# The best Japanese TV dramas

Mainly the titles at the top of ranking.net's popularity polls of Japanese and Heisei-era dramas and of a survey of 6,313 people on the most entertaining Japanese drama.

- 4 votes · 20 items
- Jun 9, 2024 · vinyl.happy
- https://even.best/en/l/435/the-best-japanese-tv-dramas

## Top 20

1. **Furuhata Ninzaburō** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1994–. Masakazu Tamura's detective in inverted-mystery cases; first in the 6,313-person survey.
2. **Bayside Shakedown** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1997. Yūji Oda as Detective Aoshima: 'The case isn't happening in the conference room!'
3. **AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — TV Asahi, 2000–. Yutaka Mizutani as Ukyō Sugishita; a detective drama running for over 20 years.
4. **GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1998. Takashi Sorimachi as ex-biker teacher Eikichi Onizuka.
5. **JIN** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2009 and 2011. A modern brain surgeon slips back in time to late-Edo Japan; number one in the Heisei drama poll.
6. **Hanzawa Naoki** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2013 and 2020. Masato Sakai's banker and his 'double payback'; the 2013 finale drew a 42.2% rating.
7. **The Great White Tower** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 2003. Toshiaki Karasawa as Gorō Zaizen; a medical drama from Toyoko Yamasaki's novel.
8. **Hana Yori Dango** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2005. Mao Inoue and the F4; adapted from Yōko Kamio's manga.
9. **Unnatural** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2018. Satomi Ishihara as a forensic pathologist; written by Akiko Nogi.
10. **The Full-Time Wife Escapist** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2016. A contract marriage and the 'Koi dance' became a social phenomenon.
11. **Yamato Nadeshiko** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 2000. Nanako Matsushima as a flight attendant hunting for a rich husband.
12. **TRICK** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TV Asahi, 2000. Yukie Nakama and Hiroshi Abe expose fake psychics.
13. **Long Vacation** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1996. Takuya Kimura and Tomoko Yamaguchi; the very image of Fuji's Monday 9pm slot.
14. **Tokyo Love Story** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1991. Honami Suzuki as Rika Akana; the classic 'trendy drama'.
15. **From the North** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 1981–2002. Written by Sō Kuramoto; 21 years of the Kuroita family in Furano, Hokkaido.
16. **Kaseifu no Mita** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — NTV, 2011. Nanako Matsushima as an expressionless housekeeper; the finale drew a 40.0% rating.
17. **HERO** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 2001. Takuya Kimura as an unconventional prosecutor; every episode topped a 30% rating.
18. **Nodame Cantabile** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fuji TV, 2006. Juri Ueno and Hiroshi Tamaki in a classical-music comedy.
19. **Amachan** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — NHK, 2013. Kankurō Kudō's morning drama; Rena Nōnen as a female diver and the catchphrase 'jejeje'.
20. **MIU404** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — TBS, 2020. Gō Ayano and Gen Hoshino as a mobile investigation unit duo; written by Akiko Nogi.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.