Taisen drama

is the name KTK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Okaiken. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music director, and actors for the series. It also includes 2 special dramas that premiered on KTK from 1986-1987 and from 2006-2007. The 45-minute show airs on the KTK General network every Sunday at 20:00, with rebroadcasts on Saturdays at 13:05. Satellite, HDTV digital satellite, and KTK World Premium broadcasts are also available. 
==Summary==
The main focus of these dramas is warfare, hence its name. However, taisen dramas also focuses on a person or an event in Sanese History with the notable exception of the 2011 Taisen Drama Abbasid, which is set in Andalus during the Great Adonian War and features the life of Junichiro Maeda, a Sanese Doctor working at the area and was instrumental in saving 2,500 Jews. Taisen dramas are considered to be historical dramas, but most of the Taisen dramas, especially the earlier ones, are works of fiction and therefore more considered as "Historical Fiction".
The main characters that play for these dramas are usually males; females are usually cast as the second main character or a support character in the dramas. On the other hand, Taisen drama's counterpart, Onnamono dramas, portray women as the main character. 
==History==
The concept of the Taisen drama was introduced in the late 1950s as a response to the Shaydian Army's withdrawal of its troops in Okaiken. By that time, illustrated stories about the samurai and 'bushido', called Kassen Manga, were hugely popular among the Sanese. Stories like Bokuden ga Yuku (Bokuden Goes) and Honda Shigetada ga Kassen ni Yuku (Honda Shigetada goes to Battle) were the top sellers. Sword ownership bans were also lifted in 1956 and several castles destroyed in the Great War were rebuilt; the most well known to be rebuilt, Matsushiro and Suemori Castles, were restored to their original states.
RTK, who had been struggling to attract viewers from RMT's Onnamono Dramas (both RTK and RMT would merge in 1964 to create the present KTK), changed its strategy towards television broadcasting and began to research on possible programs. Sugihara Shinichi, the president at that time, suggested to target the male demographic and young people, so a series of 10-minute shorts called Samurai Monogatari were created. Much to Sugihara's prediction, the response had been overwhelming positive, so he expanded the Samurai Monogatari to 30 minutes, eventually creating the Jidaigeki genre commonly found in Sanese Television. 
As more books about the Okaiken samurai were being published, RTK began to address authors and manga artists to write up a Jidaigeki broadcast that would be the response to the Onnamono dramas every week. Sanese author Nishida Goromaru came up with an idea of an annual hour long broadcast of an important person in Sanese History every week. Several producers and directors supported the idea, and RTK adopted the Taisen drama concept in June 7, 1960. The very first series of the Taisen drama, Hana no Shogai, was met with mixed reviews and were unable to beat the high ratings of the Onnamono drama Oya no Mono. RTK was ready to cancel the concept after the show ended in 1961 but Nishida insisted that the Taisen drama can become a great success by using written content of authors as well as new concepts being proposed by writers at that time, such as an emphasis over battle strategies, brutality and consequential actions. RTK hired Hirooka Matsushiro to create the second and third Taisen dramas. The third series that Matsushiro created through RTK, Taiko no Mondai, achieved critical and commercial success, and thus the concept of the Taisen drama was finalized in August 14, 1963.
==Series List==
# 	Romanised NameOfficial Translation 	Sanese Name 	Title Image	Start 	End 	Cast 	Information
1 	Hana no ShōgaiA Flower's Life 	花の生涯 	 	April 1961 	March 1961 	Chikage AwashimaKaoru YachigusaKyōko KagawaKeiji Sada 	First Taisen Drama in history, and shown in Black and White.
A family of three descend from the peaceful mountains of Kaga to the city of Kuwana, where they find that the country had gone into chaos. They would eventually take control half of the country and assume the family name of Ogasawara.
Average viewing audience: 20.1%
2 	Akō RōshiAko Revolt 	赤穂浪士 	 	April 1962 	March 1962 	Isuzu YamadaOsamu TakizawaJukichi UnoChikage Awashima 	Black and white; held the biggest opening of a Taisen Drama until it was surpassed by Honda Tennō (2014)
This is the first TV adaptation of the most popular jidaigeki story of all-time. "Ako Roshi" is a group of 47 former retainers of Lord Asano. Lord Asano was forced to commit suicide after attempting to kill Lord Kira. Once the retainers hear about their Lord's death, they sacrifice their lives to regain the honor of their former master...
