Hello, Summer: 30+ New Japanese Dramas Coming Out in July 2025!

Divorce lawyer Hanamura Aiko (Kiyohara Kaya) is a kind and gentle professional who supports her clients wholeheartedly. She’s single, has no interest in romance and lives happily with her beloved dog Sakura. While out on a walk with Sakura, Aiko meets Shirosaki Kai (Narita Ryo), the director of an animal hospital who has a dog called Shogun. When Shogun and Sakura fall in love, Aiko and Kai see their lives inevitably intertwining.

Adapted from Bo Hyeon and Mun Sseoni’s webtoon, Dog-like Romance.

Love Is for the Dogs is coming to Viki on July 8th!

Kita-kun (Iwase Yoji) is a mysteriously charming young man who naturally seduces everyone he crosses paths with, regardless of age or gender. When Asada Minami (Honda Tsubasa), Hiruma Toko (Shida Mirai), and Nishino Yu (Mashiko Atsuki) fall in love with him, they decide to form the 33% Club. As members of the club, Minami, Toko, and Yu can share Kita-kun’s love equally and fight against future love interests together.

Adapted from Sakaki Kotsubu‘s manga of the same name.

Fukunaga Haruka (Osaki Ichika) moved to Tokyo to attend university. However, campus life seems to be far more glamorous than she’d expected and she feels out of place. After being invited out for dinner with a senior she admires, Haruka is helped by Hikaru (Matsumoto Leo), a mysterious young man who dresses her up for the occasion. The relationship between Haruka and Hikaru helps her gain confidence and achieve the life she’s always dreamed of.

Adapted from Yanai Wakana’s manga of the same name.

Cinderella Closet is coming to Netflix on July 4th.

Yoshioka Takuya (Maeda Goki) and Chiharu (Nimura Sawa) have been married for three years. The two of them are successful professionally and have a happy marriage. Or so Takuya thought, until a colleague mentions to him that adultery is the norm in the world we live in. A doting husband, Takuya can’t accept the mere idea of cheating on his beloved wife but feels slightly suspicious of Chiharu. After he checks her phone and doesn’t find anything, he feels guilty for ever doubting her — without realising that she’s been cheating on him for a long time, but works hard to cover her tracks. As the two of them face their needs, desires, and decisions, what will Takuya and Chiharu’s relationship be like in the future?

Set in Guam, three different couples spend a week trying to understand themselves and what it means to be in a relationship.

In their 20s, Hoshino Akari (Nakai Tomo) and Misaki Riku (Momose Takumi) are university students. Akari is worried about the future as her boyfriend dreams of becoming a singer-songwriter.

In their 30s, Izumi Miyu (Renbutsu Misako) and Yosuke (Mizobata Junpei) have been married for three years. Even though they are now going on holiday together, Miyu feels that her husband has become ever more distant as he’s often at work and doesn’t have the time to dedicate to her.

In their 50s, Hanada Hiroko (Ishino Yoko) is taking her husband Kenjiro (Katsumura Masanobu) to Guam after their daughter gave them the trip as a present. She’s been thinking about her relationship after her daughter left home and her husband’s solution to her loneliness was to “find a hobby”.

Yuiko Ebihara (Tanabe Momoko) is a quiet young woman who might not be exactly content with her life but isn’t willing to do anything about it. Like her nickname Ebi-ko, she believes she’s a pathetic little shrimp (“ebi”) who can’t do much of significance. After Ebihara is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides it’s high time she let go of her passive ways and actively look for true love.

After witnessing a housebreaking connected to the mobile criminal group Tokuryu, Himuro Renji (Motomiya Yasukaze) and Tamura Yuto (Yamaguchi Yoshiyuki) fight to dismantle the organisation. That leads to an intense conflict between the police, the Tokuryu, and the yakuza organisation Kyowakai.

This is a spin-off from 2013’s Nihon Touitsu (dir. Yamamoto Yoshihisa).

Kanade Shinichiro (Ikeda Masashi) is a gay man who gave up on romance after his awful experiences in high school. He then bumps into Mashiro Kosuke (Hori Natsuki), his high school best friend and crush, whom he hasn’t seen in six years. As they rekindle their friendship, they learn to let go of their past to live a better future together.

