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

MBS, tvK

Young and a bit naïve, Momoko Hirasawa (Sakurako Konishi) is very much like most young women her age. A hardworking employee at a high-end hotel café, Momoko spends her days serving others and her nights at home, alone. With absolutely no dating experience and zero prospects, Momoko wonders if she’ll ever find that “special someone” everyone always seems to be talking about. On the brink of giving up hope, a steamy encounter with a handsome stranger at the hotel’s rooftop observatory changes everything.

Unable to forget that moment of passion, Momoko is determined to uncover the identity of her mysterious stranger. Spotting him at work, it doesn’t take long for Momoko to learn that he is none other than Kei Hase (Renn Kiriyama), one of the high-ranking employees at the hotel. Convinced he is too far out of her league, Momoko tries to forget him, but the kisses they shared that fateful evening refuse to be forgotten. Approaching Kei, Momoko tries to find some sort of answer to the myriad of questions she has, but every attempt she makes is met with cold indifference.&nbsp;

Confused, Momoko tries once again to let Kei go but the harder she tries, the more fate seems to bring them together. Will time help Momoko break through Kei’s cold exterior or will their rooftop kiss become a phantom to forever haunt her?

Adapted from the manga, “Love Phantom”, by Kako Mitsuki, “Love is Phantom” is a 2021 romantic drama directed by Osamu Minorikawa.

Love is Phantom

👻 Phantom Lovers 💘

Rinko Amaki (Takada Kaho) is a successful 27-year-old woman who works at a busy wedding planning agency. She excels at her job to such an extent that she is promoted to lead her unit. She is popular, beautiful, and hard-working, but there is just one thing that frustrates her: Despite being surrounded by loved-up couples and romance all day at work for years, she is still single. And on top of that, she has never made love. She wants to lose her virginity, but has never found the right man.

In a twist of fate, her male co-worker Gen Kamisaka (Totsuka Shota), another wildly successful wedding planner is in the exact same predicament. Also aged 27, he has never had any intimate relations with a woman. The duo, having discovered they share the same “problem,” decides to do something about it. But they soon discover that work and physical intimacy are not easy to balance. And while they might have initially envisaged a quick and fuss-free fling, Cupid might have other plans for them...

This drama was based on a 2017 manga series of the same name, which was created by Mio Fujita.

“Rinko-san Wants to Try” is a Japanese drama series that was directed by Keijiro Tsubakimoto.

Rinko-san Wants to Try

Try to ❤ Team

TV Asahi

Just an average college student, living his average life, “Mob” (Atsuhiro Inukai) had never once considered the fact that his life might be anything other than ordinary. With each day passing very much like the one before, Mob might have been stuck in his average, ordinary life forever. But a sudden epiphany causes Mob to see the world in a whole new light, flipping his ordinary world upside down in an instant.&nbsp;

Now fully aware of the fact that he is living inside a “world of BL”, Mob can’t seem to go anywhere without being caught up in some boys’ love story. From school classmates to his own little brother, Mob finds himself surrounded by boys whose sole purpose in life seems to be to fall in love. Determined to keep himself from becoming this world’s protagonist, Mob assigns himself the role of a background character, but no matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to escape the love scenarios unfolding all around him.

Constantly bombarded by love-struck boys, Mob does everything he can to fight back, but even as he fights, he feels his will beginning to crumble. With one special boy slowly stealing his heart, Mob begins to wonder, how much longer will he be able to fight the inevitable?&nbsp;

Adapted from the manga of the same name, written by Konkichi, “A Man Who Defies the World of BL” is a 2021 romantic comedy drama directed by Koichiro Miki.

A Man Who Defies the World of BL

Epiphany of True Self

For longer than he'd care to admit, Sota Aoki (Shunsuke Michieda) has had a crush on his classmate Mio Hashimoto (Riko Fukumoto). Sitting next to her in class every day, Aoki wishes he could find a way to tell her how he feels but something keeps holding him back. Despite being unable to confess his feelings, he’s at least able to talk to her about other, simpler things. He’s even occasionally borrowed school supplies from her, which is why he didn’t think twice about asking to borrow an eraser from her when he found himself needing one during class one day.

Little did Aoki know that borrowing one simple eraser would change his life forever. Noticing Hashimoto had written something on the eraser he’d borrowed, Aoki is devastated to find that she had written "Ida-kun". Crushed by the realization that she has absolutely no romantic interest in him, Aoki finds himself so flustered that he accidentally drops the eraser. Much to his horror, the very same Kousuke Ida (Ren Meguro), picks up the eraser and hands it back to Aoki. Noticing his name on the eraser, Ida suddenly sees Aoki in an entirely different light.

With Ida now convinced Aoki has a crush on him and Hashimoto wanting nothing more from him than their casual friendship, Aoki has no idea what to do next. Will he be able to clear up this misunderstanding with Ida, or will he find that fate has other plans?

