Hello. I’ve been studying Japanese for a few months now (Started at 9, stopped at 12 and now re taking courses at 19) and don’t really watch anything that could help me improve and get more knowledge on the language.
I would really like to watch more Japanese shows that have at least some romance, like Good morning call from Netflix or vanilla and coffee (I prefer the manga version rather than the live action tbh). But I’m good with anything!
BTW: there was a show that I watched almost 10 years ago that was about a class learning Japanese in Japan, don’t remember much 🙁 but if it rings a bell for someone please let me know! Thanks :D.
14 comments
I like a dorama called Last Cinderella.
And I think the show you are talking about is 日本人が知らない日本語…
**Tip:** to find more j-dramas similar to a show you like, go to [mydramalist](https://mydramalist.com/) and search for the show. Once you’re on the page for that show, below the description are categories and tags associated for the show. Click on any of those to find shows that match those tags or categories.
Also if you look at the right-side of the page, you’ll see a bunch of user-made lists that usually contain shows that are similar to the one you’re watching.
For instance, this is the [Good Morning Call](https://mydramalist.com/16477-good-morning-call) page. On the right side, under the section labeled “Popular Lists: related lists from users”, I see lists for:
* [Live Action Shoujo Manga](https://mydramalist.com/list/W47aVyDL)
* [Trope: fake it till you make it](https://mydramalist.com/list/O3odGGa4)
* [Manga Dramas](https://mydramalist.com/list/Y4a6Zk21)
If you’re just limited to watching shows on Netflix, some recommendations of shows that I’ve really liked and have at least some romance would be:
* [The Full-Time Wife Escapist](https://www.netflix.com/title/81410833) — won a bunch of awards in Japan. Highly recommended.
* [From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke](https://www.netflix.com/title/81483827) (note: this is recent live-action version but there’s also an older anime version too on Netflix).
* [Midnight Diner](https://www.netflix.com/title/80113541) — a really good anthology series featuring quirky people. Can make you cry or laugh.
* [Quartet](https://www.netflix.com/title/81642940) — a great quirky comedy / mystery show featuring really funny dialogue and it stars many of my favorite Japanese actors. One of my all-time fav JP shows ever.
* [Let’s Get Divorced](https://www.netflix.com/title/81483827)
* [First Love](https://www.netflix.com/title/81137509) — love the lead actress here (she’s also in *Quartet*) and the title and theme is based on one of my favorite Utada Hikaru songs.
Also check out Japanese reality shows, which contain a lot of casual conversation so it’s good for learning. These shows have a dating / romance angle:
* [Aori Love Wagon](https://www.netflix.com/title/80174280)
* [Love Village](https://www.netflix.com/title/81521365)
* [Love is Blind: Japan](https://www.netflix.com/title/81411891)
Lastly if you haven’t seen it, *Terrace House* isn’t a dating reality show, but it often does leads to slow-burn romances, and it is also excellent for learning conversational Japanese.
I’d HIGHLY recommend starting with the [Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City](https://www.netflix.com/title/80067942). It starts out slow but as you get to know the house members, then it gets very addicting. Keep watching especially as house member leave the house and new ones come in.
It’s the best season, unless you have access to the very first season, *Terrace House: Boys × Girls Next Door*, which is only available on Japan Netflix, and not worldwide, so you’ll need a VPN that works with Japan to watch it, or live in Japan (or an Asian territory that carries it). [This FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/terracehouse/comments/banzvi/faq_how_to_watch_boys_x_girls_next_door/) from r/terracehouse gives more details.
OH YEAH, also install the [Language Reactor](https://www.languagereactor.com/) web browser extension and watch Netflix through your web browser. It’ll give you access to more subtitles in different languages, without requiring you to always switch your language options in Netflix.
Most importantly, you can select any Japanese word in the JP subtitles as you watch the show, and it’ll show you the definition. It also has a bunch of other features for language learning.
To be honest, Japanese doramas are not so great, actors act like anime characters… Japanese anime is _much_ better, though I understand this is not what you’re asking.
I guess one weird alternative way might be watching your favorite tv series with Japanese dub or sub.
Or another option is to watch documentary-like shows. One thing came to my mind is “テラスハウス”. In this show several men and women live in the same house, and cameras are rolled just to capture real(-ish) interaction, which is often romantic. I think this show was pretty natural, since it’s at least advertised not to have scripts. This show was popular among teenagers and the alike. (Maybe it still _is_, but I’m not sure. I’m older than teenagers now)
Edit: I noticed others have also mentioned テラスハウス.
