Takami Mizuhashi

The 41st NHK Taiga Drama is Toshiie to Matsu. During the turbulent Warring States Era, one man's life and career intertwined with the three great generals of Japanese history-Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu. With political savvy and the support of his fiercely loyal wife, Maeda Toshiie rose to second in power in the shogunate and built up a fiefdom that encompassed Echizen, Noto and Kaga.

Kagura Akane is the only daughter of a family who runs a teppanyaki place in downtown Tokyo. Akane had always been proud of her father Tetsuma, who was called the "No.1 teppanyaki chef in Japan." Growing up in such an environment, she naturally acquired "teppanyaki skills." However, when her mother died of illness, her father lost his energy to work and disappeared. Since then, Akane has managed and protected the restaurant all by herself. One day, out of the blue, she is visited by Erena, the rich daughter of a major food company, who orders Akane to move out at once because her father had borrowed money against his restaurant. Though feeling disappointed, Akane makes up her mind to close the store. But when her father's friend, Kurogane, shows her "Ittetsu," a grilling plate that Akane's father cherished, it reignites her passion towards teppanyaki.

On her 18th birthday, Nami witnesses the brutal murder of her parents by a man with a burn on his hand. She is then falsely accused of the crime and sent to jail. Sworn to vengeance, Nami battles corrupt officials and cruel inmates to escape prison, only to search through the underbelly of Japanese society to find the man with a burn on his hand, ‘stinging’ anyone in her way.

Ooka Echizen is the commissioner of the two-acre Minami-machi Magistrate’s Office, located in Edo Castle. He keeps order within the town.

Set in 900AD and tells the story of a famous female writer of the time, Murasaki Shikibu. Her story begins from the death of her husband, a Japanese noble, then moves on to her recruitment to train the Prince's young 'wives in waiting'. It is dotted throughout and actually composed mainly of one of the fictional stories she wrote, the tale of Genji. Genji is a rich playboy who falls in love and has a son to his stepmother. He falls in love often and has many wives whom are all completely subservient to him.

Shūji Yamaoka was a suicide pilot during the war who somehow survived Japan's surrender. After decades of working as a fisherman in Kumamoto, a provincial seaside city in southern Kyushu, Yamaoka remains reluctant to discuss his wartime experiences with anyone, much less an intrusive reporter looking for a feature story. Then a series of events shake Yamaoka to the core, forcing him to re-evaluate his past.

Akira had to transfer schools upon graduation because of her father's job. She was reluctant to move because of her secret love for Nao...