Adapted from Rakuta Shoko‘s manga of the same name.

Yuino Sakura (Aoi Utano) is a young woman with a strong work ethic, determined to dedicate her life to her career. However, her “scent fetish” instinctively kicks in when she’s assigned to a new department and meets her new boss, Kiritani Tatsuki (Yamamoto Ryosuke). She soon realises that Tatsuki is inexperienced with women and decides to help him overcome his traumas and insecurity.

Adapted from Fukita Mafuyu‘s manga of the same name.

Set in a near-future Japan, DOPE follows the work of the Special Investigations Division of the Narcotics Control Department, a secret police division that hires Yuto Saiki (Takahashi Kaito) as a rookie Narcotics Control Officer. Yuto is then assigned to be Teppei Jinnai (Nakamura Tomoya)’s protégé. Their relationship starts off on the wrong foot as Yuto and Teppei have completely different personalities and approaches to work. However, as time goes by, these two officers learn to appreciate each other’s strengths and work together to solve cases related to an obscure drug called “DOPE”.

Adapted from Kisaki Chiaki’s novel of the same name.

In an attempt to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend, Kimura Mizuho ​​(Ihara Rikka) moves to Tokyo. When he manages to find her despite her efforts, she kills him out of despair. Without knowing how or why, all the evidence of the crime vanishes into thin air, leading Mizuho down an even more enigmatical path.

Adapted from Nagae Toshikazu‘s novel of the same name.

Hiyama Eisuke (Fujiwara Joichiro) is a failed actor. Broke and often jobless, Eisuke’s only skill seems to be his ability to hear the voices of the dead. Even this superpower of sorts is useless, as Eisuke isn’t able to actually communicate with spirits — he can only hear them but not respond.

Due to his “gift” and his inability to secure a job that pays well, Eisuke often ends up at cheap, haunted places. When the voices in his last apartment became unbearable, he turned to Amami Goro (Otani Ryohei), his real estate agent, to complain and was offered a deal instead. Amami took him to a luxury apartment that had passed through the hands of 10 different tenants in the past 5 years. The reason behind it seems to be the ghost of a young woman who took her own life and now inhabits the place. Eisuke is offered a part-time — yet very well-paid — job to live in the apartment for a while in order to “launder” the image of the property. To his utmost surprise, on his first night, he hears the young woman cry that she was actually murdered.

Takamine Ruka (Kaki Haruka) and Seto Ruka (Tsutsui Ayame) are childhood best friends. Now in their third year of high school, these two girls find themselves joining the nearly disbanded Plastic Model Club. Soon, they become fascinated by the art of making plastic models and work together to revitalise the forgotten club.

This is a spin-off from the Ryosangata Rika series.

Hinata Matsuko (Umezawa Tomio) is a peculiar grandmother who decides to open her own business in Asakusa. Her company, “Last Boss Grandma”, receives all sorts of requests that Matsuko does her best to fulfil. Her solutions are always unpredictable, but she’s undeniably genuine in her dedication to helping others. Through the time that they spend together, Matsuko and the people around her change and evolve.

Sugawara Yuga (Ohashi Kazuya) works for the medical IT company Imuta Medical Data. Cheerful and friendly, Yuga hides the fact that he’s currently working to gather evidence against Imuta, a corporation that he believes caused his brother’s death. He then decides to approach the company president’s daughter, Imuta Hana (Shibuya Nagisa). What started as a superficial relationship slowly turns into love, making Yuga question his goals and thirst for revenge.

Omega is an alien who falls to Earth and loses his memories. He decides to take on human form and go by the name of Okida Sorato (Kondo Shori). Sorato is fascinated by humans and soon befriends an ordinary young man. As huge monsters keep crossing Sorato’s path, he instinctively transforms into Ultraman Omega and, alongside his friends, he fights to protect the Earth.

Tojo Suzume (Kazama Shunsuke) is about to turn forty. After spending the last decade single and working constantly, he decides to write a list of 10 things he wants to do before his birthday. When his subordinate Tanaka Keiji (Shoji Kohei) accidentally reads his list, they decide to complete it together. This endeavour brings Suzume and Keiji closer together, forever changing their lives.

