Hana Yori Dango

“Hana Yori Dango” is about a poor, but bright high school student named Makino Tsukushi (Mao Inoue) who attends an exclusive high school where only the rich go. She ends up having encounters with the bachelor F4 and experiences love and friendship.  

Zety's says:  I prefer this version over Korean (Boys over Flower) and Taiwan' (Meteor Garden) . All cast deliver their characters perfectly. Makino being poor is more believable compared to Jandi who has big house and nice wardrobe.

Hanazakarino Kimitachi E

Japanese-American track star Mizuki Ashiya (Maki Horikita) transfers from a school in California to Japan, but not to just any old school. The school is Osaka High School - an all male high school! Mizuki Ashiya must disguise herself as a boy, all to get closer to her hero Izumi Sano (Shun Oguri), a high jump athlete who attends Osaka High. 

zety says: I prefer this version over Koreans (To The Beautiful You) and Taiwan' Hana Kimi. Shun Oguri is bae here. I prefer this version over others because their silliness and humor were much better. And maybe I am not so into Minho.

Itazura Na Kiss - Love In Tokyo

At a high school entrance ceremony, high school student Kotoko Aihara (Honoka Miki), who isn't that smart, notices pretty boy Naoki Irie (Yuki Furukawa). She falls in love with him immediately. Kotoko initially doesn't express her feelings to him, but finally has a chance to tell him how she feels. Unfortunately, Naoki turns Kotoko down, saying "I don't like dumb women."

zety says:They have Itazura Na kiss before the Leve in Tokyo version, but I never watch that series yet. Nonthelessm  I prefer this Itazura Na kiss - Love in Tokyo over Korean' (Playful Kiss) n Taiwan' It Started With A Kiss.

 Heroine Disqualified (movie) 

Hatori Matsuzaki (Mirei Kiritani) is a female high school student. She has a crush on her childhood friend Rita Terasaka (Kento Yamazaki) and believes he will eventually choose her as her heroine, but Rita Terasaka begins dating Miho Adachi. Meanwhile, the most popular male student, Kosuke Hiromitsu (Kentaro Sakaguchi) takes an interest in Hatori Matsuzaki.  

zety says: Love! Love! Love this movie so much! This is definitely a school love experience! Yamazaki Kento is definitely herthrob   in school theme dramas/movies. Must watch! The humor is a winner!

 Gokusen

Newly graduate Yamaguchi Kumiko an idealistic teacher who entered Shirokin High to be a math teacher. Having high hopes for her students, her world turned up side down when she finds out that she'll be teaching the class 3-D the hardest class to take care of. Class 3-D is a bunch of students who looks more like delinquents and trouble makers. The students show no respect to teachers nor a little kindness. Each and every student doesn't like teacher for almost everyone has no good memories of them. 

zety says: This drama has a same concept with Korean's School series. I love both! They have their own charms!



Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)

A high-school comedy drama with an ex-delinquent-turned-highschool-teacher.Sorry, he is not a conventional excellent teacher, but his unique way of being with students causes changes in the minds of students. How? Very instinctively and naughtily. 

zety says: The legendary ! If you haven't watch this then your japanese school theme dramas/movies are not complete! Takashi Sorimachi is without doubt is everyone's hero! With tremendous popularity this series has made in movies and latest version of GTO. The last version I watch was GTO in Taiwan.




Ouran High School Host Club 

Haruhi Fujioka (Haruna Kawaguchi) is a female high school student the prestigious Ouran Academy. Unlike most of the students who come from wealthy families, Haruhi Fujioka comes from a modest family background and entered the school with an academic scholarship. One day, she wanders around the campus and stumbles by accident into the school's "host club". The host club consists of six handsome male students who entertain female students.

In the room, Haruhi unintentionally breaks an antique vase worth 8 million YEN. To repay for the broken vase, the six male members of the host club makes Haruhi join them - not realizing that Haruhi is actually a girl!

zety says: Not my personal favorite but you can check it out.

Wolf Girl and Black Prince (movie)

Erika Shinohara (Fumi Nikaido) is a first year of high school student. While talking to friends, she makes up a story about her "boyfriend." In reality, Erika Shinohara doesn't have a boyfriend. Erika's friends soon begin to doubt her story and Erika is also running out of lies. Erika then sees a pretty boy on the street and takes his picture discreetly. She later shows his picture to her friends as her boyfriend. The boy in the picture is Kyouya Sata (Kento Yamazaki) and happens to attend the same school as Erika. She tells Kyouya about her situation and asks him to be her pretend boyfriend. Even though Kyouya has a pretty appearance, he has a dark side.

zety says: Another piece from Kento Yamazaki! High School really suit Yamazaki!

