archive

Festival 2021/Japanese Dramas
Series Drama
(The Grand Prix)
Story of My Family!!!
Production Rights TBS SPARKLE
TBS Television
Broadcast Period January 22 - March 26, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
60 min × 10 ep
(#1, #10 = 75 min)
Chief Producer Aki Isoyama
Producer Itsumi Katsuno
Director Fuminori Kaneko
Daisuke Yamamuro
Ryosuke Fukuda
Scriptwriter Kankuro Kudo
Cast Tomoya Nagase
Erika Toda
Kento Nagayama
Noriko Eguchi
Yoshiyoshi Arakawa
Hiroki Miyake
Kami Hiraiwa
Ryuuji Akiyama
Kenta Kiritani
Toshiyuki Nishida
Story of My Family!!!
Outline:
 "Story of My Family!!!" is a drama featuring a unique family, starring Tomoya Nagase and written by Kankuro Kudo. The protagonist, Juichi Miyama, is a professional wrestler who goes by the ring name Blizzard Kotobuki. One day, he receives word that his father, Jusaburo, is in critical condition. Jusaburo is the 27th head of the Miyama style of traditional Japanese noh theater – a "Living National Treasure" with more than 10,000 apprentices throughout Japan. Juichi was expected to follow in his father's footsteps but rebelled against Jusaburo's strict training and ran away from home. He had not contacted his family for over 20 years until receiving the news.
 Miraculously, Jusaburo recovers. He soon introduces the young caregiver who is always by his side as his bride to be, and declares that he will leave all of his fortune to her. The family protests vehemently, and Juichi, who feels he has reached the end of his professional wrestling career, decides to retire to take care of his aging father.
(Excellent)
Life's Punchline
Production Rights NIPPON TV
Production Cooperation Total Media Communication inc.
Broadcast Period April 17–June19, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
54min × 10ep
Chief Producer Kenji Ikeda
Producer Yuta Fukui
Masanori Matsuyama
Director Ryuichi Inomata
Kou Kanai
Hajime Senoo
Scriptwriter Shigeki Kaneko
Cast Masaki Suda
Kasumi Arimura
Taiga Nakano
Kotone Furukawa
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Life's Punchline
Outline:
 Life is a grand comedy. This story opens with a certain roundabout "short comedy skit" delivered by a comedic trio struggling to make their big break. But pay attention to those 2 minutes as grand foreshadowings might be in store for the remaining 54 minutes of the episode!
 Since they started dreaming of becoming comedians, 10 years have passed and now they're 28 years old. The youth that gave them the privilege of talking endlessly about their dream is long in the past, and the moment for the comedians to give up on it has finally arrived. At this period, a woman emotionally scarred finds out about them and somehow begins to rely on their presence to nourish her soul. Bemused at her behavior is her younger sister who lives with her.
 "This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out...".5 men and women can't help but say so. However, the days marked by sorrow were a "grand prelude" to a spectacular future...
 "A wonderful life that turned out just the way you dreamed of it as a child." No one is able to make their dream come true that perfectly! Men who abandoned their dreams and women who dropped out of society. Their past tragedies are about to turn into future comedies as the story of their late 20s and final vestiges of their youth begins!
(Excellent)
MIU404
Production Rights TBS SPARKLE
TBS Television
Broadcast Period June 26 – September 4, 2020
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
54 min × 11 ep
(#1, #11=69 min)
Producer Junko Arai
Director Ayuko Tsukahara
Kentaro Takemura
Naoki Kato
Scriptwriter Akiko Nogi
Cast Go Ayano
Gen Hoshino
Kenshi Okada
Jun Hashimoto
Tomoka Kurokawa
Keisuke Watanabe
         ・
Masaki Suda
Katsuhisa Namase
Kumiko Aso
MIU404
Outline:
 A fast-paced, story-a-week series about two police officers who must do everything they can to solve crimes and apprehend the criminals within a 24-hour time limit. The No. 4 Mobile Investigative Unit is a temporary unit newly established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in an attempt to reduce the police force's long working hours. The Unit's mission is to patrol neighborhoods with undercover police cars, and when there is an emergency call, they are to be the first to rush to the scene of the crime and quickly conduct the initial investigation. Kazumi Shima (Gen Hoshino) is called up to join the Unit and told to buddy up with Ai Ibuki (Go Ayano) – a troublemaking police officer from Okutama who was initially vetted off the candidates list.
