Scriptwriter Akiko Nogi guides us through the history of TV dramas in the 2000s

"Back then, I would spend all my time on my days off watching dramas recorded on D-VHS [A]," says screenwriter Akiko Nogi. Looking back on the 2000s, she uses her vast viewing memories as a basis.

From the heyday of trendiness to the era of Kudokan. A new wind blew, and a lineup of high-quality dramas relevant to the modern era was born.

To put it simply, it was the era of Kudokan, also known as Kankuro Kudo [B]. From "Ikebukuro West Gate Park (IWGP)" to "Kisarazu Cat's Eye" to "Tiger & Dragon"... to "Ryusei no Kizuna," he produced nothing but prolific and entertaining works. Personally, I love "Manhattan Love Story."

There's already been a lot of discussion about Kudokan, so there's not much more to say, but if you look back, trendy dramas were at their peak until the early 1990s. While dramas like "Tokyo Love Story" written by Yuji Sakamoto and "Long Vacation" by Eriko Kitagawa Kitagawa were produced, the format for drama production was almost always "male producers creating love stories."

However, the series of Kudokan works that began in 2000 were dramas created by a female producer, Akira Isoyama, a former TBS producer, who brought in Miyato, a playwright, and they were not centered around romance, but were innovative and interesting. It's not a question of whether they were good or bad, but they were clearly a breath of fresh air.

In the same year, 2000, "Yamato Nadeshiko," written by Miho Nakazono, was broadcast. It was a love story, but the protagonist was a woman from poor background who was hoping to marry into wealth. It was a departure from the trendy, bubble-era stories of the 1990s.

Amid this dramatic change in drama style, a succession of profound works appeared, difficult to describe in a single word. The rich variety of these works is also one of the charms of 2000s TV dramas.

What was shocking was "White Night Walk" [C], written by Morishita Yoshiko.

There have been other adaptations of Keigo Higashino 's novel of the same name, but I personally think Morishita's version is the best. It's a depressing drama with no bright spots at all, and looking back, I'm amazed it was ever aired in prime time. It's a masterful, expertly written tale of children forced to live in the shadows because of their parents' sins.

"She Died," written by veteran writer Nobuyuki Isshiki, who has worked on many films, was also a masterpiece. It follows a classic plot in which the truth behind a woman's death is uncovered using a cell phone as a clue, but it's a unique drama for adults that will make you laugh and cry. Even though it's about the truth behind a death, it's not a suspense story, but a life drama, so it's the kind of story that's hard to put into a proposal. That's why it's so moving, and it's entertaining no matter how many times you watch it.

Based on a novel by Riku Onda and written by Yuko Miyamura, "The Sixth Sayoko" is not only captivating for its story but also for its cast of junior high school students, including Anne Suzuki, Takayuki Yamada, Chiaki Kuriyama, and Marika Matsumoto, who chronicle their school days.
　
"SP: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Security Bureau, Security Division, Fourth Section," written by Kaneshiro Kazuki, is an epoch-making action TV drama. You can't leave out "Tomorrow's Kita Yoshio," written by the original tricky screenwriter, Joji Iida, who was once famous for "NIGHT HEAD." The cast, including lead actor Fumiyo Kohinata, and the worldview are also perfect.

In the tricky genre, the "TRICK" series, written by Makita Mitsuharu and directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko [D], already had the modern theme of "discerning truth and lies."

A pioneer of the so-called slice-of-life dramas that are commonplace today is "Watermelon," written by Izumi Kisara. It depicts the daily lives of ordinary women. The boarding house where they live, "Happiness Sancha," is surely something that everyone longs for.

Speaking of pioneering dramas, there was also the investigative drama "Unfair." Though there were many so-called outrageous developments along the way, the final episode was so amazing that it made up for them, and even spawned sequels and a movie series.

Sakamoto Yuji's 2007 drama "Our Textbook" left a strong impression. It completely changed the image of trendy dramas and marked the beginning of an era that could be called the second chapter of Sakamoto Yuji's career.

The 2000s saw the birth of a number of high-quality dramas. While some of the works mentioned above did not achieve high ratings, their significance and aspirations continue to be felt today.