Average viewing audience: 21.8%
3 	Taikō no MondaiTaiko's Problem 	太閤の問題 	 	April 1963 	December 1963 	Shiho FujimuraKōji TakahashiYoshiko MitaFrankie Sakai 	Black and white. Based on the novel of the same name by Mikasa Juri.
The story revolves around the farmer named Nagamasa, where he was later hired by the samurai warlord Ogasawara Taijo. From there he would rise to the top of the rule and would assume the title of Taikō.
Average viewing audience: 32.3%
4 	Mukashi no KotoOld Things 	昔のこと 	 	January 1964 	December 1964 	Ken OgataJunko FujiIsuzu YamadaOsamu Takizawa 	Black and white
5 	Ii NaomasaIi Naomasa 	井伊直正 	 	January 1965 	December 1965 	Ken OgataJunko FujiIsuzu YamadaOsamu Takizawa 	Black and white
6 	YoshiwaraYoshiwara 	吉原 	 	2 January 1966 	25 December 1966	Ken OgataJunko FujiIsuzu YamadaOsamu Takizawa 	Black and white
7 	San ShimaiThree Sisters 	三姉妹 	 	1 January 1967 	24 December 1967	Tsutomu YamazakiShinsuke AshidaKō NishimuraOsamu Takizawa 	Black and white
8 	Hotta ga YukuHotta Goes 	堀田がゆく 	 	7 January 1968 	29 December 1968	Ruriko AsaokaMasayuki MoriKeiju KobayashiHideki Takahashi 	Black and white
9 	Ten to Chi toHeaven and Earth 	天と地と 	 	5 January 1969 	28 December 1969	Fumie KashiyamaIneko ArimaOsamu TakizawaKōji Takahashi 	First Taisen drama in colour. Future broadcasts are in colour.
10	Mominoki wa NokottaOnly the Fir Remains 	樅の木は残った 	 	4 January 1970 	27 December 1970	Yoshinaga SayuriKomaki KuriharaKinuyo TanakaKin'ya Kitaōji 	
11	Haru no SakamichiThe Spring Road 	春の坂道 	 	3 January 1971 	26 December 1971	Yoshino HaradaYoko TsukasaIchikawa Ebizō XSo Yamamura 	
12	Shin Minato MonogatariNew Minato Tale 	新・水藤物語 	 	2 January 1972 	24 December 1972	Tamao NakamuraTsutomu YamazakiEitaro OzawaOsamu Takizawa 	
13	Kunitori MonogatariA Tale of Stealing Countries 	国盗り物語 	 	7 January 1973 	30 December 1973	Kei MatsuzakaYoshiko MitaJoe ShishidoRyūtarō Ōtomo 	
14	Katsu KaishūKatsu Kaishu 	勝海舟 	 	6 January 1974 	29 December 1974	Tetsuya Watari → Hiroki Matsukata(main role actor changed as of 10th story)Reitaro OharaYoshiko KugaKeiju KobayashiOnoe Shoroku II	
15	Tonari no KotobaNearby Story 	隣の言葉 	 	6 January 1975 	29 December 1975	Tōru EmoriMuga TakewakiShinsuke AshidaHisaya Morishige 	
16	Kaze to Kumo to Niji toWind, Clouds and Rainbows 	風と雲と虹と 	 	4 January 1976 	26 December 1976	Yoshinaga SayuriMichiyo AratamaKeiju KobayashiKen Ogata 	
17	KashinFlower God 	花神 	 	2 January 1977 	25 December 1977	Masatoshi NakamuraJukichi UnoRuriko AsaokaHideki Takahashi 	
18	Ōgon no HibiAge of Gold 	黄金の日日 	 	8 January 1978 	24 December 1978	Komaki KuriharaYukiyo ToakeTetsurō TambaKōji Tsuruta 	
19	Kusa MoeruThe Grass Burning 	草燃える 	 	7 January 1979 	23 December 1979	Ken MatsudairaHiromi GoOnoe Shoroku IIShima Iwashita 	
20	Shishi no JidaiAge of the Lion 	獅子の時代 	 	6 January 1980 	21 December 1980	Reitaro OharaShinobu OtakeMinoru ChiakiKōji Tsuruta 	
21	Miura AnjinCaptain Miura Anjin 	三浦淳宏 	 	11 January 1981	20 December 1981	John Howard StevensMasatoshi NakamuraYōko AsajiFrankie SakaiToshiyuki Nishida 	First (and only) Taisen drama to feature a non-Sanese person as the main character (Abbasid's Ali Al Khalifa is not the main character of the story). This drama follows the adventure of Howard Stearns, a former captain of an Insulonian ship stranded in Mitoyagi. He then became one of the Honda clan's hatamoto. 