 On the first day of the mission, Ibuki is surprisingly polite and makes a good impression on Shima. However, Ibuki causes problems at a crime scene soon after, and the two continuously bump heads as they investigate. Will the two officers with completely opposing personalities be able to overcome their differences and learn to trust each other as buddies?
(Excellent)
NAOKI HANZAWA
Production Rights TBS Television
Broadcast Period July 19 – September 27, 2020
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
60min ×10ep
(#1=85min, #2=75min)
The Original "The Lost Generation Strikes Back"
"Icarus-Flying on Silver Wings"
by Jun Ikeido
Producer Hidenori Iyoda
Ryutaro Kawashima
Takahiro Aoyama
Director Katsuo Fukuzawa
Kenta Tanaka
Aya Matsuki
Scriptwriter Kentaro Ushio etc.
Cast Masato Sakai
Aya Ueto
Mitsuhiro Oikawa
Ainosuke Kataoka
Kento Kaku
Noriko Eguchi
Ennosuke Ichikawa
Akira Emoto
Kinya Kitaoji
Teruyuki Kagawa
NAOKI HANZAWA
Outline:
 Based on Jun Ikeido's popular novels, "The Lost Generation Strikes Back" and "Icarus-Flying on Silver Wings," Masato Sakai plays the role of a convention-busting banker hero, Naoki Hanzawa. At Tokyo Chuo Bank, Hanzawa uncovers the injustices of Managing Director Owada in the previous season's final episode. This story begins with his demotion-being sent off to a subsidiary, Tokyo Central Securities, to take responsibility for his impertinence. When a huge M&A deal comes in, in a full-scale conflict with Chuo Bank over the acquisition of IT company Spiral, Hanzawa uncovers the windowdressing settlement of the buyer, Cyber Acrobatics. Hanzawa jumps at the chance to put his rivals at Chuo Bank in their place and secures "double revenge" toward Deputy President Mikasa and General Manager Isayama. Having saved Tokyo Chuo Bank from possible ruin, Hanzawa gets his old job back at the bank. But soon, he is faced with the unenviable task of restructuring Teikoku Airways, the nation's largest air transport company, on the verge of bankruptcy. A government task force led by Akiko Shirai, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, demands that the bank writes off 50 billion yen in Teikoku Airways debt. Both Minister Shirai and powerful ruling-party Secretary General Minobe stand in his way. Meanwhile, Hanzawa discovers Minobe's fraudulent past with Chuo Bank and Teikoku Airways... Will the maverick banker-who bet his pride, his sense of justice, and his entire soul on the bank-ultimately prevail and show his enemies that deception deserves "double revenge?"
(Excellent)
Heaven and Hell: Soul Exchange
Production Rights TBS Television
Broadcast Period January 17 – March 21, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
60min ×10ep
Producer Akihiko Watase
Keisuke Nakajima
Director Yuichiro Hirakawa
Scriptwriter Yoshiko Morishita
Cast Haruka Ayase
Issey Takahashi
Tasuku Emoto
Junpei Mizobata
Yuri Nakamura
Takaya Sakoda
Yukino Kishii
Kazuki Kitamura
Heaven and Hell: Soul Exchange
Outline:
 The souls of a gung-ho young detective (Haruka Ayase) and an intelligent, sadistic killer (Issey Takahashi) switch! Like the ancient legend passed down for generations on Amami-Oshima island about the sun and the moon, this bizarre exchange of souls sets the stage for a thrilling story that turns everything you thought, you knew about men and women and good and evil on its head.
 With roles, gender, language, behavior and lifestyle all reversed, their lives are filled with a tense pressure where no mistakes are allowed. "From chasing to being chased, from being chased to chasing." The ultimate battle between the detective and the murderer whose roles are completely reversed is totally unpredictable. Meanwhile a second bizarre murder takes place. While investigating the case, the police close in on a third person as the prime suspect.
 Who's the real killer? Can they switch their souls back to before? As they confront the soulswitch and murder together, the two natural enemies stumble onto an unexpected truth. This drama about what happens when fate and love collide is non-stop entertainment!
