The Golden Age of Japanese Drama 　　　　　Japanese version

　Which country's dramas are attracting the most attention, liked most and getting the widest popularity in the world now? Perhaps Japanese ones.
　With the rise of the internet, Japanese dramas have come to be transferred abroad one after another by the fans without through the TV statons of each country. And those videos are subtitled one after another also by the fans. (Mainly in English, but some of them are in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Tagalog, Arabic, etc.) There exist two huge BBS in English devoted to Japanese dramas, and there, such things as an American, an Brazilian, a Swede, a Russian, an Australian, an Filipino, a Thai and an Egyptian are moved from joy to sorrow by the course of the love between Doumyouji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi and exchanging their opinions, for example, are happening every day. Why? -- There would be many reasons. But I think the biggest one would be that many excellent dramas have been created recently in Japan, considering simply. And so, in which points are they excellent concretely? I'd like to pick up six in my own way.

　1.The change of the theme -- I had not watched dramas for a long time, because I had believed that dramas were at the lower level than movies. And another big reason was that I had hated what was called "trendy drama" that had been spoiling Japanese women and stirring up their desires. But about a year ago, I casually got interested in dramas, began watching them and found belatedly that Japanese dramas had drastically changed compared to 10 years before.
　First of all, I think the level has become higher. Though it's a matter of course that there are both excellent dramas and no-good ones, I think that the really excellent dramas have come to rank with the really excellent movies. Another great change is that "trendy drama", the mainstream Japanese dramas from the late 1980s till 1990s, has almost been sweeped. (A matter of joy indeed.) Romance was the theme of most dramas in those days, but it's not so now. And even in the case of romance drama, those out of the framework of "trendy drama" have increased in number. (For example,"Densha Otoko".) Well then, what is the common term of many excellent dramas that appeared in the 2000s? -- As I'll give several actual examples later, I think it's human love and humanism. Japanese drama has made progress from "trendy drama" to human drama.
　2.The improvement of scripts -- As drama has a lot of elements such as script, directing, acting, set, clothes, shooting, music, etc., which is the most important and decides the quality of a drama most among them? I think it's script. Japanese actors are good at acting on the whole now, and Japanese drama staff are quite at home and do good job on the whole. But script is the only exception. The difference between excellent scripts and no-good ones is really light and shade. When a viewing rate of a drama is low, the mass media always blames the leading actor for that. But this is unjust and wrong. Because an unpopular drama is seldom without a no-good script, it should be the scriptwriter who is to be blamed first.
　I once read somewhere that Kurosawa Akira had once said, "The quality of a movie is 70-80 percent up to the script." I think this is the unchanging truth once and now, whether a movie or a drama. The improvement of scripts would be the principal factor of the enrichment of Japanese dramas for recent years.
　3.Scripts based on mangas -- Scripts are divided into three types, depending on what is the original work. -- 1.An original script 2.A script based on a novel 3.A script based on a manga. It seems that 1 was overwhelming in number in 1990s, but 2 and 3 have been increasing in number recently and 3 is especially noticeable. Is it a good trend or not?
　In newspapers and magazines, the expressions, "relying on original works","relying on mangas" are often used with the nuance of "It's a pity". But are those people who write like this really watching dramas and judging them by quality? I think contrary to them that the increase of 2 and 3 in number, especially that of 3, has brought a positive effect on the whole Japanese dramas. Japanese mangas are treasuries of story. I mean, though they are the mixture of wheat and shaff of course, overlooking the whole, the excellent mangas are far superior to average novels and attractive with solid characters and storylines. I have an impression that the appearance of the manga-based dramas one after another and their success stimulated the scriptwriters in a good way and the quality of the original scripts has become better, too.
　4.Many talented young actors -- But, however good a script may be, the drama will get ruined of course if the actors act poorly. Acting would be the second most important factor of a drama, after a script. And as a marked characteristic of recent years, I can point out the fact that a lot of talented (and good-looking) young actors from the late teens to the early 20s appeared. Though the actors of older generations were good and are good at acting, it never happened before that so many talented young actors of this generation appeared like this.
