‘Midnight Diner’ to ‘Alice in Borderland’: 10 highest-rated Japanese dramas

American sitcoms and Korean dramas have surely won us over with their amazing storylines, but have you tried Japanese dramas yet?

Also known as ‘dorama’, Japanese dramas offer you a pool of genres to bask into, whether it’s an edge-of-the-seat thriller, a good old mushy rom-com or a goosebumps-inducing horror tale. You won’t even have to sit through multiple seasons or hour-long episodes as Japanese dramas usually conclude within one season, with each episode normally having a runtime between 40-60 minutes. While Japan is hailed for its anime content, trust us when we say that J-dramas are truly a league of their own. Looking to familiarise yourself with the genre?  We’ve curated a list of the best Japanese dramas that’ll satiate all your weekend binge needs.

Whether it’s Aya Kito’s compelling journey in One Litre of Tears that’ll leave you teary-eyed or the blossoming of an unlikely romance in Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo that’ll bring out the romantic in you – there’s something to suit everyone’s fancy.

We’ve curated a list of the 10 best Japanese dramas of all time, that’ll make you laugh, cry and everything in between. Keep reading.

[Hero and feature image credits: IMDb]

10 best Japanese dramas of all time you should watch

1. One Litre of Tears

IMDb rating: 8.7

Cast:  Erika Sawajiri, Ryô Nishikido, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Takanori Jinnai

Available on: Dailymotion

Have you ever watched a show that sent you on a roller-coaster of emotions, etching a special place in your heart? The true story of a 15-year-old girl Aya Kito, depicted beautifully in One Litre of Tears, will tug at your heart in more ways than you thought.

The life of cheerful high school student, Kito, turns upside down when she’s diagnosed with a rare disease called spinocerebellar degeneration. The cruel illness deteriorates all her movements to a point where she can’t even walk, talk or eat. The drama chronicles the psychological impact of the disease, following Kito’s life from before the diagnosis to how she slowly loses all control of her body. If you’re planning to dive into this tragic tale, be prepared to shed a lot of tears.

2. Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories

IMDb rating: 8.4

Cast: Kaoru Kobayashi, Mansaku Fuwa, Asako Kobayashi

Available on: Netflix

Based on a manga series, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories is a heartwarming anthology of people from different walks of life, who wind up at a quaint little diner run by chef Meishiya. Open only from midnight to seven in the morning, the diner hosts everyone from real estate agents and comedians to taxi drivers and lawyers.

The chef is happy to offer all visitors dishes that even aren’t on the menu (provided they’re simple to make). Every episode follows a unique customer as well as their illuminating tales – touching, surprising and hilarious in their own way. This slow-paced drama presents viewers with many philosophical life lessons as they navigate each person’s story. If you’re looking to unwind after a tedious week, trust the Midnight Diner to refresh your soul!

3. Great Teacher Onizuka

IMDb rating: 8.4

Cast: Takashi Sorimachi, Nanako Matsushima, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi

Available on: Dailymotion, YouTube

What happens when a former legendary gangster turns into a high school teacher? Lots of fun and trouble ensue! The 1998 TV drama revolves around Eikichi Onizuka, an ex-delinquent who’s tasked to become the class advisor to the most notorious lot in a school. While things start off on a sloppy note, Onizuka charms his way with the students and helps them tread on their purpose in life. It’s definitely one of the best feel-good Japanese dramas to add to your weekend watchlist.

4. Raifu

IMDb rating: 8.1

Cast: Kie Kitano, Saki Fukuda, Haruka Suenaga

Shedding light on the dark side of high school life, Raifu revolves around Ayumu, a heartbroken soul who has given up on making friends after a major fallout with her last pal. However, one of the most popular girls in her class, Manam, decides to befriend her and our protagonist starts enjoying this new phase.

Things go for a spin soon after, as Manami wrongly suspects that Ayumu is trying to steal her boyfriend. After this, Manami starts ruthlessly bullying her. With nobody to turn to, Ayumu feels extremely lonely and is therefore pushed to the limit of losing herself.