(Excellent)
My Dear Exes
Production Rights Kansai Television
Production Cooperation Kazumo
Broadcast Period April 13 – June15, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
54min × 10ep
(#1=69min)
Chief Producer Ayumi Sano
Producer Hiroaki Saito
Director Kazuhito Nakae
Chihiro Ikeda
Yusuke Taki
Scriptwriter Yuji Sakamoto
Cast Takako Matsu
Masaki Okada
Akihiro Kakuta
Ryuhei Matsuda
Mikako Ichikawa
Maryjun Takahashi
Hana Toyoshima
Shizuka Ishibashi
Natsumi Ishibashi
Kumi Takiuchi
My Dear Exes
Outline:
 Towako Omameda has been married and divorced three times.
 A restaurant owner, a photographer, and a lawyer, the three exes are totally different from one another in many ways, and reasons for divorce were also different in each case.
 Towako has not met the exes for a long time, but she happens to meet them again. The exes meet each other for the first time, and to her surprise they get along well. The three exes sometimes collude, sometimes collide. They keep a close eye on Towako not to let her have a new relationship. They all still care for her, although she doesn't seem to feel the same way. "My Dear Exes" is a heartwarming comedy about four kind hearted souls that invites viewers to think about the meaning of family and the paths we choose in life to make us happy.
(Excellent)
The Grand Family
Production Rights WOWOW
Production Cooperation KADOKAWA DAIEI STUDIO
Broadcast Period April 18 – July 11, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
55min × 12ep
The Original "KAREINARU ICHIZOKU"
written by TOYOKO YAMASAKI
published by SHINCHOSHA
Chief Producer Yasunori Aoki
Producer Yoshiki Takaesu
Naoto Inaba
Masahiko Satou
Director Masaki Nishiura
Tatsuya Ikezawa
Scriptwriter Youichi Maekawa
Cast Kiichi Nakai
Osamu Mukai
Taisuke Fujigaya
Yumi Asou
Yuki Uchida
The Grand Family
Outline:
 The revival of a timeless masterpiece that portrays ambition, love, and hatred over riches and power in the political and financial world!
 Japan during the post-war high economic growth period. Daisuke Manpyo, the head of Hanshin Bank, the tenth biggest bank in terms of deposit, is the leader of the Manpyo consortium that owns the bank as well as many other businesses. He learns of the government's plan to reconstruct the city banks from Mima, his eldest daughter Ichiko's husband and an elite bureaucrat of the Ministry of Finance. To ensure the survival of his empire, Daisuke plots the merger and acquisition of the major banks.
 Other members of the Manpyo family include Yasuko, Daisuke's wife; Teppei, his eldest son and the senior executive director of Hanshin Steelworks, a backbone of the Manpyo consortium; Ginpei, Daisuke's second son who works at Hanshin Bank; Daisuke's second and third daughters Tsugiko and Mitsuko; and Daisuke's mistress, Aiko, who has lived in the family home for many years. Teppei and the others are resentful of Aiko's power in the household and her influence over the interpersonal relationships of the family members, fueling their ambition and greed. Furthermore, Teppei, who hopes to expand the business by building a steel mill, aggravates his conflict with Daisuke over the financing of the project.
Single Drama
(The Grand Prix)
Gift of Fire
Production Rights NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
Eleven Arts Studios
Broadcast Period August 15, 2020
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
80 min × 1 ep
Chief Producer Katsuhiro Tsuchiya
Takahiro Hamano
Hideki Yamagishi
Producer Ko Mori
Shohei Sano
Director Hiroshi Kurosaki
Scriptwriter Hiroshi Kurosaki
Cast Yuya Yagira
Kasumi Arimura
Haruma Miura
Masaki Miura
Shohei Uno
Hiroyuki Onoue
Issey Ogata
Shinya Yamamoto
Jun Kunimura
Yuuko Tanaka
Gift of Fire
Outline:
 This drama is an international production of the screenplay by Hiroshi Kurosaki that won the Special Jury Prize at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, with music written by Nico Muhly.
 Shu Ishimura is among a team of students studying atomic physics at Kyoto University. As the Pacific War intensifies, they receive an order from the Navy to develop an atomic bomb. Despite dismay at their scientific aspirations being redirected to research for a war weapon, they're given no time to waste, as possession of nuclear weapons would mean world dominance. Meanwhile, Setsu, a childhood friend of Shu and his younger brother Hiroyuki, is forced to abandon her own home due to a wartime evacuation order, and she comes to stay at the home of her old playmates.
 Shu leads the development of a super-speed uranium separator, but progress is hindered by shortage of materials and electric power due to the worsening war situation. One day Hiroyuki returns from the warfront for recuperation, and his family enjoys a brief but peaceful time together. Shu, Hiroyuki and Setsu take a trip to the beach and enjoy themselves like old times, but that night Hiroyuki goes missing, and when an all-out search finds him, he confesses his terror of the warfront. Setsu tells him of her wish for him to live and of her hope for the future.
