Best movies & TV Shows like Diary

A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like Diary Starring Misako Renbutsu, Momoko Kikuchi, Aoi Nakamura, Nene Otsuka, and more. If you liked Diary then you may also like: Can You Keep a Secret?, Climbing to Spring, Water Child, The Shock Labyrinth, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.

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Miyata Ayaka (Renbutsu Misako), an office worker, sees her world collapse around her when her mother Miyata Harumi (Kikuchi Momoko) collapses due to illness and is left in a coma because of it. She then discovers that her mother kept a secret diary that she writes with her high school friends and that the lies she has told her have become evident, with nothing to lose. Ayaka will travel to Kaga, in Ishikawa Prefecture, her mother's hometown, to try to clarify the truth of the lie in her mother's secret diary.

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Can You Keep a Secret?

Emma Corrigan, a girl with a few secrets on a turbulent plane ride, thinks she’s about to die, Emma spills them all to the handsome stranger sitting next to her. At least, she thought he was a stranger. But then, her company’s young and elusive CEO, arrives at the office. It’s him. And he knows every single humiliating detail about Emma.

Climbing to Spring

Toru grew up in alpine countryside around Mount Tate. As a child, he resented the yearly trek up the mountain with his father to prepare their mountain hut for the summer season of climbers. When Toru grows up, he leaves his hometown and enters the working world as a stock trader. One day, Toru receives word that his father has passed away. He returns to Mount Tate once again, and becomes conscious of a new calling. But, does Toru have what it takes to follow in his father footsteps?

Water Child

A 12-year-old girl finds herself stranded on a lonely Caribbean island with a 20-year old retarded man in this sensitively rendered Canadian drama from Quebec. Emile and Cedrine are first seen during their rescue in which both are nearly in a coma. Their story of how they got there and survived is told via flashback. The two were the only survivors of a plane crash and at first Cedrine is terrified of Emile, thinking he might lose control and rape her. Fortunately, Emile is gentle and the two become friends, playmates, and eventually lovers in scenes that exploit neither character.

The Shock Labyrinth

The horror-thriller follows a group of teenagers dealing with the disappearance of one of them, Yuki, at an amusement park s ghost house. On a rainy day 10 years later, Yuki inexplicably returns. However, no sooner is she united with her former friends than she collapses, and the group rushes Yuki to a nearby hospital. But after checking in, they discover that things are not quite as they seem at the medical center. As the night wears on, the group sinks deeper and deeper into the events from a decade ago that led to Yuki's disappearance.

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas

After his classmate and crush is diagnosed with a pancreatic disease, an average high schooler sets out to make the most of her final days.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day

High school student Jinta is a hikikomori and lives in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. One summer day, when Jinta is absorbed in a video game, a girl suddenly appears in front of him. The girl is Jinta's childhood friend Meiko, but it seems impossible because Meiko died on a summer day. Meiko wears the same white dress when she died, but she looks a little taller. She tells Jinta that she has a wish and that's why she came back as a ghost, but Meiko can't remember what her wish was. To grant Meiko's wish, Jinta along with his friends Atsumu, Naruko, Chiriko, Tetsudo and Meiko gather together for the first time in 7 years. Jinta soon realizes that he is the only one able to see Meiko.

Switching - Goodbye Me

After his parent's divorce, Kazuo Saito moves with his mother from Onomichi and must leave his girlfriend behind. At his new school, Kazuo is surprised to reunite with his childhood friend Kazumi.

1 Litre of Tears

15-year-old Aya Kito was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor. How will Aya react when told about her disease? And how will Aya live from now on?

Suppli

Minami is a 27-year-old female office worker in an advertisement agency. Though she has a boyfriend, she spends the majority of her time working and appears to feel ambivalent about the relationship at best. When the boyfriend finally breaks up with her, it's the push she needs to start a social life with her co-workers. In-office romances soon follow. Much of the story is told through Minami's thoughts, which are full of self-doubt.