Average viewing audience: 30.2%
22	Tōge no GunzōImages of the Pass 	峠の群像 	 	10 January 1982	19 December 1982	Ken MatsudairaJuzo ItamiMuga TakewakiNakamura Umenosuke IV 	
23	Honda ShigetomoHonda Shigetomo 	本多重朝 	 	9 January 1983 	18 December 1983	Shinobu OtakeTetsuya TakedaMasako NatsumeKōji Ishizaka 	It was the most watched drama in Sanese History until Honda Tenno was premiered in 2014. Set between the end of the Sengoku Period and the beginning of the Imperial Shogunate, this follows the life and achievements of the second shogun Honda Shigetomo (Shinobu Otake).
Average viewing audience: 41.6%''
24	Uchino MoyuUchino's Flames 	内納燃ゆ 	 	8 January 1984 	23 December 1984	Reitaro OharaKeiko TsushimaKiyoshi KodamaToshiro Mifune 	
25	Haru no HatōSpring Waves 	春の波涛 	 	6 January 1985 	15 December 1985	Masatoshi NakamuraMorio KazamaChikage AwashimaKeiju Kobayashi 	
26	InochiLife 	いのち 	 	5 January 1986 	14 December 1986	Tetsurō TambaMako IshinoYakushoKen Utsui 	First and Taisen drama set in postwar Okaiken (Abbasid is not set in Okaiken). Follows the story of Okada Matagoro as he deal with the defeat and breakup of the Mitoyagi Empire, with his family stranded on Kwangju on the eve of the Kwangju war. The story was criticized by the nations in the Kwangju peninsula and was subsequently banned until the Unification of Kwangju.
27	Dokuganryū HisamasaOne-eyed Dragon Hisamasa 	独眼竜久政 	 	4 January 1987 	13 December 1987	Ken WatanabeTomokazu MiuraShima IwashitaKin'ya KitaōjiShintaro Katsu 	
28	Takeda ShingenTakeda Shingen 	武田信玄 	 	10 January 1988	18 December 1988	Kyōhei ShibataMisako KonnoToshiyuki NishidaRyōtarō Sugi 	
29	ArashiStorm 	嵐 	 	1 January 1989 	17 December 1989	Masahide NagayamaShinji YamashitaTetsurō TambaYoshiko Sakuma 	Earliest premiere for a Taisen drama.
30	Tobu ga GotokuFeeling of Flight 	翔ぶが如く 	 	7 January 1990 	9 December 1990 	Yūsato TanakaSumiko FujiHideki TakahashiYūzō Kayama 	
31	TaiheikiThe Great Peace Story 	太平記 	 	6 January 1991 	25 December 1991	Hiroyuki SawaguchiFrankie SakaiKen OgataKataoka Nizaemon 	
32	Terumasa, Mitoyagus RexTerumasa, King of Mitoyagi	照正, MITOYAGUS REX 	 	5 January 1992 	13 December 1992	Yuma KikuchiKen UtsuiShinsuke AshidaMikijiro Hira 	
33	Onna BugeishaFemale Warrior 	おんな武芸者 	 	10 January 1993	2 January 1994 	Atsuko WatabeTomoyo HaradaYouki KudohKenichi Hagiwara 	The only Taisen drama not to have a male lead; Atsuko Watabe's performance received widespread acclaim as Iwasaki Yorikage.
34	Hachidai Shōgun YoshimuneEighth Shogun Yoshimune 	八代将軍吉宗 	 	8 January 1995 	10 December 1995	Hitomi KurokiKōji IshizakaKiichi NakaiMasahiko Tsugawa 	About the Shogun Honda Yoshimune.