Naruki Kanenari (Iwata Takanori) is a former doctor who is now a medical headhunter. He founded a company called Dr Connection, where he works with Yonaga Aki (Makita Aju) to punish evildoers in the medical industry and discover the truth behind his father’s death.

Adapted from Sakatsu Tsukasa and Ariyu Masaki’s manga of the same name.

Twenty-five years ago, Togashi Hiroyuki (Yasuda Ken)’s twin sister disappeared. Hiroyuki is now a police officer with the Hatano Police Station’s Public Safety Division. There, he’s paired up with career officer Yashiro Masato (Mizukami Koshi). Hiroyuki and Masato are then assigned to a case that might be bigger than they could’ve ever imagined.

This is a Japanese remake of the Korean drama Beyond Evil (JTBC, 2021).

Asayama Kenta (Ozawa Yukiyoshi) is a screenwriter currently working on a popular TV drama. Kenta is a terrible husband and father, who neglected his family to build his career. The one who helped him grow as a screenwriter and achieve success was his wife, Asako (Nakamura Anne). Before Kenta broke out in the industry, Asako fully supported him — emotionally and financially — all the while taking care of the children and the housework. Nowadays, Asako has grown tired of Kenta’s attitude at home, with constant conflicts marking their everyday life. Will they ever overcome their marital hurdles?

Natsui Tsubasa (Fukuhara Haruka) is a detective in a small precinct of a coastal town. She dreams of transferring to the First Investigation Division, where she would deal with violent crimes. Instead, to her surprise, she’s assigned to a child consultation centre as a child welfare officer. There, veteran officer Kurata Sosuke (Hayashi Kento) becomes her mentor as they tackle challenging cases with parents and children in difficult situations.

After years of constant bullying for her appearance, Fujimura Aoi (Triendl Reina) grew into a happily married woman. She thought she had married a man who loved her honestly and wholeheartedly. However, he eventually cheats on her and their relationship ends in divorce. She soon finds out that her ex-husband’s lover — who is now his new wife — was the very girl who led the bullying against her in high school. Determined to get her revenge, Aoi undergoes plastic surgery, assumes a new identity and finds a way to infiltrate their seemingly perfect lives.

Adapted from Tomo Tanaka and Hacchi Hirai’s manga of the same name.

Desperate to save their sick daughter, Shinjo Masamune (Saitoh Takumi) is persuaded by his wife to kidnap Nanase Rin (Nagao Yuno), the young daughter of a wealthy hospital director. The idea was to keep the girl for a while and use the ransom money to pay for their daughter’s surgery.

On the day of the crime, a little girl jumps out in front of Shinjo’s car and faints. To Shinjo’s surprise, the girl is Rin herself, so he takes her home. When she wakes up, he realises that she’s lost her memories and tells her that he’s her father. Things get even more complicated when Rin’s parents are murdered and Shinjo becomes the main suspect.

This is a Japanese remake of the Korean drama The Kidnapping Day (ENA, 2023).

Ten years after the end of Chihayafuru 3: Musubi, Chihayafuru: Full Circle portrays a new generation of high schoolers who decide to dedicate their youth to the exciting world of competitive karuta.

This is a sequel to the Chihayafuru film series (2016-2018, dir. Koizumi Norihiro), which was an adaptation of Suetsugu Yuki’s manga.

Chihayafuru: Full Circle is coming to Netflix on July 17th!

The SSBC Violent Crimes Unit was established a few years ago to support the work of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s First Investigation Division. There, we’ll follow the work of three officers.

Igaki Shuji (Omori Nao) is a mobile analysis officer, a job that doesn’t offer him the fulfilment of his previous role as a detective. Meanwhile, Aoyagi Haruka (Matsushita Nao) is a senior officer who happens to be Igaki’s ex-wife and now has to deal with his recklessness at work. Finally, Nanami Rintaro (Aiba Masaki) is a bright former investment banker with connections within the police and the government. Once Igaki and Nanami start working together, they find out that their skills complement each other perfectly. They soon prove to be unstoppable.