Adapted from the manga of the same name written by Wataru Hinekure, “My Love Mix-Up!” is a 2021 romantic comedy drama directed by Shogo Kusano and Tadaaki Horai.

My Love Mix-Up!

Lend Me Your Eraser Team💛💙

With no friends, poor grades, and a stutter, Hira Kazunari (Riku Hagiwara) isn’t exactly enjoying his life as a high school student. With no dreams, and little ambition, Hira’s only hobby is to take photographs of his everyday life. With a new semester now starting, Hira doesn’t really expect things to change but when they take a turn for the worst, he’s caught completely off-guard.

Rescued from a horribly uncomfortable situation by none other than the class’s “King”, Kiyoi Sou (Yusei Yagi), Hira can’t help the feelings of admiration that threaten to overwhelm him. Despite his best efforts to resist, Hira soon finds himself madly in love with the exceedingly handsome Kiyoi, but with such polar positions in the class, his chances of winning Kiyoi’s heart are slim. Or so it would seem. Uncovering Kiyoi’s secret dream, quite by accident, Hira soon realizes he and his crush now have something important connecting them.

Sharing such an important secret, will Hira and Kiyoi find themselves slowly coming together, or will it eventually become the wedge that drives them apart?

Adapted from the novel, “He, Who is Beautiful” by Nagira Yuu, “My Beautiful Man” is a 2021 romantic high school drama directed by Mai Sakai.

My Beautiful Man

🥂The Ginger Ale 🥂 Team

Though a university graduate, Nodakura Naho (Mayuu Yokota) has yet to turn her dreams of becoming an everyday office worker into reality. With her bills piling up and no sign of permanent employment in sight, Nodakura has no choice but to take a part-time job. But finding even a part-time job is easier said than done.

Whether led by fate or chance, Nodakura finds herself accepting a position at a design company whose president, Sakisaka Takumi (Shirasu Jin), is quite the character. Despite his frivolous outward nature, Sakisaka is actually a highly accomplished designer who has more than a few prestigious awards to his name. Having seen both sides of her new boss, Nodakura can’t decide how she feels about him, or her new job.

Despite how she feels about her boss, Nodakura is determined to make her dreams of full-time employment come true. Working hard, Nodakura inadvertently catches Sakisaka’s eye. Giving his new hire an increasing amount of attention, it’s only a matter of time before sparks start to fly. But will these sparks lead to a passionate flame or a total burnout?

Adapted from the manga, “Anyway, I Won’t Run Away” by Kazumi Kazui, “Can’t Run Away From Love” is a 2021 romantic comedy drama directed by Yo Kawahara.

Can't Run Away from Love

💘  Captivated by You💘

Abema TV

When Kamiya Manaha (Riko) was very young, she attended a beauty contest with her family, and got separated from her mother. The stunning beauty queen winner of the contest took pity on the young child, and brought her on stage to help her find her family. This incident bewitched her, and ever since she has harbored secret dreams of becoming a beauty queen herself, much to her family’s displeasure. Now aged 17 and in high school, she has grown up shy and lacking in self-confidence, convinced that she is a plain Jane who wouldn’t stand a chance in a beauty competition. When a local cultural fair organizer announces that it will hold a beauty pageant for high schoolers, she dreams of entering, but dare not – convinced that the school’s most stunning students will be crowned king and queen.

But when a chance occurrence takes place at a bus stop, she gets to talking to Tachibana Keigo (Kamio Fuju), an incredibly handsome, but preening and vain classmate. Over time, she starts to form an unlikely friendship with him. She also meets a newcomer to the scene, Shimamura Sora (Mizuki Itagaki), an equally dashing recent transfer student that few in the class know very much about. Against all odds, the two boys start to develop feelings for her, and she starts to consider entering the pageant – but will her beauty dreams ever come true?

“Black Cinderella” is a 2021 Japanese drama series that was directed by Kawamura Taisuke.

Black Cinderella

Fuji TV

Growing up in an extraordinarily wealthy family, Mamoru Hyoga (Noriko Eguchi) has never wanted for anything in her entire life. Born and raised with the world at her feet, Mamoru has never had a financial worry in her life but that doesn’t mean she grew up with everything. Having lost both of her parents at a young age, Mamoru grew up without ever knowing the warmth of her parents’ love.&nbsp;

Despite her loss, and the moments of loneliness and sadness that occasionally plague her, Mamoru has done quite well on her own. The CEO of an e-book company, Three Star Books, Mamoru and her business partner and longtime friend, Ryo Ichinose (Shigeyuki Totsugi) have made their company a huge success. Drawn to the success of the company, Yu Haruno (Eiji Akaso) applies for one of Three Stars Books' open internships. Working part-time to support his family as he studies, Yu sees this internship as an opportunity to change his life. Little did he know just how much things would change, the day Mamoru walked into his life.