LIAR GAME

Nao Kanzaki, a student, was blackmailed into joining a "Liar Game" and ended up losing 100 million yen. In order to repay the debt, she enlists the help of Shin'ichi Akiyama, a genius swindler who was only recently released from jail for bankrupting one of Japan's largest scam companies.

One Week Friends

High school sophomore Yūki Hase noticed that Kaori Fujimiya, his classmate, was always alone. He tried to start a conversation with her but was turned down: "My memories of friendship can last only a week," she said. Despite of knowing this shocking truth, Yūki keeps trying to be Kaori's "new" friend every week.

Joker: Unforgiven Investigator

Date Kazuyoshi (Sakai) is a detective on the Kanagawa prefectural police force. During the day, he is known as a "Buddha" for his gentle personality, pouring all of his energy into resolving each case. At night, however, he transforms into a cruel punisher as his gentleness gives way to his anger towards the criminals. The series poses questions about what justice and evil truly are. Tokyograph

Nanase Once More

A suspense story about a girl with an ability to read people's mind. Together with her psychic friends, Nanase, the telepath, tries to save others from danger and fight those who threaten her power. The drama deals with friendship and social tendency to exclude strangers.

Q10

High school senior Heita Fukai doesn't know what to do with his life. Having been seriously ill until recently, he never had the opportunity to think about his future. He leads a mundane existence among his classmates, all of whom are struggling with their own issues. There's the popular guy with secret hang-ups, the boy who can't afford the tuition, the girl with bulimia and the pathologically shy kid. The teachers don't fare much better. The high school is a microcosm of our troubled modern society. One day Fukai stumbles across a mysterious and attractive new girl in school, Q10, whom he soon finds out is actually a robot. Assigned by the principal to be her mentor and told to keep her true identity a secret, Fukai tries to teach Q10 about human feelings. In the process, he becomes aware of his own complex, emotional makeup. Fukai realizes that he is learning about life from an android, and that he may be falling in love with her.

Priceless

Originally a mid-level manager (Kimura Takuya) with a promising future in a big corporation and loved by his subordinates, the life of this elite employee changes dramatically one day. Having for some reason attracted the attention of the senior management, he is framed for a crime which he knows nothing of and forced out of the workplace. Even after that, he is assailed by a series of surprises and in one day, he loses his house, wealth and handphone until he is without a cent to his name. At his wits end, he comes to a park where he encounters two children. Learning from them how to survive even if he does not have money, he somehow weathers this crisis and discovers the truly important and priceless things in life. The good thing about him is that his carefree personality amazingly does not shift. It is not resentment and bitterness that become his driving force, but the love and help of the people he meets that enables him to keep go forward step by step.

Ghostly Girl

Junior high school teacher Koyama Akira has the ability to sense ghosts, and his new school has a ghost named Akane who used to be a teacher.

Amachan

Amachan is the 88th 2013 NHK asadora written by Kankuro Kudo (Tiger and Dragon, Unobore Deka). It's about Amano Aki (Nounen Rena), a 16 year old girl from Tokyo who goes to her mother's former home in Sodegahama, a fishing village in Kitasanriku, Iwate prefecture for the summer break. She falls in love with the sea and its people, and decides to stay on to become an Ama (women divers who fetch clams and sea urchins for tourists) just like her grandmother, Natsu (Miyamoto Nobuko). Her decision is welcomed wholeheartedly by Natsu and the other locals. However, her mother Haruko (Koizumi Kyoko) does not like the idea at first. She has a strained relationship with Natsu, and her extreme dislike of the sea, diving and the countryside is one of the reasons why she left her hometown 24 years ago. Eventually, she decides to stay in Sodegahama with Aki, considering that she is contemplating on getting a divorce anyway and does not want to go back to her husband in Tokyo. She also notices that it might be good for Aki for she seems livelier and happier in Kitasanriku than in Tokyo. The road towards becoming a full-fledged Ama-san is tough for Aki as she encounters tests and hurdles. One day, a video of her as an Ama gets uploaded in the city's tourism website, transforming an ordinary high school girl into an overnight Internet sensation. Suddenly she is called upon to use this opportunity to attract tourists to a city suffering from depopulation.