Domon Makoto (Fujiki Naohito) is a solitary, eccentric forensic appraiser who teams up with Takakura Shuuko (Shiraishi Mai), an equally eccentric researcher. Together, they prove the importance of scientific analysis as they look for the last piece needed to solve complex criminal cases.

Adapted from Keiya Iwai’s novel of the same name.

Ogawa Manami (Kimura Fumino) is a high school teacher facing professional and personal problems. Her strict father wants her to marry a man of his choosing and the school where she works is in crisis. That’s when she crosses paths with Kaworu (Murakami Raul Maito), a host club worker who is functionally illiterate. She starts offering him private lessons that bring them closer together. Soon, their budding romance is plagued by criticism and prejudice.

Learning to Love is coming to Netflix on July 27th!

Aspiring designer Suzukura Mana (Yamashita Mizuki) harbours a secret: she killed her abusive husband. Her peaceful life is turned upside down when her supposedly dead husband shows up in front of her. With no memory of what happened, her — now warm-hearted — husband starts living with her once again. Soon, twisted secrets come to the surface.

Adapted from Sakurai Mina’s novel of the same name.

Fuwa Shuntaro (Kamikawa Takaya) is a skilled prosecutor at the Osaka District Public Prosecutors’ Office, known for his stoic nature and strong sense of justice. With every case he handles, Fuwa examines the dark side of Japanese society, questioning its bureaucratic systems and denouncing corruption within the police.

Adapted from Nakayama Shichiri’s novel of the same name.

One year after the end of Captured Airport, Musashi Saburo (Sakurai Sho) is now an investigator with the BCCT. This time, he’s leading the negotiations with an armed group that has taken 500 people hostage at a TV station.

This is the third instalment of the “Musashi Saburo” series, after Captured Hospital (2023) and Captured Airport (2024).

Tokushige Akira (Matsumoto Jun) is a compassionate general practitioner who is known for his communication skills. He excels at guiding the conversation with his patients in a way that allows him to understand their lifestyle, experiences, and state of mind. By listening to their stories carefully and empathetically, he helps them heal their bodies and hearts.

Adapted from Fujiya Katsuhito’s web manga of the same name.

The 19th Medical Chart is coming to Netflix on July 27th!

This is the sixth season of the Dogengers series, a comedy tokusatsu about quirky local heroes who save the day. This time, the story follows an isekai reincarnation.

Lawyer Shiratori Kenji (Isomura Hayato) can perceive colours and scents through words and sounds. When he starts working at Hama Solaris High School as a school lawyer, he follows as the school transitions to co-education. There, Kenji meets teacher Koda Suzu (Hotta Mayu), chairman Ozaki Misao (Inagaki Goro), and dozens of young people facing challenges that might not be easily solved by the laws and rules he’s used to working with.

When Suzuki Hiromu (Iwahashi Genki) was a high schooler, he was often bullied for his appearance and demeanour by his classmate, Washizawa Natsuo (Soma Satoru). Years later, Hiromu works as a top stylist at a hair salon and is known for his good looks. He then bumps into Natsuo again, who doesn’t recognise him. Once Natsuo confesses to having a crush on him, Hiromu decides that this is the right opportunity for his revenge: he’ll make Natsuo love him wholeheartedly before dumping him and leaving him heartbroken.

Adapted from Ogeretsu Tanaka’s manga of the same name.

Harada Kotaro (Abe Sadawo) is a 50-year-old lawyer with a successful and popular career. He’s always been single and, without any siblings or close family, he’s led a solitary life after the death of his parents. He then meets 45-year-old art teacher Suzuki Nella (Matsu Takako). Her aloof attitude is accompanied by a mysterious charm that catches Kotaro’s eye. Seemingly out of nowhere, they decide to get married and Kotaro moves in with Nella, sharing an apartment with his father-in-law, brother-in-law and his uncle-in-law.

Their Marriage is coming to Netflix on July 24th!

Here’s Drama-Otaku‘s excellent translation of the original announcement:

This omnibus-style story follows the mysterious salesman Moguro Fukuzou, who, dressed head-to-toe in a black suit, fills the emotional voids (“kokoro no sukima”) of troubled modern individuals. The series gained widespread popularity across all ages for its dark humor, iconic visual of Moguro, his devilish laugh, and the sinister twist: while he grants people’s desires and wishes, those who ignore his warnings or break their promises must pay a heavy price.
 