“Tomorrow, I will be someone’s girlfriend” is really great on Disney+ in Japan. Can check justwatch for where to watch in your country.
Netflix has more all the time. Aside from what was already mentioned Burn the House Down and Pending Train have small amounts of romance. TBS shows on Netflix mostly have subtitles.
Ignore the person bash dramas. There’s decades of Japanese dramas with good acting. A lot don’t have subtitles or aren’t streamed however.
The plot and acting in Japanese tv are a little weak compared to American’s tv series in general… but these shows got some of the highest ratings in history, great plots with twists and great acting:
1. Naoki Hanzawa
2. The Great White Tower – a classic medical drama
3. Gokusen – a yakuza teaching in high school, might be the show you watched?
If you want lighthearted romance, then the above mentioned The Full-time Wife Escapist, The Last Cinderella are good choices. Let’s Get Divorced is hilarious in its own way.
Hanzawa Naoki
Edit: it’s a show about the seedy underbelly and infighting in banking
I like orange days from way back. It’s kind of special.
ブラッシュアップライフ
I think the drama you watched before was “Nihonjin no shiranai Nihongo” 日本人の知らない日本語. If you search around on YouTube, you should be able to find most of the episodes
It’s fun, but you’ll probably need to watch with subtitles now and rewatch later.
I’m enjoying a short slice of life jdrama rn – started yesterday afternoon. 僕らは騎跡でできといる (Miracles). About this newly hired zoologist professor who is very eccentric (he’s probably autistic tbh) and he’s a very positive person. It’s light hearted and wholesome and short. I’m having fun.
Oh if you like romance, there is a show called Cherry Magic (it’s a romance between two men, not sure if this matters to you). It’s very cute and sweet.
A sad but good show Boku no Ita Jikan, about a high schooler who develops ALS. It’s mostly a coming of age / family drama.
I really couldnt find enough jdrama on the internet that’s why i switched to variety shows.
I’ve been watching keykitte kakenai? and hiragana oshi too much these days.
Switched was a pretty good one. It’s short (like 8 eps.) with a dark premise but I liked it for the simplicity of the plot. It’s got a little bit of romance, but it’s secondary to the main plot.
Burn The House Down is another drama I just started. I’ve only seen the first 2 episodes, but it’s got me on the edge of my seat so far. Not a romance tho… Both are on Netflix more of the thriller genre.
There’s next two are movies.
Lovely Complex (based on a manga series) is a romantic comedy. The jokes are really over the top and kinda unhinged but makes for a really solid laugh.
Kamikaze Girls (based on a light novel with an manga adaptation) is a comedic drama (with romantic undertones if you squint). Also kinda unhinged but in an endearing way. (I’m finding that to be a common theme with older media.)
Heard good things about **Usokon** (fake marriage trope), but haven’t watched it yet. Same with **First Love**.
**Nigehaji (Full-time wife escapist/We married as a job)** is pretty cute, also kind-of fake marriage.
**Debu to rabu to ayamachi to! (Fat, Love and Mistakes)** is on my watch-list, and I’ve read some of the manga, so it’s probably a fun one. It’s about an overweight woman who used to be bullied for her looks. She gets into an accident and loses her memories, and finally sees herself as cute. Her true happy personality comes out.
**Lovely Complex** is a cute drama (and anime, one of the few where the characters speak in Kansai-ben), about a short guy and a tall girl.
**Koi wa tsuzuku yo doko made mo** is kind of a typical romance jdrama with the “cold and arrogant” guy, which I’m not a fan of (the reason why I don’t watch a lot of Japanese romance), but it’s alright for a watch. It’s about a girl who falls in love at first sight with a doctor after an encounter, and decides to become a nurse.
Not sure if you’re okay with BL, but **Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss!** was a short and cute story. (And I will add another adorable BL movie, **Cherry Magic**.)
My absolute favourite jdrama is **Tiger & Dragon**, but no romance.
I also love **Samurai Gourmet**, it’s not romance as it’s food-focused, but the main character is married and they show a little bit of the relationship (retired couple).
Edit: The drama you mentioned sounds like **Nihonjin no shiranai nihongo**. It was on youtube for a while (with Eng and Jpn subs), not sure if it’s still up.
Might add a few dramas if they come to mind.