　Especially young actresses. Ueto Aya, Ishihara Satomi, Inoue Mao, Miyazaki Aoi, Sawajiri Erika, Nagasawa Masami, Ayase Haruka, Ueno Juri, Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, Aoi Yuu, etc....All of them have played the leading parts of a movie or a drama quite well. In the omnibus drama of Fuji TV, "Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshitachi", aired last year and this year, eight young actresses played the leading part of each episode. This would have been an impossible plan to begin with, if there had not been so many talented young actresses. And I think the drama itself was good on the whole.
　5.Fuji TV -- Next comes the Fuji TV. It has created incomparably many excellent dramas among all Japanese TV stations, and it's no exaggeration to say that the flourishing of Japanese drama of today would never be if it had not been for Fuji TV. (Though I may have to say it as Fuji TV and the affiliated companies, strictly speaking, because Kansai TV, Kyoudou TV, etc. have often created them.) Why?
　I don't know about the company circumstances. But I noticed these words of a director of Fuji TV when I was turning a page of a magazine the other day. "Make a program out of the mainstream." -- This is a very difficult thing to do, for a big company is very much likely to cling to the past experience of success. The latest case in point is "Karei naru Ichizoku" that TBS has made and aired just recently. They decided to make a drama based on a novel of Yamazaki Toyoko, because "Daichi no Ko" and "Shiroi Kyotou" made a success in the past. They decided to make Kimura Takuya play the leading part, because he is the actor who has got the highest ratings in the past dramas. They also made the gorgeous casting, spent a large sum of money, made so many advertisements, with the acceptable averag rate, 23.9 percent as a result. But how was the content of the drama? I was disappointed to see that this drama was incoherent, defective and pointless in the end. I hope they will emulate the challenging spirit and the careful way in making a drama of Fuji TV.
　And it seems it's also due to the ideologic background. As is well known to those who are getting various information from the internet, All the TV stations except Fuji TV with the backing of Sankei Shinbun can't assert strongly against China and South Korea. Especially, TBS, NHK and TV Asahi are terribly biased. (In the drama,"Hagetaka" aired on NHK just lately, a ruthless American company aiming at eating up a Japanese one and a warm Chinese company trying to save it appeared. What a blatant image leading!) To make a drama with free ideas would be difficult for the TV stations in which speech is restricted and thought is distorted. Thinking this way, I have a doubt that Horie Takafumi who planned to take over Fuji TV two years ago was not just a superficial high-flyer but with the backing of China or South Korea. But as it seems I got off the the main subject, I'll return to it.
　6.The shortness -- Most series dramas are concluded by each season and 11 episodes for a drama is the standard in Japan. But it seems to be a rare custom in the world. Korean and Taiwanese dramas are commonly twice as long as it, and when I asked it to an American and German friend of mine, they said that the dramas there are longer than those in Japan. But it's not odd because it's exceptional but wonderful because it's exceptional in this case. Just because a Japanese drama is short with 11 episodes, a scriptwriter can write a script overviewing the whole, and the actors and staff can concentrate to make a good work together. If it were with 24 episodes, things would never go like that. (Just like some Korean dramas I had seen before. They were interesting at first, but became dull in the latter part. And an American and German friend of mine told me that Japanese dramas are more interesting than those in their countries.) I think it can be said that the shortness is the advantage of Japanese dramas.

　I'd like to pick up 10 dramas next, which I think are especially excellent among those I have ever seen. I think these dramas are at the highest level in all the elements -- script, directing, shooting, set, acting, music, and so on. The numbers don't mean the rank but mean the chronological order of airing. (I can't make the ranking because they are all of different genres.) All except 3 and 5 are created by Fuji TV and the affiliated companies.

　1."GTO" (1998/ script:Yukawa Kazuhiko) -- I think this is the most excellent school drama I have ever seen. Though in a comical storyline, the various kinds of hypocrisy in the actuality of education get revealed. The hypocrisy of the vice-principal, the head teacher, Teshigawara sensei, Hakamada sensei, Fuyutsuki sensei, the parents of the students, PTA president, the education commentator, the president of a private school and even of the bureaucrat of the Ministry of Education. It's surprising that such a drama as put the knife to educational issues was created as long as 9 years ago. As educational reform is discussed actively now, I think this drama is showing clearly whom to trust among various people involved in education in order to make it. Sorimachi Takashi and Matsushima Nanako were just perfect for the roles. The other actors were all good, too, and I especially think the boy and girl actors in the role of the students acted well. A problem arises and is solved in each episode and Onizuka sensei is winning the trust of the people around him little by little, which can be described only in a series drama. (So I couldn't be so satisfied with the movie.)
