Mizuki Yamamoto is one of the known names in the Japanese entertainment industry. She is recognized as a Japanese actress and model. Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Mizuki began her career as an exclusive model in the year 2009. Here, she worked for a women’s fashion magazine called “CanCam”. With her good looks and strong personality, her name became one of the popular ones in the arena, and it wasn’t long when she changed her career path to acting.
She made her debut on the screen in the Fuji TV drama series titled “Shiawase ni Naroyo”. After her debut on the television screen, Mizuki appeared on the big screen in the role of Kirishima’s girlfriend in the movie titled “The Kirishima Thing”. With it, her career took off flight, and she was offered numerous projects, both including the television and big screens. Later, she was starred in many commercials, too, which added to her popularity. Mizuki also hosted the NTS’s variety show called “Woman on the Planet” from 2012 to 2014.
Undoubtedly, she has given her fans one of the best drama series and movies that have been a big success in the Asian entertainment arena. Here, we have handpicked and summarized her top ten drama series and movies that you should definitely have on your watchlist. Let’s have a quick skim inside.
Kazoku Boshu Shimasu (2021)
One of her latest dramas on the list which saw the majority of good ratings and many good talks on the internet. The Japanese drama series is also known with other names like “#Family Wanted”. “#Family Recruitment”, and “#Be My Family”. Directed by Fukuda Ryosuke and Murao Yoshiaki, the series saw an appreciative viewership scale and managed to cement its place in everyone’s watchlist.
Released on July 9, 2021, and ended on September 24, 2021, the show’s storyline revolves around a single father named Shunpei Akagi. A childhood friend of his posted on SNS that “#I am looking for a family” with a funny idea. The idea landed Shunpei in one house with four adults and three kids. All the inhabitants of that house have different personalities and choices. However, they adjust together and eventually become a “family”.
- Starring: Shigeoka Daiki as Akagi Shunpei, Kimura Fumino as Momoto Rai, Nakano Taiga as Osanai Sosuke, Mizuki Yamamoto as Akagi Midori, and Kishii Yukino as Yokose Meiku.
- Genres: Drama and Family.
- Watch on: TBS Network.
- Number of Episodes: 9.
Tokyo Alice (2017)
Based on the manga by Chiya Toriko with the same name, the drama series was directed by Seta Natsuki. The Japanese drama series did well with the ratings and reviews and became one of the best of Mizuki Yamamoto. It was released on August 25, 2017, and aired its final episode on November 3, 2017.
The story of the show revolves around the life of four former classmates who shares an apartment in Daikanyama. We get to see a glimpse of every one life’s in there and how they are managing their lifestyle and coping up with life. We meet Arisugawa Fuu, who works in a design production company, and she spends most of her earning on fashion. Then we come across a manga artist named Hada Mizuhois, a practicing in psychosomatic medicine named Sakuragawa Rio, and Enjoji Sayuri, who works for a Ginza art gallery.
- Starring: Mizuki Yamamoto as Arisugawa Fuu, Triendl Reina as Hada Mizuho, Takahashi Maryjun as Sakuragawa Rio, Asahina Aya as Enjoji Sayuri, Otani Ryohei as Okuzono Shinji, and Daito Shunsuke as Hiyama Akira.
- Genres: Friendship, Comedy, Romance, Life, and Drama.
- Watch on: Amazon Prime Video.
- Number of Episodes: 12.
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Lunch Gokon Tantei – Koi to Gurume to Nazotoki to (2020)
Written by Aso Kumiko, the Japanese drama series is one of the must-watches on the list. It is also known with other names like “Lunch Goukon Tantei” and “The Lunchtime Detective”. The drama was released on January 9, 2020, and its final episode aired on March 12, 2020.
The plot of the show revolves around Reiko Akutsu, who works at a residential construction company. In order to find love in the same company, she plans a lunch matchmaking meeting, and it is joined by the new employee named Yuika Amano. The meeting is held by them, and they meet two men. There are many riddles in the story, and Yuika can’t help but attempt to solve all of them. As they go forward with their matchmaking meetings, Yuika comes to know about various stories involving ghosts and missing people. And she attempts to unravel all the mysteries behind each one of them.
