When an aspiring actress hits it big thanks to a candid Instagram post, the lives of several Tokyo women cross as they struggle to define happiness IRL.

When an aspiring actress hits it big thanks to a candid Instagram post, the lives of several Tokyo women cross as they struggle to define happiness IRL.

The story of Osamu Dazai, one of Japan's most celebrated novelists, absorbed in alcohol and love; married and in a relationship with two other lovers.

A man, who is repaying a 30 million yen debt left by his brother, wins the 300 million yen lottery. He grapples with the question of whether money can buy him happiness.

Follows the daily lives of 8 women with different backgrounds through what they eat and whom they date.

During turbulent economic times in Japan, Masahiko Washizu (Go Ayano) appears. He leads a foreign investment fund and he is criticized for being a vulture. Masahiko Washizu challenges to buy a bank with insolvent bonds and a company that is experiencing financial depression.

During turbulent economic times in Japan, Masahiko Washizu leads a foreign investment fund and is criticized for being a vulture. He tries to buy a bank and another company that are experiencing financial depression.

A 33-year-old supermarket worker at a provincial city used to be an idol, but could not see a future as a singer. Sick of everything, she moved to a provincial town and met Yoshio, a pet cat she saw at a store.

At a certain park, there is a mysterious man, who has red eyes and a black suit, that people can go to and request him to kill someone. His assassinations can never be blamed on him because he takes no illegal action. His strength is in the power of suggestion and the arrangement of events. He accepts these requests, all the while privately mocking the foolishness of those whose unwise wishes he grants.

Tadashi Usobuki is a mysterious man with red eyes. He wears black suits with a wine-red shirt and possesses a special power which will drive people to their death through methods such as curses and brainwashing. However, it is impossible for his crimes to be proven in court, thus Usobuki cannot be taken to justice for the killings he did on behalf of his clients. Meanwhile, there is Tomoko Tada, a police detective and the only person who cannot be controlled by Usobuki.

In the spring, when Kashiwazaki Yui and her 3 years old son were coming back home from kindergarten, she let go of her son's hand for a moment and then he was gone. 9 years later, her son appears in front of her again.

Content with his perfect life, Yoshinori Arai’s eyesight starts to fail and he despairs. How will he battle his illness and return to his dreams?

Sawajiri Erika acting as different Edo-era concubines in each episode.

Shiratori Tatsuhiko works as a scout for Burst, a talent agency in Kabukichō, Shinjuku's red light district. In a business where money means everything Tatsuhiko finds himself in a constant struggle between rival talent scouts and the yakuza.

Kenta Kurata (Masaki Aiba) lives with his father, Taichi (Akira Terao), his mother, Keiko (Kaho Minami), and his younger sister, Nana (Kasumi Arimura) in an isolated home in the suburbs. He works as an unpopular commercial designer. Kenta Kurata possesses a timid personality, which he picked up from his father. Kenta doesn't like his father. One day, while waiting for the train, Kenta warns a man who pushed a woman and cut in line. Kenta is surprised that he spoke out with his normally timid personality. After that incident, Kenta's family home is targeted by an unknown person with flowers from their garden being pulled out and the seat of a bicycle being torn. Also, Kenta's younger sister Nana is stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Kenta and his family try to find out who is responsible.

Kurata Kenta lives with his father, Taichi, his mother, Keiko, and his younger sister, Nana in an isolated home in the suburbs. He works as an unpopular commercial designer. Kurata Kenta possesses a timid personality, which he picked up from his father. Kenta doesn't like his father. One day, while waiting for the train, Kenta warns a man who pushed a woman and cut in line. Kenta is surprised that he spoke out with his normally timid personality. After that incident, Kenta's family home is targeted by an unknown person with flowers from their garden being pulled out and the seat of a bicycle being torn. Also, Kenta's younger sister Nana is stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Kenta and his family try to find out who is responsible. This mini series is based on the novel "Yokoso Wagaya e" by Jun Ikeido.

Set half a year after the first season of "First Class." Chinami Yoshinari (Erika Sawajiri) begins work as a fashion designer. In the high-end luxury field, big money is involved and Chinami Yoshinari is again trampled over by other women. She attempts to get through by using her wisdom and toughness that she gained from experience.