　By the way, perhaps this drama established a typical pattern that would be adopted in many Japanese dramas after that. It's the pattern that an alien hero or heroine come to a place and make the people there change good. For example, "Gokusen","Engine","Dragon Zakura","Ns' Aoi","Iryuu",etc. I'd like to call them "GTO-type" dramas. The happy end doesn't come after good defeats evil like an American movie but comes just after many people change good. I think this is very Japanese.
　2."Dr.Koto Shinryoujo" (2003/ script:Yoshida Noriko) -- It would be possible to say that the first half of this drama is "GTO-type", too. It's impressive to see that the island people who didn't trust Koto at first come to open themselves to him gradually. Each episode makes me think how invaluable life is, or speaking more correctly, which kind of life is invaluable. The island, Shikine-jima is an isolated one as if left behind the current of the times. But just because of it, the warmth and human kindness of good old Japanese countryside remain there. Some people say that people were not respected as indivisuals in old Japan. But if they watch this drama, they will know it's wrong. Though there were several problems of course, such as the gap between rich and poor and the gender inequality, individuals were much more respected in old Japan on the whole. So, why isn't it so today? I think the prime cause is that Japanese society became company-oriented in the period of high economic growth. There are no companies in Shikine-jima.
　Though the 4 hour special drama and "Dr.Koto Shinryoujo 2006" were good, too, I feel they were just one step short of the series of 2003 which is perfect. All the actors were perfect for the roles and I think every guest actor in each episode was good, too.
　3."Sekai no Chuushin de Ai o Sakebu" (2004/ script:Morishita Yoshiko) -- This is the drama which completely broke my prejudice that dramas couldn't match movies. The drama is superior in this case. And this drama was so wonderful that I read the original novel by Katayama Kyouichi -- but was surprised to know that it's so different from the drama and the movie. For example, there is no plot of Ooki's runaway from home, Majima's death, and to my most surprise, casset tapes in the novel. I wonder if it can be really called the original book.
　But if the novel had been filmized and dramatized faithfully, they would not become a great hit like this. The novel --> the movie --> the drama. They were created in this order, and the movie and the drama have much in common among the three. In other words, the scriptwriter of the movie boldly changed the characters, plots and story, the scriptwriter of the drama added the richer brunches and leaves to the trunk, and this wonderfully elaborate and touching drama was born as a result. And that she clearly expressed Sakutarou's mental process that had been vague in both the novel and the movie -- "He chose to suffer for 17 years rather than to forget Aki."
　About the difference of the characters. Sakutarou and Aki in the novel are keeping cool, synical and a distance from others, and in short, like those in Murakami Haruki's novels. (Though the main character is not so insufferable as that.) On the other hand, Sakutarou and Aki in the drama are just ordinary high school students who cry, laugh, get angry and feel depressed. If asked which characters are more attractive, many people will say the latter. Also, we can see the growth of Sakutarou in the drama. He is passive and indecisive at first, but as Aki becomes weak, he becomes strong and comes to lead her. This is the special charm of the drama, and Yamada Takayuki was shining in acting. (And of course we should not forget the superb acting of Ayase Haruka, either.) Perhaps the most tear-milking drama, together with "1 Littre no Namida".
　4."Densha Otoko" (2005/ script: Mutou Shougo) -- I divided the scripts of dramas into three types previously. But this drama is the exception, because this is based on the fact. And that the actual Densha Otoko thread is editted and stored on the internet. I read the thread after watching the drama, and was surprised to know that the lines of Densha Otoko, Hermes and the BBS participants were almost the same as those in the thread. The warm mood that the BBS participants are supporting Densha Otoko was just as the thread, too. On the other hand, no family members, friends nor co-workers of the two appear in the thread (except just one person). That means the parts I had thought to be the most fictional were actually real and the parts I had felt to be real, such as the past of Hermes, were actually fictional. I realized again how carefully, conscientiously and to the point this drama was created.