- Starring: Mizuki Yamamoto as Yuika Amano, Triendl Reina as Reiko Akutsu, Seto Toshiki as Sakurai Kento, Kimura Yuichi as Kameda Hiroshi, Chinen Rina as Shirashi Ritsuko, and Hirata Yuya as Kitamura Kazuma.
- Genres: Mystery.
- Watch on: NTV YTV.
- Number of Episodes: 10.
Perfect World (2019)
Directed by Miyake Yoshishige and Shiraki Keiichiro, the Japanese show is also known with another name like “Pafekuto Warudo”. The show was released on April 16, 2019, and its final episode aired on June 25, 2019. The show received many positive reviews and ratings and was appreciated a lot for its cast performance and amazing plot points.
The plot of the show revolves around Ayukawa Itsuki, who is an architect and is paralyzed from the waist down. He was a pro basketball player back in his high school, but he was restricted from the game when he met with a terrible accident in the third year of his university, which led to his spinal cord injury. He made a decision not to fall in love again as he became bound to a wheelchair.
We meet Kawana Tsugumi who was classmate of Itsuki. She loved him a lot. She was pro at drawings and wanted to get into an art college. But she never gave the exam due to a lack of confidence. However, she still got into an interior designing firm in a clerical position. She happens to meet Itsuki again on a work-related drinking session. They both click together quickly and fall in love. But their path is never easy as they face several family-related issues, love rivals, and negative effects of illness. Though, they never give up and together find the meaning of happiness.
- Starring: Matsuzaka Tori as Ayukawa Itsuki, Mizuki Yamamoto as Kawana Tsugumi, Seto Koji as Koreeda Hirotaka, Nakamura Yuri as Nagasawa Aoi, Matsumura Hokuto as Watnaabe Haruto, and Okazaki Sae as Kawana Shiori.
- Genres: Life, Romance, and Drama.
- Watch on: Netflix.
- Number of Episodes: 10.
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Kokou no Mesu (2019)
Written by Maekawa Yoichi, the show is also known as “A Lone Scalpel”. The Japanese drama series received a lot of positive ratings and was one of the most loved in 2019.
The plot of the show is set in the late 1980s. It was a time period when organ transplantation was viewed as taboo. We meet Tetsuhiko Toma, a surgeon who has graduated in the field of medicine from America and has been assigned to work under a local private hospital. There is a belief “the same level of treatment as university hospital in rural areas” should be received, he questions every complicated operation and tries to save the life of every patient.
- Starring: Takizawa Hideaki as Toma Tetsuhiko, Nakamura Toru as Sanekawa Go, nagatsuka Kyozo as Okawa Matsuo, Ishimaru Kanji as Shimada Koji, Mizuki Yamamoto as Okawa Shoko, and Kudo Asuka as Aoki Ryuzo.
- Genres: Medical and Drama.
- Watch on: WOWOW.
- Number of Episodes: 8.
The Fable (2019)
Directed by Eguchi Kan, the Japanese movie was one of the hit ones from Mizuki Yamamoto. It received a lot of positive appreciations and was written by Watanabe Yusuke. The movie was released on June 21, 2019, and is still resting on everyone’s watchlist.
The plot of the show revolves around a boy who was trained to be a murderer. Now after several years, he was hired as an elite contract killer under the nickname “Fable”. The man was known for his no-miss policy, but he took an off from his job as an assassin for a year and decided to live like an ordinary life in Osaka.
- Starring: Okada Junichi as Fable, Mizuki Yamamoto as Shimizu Misaki, Yagira Yuya as Kojima, Yasuda Ken as Ebihara, Kimura Fumino as Sato Yoko, and Mukai Osamu as Sunagawa Makoto.
- Genres: Action, Thriller, Crime, and Comedy.
- Watch on: Netflix.
- Running time: 2 hours 3 minutes.
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Last Winter, We Parted (2018)
Based on the novel by Fuminori Nakamura titled Kyonen no Fuyu, Kimi to Wakare” the Japanese movie was directed by Takimoto Tomoyuki. The movie was a hit on the box office and is still fresh in everyone’s memories. It is a must-watch, so if you haven’t already watched it, then do go and give it a watch.