Chinami (Erika Sawajiri) works at a fabric shop, dreaming of one day working in the fashion industry. By accident, she begins work in the editing section for a fashion magazine. Chinami believes her new job may open doors for her to new opportunities, but it turns out her new job is like working in a war zone with daily fights and competitiveness between the women who work there. Can Chinami survive in such a cutthroat environment?

Chinami works at a fabric shop, dreaming of one day working in the fashion industry. By accident, she begins work in the editing section for a fashion magazine. Chinami believes her new job may open doors for her to new opportunities, but it turns out her new job is like working in a war zone with daily fights and competitiveness between the women who work there. Can Chinami survive in such a cutthroat environment?

The story is about the emotional and spiritual exchange between an elderly watchmaker and a cheerful and kind young woman who lost her mother in the tsunami of the Great Tohoku Earthquake. The woman asks the watchmaker to repair a wristwatch, which is a precious memento left her by late mother.

Top model Lilico, having recently undergone multiple cosmetic surgeries, begins to experience troubling side effects. As she desperately tries to retain her perfect image, Lilico descends into a world of nightmares and makes those around her miserable.

Erika Sawajiri plays Kimiko, the main character of the story who has died. Although the title implies that it is a story of a “wicked woman,” the original novel was divided into 27 chapters, one for each “testimony” by someone who knew Kimiko at some point in her life, providing a range of perspectives on what kind of person Kimiko was. ~~ Adapted from 1978 novel series "Akujou ni Tsuite" by Ariyoshi Sawako.

Kae Horii moves into her new flat in an undisclosed area of Kyoto. While unpacking her belongings, she discovers a hidden compartment behind a inconspicuous mirror. In that compartment, Kae finds a notebook, that turns out to be a diary belonging to the previous tenant. Later that evening Kae starts to read the diary. The writer of the diary is Ibuki Mano, a young lady about to embark on her first year as an elementary school teacher. Ibuki is also in love with a man named Takashi, who may or may not hold similar feelings for Ibuki.

The Story of the 1 Litre of Tears special takes place after the events in the main drama. The Special takes the view of Asou Haruto who is remembering life the way it used to be before the events of the last episode of the series.

How have you been? Takeshi's letter is delivered one each month to his younger brother, Naoki. Takeshi is serving a life term in prison for the crime that he had committed to save his brother. But the crime's aftereffect extends to Naoki, and, branded as a "murderer's brother," Naoki is deprived of his love, career and dream. His desperate situation gradually changes when he finds true love with Yumiko, who always stands by him. To protect the love that he has finally found, Naoki begins writing a letter to Takeshi... The touching story of a man who was powerless against his irreversible fate, but still tried to overcome it in the quest for his dream.

Tenshi no Hashigo 2006 (Japan), also known as Angel's Ladder is Japan drama premiere on Oct 22, 2006 on TV Asahi

The film follows a young aspiring art university student, who falls in love with the older sister of his girlfriend. The heartrending longing and the true love that the three characters pursue, is pure, but almost painful. Is the person who stands next to you, is the person that gives you true comfort and love? Can you say that you love him/her from the bottom of your heart?

On her way to school, high school girl Nana sees a train accident. Then Nana and her friend Kanae start to come across various bizarre phenomena, including red fingerprints and a female spirit who 'lives' on the station platform. One day, Nana's younger sister is lost, and the only possibility seems to be that she had been taken by these spirits. The missing tracks. The predictions that a mysterious woman makes.

Recently graduated from high school, 17-year-old Shiro decides to put off college and work at a gas station instead. Shy and introspective, Shiro understands he is at a turning point of his life, but is unsure of what lies ahead. Though his parents disapprove of his decision, he has the support of his flower child grandmother who declares that a gas station is a romantic place for life's drifters. Surely enough, soon a new co-worker, college student Noriko, drifts into Shiro's life. He falls headfirst into a bittersweet first love that ushers him into the world of adulthood.

Amane Kaoru lives a night life, not because she wishes so, but because she is infected with the xeroderma pigmentosum virus. This virus defects the ability to repair damage caused by the sun's rays. Although she cannot expose her body to the sunlight, she dreams of becoming a singer, even if remaining positive has been ruined many times due to her illness. One night, playing outside, she meets Fujishiro Kouji, who has lost his job and hope, and becomes someone who reminds him of his long forgotten music passion.

