10 Japanese Doramas (and 1 Film) You Need to Watch in June 2024!

New month, new doramas! Japanese dorama fans may not get all the international releases we wish we did but we’re still excited when new J-dramas come out! In June, we have tons of sequels and a welcome bonus: Netflix is releasing a brand-new J-film. Want to know more? Keep reading for a complete list of all 10 J-dramas + 1 J-film coming out this June!

Sakuma Shunsuke (Kamenashi Kazuya) works for an advertising agency that assigns him to a project with a big car company. Even though things were going well, the company’s vice president suddenly decides to remove him from the assignment. Sakuma doesn’t take the news well. When he meets the VP’s daughter, Katsuragi Juri (Mikami Ai), who also has her reasons to be against her father, they decide to work together to get revenge through a kidnapping game.

Play

• Release date: June 11th, 2024
• Network: TBS (internationally, it’s out on Netflix)
• Episodes: 10
• Cast: Kimura Keito, Nakayama Hinano and Ishikawa Ren
• Where have I seen these people before? Kimura Keito was in MBS’s Ameiro Paradox and Ishikawa Ren was in BS TV Tokyo’s Neko Kare: Shonen wo Kau. This is Nakayama Hinano’s first full TV show credit.
• Writer: Obayashi Rieko and Kuniyoshi Saki
• Director: Kumasaka Izuru, Tomita Miki, and Kosuge Noriyoshi
• Adapted from: さっちゃん、僕は。(“Dear Sacchan”) by Asaga Iori.

Katagiri Kyosuke (Kimura Keito) decides to keep a long-distance relationship with his childhood sweetheart, Osanai Sachi (Nakayama Hinano) when he moves to Tokyo to go to university. He then meets his neighbour Kunikida Shino (Ishikawa Ren), a married woman with whom he starts to have an affair. Soon enough, Kyosuke realises that he needs to choose which path to follow.

Play

• Release date: June 14th, 2024
• Network: Amazon Prime Video
• Episodes: TBC
• Cast: Takahata Mitsuki and Okada Masaki
• Where have I seen these people before? Takahata Mitsuki has done a bit of everything on TV, cinema, and theatre but I’ll always remember her as the incredible Kahoko in NTV’s Kahogo no Kahoko. Same applies to Okada Masaki — his most recent main role on TV was TV Asahi’s The Travel Nurse.
• Writer: Imaizumi Kaori (from 2012’s Just Pretended to Hear)
• Director: Imaizumi Rikiya (from 2019’s Little Nights, Little Love)
• Adapted from: 1122 by Watanabe Peko

Based on 1122, a manga that received lots of praise in Japan for depicting the ins and outs of marriage and relationships, it tells the story of Aihara Ichiko (Takahata Mitsuki) and Otoya (Okada Masaki), a married couple in their 30s.

Ichiko and Otoya have been together for 7 years and are close friends, being able to talk about everything and anything with each other. What seems to be a perfect relationship from the outside gains a twist from the inside: Ichiko and Otoya have a sexless marriage and their relationship is actually an open one. That means that Otoya has a girlfriend with whom he spends the night once a week. Then, Ichiko also decides to find her own boyfriend.

The story explores the dynamics of their relationship and what comes after the “happily ever after”.

Something curious about this project is that the writer and the director are a married couple themselves! This is their first collaboration together.

Play

• Release date: June 16th, 2024
• Network: Hulu
• Episodes: 5
• Cast: Dean Fujioka and Kishii Yukino
• Where have I seen these people before? Who doesn’t know Dean Fujioka? But just for reference, his last TV show credit is TV Asahi’s Hoshi Furu Yoru ni. Kishii Yukino was in NHK’s super Koisenu Futari.
• Writer: Seki Hisayo (from TBS’s Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi)
• Director: Hasumi Eiichiro (from 2022’s Re/Member)
• Prequels: This is the third season of NTV’s Pandora no Kajitsu: Kagaku Hanzai Sosa File (2022). They are also releasing a special episode on the same day.

Pandora no Kajitsu explores the work of the National Police Agency’s Scientific Crimes Control Office. Headed by police bureaucrat Kohiruimaki Yuichi (Dean Fujioka), a team of geniuses and quick-witted policemen work together to figure out the mysteries behind complicated cases involving everything from cloning to immortality.

