Yuko Asano

Continuation of the popular series of films about the assassins in Edo. This show marks the return of the jidaigeki series "Hissatsu Shigotonin," which has had several seasons between the 1970s and the 1990s. The franchise came back in 2007 with a one-shot special, but this is its first full season since 1992. Makoto Fujita returns as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo, one of the "shigotonin," a team of hired assassins.

Thirty-year-old Koume Shingyouji leaves her job at a major building firm to join family-run Marufuku Builders. There she teams up with Gennosuke, the Fukuyama family’s eldest son, and starts working on renovations. Koume and Gennosuke start their renovations by taking the measure not of rooms, but the thoughts and feelings of their clients: What does home mean to them? How do they want to live? What do they value? The team’s empathetic connection is what makes their work, work.

Asako Ikeuchi and Natsuko Hayakawa have been close friends for more than 25 years. Natsuko's husband Keisuke had affairs, so she asks Asako to let her stay at her house. Keisuke was once Asako's boyfriend. They will soon be 30 years old. There are other nice guys around Asako. It's a drama about their love and friendship.

SMAP×SMAP was an ongoing weekly Japanese variety show on Kansai TV and Fuji TV starring the members of SMAP. The show began on April 15, 1996 and it aired from 22:00 to 22:54 every Monday. The show's usual ratings were higher than 20%, which is considered high since most variety shows range from 10-20%. Each episode begins a variety of skits, comedic performances, and/or games.  These are followed by Bistro SMAP, in which the SMAP members compete against each other to impress celebrity judges with their gourmet cooking.  Last is a musical performance by SMAP which may include celebrity guests, as well.