A Swinging Single

At present, over 47% of the male population in Japan aged between 30 ~ 34 are single. While for women, the no. goes up to 60% for those in their late twenties. It is not that they are unable to get married. Rather, they all choose to remain single, as they believe that marriage is not the be all and end all. Life holds more promising things beyond marriage, and thus they are all celebrating life as a single. This drama takes a look at life from the perspectives of these men and women. Hoshino Mamoru is the President of a film production company, having taken over the position from his father. He is an excellent creative director, but he detests chaos and hence prefers to remain single. His brother, Susumu, works at the same company, taking care of the business side of things. Currently undergoing divorce proceedings, Susumu has had to move out of his marital home. Haruno Yuki is disillusioned with men, after having gone through several failed relationships. She wasn't making great strides in her career either, and so one day, she decided to quit her job and pursue her dream of becoming a scriptwriter. In order to pay the bills, she takes on a part-time job at a maid agency. Before she knows it, she gets her chance to make her dream come true! It could be Fate, or just plain coincidence, but the 3 of them are plunged into each other's lives; The "Affluent Single", the "Divorced Hero" and the "Marriage Refugee". Will a pivotal moment happen upon them? Will the "Affluent Single" decide to give wedded bliss a chance?

Time Spiral

When Natsuki Aizawa was a child, she was kidnapped which left her traumatized. Natsuki grew up relying on her friend Kentaro Yuki. She now studies physics at a university. One day, she meets newly appointed professor Shuya Tatsumi. Afterwards, mysterious events continually happen around Natsuki Aizawa. Shuya is time traveller who travels between the future and the past.

Dear Sister

Growing up, sisters Misaki and Hazuki couldn't have been more different. Misaki's charming personality and popularity stood in sharp contrast to the older, more responsible yet timid Hazuki. After high school, the two lose touch once Misaki leaves their home, only to be reunited many years later, when Misaki returns, harboring a secret.

Akko's Lunches

Sawada Michiko, a temporary staff who works for a trading company, has just had her heart broken. On one of the boring days Michiko has been leading, her boss, Kurokawa Atsuko, makes an unexpected suggestion to her. “Exchange lunch with me.” Unable to go against Atsuko, Michiko reluctantly complies. In doing so, she soon realises the profundity of food and starts to change. Atsuko, whom people call Akko-chan, is feared by the people around her and has extensive contacts. What is her true character?

Not Safe for Work

Comedy drama series portraying a generation struggling with the realities of 21st Century working life and the camaraderie and friendships that bloom in times of difficulty.

37.5°C Tears

Sugisaki Momoko used to be a nursery school teacher. Her difficulty smiling leads to communication problems with parents and her contract is terminated in one year. Momoko is picked up by ‘Little Snow’, a home care service for sick children, and makes a fresh start there as a caregiver. When a child has a fever, the caregiver would visit the home and care for the child in place of the parents who simply cannot take time off from work. Momoko encounters all sorts of families at the places she is sent to. With the support of her colleagues and the occasional help of her best friend, Yumika, she starts to face work, romance, family and friendship.

Best Friends in Love

Aoi Miura (Sota Fukushi) was born and grew up in Toyama Prefecture. He has an indecisive personality and does not like summer. He was the focal member of the high school swimming team, but he now works as an assistant at a small architectural office in Tokyo. One summer day, he meets his childhood friend and first love Akari Serizawa. During their school days they spent everyday hanging out together until the fireworks night in their 3rd year of high school. That night, Akari suddenly disappeared. Now, Akari has a man named Aoi.

Lady Girls

Lady Girls is a poignant romantic comedy portrays the lives of three single, 40-year-old women as they search for happiness and love while longing to stay always-a-girl-at-heart regardless their age.