 Hiroyuki heads back to the warfront. Shu renews his resolve to speed up development of the bomb, but then he learns of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He travels there and realizes to his horror that the bomb he is working on is a mass destruction device. Devastated further by the news of Hiroyuki's death in battle, he is tortured by regret for not being able to save his brother, and by a sense of defeat as a scholar of science. After the subsequent atomic bombing of Nagasaki, he expects the next target to be Kyoto, and heads up a mountain overlooking the city in order to witness the reality of the atomic bomb.
(Excellent)
Ryuko Kanbo
Production Rights NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
Broadcast Period March 27, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
73 min × 1 ep
The Original "Ryuko Kanbo" by Naoya Shiga
Chief Producer Hirotaka Matsukawa
Director Tsuyoshi Yanagawa
Scriptwriter Ikue Osada
Cast Masahiro Motoki
Sakura Ando
Taiga Nakano
Kotone Furukawa
Ruka Matsuda
Renji Ishibashi
Ryuko Kanbo
Outline:
 "Ryuko Kanbo" (Influenza) is a drama based on a novel of the same name by Naoya Shiga, a Japanese writer who painted an intelligent and insightful portrait of life during the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago. The story follows a novelist's emotional turmoil under the threat of deadly infection, from ongoing feelings of distrust, to eventual recovery of confidence in others.
 The protagonist lives in an idyllic suburban village near Tokyo with his wife, his 4-year old daughter Saeko, and two housemaids. Having lost his first daughter years earlier, he is very nervous about Saeko's health even in normal times. Then in 1918, when illness starts spreading globally and cases are reported in Japan, his apprehension escalates. He firmly forbids all family members to go out to see an annual play by a touring theater. But Ishi, one of the family's young housemaids, disappears after leaving to gather firewood. When she returns, the raging patriarch angrily questions her but she insists on her innocence. He cannot believe her and demands her self-quarantine from his Saeko. Yet things take an unexpected turn....
(Excellent)
Air Girl –The First Flight Attendant–
Production Rights tv asahi
Production Cooperation KADOKAWA DAIEI STUDIO
Broadcast Period March 20, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
125 min × 1 ep
Executive Producer Satoko Uchiyama
Producer Akiko Amy Kanda
Takuya Nakagome
Ryosuke Yamagata
Hiromi Arai
Director Meiji Fujita
Scriptwriter Hiroshi Hashimoto
Cast Suzu Hirose
Kentaro Sakaguchi
Naohito Fujiki
Hirona Yamazaki
Tetsushi Tanaka
Shingo Tsurumi
Isao Hashizume
Yasuko Matsuyuki
Hidetaka Yoshioka
Air Girl –The First Flight Attendant–
Outline:
 Komari Sano (Suzu Hirose), born in 1928, has always had a dream to become a pilot, under the influence of her father. Orphaned by WWII, she is now living with her aunt Chiyo (Yasuko Matsuyuki), who manages a restaurant. While Komari spends busy days helping her aunt, one day, she overhears a heated talk by Shizuo Matsuki (Hidetaka Yoshioka) from one of the restaurant's guest rooms. "I want to get the Japanese sky back into the hands of the Japanese!" After the end of the war, the GHQ banned Japan from all aviation activities. In addition to that, Jiro Shirasu (Naohito Fujiki), Aide to Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, stands against Matsuki. However, in 1951, Matsuki's enthusiasm succeeds in overcoming the difficulties and finally, the first Japanese airline company named "Japan Civil Airline" is established. During those days, Komari makes a fateful encounter with a young man, Yuki Mishima (Kentaro Sakaguchi). He is a subordinate of Matsuki and aspires to become a pilot. Mishima tells Komari that the newly established company is looking for "Air Girls". She realizes that this is her big chance to fly and applies for the highly competitive position. It is a cutting-edge and extremely popular job. In the turbulent post-war era, Komari, who has overcome countless difficulties, strives together with her friends and colleagues as one of the first Air Girls.
