Hoshimitsu Kokku is a Criminal 1st Division cop with professional level culinary skills. Nicknamed “Captain Cook”, he brings his own eccentricities and philosophy toward crime-fighting with the conviction that “Food doesn’t lie.” If there is one thing Captain Cook can’t stomach, it is the thought of people getting away with murder and then being able to eat freely and sumptuously. So he recreates the meals of victims in an effort to understand them better in the course of his investigation, and invites suspects to a grand feast where he can smoke out the true criminal. His compassion and unwavering pursuit of criminals in the name of justice make him a new hero in the gourmet world. Meanwhile, constantly stressed to the max is his new partner, Azumi Nanase, who despite having fulfilled her dream of becoming a cop is diametrically different in personality and disposition from her partner. As a consequence, she is constantly stressed out being at the mercy of Captain Cook’s freestyle sleuthing style and having to salvage the peace between her partner and his rival detective, Nekota. Nevertheless, Nanase and Hoshimitsu together make a crack crime solving team.

A TBS 60th anniversary commemorative project, “The Emperor’s Cook” depicts the life of Tokuzo Akiyama, head chef of the Imperial Household Ministry’s Imperial Cuisine Division during the Taisho (1912-1926) and early Showa (1926-1989) eras. Based on a true story and book by Hisahide Sugimori “The Emperor’s Cook” follows the life of country boy, Akiyama, who arrives in Tokyo in pursuit of the culinary arts. Driven by a deep love for his wife and family, a great reverence for his teachers, strong reliance on friends and an abiding love for cooking, Akiyama eventually rises to become “the Emperor’s cook”. Producer Akihito Ishimaru, director Yuichiro Hirakawa and teleplay writer Yoshiko Morishita form the core of an elite production staff responsible for such seminal works as JIN (’09), Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (’04), Into the White Night (’06) and Tonbi (’12), spinning this grand romance and quintessential human drama full of laughter and tears, struggle and triumph.

“I thought I might be using a lifetime’s happiness in a moment. I was that happy and she was that beautiful.” A young boy stands on the red earth of Australia under its blue sky. It is 17-year-old Sakutaro Matsumoto. His time with the girl comes back to him. The colored sand runs through his hands and a tear appears on his cheek. He wakes up. It’s 2004 and he is 34 years old and in Japan. He thinks “I have been in a world without her for 17 years.” Returning home to see his old high school for the last time before it is demolished, Saku confronts anew the loss of the love of his life, Aki, to leukemia 17 years ago. Now a medical researcher at graduate school, he has been living as if half of him died with her since then. Based on the bestselling novel that sold over 3 million copies, the past and present come together in this love story that is both pure and sad.

Based on a true story from Hokkaido’s Hokusei Yoichi High School, the first high school in Japan to accept high school dropouts nationwide and the subject of a successful documentary, this drama will follow a former gang member, dropout and graduate of the school who returns as a teacher. We will follow him as he helps graduating students out into the world. The teachers and students will, as you would expect, confront all the issues of youth and society today. At this school, there are no compromises, no lies. This drama will move you as both students and teachers face a variety of issues head on. This is a moving story that is created by people coming together and learning to believe in each other.