It is finally time to put pen to paper for this list. Since I started this blog a lifetime ago, I have always had this list in my head with the intention of doing this list one day. I roughly knew roughly the 6 that I wanted in but it is hard to narrow down the other 4 after years of watching jdoramas. There are way too many shows to wither it down to 10 and I feel like if I rewatch some old shows I will end up changing the list again. Here are my top 10 greatest jdoramas of all time in no particular order.
1. GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (1998)
The original is the best. Sorimachi Takashi's charisma along with the chemistry with Matsushima Nanako and one of the best student talents ever. I could watch this every year and not get bored.
2. SOREDEMO IKITE YUKU
The Sakamoto Yuji masterpiece is so perfect, so good I've written so many posts about it and translated his interview.
3. OYAJI
The perfect family jdorama. Yes, even more than Kita no Kuni Kara. Tamura Masakazu is the perfect entertaining stubborn dad. The talent in this show is crazy and the theme song so good. Every family jdorama I compare to Oyaji. They tried to capture lightning in a bottle again with Otousan which sucked but I think Oi Handsome!! did a pretty decent job.
4. LOVE GENERATION
If I had to choose one dorama from the golden era, it would be Love Generation over Long Vacation and 101 Proposals. Kimutaku and Matsu Takako and Uchino Masaaki. Maybe Ozaki Masaya's second greatest work.
5. KEKKON DEKINAI OTOKO
Ozaki Masaya's masterpiece and Abe Hiroshi's greatest acting job ever. Everything is perfect from chemistry with Natsukawa Yui and Kuninaka Ryoko to Ken-chan. The easiest dorama to write reviews for because it is so fun to dissect the story and dialogue.
6. IRYU TEAM MEDICAL DRAGON
Greatest surgery jdorama ever. The greatest jdorama soundtrack ever. The amazing thing is they have mostly kept the quality for all 4 seasons except season 3 was a bit meh. This show is so bullshit but its so cool. You will remember and love every character. Entlassen!
7. SHINYA SHOKUDO AKA MIDNIGHT DINER
The ultimate slow burn feel good show. The chicken soup of jdoramas.
8. SUZUKI SENSEI
The smartest teacher jdorama ever. I wrote 7 reviews for the whole series or rather the reviews wrote themselves because the dorama is just so well written. I need to do a rewatch one day.
9. LADY JOKER
The best WOWOW show? I actually place Samayou Yaiba pretty high up there as well along with Kenja no Ai. However when I think of WOWOW excellence, the first show that comes to my mind is Lady Joker. I think I have rewatched this 3 times already.
10. GAIJI KEISATU
Best terrorist/police thriller jdorama in a sea of crappy terrorist shows like Bloody Monday and Rondo. It is so good I wrote about what it does so well that other jdoramas don't. Watabe Atsuro at his best.
After thoughts: I really wanted to put in Manhattan Love Story/Tiger & Dragon and Mosaic Japan, The Journalist and Love Shuffle. Maybe one day I will revise the list. Maybe I should make put 20 shows in because there are too many good shows like Liar Game, Quartet, Kenja no Ai, Kita no Kuni Kara, Shiroi Kyoto etc.