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3 must-watch Japanese dramas coming to Netflix this month

J-dramas Death Note, Weakest Beast, and Pretty Proofreader drop on Netflix on 15 October 2021.
Death Note, Weakest Beast, and Pretty Proofreader drop on Netflix on 15 October. (Photo: Twitter/todome_kiss_ntv, Instagram/kemo_nare_ntv, Instagram/jimisugo)

Last month, we saw a number of interesting K-dramas on Netflix, including thriller Squid Game and rom-com Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. This month, it seems the spotlight will shift over to J-dramas, as the popular ones get their Netflix release. We’ve picked out three of these Japanese dramas, and the reasons why you should not miss them this October!

1. Death Note

Death Note, again? Unlike all the other live-action adaptations that have been produced as films, this Death Note comes as a drama series starring Masataka Kubota as Kira, and Kento Yamazaki as L. Kubota is best known for playing Ken Kaneki in the live-action film Tokyo Ghoul, while Yamazaki recently starred as Ryohei Arisu in the Netflix sci-fi thriller Alice In Borderland.

Both actors, although relatively young, are among the top few promising actors in Japan. In fact, Death Note, which was released in Japan in 2015, is one of the first few notable works of Yamazaki, who has been dubbed the “prince of live-action” after starring in many live-action adaptations, including of L DK, Your Lie In April, Wolf Girl And Black Prince, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, and Psychic Kusuo: The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.

Yamazaki’s portrayal of L is definitely not to be missed. If you’ve watched the Death Note films starring Kenichi Matsuyama as L, you will realise that Yamazaki is able to maintain the quirkiness of L, while imbuing the character with more humour and charm with his poker face and bright eyes. Simply put, his version of L lives up to, if not exceeds, the expectation of the character, especially after Matsuyama did such an impressive job.

2. Weakest Beast

Weakest Beast, first released in Japan in 2018, stars the recently married Yui Aragaki as a stressed-out businesswoman Akira Shinkai, alongside Ryuhei Matsuda as an abrasive accountant Kosei Nemoto. After meeting at a craft beer bar after work, the two of them, who are unable to live instinctively like an animal, find an awkward solace in each other’s company.

Not your usual romance drama, Weakest Beast meanders around deeper issues surrounding companionship, work, and basically, life. The plight of Akira is likely to gain sympathy, as she deals with a demanding superior, and a boyfriend (Kei Tanaka) who is unable to fully commit to her. As the characters seek to live their lives freely, they undergo tremendous development that is inspiring to watch.

3. Pretty Proofreader

Pretty Proofreader follows the journey of an aspiring fashion editor Etsuko Kono (Satomi Ishihara), who has instead been assigned the job of a proofreader. But as she understands the job better, she starts to enjoy and appreciate proofreading.

One of the two main reasons why you should watch Pretty Proofreader is to see how actress Ishihara rattles off lengthy lines from the script at an amazing speed.

Another highlight is the fashionable clothes and accessories that Ishihara dons in the drama. Every episode will showcase different sets of stylish clothing, complete with matching accessories and hairdo. Essentially, Ishihara transforms into a chic model in Pretty Proofreader.

These three J-dramas, ranging from thriller to romance to slice of life, happen to be released on the same day — 15 October — on Netflix. Which of these are you looking forward to catching, or even re-watching?

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