2021 was a great year for dramas but which Japanese dramas do we consider to be the best of the best? Check out this collection and find out!

BEST JAPANESE DRAMAS of 2021

TV Asahi

Mob's (Atsuhiro Inukai) average college life flips upside down when he realizes he's living in a "world of BL," surrounded by love-struck boys and their dramatic romances. As he struggles to stay in the background and avoid becoming the protagonist, he finds himself increasingly drawn to a special boy. Caught between his desire to escape the romantic chaos and his crumbling resolve, Mob must confront the possibility of surrendering to the inevitable. Will he manage to maintain his role as a background character, or will he embrace the love he’s been trying to avoid? This 2021 Japanese rom-com series was adapted from the manga of the same name by Konkichi and was directed by Koichiro Miki.

A Man Who Defies the World of BL

Epiphany of True Self

Sota Aoki’s (Shunsuke Michieda) life takes an unexpected turn when he borrows an eraser from his crush, Mio Hashimoto (Riko Fukumoto), only to discover she’s written another boy’s name on it. Devastated, Aoki drops the eraser, but it’s picked up by Kousuke Ida (Ren Meguro), who now mistakenly believes Aoki has a crush on him! As Aoki scrambles to clarify the situation, he finds himself caught in a whirlwind of romantic misunderstandings and comedic chaos. Will Aoki manage to set things straight with Ida, or will this mix-up lead to surprising new connections? This 2021 Japanese romantic comedy drama was directed by Shogo Kusano and Tadaaki Horai and was adapted from the manga of the same name by Wataru Hinekure.

My Love Mix-Up!

Lend Me Your Eraser 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). Hira 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.

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