With one never knowing a family’s love and the other never going a day without it, Mamoru and Yu find themselves inexplicably drawn towards each other; but can their stark differences really be what brings them together or will they eventually drive them apart?

A timeless tale of opposite attraction, “SUPER RICH” is a 2021 drama directed by Shin Hirano, Hideyuki Aizawa, Toshiyuki Mitsuhashi, and Masakazu Abe.

SUPER RICH

Sakaino Hitomi (Matsui Airi) is a clean-living young woman from a well-heeled family. She is always completely honest with everyone she meets – a fact that sometimes lands her in trouble. Most people envy her due to the fact that she is engaged to marry the fabulously wealthy and successful Akashi Keigo (Kousei Yuki), a handsome bachelor with an impeccable educational background.

But life for both turns decidedly chaotic when, at a construction site, Sakaino Hitomi meets the dashing, muscular but decidedly rough-around-the edges Manabu (Kasamatsu Sho). She falls for him instantly, despite his much lower level of education, and cannot disguise her feelings for him. Even as she is trying on her wedding dress, she is thinking of Manabu. This encounter has obviously taken its toll on her, and when her fiance tries to kiss her and she refuses, family members begin to sense that something is wrong. As her attraction to Manabu begins to intensify, it looks like the big wedding could be headed for the rocks…

“Bewitched by My Sexy Boyfriend” is a 2021 Japanese drama series that was directed by Yusuke Kato.

Bewitched by My Sexy Boyfriend

 "Ero💖Kare" Temptation Team 

Riyo (Yamaya Kasumi) is a university student who works part-time at a retail outlet. One day, while at work, she meets a young man named Kairi (Furukawa Yuta) who bears an uncanny resemblance to her older brother – who she has not seen for many years. Kairi is an insomniac who has tried unsuccessfully to overcome his ailment.

When they meet, sparks fly – she is attracted to him, and he discovers that when he is with her, his insomnia eases and he is finally able to get a good night’s sleep. But while she is staying at his apartment, Riyo finds Kairi’s diary and decides to look inside. She gets a terrible fright when she reads an entry that appears to involve her new boyfriend confessing to a murder. She knows that she must get to the bottom of the matter and find out whether this secret confession was really sincere. Has there been a mixup...or has she just fallen in love with a murderer?

This drama was based on a manga series authored by Morie Satoshi in 2018.

“My Right Older Brother” is a 2021 Japanese drama series that was directed by Akira Kawahara.

My Right Older Brother

The Hypnotist ✨

Two and a half years ago, Haruhiko Kuzumi (Kenta Izuka) and Rio Kijima’s (Terunosuke Takezai) lives changed forever, when a chance encounter of a most painful sort brought them together. Having accidentally caused a bicycle accident which left Rio with a broken arm and no way to work, Haruhiko agreed to help the struggling writer transcribe his story in lieu of monetary compensation. Working together, the two developed a close relationship which has remained to this day.

Moving from Tokyo back into his parents’ countryside house with his sister and her husband, Rio’s life has taken a much different turn since his days spent with Haruhiko. At the same time, so has Haruhiko’s. A university student at the time, Haruhiko has since graduated and is now a productive, working member of Tokyo society. Now separated by both time and distance, the only thing connecting the two are the letters they still occasionally write to each other. Near the point of giving up on each other, Rio is surprised when fate decides to bring Haruhiko back into his life.

Meeting by chance in the peaceful countryside, the two men have a chance to reconnect; but will this meeting be one of heartbreak or joy?

The sequel to the 2018 drama, “The Novelist”, “The Novelist - Spring Life” is a 2021 romance directed by Miki Koichiro.

The Novelist - Spring Life

💥 The Romancist Team 💥

Not exactly your normal, everyday, run-of-the-mill high school student, Hayashi Miyoshi (Ryusei Onishi) marches to his own beat. Frank, guileless, and full of quirks, Hayashi has a knack for quietly drawing the attention of classmates and strangers alike. Full of mysterious charm, Hayashi embraces life on his own terms, staying unapologetically true to himself, despite what others might think.&nbsp;

While Hayashi embraces the lighter side of life and draws others toward that light, Nikaidou Akira (Fumiya Takahashi) does exactly the opposite. Exuding nothing but doom and gloom, Nikaidou has worked hard to build up his dark façade, knowing full well that it’s the best method for keeping others away. While nearly everyone around Nikaidou believes him to be a bad omen, there’s one person who isn’t so sure. Having once caught a glimpse of the boy behind the mask, this person is determined to find that boy once more and bring him into the light.

Living two entirely different lives, Hayashi and Nikaidou may not seem to have much in common, but deep down, could they be more alike than they realize?

Adapted from the manga of the same name by Wayama Yama, “Captivated, by You” is a 2021 high school comedy drama directed by Ayuko Tsukahara.

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