ERASED

Satoru Fujinuma is a struggling manga artist who has the ability to turn back time and prevent deaths. When his mother is killed he turns back time to solve the mystery, but ends up back in elementary school, just before the disappearance of his classmate Kayo.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

With next year's university entrance exams looming, high school senior Yoshiyama Mihane is beginning to feel the blues. She recently joined the school's photography club. As she walks by the science lab one day after school, she smells the aroma of lavender. From that moment on, she acquires the ability to leap freely through time and the days ahead are marked with bizarre occurrences...

Cold Case ~Shinjitsu no Tobira~

Yuri Ishikawa and her team try to crack unresolved cold cases in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Beppin-san

The 95th NHK Asadora is about Sumire, a girl born in the uptown of Kobe in the early Showa period. In the wake of wartime devastation, she works hard toward making children's clothes for a living, and later establishes a first-ever children's goods store in Japan. -- NHK

Kantaro: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman

A stoic book salesman leads a double life as he plays hooky from work to write his sweets blog. In his journey to attain a glimpse of sweets heaven Kantaro samples various Japanese and Western sweets.

Familiar Wife

After receiving a bizarre chance to go back in time, a man wakes up to find that his whole life — including the person he married — is different.

Tokusatsu GaGaGa

The series is based on the manga Tokusatsu Gagaga, a comedy manga by Tanba Niwa. Tokusatsu Gagaga series follows Kano Nakamura, an office lady played by Fuka Koshiba, who is secretly a tokusatsu otaku, a toku-ota. She lives her life by the code of tokusatsu heroes and often envisions herself as one as a means to make it through her daily struggles.

Strawberry Night Saga

Reiko Himekawa is just 27-years-old, but she has already received a promotion to become an assistant police inspector. She leads the 10th murder investigation team at the First Investigation Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Reiko Himekawa is an excellent detective and deals with many difficult cases. She works with Tamotsu Ishikura, Kohei Yuda and Shinji Otsuka on her team. The team then gets Kazuo Kikuta as a new member. Kazuo Kikuta is a detective who does not talk much, but looks to do the right thing.

Dasada

“DASADA is a drama set on an all-girls’ highschool. Days went by with nothing worthy of note going on – until the class’ resident most ‘dasai’ (lame) girl kick-started a fashion line brand called ‘DASADA’. A story of friendship and chasing after one’s dream.

Tokyo Love Story

Nagao Kanji works for an advertising agency in his hometown of Ehime Prefecture. He is assigned to the Tokyo sales department where his colleague Akana Rika takes care of his work. One day, Kanji is invited to drinks by Mikami Kenichi, a former classmate from his hometown who is now in Tokyo, and he is also reunited with Sekiguchi Satomi who has feelings for him. However, Rika ends up joining them when she delivers Kanji’s wallet which he had left in office. On the way back, Rika tells him, “Kanchi, shall we kiss?” and he is rattled. There have been rumours in office that Rika is in a relationship with their boss Waga Natsuki - JDrama Weblog

Takane no Hana-san

Takamine Hana is a super ace employee at a traditional confectionary company. Despite her elite look and high performance, Hana only has love skills of a fifth grader. Hana has recently fell in love with Yowaki Tsuyoshi, a young employee who always gets scolded. Can Hana make Tsuyoshi like her back? Will a love bloom between the two?

My Senpai Is Annoying

Futuba Igarashi's new job would be great if her senpai, Harumi Takeda, wasn't so incredibly annoying! Futuba hates his laugh, she hates how big he is, and she really hates that he treats her like a little kid. Just because Futuba is short and looks young doesn't make her a kid, and just because she spends so much time with Takeda doesn't mean she sees him as anything but an annoying senpai...or does she?!

Ganbare Doukichan

Douki-chan is an office lady who is working with Douki-kun in an office. Unbeknownst to Douki-kun, Douki-chan secretly has feelings for him. As Douki-chan struggles to confess her feelings, her rivals, both the kouhai and senpai, continue to vie for his affection.