(Excellent)
The Greatest Gift
Production TV TOKYO
HORIPRO
Broadcast Period January 4, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
114 min × 1 ep
Chief Producer Junpei Nakagawa (TV TOKYO)
Producer Toshihiko Tabuchi (TV TOKYO)
Yasuo Yagi (Ottimo)
Takaaki Hirabe (HORIPRO)
Mamiko Okumura (HORIPRO)
Director Kan Ishibashi
Scriptwriter Yoshikazu Okada
Cast Satomi Ishihara
Osamu Mukai
Ryo Katsuji
Midoriko Kimura
Takuzou Kadono
Akira Terao
The Greatest Gift
Outline:
 Toshima Ward, Tokyo. Former university lecturer and now a translator, Ryosuke lives in a small Western-style building behind the Kishimojin Temple. He's been living by himself after his wife's death and does housework and cooking perfectly. But his job style is free-spirited. His editor in chief, Nomura is always tearing his hair out as Ryosuke never meets the deadline. In addition, his neighbor Mitsuyo, visits his house every day saying that his late wife asked her to take care of him. Meanwhile, Ryosuke's only daughter, Yuriko, lives in a peaceful town in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture. Her husband, Shigeyuki is a teacher and also Ryosuke's former student. One day, Yuriko returns to her father's house. Ryosuke is surprised at her sudden return. Yuriko refuses to say why. All he knows is that Yuriko hadn't decided how long she'd stay. Up until this day, they had never bonded and had much conversations, leaving them uneasy. The life of a father and a daughter begins. The time they spend is tense but warm and calm… however, clock was ticking for Yuriko. She's been given just a short time to live. What's the determination Yuriko hides inside? When Ryosuke finds out her determination, he….
(Excellent)
Kyojo2
Production Rights Fuji Television Network
Production Cooperation SWITCH
Broadcast Period January 3 – 4, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
〈Part1〉145 min
〈Part2〉148 min
The Original "Kyojo" by Hiroki Nagaoka
Chief Producer Isamu Nakae
Producer Koya Watanabe
Hana Son
Mitsutaka Endo
Director Isamu Nakae
Scriptwriter Ryoichi Kimizuka
Cast Takuya Kimura
Gaku Hamada
Moka Kamishiraishi
Haruka Fukuhara
Yuma Yamoto
Yosuke Sugino
Ren Meguro
Gordon Maeda
Sae Okazaki
Fumiyo Kohinata
Kyojo2
Outline:
 At the 200th short-term course of the introductory course, which is served by a ruthless instructor, Kimichika Kazama, students are exposed to intense training every day from 6 o'clock in the morning. The strictest thing is to adhere to the rules. The action is always under surveillance, and someone's mistakes are jointly liable. Mobile phones have also been confiscated and permission is required to go out. Students from various backgrounds are gathering for various motives at the police academy, where the ultimate test that can be said to be painful awaits.
 In addition, there are various conflicts that students have in the extreme state of a police academy. Kazama, an instructor who thinks that a police academy is a place to screen out unsuitable people, is a ruthless man who gives a dropout notice as soon as a student has trouble. In addition, he always gives the students only commands that are difficult to understand and leaves the place. In order to survive the survival game called "Kyojo" that is sifted one after another, the secrets and thoughts of the students swirl, and various incidents occur. There are 30 classmates at Kazama Kyojo. How many students can get a diploma by surviving to the end without being screened out?
Local Drama Award
Peperoncino
Production Rights NHK Sendai Station
Broadcast Period March 6, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
60 min × 1 ep
Chief Producer Kazunori Aoki
Producer Izumi Kouno
Director Takuya Maruyama
Scriptwriter Nobuyuki Isshiki
Cast Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
Yoh Yoshida
Jun Kunimura
Akiko Yada
Miu Tomita
Yohei Isshiki
Yua Saito
Jun Aonami
Rin Furukawa
Peperoncino
Outline:
 Owner-chef Onodera Kiyoshi (played by Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) lost his Italian restaurant in the Ojika Peninsular by tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Disappointed, he gave himself up to drink. He was living a self-destructive life of despair when he caused a motorcycle accident. He was taken to a hospital where he met doctor Sasaki (played by Kunimura Jun) who came from Tokyo to support areas affected by disaster. He made a promise with the doctor. Later he bumped into his high school classmate Yoriko (played by Yada Akiko) in temporary housing and cooked peperoncino for her. And he started building a new restaurant. His wife Akari (played by Yoshida Yoh) always supported him. He planned a party by inviting the friends he made after the disaster to his restaurant on March 11 exactly 10 years after the disaster. To his friends who were perplexed by the sudden invitation, Kiyoshi began to talk about his intention. The party went on and each person's secret story for the 10 years came to be known. This makes you think that you can live your life with a positive attitude even if you have difficulties. This ia an ensemble drama of the highest quality.