　What is especially marked in this drama is the technique of "exaggeration". While Hermes was described wonderfully gorgeously, Densha Otoko was described completely miserably (the superb acting of Itou Atsushi), and the cruel gap made the story comical, painful and touching. The behavior patterns of the Otakus at Akihabara are so funny and the appearances and the chatting of the BBS participants are without boring. This would be the type of drama that is created only in Japan and can't be so in any other countries in the world.
　5."Hana yori Dango" (2005/ script: Satake Mikio and others) -- This is the romance story of Doumyouji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi as we all know. But viewed from a different angle, this is also a "GTO-type" drama in which an alien heroine is making the people around her change good. Not only Tsukasa but also the other F4 members, Shizuka, Sakurako and even Tsukasa's mother are influenced by the righteous heart of Tsukushi and change. If it had not been for Tsukushi, the daily life of Eitoku Gakuen would not have changed a bit. Also, some people may think that they can't go along with this drama because of the succession of the unusual and unrealistic plots. But it's because they are demanding the realities too much from this drama that they are puzzled. If they view this as a fantasy from the first, they will not mind such things. Yes, I think "Hana yori Dango" is a Japanese fantasy, just as "Harry Potter" is an English fantasy. The music by Yamashita Kousuke was really wonderful and effective.
　By the way, because this drama has gained so much popularity, TBS drummed up for "Hana yori Dango 2" and made it as the 11 episode drama with the first episode as 2 hour special. But it became rather diffuse ironically as a result. I feel if they had made it as 9 episode drama without 2 hour special just like the first season, it could have kept the sense of speed and tension with the better result, maybe. I don't say it was a bad show, but I was a little disappointed.
　6."Unfair" (2006/ script: Satou Shimako) -- This drama is supposed to be based on a novel. But actually the novel covers up to the third episode and the scriptwriter added the rest story. Even if a criminal is found out, new unexpected criminals appear again and again, which is the compelled storyline. Both complicated and clear. I think the plots and story are so skillful. Though this is a police drama, there are many touching scenes. Because this drama is describing various kinds of love -- friendship, love between parents and child, love between husband and wife, and the love of the revenger for the person he is about to revenge on. Shinohara Ryouko and Eita were perfect for the roles. The other casts were all good, too, and I was especially impressed by the acting of Mukaichi Mion for the role of little Mio.
　7."Attention Please" (2006/ script:Gotou Noriko and others) -- As I had written previously that there was no time when a lot of talented young actresses appeared like the present, if asked who is the most talented among them, I'll answer it's Ueto Aya. I've been really impressed by her wide-ranged acting skill by which she can play various roles so clearly, whether in action film or comedies or serious dramas. Especially, who can play such a vigorous role as Misaki Youko in this drama so nicely except her? No one else comes into my head. I think this is her representative work so far, as well as the movie "Azumi" and the special drama "Ri Kouran".
　But I have to add that all the actors besides her are fine, too, and this drama is perfect in every element -- script, directing, music, and so on. All the characters except offbeat Misaki Youko are described as normally, which is the key point. If they had made them behave bizarrely, too, this drama would perhaps been out of joint. And also, this is the story that the immature trainees overcome dificulties and grow up, and impressive in this sense, too. I think this is just a model of healthy and refreshing comedies.
　8."Nodame Cantabile" (2006/ script:Etou Rin) -- Perhaps the first, epochal attempt of combining drama and classical music admirably. This drama made a success because they didn't cut corners on music at all. Sometimes I didn't know which I was impressed by, the drama or the music. Perhaps it was by the both. And though I had been thinking before for some reason that I couldn't fully understand classical music without being familiar with European history and culture, I came to feel a little differently after watching this drama. I might be able to think it more simply as universl music expressing human joy and sorrow. Chiaki's monologue, conducting the first symphony of Brahms -- "From despair to Hope". This might be enough.