The main characters are the Mamiya brothers who are living together although they are over 30-years-old. Unconcerned with appearance and reputations, they enjoy their life in their own way. The only concern is the lack of girlfriends. One day, however, a change occurs to their mundane lives. The elder brother, Akinobu (Kuranosuke Sasaki), falls in love with a girl at a video shop. The younger brother, Tetsunobu (Muga Tsukaji), scrambles around to aid his brother achieve love and arranges various dates. The elder brother strives to return the effort, but gets the cold shoulder. The two brothers return to their original lives, continuing with their ordinary, but happy days.

1 Rittoru no Namida is a Japanese television drama for Fuji Television about a girl who was diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease at 15, but was able to continue her life until her death at the age of 25.

Even though Gennosuke and Oboro are from rival ninja villages, they are secretly in love. At an annual conference with the Lord, it is dictated that a competition--a fight to the death--will take place between the five best shinobi from each village. Gennosuke and Oboro's love is made even more impossible when they each got picked as the leader of the five to represent their respective villages.

Two Osaka comedians, Makoto (Tomomitsu Yamaguchi) and Kinta (Go Morita), are riding bicycles in Tokyo when they're hit by a dump truck. They regain consciousness in 1945, but not of their own bodies. Somehow, their souls have been transported into the bodies of two tokkotai (special forces, or "kamikaze") pilots. Having grown up in a peaceful, carefree Japan, the two comedians experience severe disorientation at having to suddenly deal with the realities of war. They attempt to escape their squadron, knowing that Japan will eventually lose the war, but are nevertheless moved by the young men they meet, all of whom have very different opinions about their fate and the responsibilities that have been placed upon them.

Adapted from the successful play, the film takes place in 19th-century Japan, where a war between demons and their slayers is fought. Izumo, a kabuki actor with a demon-slaying past, meets and falls in love with Tsubaki. However, something is not right, as mysterious marks appear on her body as time progresses. At the same time, it is announced that Ashura, the queen of all demons, will be resurrected and bring destruction to the universe.

Romeo, A.K.A. Kosuke Matsuyama, is a second-year high school student. A nice, normal, nonviolent type, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a rampaging crowd of Korean boys, outraged by insults perpetrated by several of his idiotic class-mates on two Korean girls. He makes a narrow escape, but soon after, he and his best bud Yoshio are sent by their home-room teacher to invite the Korean students to a friendly soccer game as a way of restoring the peace.

Mio Sasaoka hears of a middle school student that was a victim of bullying and then committed suicide. Mio thinks the girl should have confronted her tormentors rather than committing suicide. Mio herself is the leader of a group of students at her school. She is a bully. Her main target is Maria Shiozaki who is weak. Mio pushes her into the swimming pool and scribbles on her book, justifying her actions because Maria is disagreeable.

A high school student’s mother passes away leaving her alone with her grief. The girl, Marimo, discovers the name of a father she never knew. Marimo sets off to meet him, but is completely shocked when she finds someone very different from the father she envisioned. Her father, Shinpei, a 38-year-old would-be private detective, is shocked too, and doesn’t believe her until he sees the paperwork. With Marimo muttering “The worst father in the world” and Shinpei lamenting the loss of his freedom, these two are about to learn how difficult and rewarding a father/daughter relationship can be.

A teenage girl has to decide if she is capable of being captain of the school's cheerleading squad.

Teenage girl has to decide if she is capable of being captain of the school's cheerleading squad. Suddenly the team lost the support and inspiration.

Enzo, a school art teacher, is the pillar of a rather unusual family. He takes care of his 5-year-old daughter but does not know who her mother is, and he also lives with his four siblings whose fathers are all different. Enzo's daughter suffers from severe atopic dermatitis, so he throws himself into managing her diet to alleviate her condition. He is so determined to raise the little daughter well, he doesn't appear to have any spare time for a girlfriend. And yet Enzo finds himself drawn to Misuzu, a health teacher at his school. A light-hearted and romantic story of a man trying to find love and learn to be a father at the same time.

Japanese TV movie from 2003

Fuji Television Special

Untitled snickers commercial featuring Erika Sawajiri