Living With My Daughter In Kyoto
Production Rights ABC TV
K Factory
Broadcast Period January 10 – February14, 2021
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
30 min × 6 ep
Chief Producer Masaya Sasaki
Akiko Matsumoto
Producer Kota Yamasaki
Yudai Minami
Akira Miyakawa
Director Yukitoshi Chiba
Scriptwriter Masako Imai
Cast Kuranosuke Sasaki
Ryoko Fujino
Kousei Yuki
Wakana Matsumoto
Kyoko Mitsubayashi
Ennosuke Ichikawa
Living With My Daughter In Kyoto
Outline:
 In an old town Kyoto, there is a doctor who works at his own clinic. His name is Kuukichi Kakinoki and he's so kind enough to meet any patients’ requests such as buying meals, dealing with Bon-sai and so on. One day, his daughter Miyako visits him for the first time in 12 years. Since he has never contacted her after he divorced his ex-wife, he is so surprised that Miyako turns 20 and becomes the brilliant lady now!
 One day, Miyako suddenly proposes "I will stay Kyoto for a while!" To her sudden proposal, Dr.Kakinoki is puzzled…. Then, the father and the daughter start to live together. However, their parent-child relationship is not so easy. For example, Dr. Kakinoki's childhood friend, Junpei misunderstands Miyako is his girlfriend and exposes his some secrets. That makes their relationship more complex...
 What brings Miyako to Kyoto? What's Miyako's secret?
 This is a heart-warming story that the father and the daughter repair their family relationship step by step through their communications with kind neighbors at the beautiful and cultural old town Kyoto.
HIGUMA~The little Sad Bear~
Production Rights NHK (Japan Broadcasting Cprp.)
AX-ON
Broadcast Period December 18 - December 24, 2020
Running Time x
No. of Episodes
5min × 10 ep
The Original Qrais
Chief Producer Kiyoshi Umibe
Norikuni Nishi
Producer Toshiaki Namba
Director Shigekatsu Honda
Scriptwriter Hayashi Mori
Cast Daiki Shigeoka
Yuina Kuroshima
Yukiya Kitamura
HIGUMA~The little Sad Bear~
Outline:
 The little Sad Bear lives alone in a small mountain lodge and works at a fish processing factory. Because he is still small, there are many things that he cannot do well. At such times, he always says "I’m sad ..." At the fish processing factory work, he catches only two salmons while the daily quota is 20 salmons. Or, even he tries his best, he gets washed away by a current. And his salary is reduced for a lost basket. One day he receives an envelope from the factory for a work accident. He is very happy to open it. But only four acorns come out from inside as the accident compensation. "I’m sad ..." But when he nibbles the acorns, he becomes a little happy ... "Delicious ..."
 These are heartwarming short stories depicting the daily life of the Sad Bear. A college girl, Kuribayashi san, helps him in various situations. Shimadera san, a senior colleague at the factory, looks scary but turns out to be a very kind man. And a hunter, Gonzo, is aiming to hunt down the Sad Bear. The Sad Bear lives on with the kind help from people around him while sometimes he gets nearly killed by the hunter.
個人賞
Best Performance
by an Actor

Masataka Kubota
Masataka Kubota
"Yell"
NHK〈Japan Broadcasting Corp.〉
Best Performance
by an Actress

Haruka Ayase
Haruka Ayase
"Heaven and Hell:Soul Exchange"
TBS Television
Best Performance
by an Actor in
a Supporting Role

Toshiyuki Nishida
Toshiyuki Nishida
"Story of My Family!!!"
TBS SPARKLE
TBS Television
Best Performance
by an Actress in
a Supporting Role

Noriko Eguchi
Noriko Eguchi
"Story of My Family!!!"
TBS SPARKLE
TBS Television

Best Screenplay


Yuji Sakamoto
Yuji Sakamoto
"My Dear Exes"
Kansai Television

Best Director


Takegoro Nishimura
Takegoro Nishimura
"Land of beauty"
NHK〈Japan Broadcasting Corp.〉
特別賞
Sugako Hashida
Sugako Hashida
Theme Song Award
STUTS & Takako Matsu with 3exes
STUTS & Takako Matsu with 3exes "Presence"
"My Dear Exes"
Kansai Television