A modern retelling of the classic 1887 Francis Burnett story, The Little Princess, about a precocious young girl of wealthy upbringing who one day finds her life turned upside down and all her privileges taken away when the family goes bankrupt. Cast into the role of a penniless servant, Seira fights on, never losing her pride, cheer nor compassion come whatever adverse circumstances. An inspirational and timeless story sure to be the purest and most heroic told this year.

Widower Takumi lives a quiet life with his six-year-old son Yuji after the loss of wife and mother Mio. Yuji unfailingly remembers her promise to him: “I’ll be with you again in a year’s time, when the rains come.” On the first anniversary of her passing, Takumi and Yuji are taking a walk in the woods when they come across a woman sheltering from a monsoon downpour. She bears an uncanny resemblance to Mio, but has no recollection of who she is or what she is doing there. Family life resumes from where they left off, while Takumi and Mio’s memories of their first encounter in high school come flooding back. However, their new life together is interrupted by the discovery of Mio’s old diary, which reveals the secrets of her past and how they must say goodbye once more in six weeks time…

Shu is a senior at a low-ranked university. Kotomi is a struggling model. Keiko has a desk job at a small company. All of them are former classmates from junior high school. All of them are not satisfied with their current lives and want to find something better but can’t seem to. Reflecting many of the conflicts and anxieties of today’s youth, these three turn to each other for support to find the meaning in their lives for which they are searching.

The relationship between father and child is showcased each week in 10 episodes penned by different writers, and featuring 10 pairs of leading actors. A former boxer (Koji Yakusho) trains his daughter (Hikari Matsushima) to participate in the Olympic Games and survive in a highly competitive world. Another father (Tsunehiko Watase) and son (Kankuro Nakamura VI) formerly at odds with each other embark on a pilgrimage inspired by the death of the wife and mother. All the stories are suited for viewing by the whole family yet delve into universal themes with which everyone can identify.

Hanae dreamed of representing Japan in karate until misfortune deprived her of everything. She mopes about until she encounters Haruki, composer of the song that once motivated her before karate matches. Romance blooms but is complicated by Shingo, a flashy childhood friend long in love with Hanae. Meanwhile, Hanae harbors a secret” that she can’t tell anybody, and determines to experience “the last romance of her life.” Will this slightly awkward but unclouded heroine get her wish?

In a house on the outskirts of Tokyo, there lives a family of eight. Such a large family is rare these days, however not one of them is related by blood. They all lost a loved one in the same holiday accident. Moved by the suggestion that they all move in together, they have gathered in this house. Each has their own issues and it makes for the start of a tumultuous home life, but the eight grow closer together as a family. This is a human drama full of heart and mixed with laughs and tears depicting a group of deeply wounded people beginning to believe in tomorrow and live life more positively.

Suzu Urano is an innocent young woman who loves to draw pictures and lives in the seaside town called Eba district of Hiroshima. At the height of World War II in the Pacific with all the men off at the front, she finds herself as eldest daughter assisting with the family business of seaweed to make ends meet when an offer of marriage arises. The suitor is Shusaku Hojo, a young stenographer at the military court-martial who had fallen in love with her at first sight, but Suzu doesn’t remember ever having met him. Though uncomfortable with the idea of betrothing a man she doesn’t know, she gets swept along by the people and circumstances around her until marriage becomes a foregone conclusion. She finds the task of winning acceptance by Shusaku’s family hard going despite all of her pure and earnest efforts in this touching story of family love and survival amid the crucible of war.