5. Unnatural

IMDb rating: 8.1

Cast: Satomi Ishihara, Yutaka Matsushige, Masataka Kubota

Available on: Viki

A forensic human drama, Unnatural, is a compelling story about a group of doctors investigating deaths arising from unnatural circumstances. Mikoto Misumi, a pathologist working in the UDI (Unnatural Death Investigation) Lab, insists that there must be a grave reason behind these casualties that are often overlooked by the police.

As the team confronts these mysterious happenings, each character is haunted by their own past which further thickens the plot. From an apparent suicide case to a poisoning case involving an apparent heart disease victim, there’s a lot Misumi must unravel to find the haunting truth.

6. Hana Yori Dango (aka Boys Over Flowers)

IMDb rating: 8

Cast: Mao Inoue, Jun Matsumoto, Shun Oguri

Available on: Viki

While the South Korean drama Boys Over Flowers propelled this title to fame, the Japanese counterpart is no less. The plot revolves around four rich brats coming from extremely affluent families, who are always flashing their riches around as well as dominating others. These self-proclaimed alpha males, called ‘F4’ or ‘Flower Four’ find their next victim in Makino Tsukushi.

In a pool of rich kids, Makino is a middle-class, hardworking girl, who only wants to lead an ordinary high school life. However, this clash between her and F4 results in trouble, mix-ups and most importantly, ‘romance’. Throughout the series, you’ll see F4 leader Tsukasa Domyouji gushing over Makino and trying to gauge her attention. Given their extremely disparate backgrounds and personalities, will their love triumph?

7. Alice in Borderland

IMDb rating: 7.7

Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijirô Murakami

Available on: Netflix 

If you loved the chills as well as heart-pounding moments of Squid Game, this drama will entertain you in all the right ways! The death game series is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, where the ensemble cast engages in a variety of dangerous games to stay alive.

This blood-spattering twist to Alice in Wonderland revolves around Arisu Ryohei, a young and unemployed video game enthusiast who finds himself in a parallel universe where ruthless games dictate one’s fate. He finds a companion in this parallel world, and together they try to make their way out alive.

8. Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo

IMDb rating: 7.6

Cast: Honoka Yahagi, Yûki Furukawa, Tomomi Nishimura

Available on: Viki

Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo is the fifth remake of the OG manga, so you know the story’s amazing. What happens when a highly unintelligent young girl and the most handsome, as well as witty boy around the corner, are made to live together? An unlikely romance!

Aihara Kotoko, an academically unsound girl is head over heels in love with the oh-so-handsome Naoki Irie, who also happens to be super intelligent. In an interesting twist of events, Naoki’s family moves to live with Aihara’s family. What happens next is the beginning of a delightful love story. Will Aihara’s free and easy personality win over the seemingly cold-hearted guy?

9. Gokusen

IMDb rating: 7.3

Cast: Yukie Nakama, Katsuhisa Namase, Ken Utsui

The classic show is still etched in the hearts of all J-drama fans, thanks to its refreshing, quirky and lighthearted storyline. Gokusen chronicles the adventures of Kumiko Yamaguchi, an aspiring teacher who’s assigned to a notorious class at an all-boys private high school. The section full of delinquents and notorious troublemakers is hard to control, however, Kumiko builds a great rapport with the boys over time.

In the midst of managing the mayhem, Kumiko also must keep her family background well-guarded as it’s something she’s not proud of. The granddaughter of a gangster, Kumiko, is next in line to be the head of the gang! Will her secret unfold in front of the school?

10. Atelier

IMDb rating: 7.3

Cast: Mirei Kiritani, Mao Daichi, Mayuko Kawakita

Available on: Netflix

A high-end fashion brand, a demanding boss, and an intern struggling to survive in the business world. Does this ring a bell? No, this isn’t Devil Wears Prada, but an equally gripping tale on the same lines called Atelier. The drama revolves around Mayuko Tokita, a major in textiles who has absolutely no interest in fashion. Somehow, she stumbles upon a chance to intern at an upscale lingerie shop called Emotion.

Enter the company’s fashion genius as well as owner Mayumi Nanjou, who only wants to focus on the lingerie’s appearance, ignoring its functionality. Naturally, a tug-of-war ensues between the two ladies. Mayuko must decide if she wants to change her beliefs or leave Emotion for good.