　Also, President Momohira says in this drama that plenty of students graduate from the colleges of music every year but only a handful of them can go professional. This drama was created on the basis of such severe realities, and the music they played sounded all the more sincere and impressive because of that. The excellent original manga, and the crown of the labors of the staff and actors who tried to keep and express its charm as much as possible. I really hope that the sequel will be made, and perhaps it will be so.
　9."Boku no Aruku Michi" (2006/ script:Hashibe Atsuko) -- I think this quiet drama aired around the same time as "Nodame Cantabile" was, however, in no inferior to it in the respect of novelty. Surprisnigly, this was a "GTO-type" drama whose leading character was a disabled man.
　"Teruaki was just like a wizard in this drama.The various ice in the hearts of the people around him was melted by his existence." -- This is a comment I found in a drama blog and I think it's nice and accurate. An autistic patient is commonly recognized as a minus being who has less things than ordinary people. He was described as so at first in this drama, too, but people began to notice little by little that it might not be so. He was in fact a plus being who kept the purity that common people had lost. The exquisite lines from which the commonplace explanations of sentiments are removed as much as possible. (We are shown off the power of script so vividly.) The excellent actings of Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and other actors. The accurate and beautiful camera work. The music that quietly reaches its climax. This was really an exquisite, stoic and artistic drama.
　10."Tokyo Tower -- Okan to Boku to Tokidoki Oton" (2007/ script:Ooshima Satomi) -- From the standpoint of viewership, "Karei naru Ichizoku","Hana yori Dango 2","Haken no Hinkaku" were the best three of this season (winter, 2007). But from the standpoint of workmanship, I think this drama was the most excellent. Each episode was made with great care and impressive without unnecessary nor unnatural things. Tokyo Tower is the symbol of longed-for Tokyo for the youth living in local areas, and the projection of loneliness for the youth wandering aimlessly in Tokyo. Hayami Mokomichi played well the role of Maa-kun who was provincial, childlike, without social tactics but kind-hearted. (I think he is a good actor.) Baishou Mitsuko played the role of Okan well, too, just as expected. And the theme song by Kobukuro and the drama music were really good.

　Someone wrote in a newspaper before that it would be in news shows that TV stations finding themselves losing ground to the internet could continue to show their existence value in the future. I don't think so. It's enough that newspaper companies or other ones distribute news over the internet, and the entry of many other companies would correct the biased coverage that TBS, NHK and other stations are making now. It's enough to take the same method, regarding music, sport and cultural programs, too. How about comedy and variety shows? -- They don't matter. And so, in which pogram will TV stations be able to show their existence value to the end? -- I think it's drama.
　So many actors and staff are necessary to make up a drama, and the TV stations in Japan have already established the system of making a drama. It will be very difficult for other companies to do this. Also, as we have seen, the level of Japanese dramas has risen especially after 2000.I think they adopted the excellent techniques and sense of beauty of Japanese movies and that we can even use the adjective, "artistic" now. I hope they will keep this favorable current.
　Manga, animation, game, J-pop, movie, novel, cooking, fashion, etc. are regarded as the representative modern culture of Japan now. And I think drama will be counted among them very soon. Though I'm generally optimistic about the future of Japanese drama, I'd like to write two points I'm a little worrying about, lastly. One of them is the movement of China and South Korea. It's unlikely that the level of Chinese or South Korean drama will reach so high as Japanese one in the near future. But this is the forecast, supposing Japanese TV stations don't offer them the techniques, staff and works easily. In October last year, NHK offered the broadcasting rights of 360 programs for free to China. What a stupid act! Why do they behave like paying tribute to the anti-Japan country? Japanese TV stations must have responsibilities for protecting the intellectual property of our own country. The other point is that Fuji TV (and the affiiated companies) is head and shoulders above others, as I had mentioned before. I hope other TV stations will make efforts to create a drama that is higher in quality and can be called a classic, without sticking only to the viewership.

(Addendum)The serial dramas which I think are very excellent besides the 10 dramas above
"Odoru Daisousasen""Gokusen""Orange Days""Umizaru""1 Litre no Namida""Ns'Aoi""Iryuu""Life""Furuhata Ninzaburou 3""ROOKIES""Cat Street""Kaze no Garden"


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