Staying true to Moguro Fukuzou’s dark and fairy tale-like world, the series will feature a diverse lineup of 12 episodes—some modernized adaptations of the original stories, and others entirely original. With a stellar team of screenwriters on board, the new Warau Salesman offers a fresh, contemporary take that promises to thrill and amuse both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Adapted from Fujiko Fujio’s manga of the same name.

After an affair, Umino Manatsu (Matsumoto Marika) breaks off her engagement and decides to change careers. Now working as a PR representative at a new company, she meets Sorachi Taimu (Yasuda Ken), who looks uncannily like her ex-fiancé. Taimu is married, but his relationship is on the rocks as his wife is desperate to have children that he can’t give her. Manatsu and Taimu can’t help growing closer and closer, starting a torrid relationship that will change their lives.

This is the fifth instalment of the Ubai Ai series, after Ubai Ai, Fuyu (2017), Ubai Ai, Natsu (2019), Naguri Ai, Honoo and Ubai Ai, Koko Kyoshi (2021).

Police officer Inukai Kiri (Taira Yuna) has excellent memory but suffers from prosopagnosia (a.k.a “face blindness”). She’s introduced to Saruwatari Hibiki (Maruyama Ryuhei), a skilled detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division who has been reassigned to the Unsolved Cases Comprehensive Countermeasures Management Office due to his explosive ways. While Inukai relies on her memory, Saruwatari relies on his sharp instincts. By combining their strengths, Inukai and Saruwatari handle complex, unsolved cases.

Set in the Kanbun era, Hagure Garasu follows Yamakawa Saijiro (Kamio Fuju), the sole survivor of a tragic incident that killed twenty-six people. As a child, Saijiro fled and struggled to survive. He spent the following fourteen years training in swordsmanship, preparing to exact revenge against his uncle, Tamada Kozaemon (Shiina Kippei).

Saijiro then returns to his hometown to find his once-mighty uncle being ridiculed for his bizarre attitude and appearance. Still set on revenge, he meets the young and beautiful Eri, Kozaemon’s daughter. Enchanted by her charm, Saijiro sees himself torn between love and vengeance.

Nikaidou Tamiko (Morikawa Aoi) is an elite undercover investigator who leads the Stingers, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s undercover team. Trained by the FBI, Tamiko combines her expert skills, sharp instincts, and eccentric personality to create a department capable of solving even the most complicated cases.

Sugawara Makoto (Konno Ayaka) has just ended a three-year relationship with a demanding man who never showed her any appreciation despite her devotion. Homeless and alone, Makoto feels adrift until her boss, Odagiri Ren (Totsuka Shota), offers her a hand and a place to stay. Infamous for being harsh and intimidating at work, Makoto is surprised to find that Odagiri is kind and welcoming at home. As her feelings towards him change, Odagiri tries to keep his greatest secret hidden: he’s the heir to a yakuza clan.

Adapted from Mashimo Nao’s manga of the same name.

The Yakuza Boss’s Beloved is coming to Viki on October 24th!

According to Netflix,

Akane Saijo (Miyazaki Yu), a drummer who was ousted from her previous band just before her debut, is unexpectedly chosen by Naoki Fujitani (Satoh Takeru) — a reclusive and brilliant musician — to join his new band, TENBLANK. Together with band members Sho Takaoka (Machida Keita) and Kazushi Sakamoto (Shison Jun), the band gains fame through Fujitani’s distinctive compositions and their electrifying performances. As TENBLANK rises to stardom, they face numerous challenges, and Akane’s journey from obscurity to stardom unfolds as Fujitani’s secrets emerge. Will the band withstand the storm, and where will Akane’s heart lead her?

Adapted from Wakagi Mio‘s novel of the same name.

Following the end of the first season, French chef Toomi Shota (Kamiyama Tomohiro) and former monk Hojo Terumoto (Nakamura Kaito) open a food stall in the city. Despite the new location, Shota and Terumoto continue to work together to serve food that will soothe their patrons’ bodies and hearts.