins to expand his career as an actor. Working hard to establish themselves in their chosen careers, Hira and Kiyoi begin to drift apart as they turn their attention elsewhere. Has the time come for these high school lovers to go their separate ways?

Adapted from the novel “He, Who is Beautiful” by Nagira Yuu, “My Beautiful Man -eternal-” is a 2023 Japanese romance film directed by Sakai Mai.

My Beautiful Man -eternal-

🥂The Ginger Ale 🥂 Team

Once high school sweethearts, Kazunari Hira (Riku Hagiwara) and Sou Kiyoi (Yusei Yagi) now live in bliss as adults. As they live together, they are able to support each other through life’s ups and downs, but not everything is perfect. As graduation approaches, Hira's lack of job experience leaves him feeling lost, while Kiyoi’s acting career is soaring. Will their love withstand the pressures of adulthood, or will cracks appear in their once-perfect relationship? Released in 2023, this is the second season of My Beautiful Man, also directed by Mai Sakai.

My Beautiful Man Season 2

Often the tenderest – and sometimes the most awkward – of all moments in a couple’s relationship is the 60 minutes before they make love for the first time. This omnibus drama series follows the exploits of different couples of various ages and from all sorts of walks of life as, with a blend of adventure, anticipation, lust, and trepidation, they navigate the often-tense last minutes before they have sex for the first time. Their motivation in each case is not always the same, but we are often privy to their innermost thoughts, fears, and desires as the clock ticks down to zero – and the start of their intimacy.

From young courting couples to people in their middle ages, in each case, the destination is certain, but just how the couples will end up getting there is not always clear. The omnibus begins with the tale of a young, inexperienced couple named Takayama Satoshi (Asuka Kudo) and Aida Michiko (Asami Usuda). They have resolved to make love for the first time, but have no real idea how to go about it. Who should initiate what? Is this really what they want to do? Will nerves get the better of them? They have confined themselves to a small room with the intention of taking their relationship to this next step, but as the sands of time run down, uncertainty just won’t go away!

This drama was based on a 2016-2018 manga series written by Knots.

“60 Minutes Until the First Love Affair” is a Japanese 2021 omnibus drama series that was directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi, Daisuke Miura, Akiko Ohku, and Kohei Taniguchi.

60 Minutes Until the First Love Affair

Wild Hearts Team

Friendless loner Kazunari Hira (Riku Hagiwara) is having a miserable time at high school. Things get even worse for him as the new semester starts, and he finds himself in a deeply uncomfortable situation. He is unexpectedly rescued by the wildly popular Sou Kiyoi (Yusei Yagi). Kazunari can’t help falling for the dashing Kiyoi, but thinks he has no chance of winning his classmate’s heart. However, it turns out Kiyoi has a secret dream – one that could possibly bring them together. Will this connection drive them apart? Or could it lead them to an unlikely love? This 2021 Japanese BL series was was directed by Mai Sakai and based on a novel by Yuu Nagira.

My Beautiful Man

Wandering through life with no real goals, Akihito Yoshihara (Yuki Inoue) is barely managing to drag himself through the drudgery of his daily life. Doing his best to move away from a past that has left him terribly scarred, Akihito wants to forget the years that have long haunted him. But no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t seem to shake the memories that continually haunt him. Things for Akihito only get worse when fate brings Eriko Ishikawa (Ayane Kinoshita) back into his life.

Having once harbored a deep high school crush on Eriko, the sight of her suddenly drags Akihito back to the days he’d most like to forget. The subjects of vicious slander and baseless lies, both Akihito and Eriko were tormented endlessly in high school. Unable to do anything but drag themselves through each miserable day, both of them have spent every day since, trying desperately to forget those days of endless suffering.&nbsp;

Reunited seven years later, will Akihito and Eriko find a way to overcome the pain of the past and the strength they need to write for themselves a better future?

A story full of both pain and hope, “Bittersand” is a 2021 drama film directed by Tomoya Sugimoto.

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