High School Debut

Haruna Nagashima (Ito Ono) devoted herself to softball while in middle school. Now that she is in high school, Haruna believes its time find a boyfriend. Unfortunately for Haruna, she didn't pay attention to trends and is now clueless on how to attract a boy. Through a fortuitous event, Haruna encounters popular upperclassman You Komiyama (Junpei Mizobata) Haruna asks You to teach her how to become attractive to boys. You agrees but with one catch. She can't fall in love with him ...

zety says: I'm not finish watching this movie because I don;t like the female lead. hahah

The Tales of Yamada

Taro Yamada, a freshman on a scholarship at Ichinomiya Private Senior High School, is high-achieving, strikingly handsome, and truly athletic and seems perfect. But he is actually extremely poor. The story humorously portrays Taro, who tackles problems that occur because of his poverty, and his six younger brothers and sisters. 

zety says: I still remember watching this series. Taro Yamada is sooooo freaking cute!

 Yamada Kun To Nananin No Majo

Urara Shiraishi (Mariya Nishiuchi) is a model student with excellent grades. Ryu Yamada (Yusuke Yamamoto) is a trouble student. One day, Urara tumbles down the stairs with Ryu. After the accident, their bodies become switched. 

zety says: I love body switching drama because its so funnehhh.

Proposaol Daisakusen 

L-DK (movie) 

Aoi Nishimori's (Ayame Gouriki) parents moved to another city for work, but Aoi didn't want to transfer to a new high school. She stays behind and lives in an apartment by herself. Shusei Kugayama (Kento Yamazaki) moves in next to Aoi's apartment. Shusei is a very popular student at their high school. Due to a mistake, Aoi makes the sprinkler go off in his room. Until Shusei's room is fixed, he stays with Aoi.

zety says: Nahhh, another Kento Yamazaki! I just don't feel the chemistry between the lead.

Say I Love You (movie) 

Mei Tachibana is a high school student. Due to a traumatic incident when she was a kid, Mei has been unable to make friends or have boyfriends. By mistake, Mei then injures the most popular male student named Yamato Kurosawa. Somehow, Yamato Kurosawa likes Mei Tachibana and tells everyone unilaterally that Mei is his friend. One day, Yamato Kurosawa saves Mei Tachibana from a stalker by kissing her. From that kiss, their love story begins.  

zety says: Its weird to say that I remember my primary school crush when I look at Sota Fukushi. They have same hairstyle and their face kinda similar. Lol! this is funneh!

Yamato Nadashiko Shinchi Henge 

Kyohei Takano (Kazuya Kamenashi) and his friends Yukinojo Toyama (Yuya Tegoshi), Takenaga Oda (Hiroki Uchi), Ranmaru Morii (Shuntaro Miyao) are housemates in a mansion owned by Mine Nakahara (Reiko Takashima). Kyohei is hot-tempered, Yukinojo is outgoing with a cute smile, Takenaga is pretty, and Ranmaru loves woman and is narcissistic. These four handsome boys are offered free lodging by Mine Nakahara if they can turn Ms. Nakahara's wallflower niece Sunako (Aya Omasa) into a proper young woman. The guys are in for quite a challenge. 

zety says: Not yet watching this series but I think the synopsis is kinda good for a high school drama. Have you watch this? What say you?

Sukino Hitto Ga Iru Kotto 

A Girl & Three Sweethearts| Misaki Sakurai (Mirei Kiritani) has not dated in a long time. She has focused on her work as a pâtissier to eventually run her own business. One day, she gets fired from work. She then meets her first love from high school Chiaki Shibasaki (Shohei Miura). Misaki Sakurai works part-time at Chiaki’s restaurant and also stays there. While she lives with Chiaki at his restaurant, she realizes that Chiaki's two younger brothers Toma (Shuhei Nomura) and Kanata (Kento Yamazaki) also live there.  

zety says: I love all the cast! Mirei Kritani & Kento Yamazaki again ! If you love heroine disqualified you have to watch this too! This is more to teenage drama not high school But still, watch it!

 Senpai To Kanojo (movie)

Rika Tsuzuki (Kyoko Yoshine) is a first year high school student. She is in love with third year high school student Keigo Minohara (Jun Shison). Meanwhile, Keigo Minohara is secretly in love with Aoi Okita (Riria). She attended the same high school and is now a first year university student. 

zety says: I got heartache few times in this drama. You love someone who love someone else and you will only notice if she is no longer there.

Read also : Tear jerker Korean/Japanese Drama

Do you have any Japanese High School / Teenage drama/movies to recommend?