Play

• Release date: June 19th, 2024
• Network: MBS
• Episodes: 6
• Cast: Hashimoto Ryo and Takaishi Akari
• Where have I seen these people before? Hashimoto Ryo was part of the main cast of ABC/TVK’s Zenryoku! Cleaners and Takaishi Akari stars in the famous Baby Assassins series (you haven’t seen Baby Assassins yet? Oh, well, I have the perfect opportunity for you to catch up with this year’s JFF+!)
• Writer: Shimo Ayumi (from BS-TBS’s Bokura no Shokutaku) and Takahashi Natsuki (as a screenwriter, from NBS’s Taikan Yoho)
• Director: Eda Yuuka (from TV Tokyo’s Cool Doji Danshi) and Takahashi Natsuki (as a director, from NTV/YTV’s Kanojotachi no Hanzai)
• Prequels: This is the second season of MBS’s Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi (2023).
• Adapted from: 墜落JKと廃人教師 (“Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi”) by Sora.

One year after lethargic physics teacher Haiba Jin (Hashimoto Ryo) stops the pessimistic high-schooler Ochiai Mikoto (Takaishi Akari) from killing herself, they find each other developing a stronger bond. As they navigate this strange relationship and everyday life, they start to understand exactly when and where this attraction started.

• Release date: June 23rd, 2024
• Network: ABC
• Episodes: 10
• Cast: Kakei Miwako and Suzuki Yuka
• Where have I seen these people before? Kakei Miwako starred in TV Tokyo’s Ikemen Domoyo Meshi wo Kue, while Suzuki Yuka was the lead in TV Tokyo’s Soredemo Kekkon Shitai to, Yatsura ga Itta.
• Writer: 1623
• Director: Hirota Junpei
• Adapted from: 満タサレズ、止メラレズ (“Mitasarezu, Yamerarezu”) by Komai Chihiro

Murata Mai (Kakei Miwako) is a mother who struggles with a shopping addiction. Machida Miho (Suzuki Yuka) is addicted to social media. Mitasarezu, Yamerarezu tells the story of these two women as they battle their own demons and try to make a life for themselves.

• Release date: June 26th, 2024
• Network: TV Tokyo
• Episodes: 10
• Cast: Sato Airi, Ito Momoka, Omori Maho and Yamazaki Sora
• Where have I seen these people before? Sato Airi, Ito Momoka, Omori Maho and Yamazaki Sora are all members of AKB48. Other AKB48 members are also part of the production.
• Writer: Sugioka Tomoya (from 2021’s Bittersand)
• Director: Yasumura Emi (from MBS’s Taikan Yoho) and Sugioka Tomoya
• Adapted from: 星屑テレパス (“Hoshikuzu Telepath”) by Ookuma Rasuko (you may have also watched Tokyo MX’s anime adaptation of the same name)

Konohoshi Umika (Sato Airi) is a sweet high-schooler who has always been fascinated by aliens. The other students find her obsession a bit strange so Umika leads a fairly lonely and anxious school life. Things change when she meets transfer student Akeuchi Yuu (Ito Momoka), an alien with no memories of her life outside planet Earth and who has telepathic abilities. Between the two of them sparks a friendship that can change Umika’s life forever.

• Release date: June 28th, 2024
• Network: TV Tokyo
• Episodes: 10
• Cast: Yoda Yuuki, Ichikawa Yui, Satsuki Emi, and Yashiba Toshihiro
• Where have I seen these people before? Yoda Yuuki is a member of Nogizaka46. Ichikawa Yui was part of the main cast of Fuji TV’s Hiru Agari no Onna Tachi and you might have seen Yashiba Toshihiro in WOWOW’s Hakubo no Chronicle this year.
• Writer: Hatanaka Shota (from TV Tokyo’s Tabi Suru Sandwich), Mabou Yashiro (from TV Tokyo’s Zetsumeshi Road) and Okocha (from the Podcast Drama Kuwazaru Mono, DON’T WORK)
• Director: Nakamura Yutaro (from 2019’s Wakasa and Bakasa), Paul Young (from TV Tokyo’s Pocket ni Boken wo Tsumekonde), and Nakagawa Kazuhiro (from TV Tokyo’s Ultraman Blazar)
• Prequels: This is the third season of TV Tokyo’s Ryosangata Riko (2022).

This is the third installment in Komukai Riko (Yoda Yuuki)’s tale. 25-year-old Riko is a temp worker in Tokyo who reunites with her sisters back in her hometown when their grandfather dies.

Going through her grandfather’s belongings, Riko finds an unfinished plastic model, which leads to the Yajima Model Shop, a place he used to go before his death. She decides to stay in her hometown for the summer and try her hand at making plastic models with the locals. Determined to make up for her grandfather’s regrets, her creative journey helps her understand her family, and herself, better.