Tall Order

Hinako is the executive assistant to the CEO of Relation Gate, a startup company growing at breakneck speed. Apt to listen to his gut feelings, her boss bombards her day in and day out with tall orders he concocts on a whim. Life is far from chill for Hinako, who hasn't had a boyfriend in six years. She barely even has time to sit and think carefully about her future. Each long workday ends with the same toxic thought, "I find no meaning doing this!" as she clutches a beer and lets out a huge sigh.

Ideal Boyfriend

Onodera Yumeko may look smart on the outside, but at home, she is a complete mess in terms of housework and fashion. Yumeko is particularly clumsy in romance and always dream about her first love in high school who she still thinks is her ideal man. Somehow, Yumeko keeps experiencing trouble one after another. Her boyfriend whom she thought would propose to her ended up breaking up with her, and her junior colleague at work betrayed her. Yumeko becomes heartbroken but she suddenly meets a young man who is the spitting image of her first love and her daily life changes like a roller coaster.

Old Fashion Cupcake

39-year old Nozue is facing a mid-life existential crisis. Can Togawa, his reliable, younger subordinate, come up with a plan to help him out? With the aid of lunch, dessert and a little love, there may yet be hope.

ANIMALS

Overworked and exhausted, Umi gets a glow up in life and love when she leaves her job in TV production to work for an exciting cosmetics startup.

Uzukawamura Incident

Akira Iwamori works as a doctor. He is looking for his wife, who went missing. He takes his daughter to visit his wife's hometown village of Uzukawa. While in Uzukawa, the village suddenly becomes isolated due to a landslide caused by heavy rain. The villagers becomes filled with anxiety and a murder takes place. The tense village people become violent. Akira is soon drawn into a power struggle in Uzukawa. He learns new information about his wife's whereabouts.

Map for The Wedding

Upon learning their employer is transferring an unmarried person to Alaska, coworkers Rika and Takuya decide to tie the knot in order to dodge a bullet.

Troubles All Aboard!

Despite being famous on social media as the “Angel of HR,” Hitomi Mamoru is unhappy with her job. Upset one evening, she goes out drinking, spending the night with a devilish stranger who changes her life!

The Neighbor of Healing Has a Secret

Yomogida Fujiko is an office worker with an academic complex. She works hard and becomes a full-time employee at an insurance company, but because of her diligence, she is unable to refuse the work she is asked to do and accepts it with a smile on her face. One day, an elite company employee, Nishina Soma, moves into the room next door. Fujiko is soothed by the time she spends with her very kind and gentlemanly neighbor. But why did Nishina, a supposedly elite man, move into this shabby apartment, and why is he so kind to Fujiko...? It seems that Nishina, who does not speak much, is a stranger to Fujiko...?

Sexy Tanaka-san

Plain-looking Tanaka-san from the accounting department is around 40 years old. She has no friends and no love life, but she does have a secret side... a super sexy belly dancer! Akari, a temporary employee, appears to be a lovable lady at first glance. Truth be told, she is increasingly anxious about marriage as she believes her “market value” depends on her youth and cuteness. Life is starting to become a struggle for Akari, who feels empty despite the slew of matchmaking parties she attends. One day, Akari learns of her colleague Tanaka-san’s true identity, which inspires her to live life in her own way. They are polar opposites, but their chemistry empowers them to blow off those who judge them. In the process, they discover their new selves.

Kusuburi Onna to Sundome Onna

Yamamoto Ikuko, a full-time mother of two and housewife wants to divorce her husband but is unable to do so due to lack of finances and low self-esteem. Kudo Honoka, an office worker for a PR company, is someone who feels unfulfilled as she always takes second place in both love and work. The story depicts how Reiwa women who are unsatisfied strive to achieve their goals while helping one another. (Source: DramaOtaku )

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