Kurume Arisaka

In the immense city of Tokyo, the darkness of the afterlife lures some of its inhabitants desperately trying to escape the sadness and isolation of the modern world.

Film director Mario Baba meets a mysterious gentleman, and realizes he is a important man from his boyhood. The two chase each other around, causing a lot of commotion.

Riku, the heir to a corporate conglomerate, is determined to go through life never owing anything to anyone on principle. However, one day he nearly drowns in a river and is saved by a homeless girl named Nino. To repay his debt, he begins living together with her on the banks of the river as her lover.

Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro is a collection of 10 short horror films, each 5 minutes long (broadcast on BSi in February 2003). This is the second installment.

Horror screenwriter, Umeki, has writer's block. He goes with his pregnant wife, Akiko, to a check-up and is struck with an incredible idea - a horror story about a woman who gives birth to a reptile! Despite his wife's disgust, Umeki goes ahead with the screenplay, which the critics love. But the horrible prophecy fulfills itself, as his wife gives birth to a freak of nature. His baby is born half human, half lizard! The reptilian baby slithers on the floor, leaving a wet trail of slime behind [it]. To his horror, his wife, Akiko, holds it lovingly in her arms. His movie has become a mirror image of his own life as Umeki slips slowly into madness.

Dr. Shindo seems cold, but is a competent surgeon. He is also an ER doctor capable of accurate decisions and treatment, who always tries to see things from the patient’s side. Although once retired from his profession, he one day discovers someone in need of help, who he treats and rushes to the Kohoku Medical University Emergency Center. This incident encourages him to once again work as an ER doctor. Confrontation erupts between female doctor Tamaki, and Shindo, now a just-arrived ER doctor. While this human drama depicts the relationships among doctors and nurses, it appeals emotionally to viewers on the subject of life.

A no-nonsense detective with a reputation for pushing limits investigates a rash of brutal murders connected by a series of cryptic short stories.

Kou Ichinomiya has always lived according to the creed of his wealthy, successful family: never be in debt to anyone. But one day, under the Arakawa Bridge, his life is saved by a homeless girl named Nino. In order to pay her back, Kou promises to be her boyfriend; and thus begins his new life under the bridge.

"Big Money!" is a human drama with a suspense twist about a young man who learns the tricks of the trade about stock exchange from a well-experienced investor. The backdrop of this story is the elaborate world of banking and the stock market.

Tsunoda Miki is a graduate of a second-rate university who manages to find a job at a top-notch company. But after a minor mistake, she becomes the subject of serious bullying by her superiors and other co-workers. Ultimately, she chooses to endure the harassment, not wanting to simply run away from it. --Tokyograph

The Glass Mask drama is based on a very popular manga of the same name by Suzue Miuchi, about a young girl named Maya whose dream is to be an actress. A legendary former stage actress, Tsukikage Chigusa, watches Maya as she reenacts drama episodes she's seen on TV. She approaches Maya and has her join her acting company, Tsukikage Theater. Tsukikage holds the production rights to a legendary masterpiece called "The Crimson Goddess," in which she had played the title role until a terrible accident burnt her face beyond surgical repair. She's been searching all of these years for someone to play the role which only the most talented actress could play, and maybe she's found that someone in Maya... --synopsis by awrittensin

Ayame Tamaru, an office worker living near Zeniaraibenten, a shrine in Kamakura famous for bringing financial luck to worshippers, is absorbed in washing numerous bills spread over a bamboo sieve. It is popularly believed that if you wash money at Zeniaraibenten, the money will grow and multiply. Back home, her room is filled with artifacts showing her peculiar hobby: salt piled up high to bring in good luck, and on the wall, a scroll is hung with calligraphy featuring her motto, "Stinginess is a virtue." Numerous 10,000 yen bills are pasted behind the scroll for additional good luck. Declaring that the goal is to save 10 million yen and believing only in money, Ayame is dedicating all of her waking hours to saving money. One day, a young man suddenly appears before Ayame. Named Shinichi Kaneshiro, he and Ayame used to be lovers. Five years ago, he asked her to marry him but was turned down because he was poor and had no money.

Yoko always seems to say and do the right thing and has forever been the center of attention. Her younger sister, Tsukiko, having been compared to her sister since birth cannot help but feel inferior. Yoko has benefited from this situation for so long that she expects it to last forever. However, when Tsukiko's career takes a turn for the better and she gets engaged, Yoko feels that she must somehow sabotage her sister's success since her own career and marriage are not faring well. Tsukiko decides to defend herself, and the resultant feud threatens to ensnare their family and loved ones.

Atsushi was pursuing his studies to become an architect and dreamed to work with his father who runs a construction company. But everything falls apart when his father was deceived into guaranteeing a substantial amount of bad loans for a friend, thus losing the company and falling ill of shock. Desperate to make quick money and help the family by any way he can, Atsushi seeks employment as a waiter at a luxurious night club called “Mint Candy” in Kabukicho, the hottest, craziest, and the most competitive underground bright-light district in Tokyo, where the “hostesses” are the leading stars, while the male waiters are literally their slaves. One day, Atsushi couldn’t stand such unfairness and spontaneously stood up for his bullied colleague, ending up being bullied as well. In need of money, he has to endure everything. Until one day his future began to move in an unexpected direction when he met President Todo, the charisma of the underground entertainment world.