• Release date: June 29th, 2024
• Network: WOWOW/TV Tokyo
• Episodes: 8
• Cast: Ichihara Hayato, Uchida Rio, and Arakawa Yoshiyoshi. Mukai Osamu, the lead from the first lead, also joins the supporting cast.
• Where have I seen these people before? Ichihara Hayato is the lead in Tokyo MX’s Oishi Kyushoku series (its film sequel is also being shown during this year’s JFF+!). Uchida Rio was part of the cast of TV Asahi’s popular series Ossan’s Love and maybe you’ve seen Arakawa Yoshiyoshi inDisney+’s Kisetsu no Nai Machi.
• Writer: Yoshida Yasuhiro (from WOWOW’s series Cold Case) and Fujisawa Hirokazu (from WOWOW’s Poison Daughter, Holy Mother)
• Director: Hatano Takafumi (from WOWOW’s series Cold Case) and Kono Keita (from Fuji TV’s Barakamon)
• Prequels: This is the second season of WOWOW/TV Tokyo’s Double Cheat: Itsuwari no Keikan (April 2024).

Tago Yuto (Ichihara Hayato) is a conman who, after being released from prison, decides to join the fraud company Ride Clean. A quick-witted veteran when it comes to swindling, Yuto quickly rises through the ranks as he has a hidden goal in mind.

• Release date: June 29th, 2024
• Network: TV Tokyo
• Episodes: 10
• Cast: Kuriyama Chiaki and Takeda Kouhei
• Where have I seen these people before? Kuriyama Chiaki’s latest TV credit as the main lead is TV Tokyo’s Kemutai Ane to Zurui Imoto and Takeda Kouhei was the lead in the 2023 movie Kono Chiisana Te.
• Writer: Masaike Yosuke (from TV Asahi’s Miss Target) and Toume Keita (from TV Tokyo’s Kimi ga Kemono ni Naru Mae ni)
• Director: Kitahata Ryuichi, Matsumoto Taku, Maruyama Megumi, Ryo Sato, and Koyama Ryota.
• Prequels: This is the third season of TV Tokyo’s beloved Banshaku no Ryugi (2022). Besides the previous two seasons, there was also a special episode, Banshaku no Ryugi Nenmatsu Special: Ichinen no Saigo ni, Saiko no Ippai wo, released on Dec. 31st, 2022.

Izawa Miyuki (Kuriyama Chiaki) is a normal employee during the day but, after finishing work, she has a very specific goal: “to make the last drink of the day taste better”. She loves alcohol and is constantly looking for the best ingredients to improve her drinks. This season, Miyuki decides to look for ingredients in different shopping districts.

Play

• Release date: June 27th, 2024
• Network: Netflix (International release! Woohoo!)
• Cast: Nagase Ren and Deguchi Natsuki
• Where have I seen these people before? Nagase Ren is the lead in TV Asahi’s currently airing Tokyo Tower while Deguchi Natsuki played Futaba in the 2023/2024 adaptation of the famous Ao Haru Ride (WOWOW).
• Writer: Yoshida Tomoko (from 2022 Love Like the Falling Petals) and Miki Takahiro (he also co-wrote the manga adaptation of Love Me, Love Me Not (2020))
• Director: Miki Takahiro (as a director, he’s known for several successes, including Even if This Love Disappears From the World Tonight (2022), Kids on the Slope (2018), and My Teacher (2017) with Hirose Suzu)
• Adapted from: 余命一年の僕が、余命半年の君と出会った話。(“Yomei Ichinen to Senkoku Sareta Boku ga, Yomei Hantoshi no Kimi to Deatta Hanashi”) by Morita Ao

Hayasaka Akito (Nagase Ren) is a talented artist who discovers that he only has a year to live. He meets Sakurai Haruna (Deguchi Natsuki), a girl who loves painting and only has six months to live. As they grow closer, Akito doesn’t tell Haruna about his condition. They both find new meaning in life in the face of death.

Quite a few titles this month, huh? Some of these have excellent casts: take 1122 Ii Fuufu, for example. Let’s hope that the script lives up to the success of the manga and delivers the material to match our leads’ acting chops. Pandora no Kajitsu also has a great cast and, from the previous two seasons, we know that they can come up with some interesting stories. I also like the fact that we have quite a few titles focused on women as leads: Banshaku no Ryugi; Ryosangata Riko; Mitasarezu, Yamerarezu.

So, what are you watching in June? Let me know in the comments!