The story of the film revolves around Kyosuke Yakumo, who is in the profession of a reportage writer. He is engaged to Yuriko Matsuda and is planning to get married soon. Searching for the inspiration for his next novel, he decides to research a burned-to-death murder case involving a beautiful bling woman. In the brutal murder case, the prime suspect is a photographer named Zakayudai Kihara.
If you are searching for a crime-thriller to watch next, then do go for this.
- Starring: Iwata Takanori as Yakumo Kyosuke, Saitoh Takumi as Kiharazaka Yudai, Kitamura Kazuki as Kobayashi Yoshiki, Muziki Yamamoto as Matsuda Yuriko, and Asami Reina as Kiharazaka Akari.
- Genres: Mystery, Drama, Thriller, and Melodrama.
- Watch on: Netflix.
- Running Time: 1 hour 58 minutes.
Peach Girl (2017)
Directed by Shintoku Kouji, the Japanese movie was one of the biggest hits on the box office, which led to its adaptation into many other countries. The screenwriting was done by Yamaoka Junpei, and it is one of the must-watches on the list.
The plot of the movie revolves around a female high school student named Adachi Momo. Her tanned skin and dyed hair give her a wild girl aura, but in reality, she is a very sweet and naive girl. She has had a crush on her classmate Toji since middle school. On the other hand, Okayasu Kairi, who is the most popular male student of the school, shows interest in her. This new news makes Momo’s friend Sae jealous of her, and hence, she tries to block Toji from Momo. Moreover, we see Momo conflicted between Toji and Kairi.
- Starring: Inoo Kei as Okayasu Kairi, Mizuki Yamamoto as Adachi Momo, Mackenyu as Kazuya Toujigamori, Nagano Mei as Kashiwagi Sae, Motokariya Yuika as Aki Misao, and Mikami Kensei as Okayasu Ryo.
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, Friendship, and Drama.
- Watch on: Netflix.
- Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes.
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Night’s Tightrope (2016)
One of the best Japanese psychological movies out there and a must on your watchlist. Directed by Mishima Yukiko, the movie is one of the best-rated ones out there in Japanese big-screen entertainment, and you need to give it a watch.
The plot of the film is focused on a pair of high school girls named Yuki and Atsuko, who becomes obsessed with the idea of witnessing the moment of someone’s death. They developed this obsession when they heard their classmate talk about the experience of seeing a friend’s dead body. In order to get close to their obsession, Yuki befriends a boy who is on his deathbed. And Atsuko starts working in an elderly care facility.
- Starring: Gonda Tsubasa as Sakurai Yuki, Mizuki Yamamoto as Kusano Mizuki, Mackenyu as Hikaru Makise, Inagaki Goro as Takao, and Kojima Kazuya as Ogura Kazuki.
- Genres: Thriller, School, Drama, Thriller, and Psychological.
- Watch on: NA
- Running Time: 1 hour 59 minutes.
Sadako vs. Kayako (2016)
Directed by Shiraishi Koji, the Japanese movie is a must-watch, and you need to keep it on your watchlist if you haven’t already watched it. It was released on June 18, 2016, and became one of the known ones in the Asian entertainment arena.
The plot of the movie revolves around a female university student named Yuri who watched the video of Sadako calling her and saying that she is going to die in two days’ time from then. On the other hand, we see a high school student named Suzuka who gets inside a haunted house that is said to be haunted by a ghost named Kayako. It is a rumor out there that whoever enters the house disappears.
We meet a medium named Kyozo who tries to save Yuri and Suzuka, who ends up falling inside a curse. He brainstorms and comes up with a solution which is basically a plan to make Sadako and Kayako fight against each other.
- Starring: Mizuki Yamamoto as Kurahashi Yuri, Tamashiro Tina as Takagi Suzuka, Satsukawa Aimi as Ueno Natsumi, Ando Masanobu as Tokiwa Kyozo, Kikuchi Mai as Tamao, and Endo Runa as Saeki Kayako.
- Genres: Thriller, Supernatural, and Horror.
- Watch on: Netflix.
- Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes.
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