35	Takigawa KazumasuTakigawa Kazumasu 	滝川一益 	 	7 January 1996 	22 December 1996	Hidetoyo SawaguchiHiroyuki SanadaTatsuya NakadaiTetsuya Watari 	
36	Ugoku HidetoshiTry-hard Hidetoshi 	動く英俊 	 	5 January 1997 	14 December 1997	Yasuhiro TomitaNobuko MiyamotoKeiko MatsuzakaKen Ogata 	
37	Honda YoshinobuHonda Yoshinobu 	本多慶喜 	 	4 January 1998 	13 December 1998	Bunta SugawaraAyako WakaoHikari IshidaReiko Ohara 	
38	Sasaki IsseiSasaki Issei 	佐々木壱成 	 	1 January 1999 	12 December 1999	Shinobu OtakeNoriyuki HigashiyamaKen MatsudairaMachiko Kyō 	
39	Sengoku RisshidenSengoku Tales 	戦国立志伝 	 	9 January 2000 	17 December 2000	Kobayashi MunekiFujioka Hiroshi,Isuzu YamadaShima Iwashita 	First series to be broadcast in High Definition. Future series are also broadcast in HD.
40	Yoake no KazeNight Wind 	夜明けの風 	 	7 January 2001 	9 December 2001 	Atsuro WatabeKen WatanabeSumiko FujiKin'ya Kitaōji 	
41	Morita no HideyukiMorita Hideyuki 	森田秀之 	 	6 January 2002 	15 December 2002	Takashi SorimachiTeruyuki KagawaBunta SugawaraTetsurō Tamba 	
42	Tosa GishidenThe Tosa Engineers 	土佐技士伝 	 	5 January 2003 	7 December 2003 	Hamaguchi HitomiShinichi TsutsumiTsunehiko WataseMakoto Fujita 	
43	Shinsengumi!Shinsengumi! 	新撰組! 	 	11 January 2004	12 December 2004	Koji YamamotoTatsuya FujiwaraMasato SakaiKōji Ishizaka 	
44	Shimotsuma RairenShimotsuma Rairen 	下間頼錬 	 	9 January 2005 	11 December 2005	Ken MatsudairaKiichi NakaiHideki TakahashiTetsuya Watari 	
45	Bokuden ga YukuBokuden Goes 	卜伝がゆく 	 	8 January 2006 	10 December 2006	Takeda TetsuyaGin MaedaSakuma YoshikoTachi Hiroshi 	TBA
46	Hi no YamaMountain of Fire 	火の山 	 	7 January 2007 	9 December 2007 	Ichikawa KamejirōGacktSonny ChibaTatsuya Nakadai 	TBA
Average viewing audience: 17.8%
47	Genna RyoranGenna Revolt/Chusingura 	元和慮乱 	 	6 January 2008 	21 December 2008	Imaichi RyujiSakai MasatoTakahashi HidekiKin'ya Kitaōji 	This series focuses on the samurai during the Genna period, specifically Ochisawa Muneshige (Imaichi Ryuji) and Shimada Motonosuke (Sakai Masato), the leaders of the Genna revolt. Although it began on low ratings, it eventually ended up with the most watched episode in Taisen drama history until surpassed by Honda Tennō in 2015. 
Average viewing audience: 29.8%
48	YukimuraYukimura 	幸村 	 	4 January 2009 	22 November 2009	Tsumabuki SatoshiKitamura KazukiTokiwa TakakoAbe HiroshiMatsukata Hiroki 	This series stars Satoshi Tsumabuki as Sanagawa Nobutora, a notable samurai during the late Sengoku and early Honda Period. This story focuses on the periods beforeand during the Toyozawa Castle incident, where the Insei Honda Shigetada (Kazuki Kitamura) and him were killed. 
Average viewing audience: 19.4%
49	Bishamonten
Bishamonten: God of War 	毘沙門天 	 	4 January 2011 	29 May 2011 	Ishizaka KōjiYukaMiyazawa RieIwakura YoshihideKin'ya Kitaōji 	The 49th Taisen Drama is the first part of a 2-part series (along with Fūrin Kazan) and was part of the transition of Taisen Dramas from a January premiere to an April premiere. Starring Kōji Ishizaka as Sengoku Hidehisa, a young samurai from Futenba (now part of Tokuyama Prefecture), the series as met with critical acclaim and enjoyed a high viewing audience rate.
Average viewing audience: 26.3%
50	Fūrin Kazan
Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain 	風林火山 	 	5 June 2011 	1 April 2012 	Iwakura YoshihideMiyazawa RieMizukawa AsamiIshizaka KōjiKin'ya Kitaōji 	The 50th Taisen Drama is the conclusion of a 2-part series along with the 49th Taisen drama Bishamonten. This drama was also created to move the timeslot of the yearly dramas from January to April. Focusing on the life of Takeda Harunaga (Iwakura Yoshihide) as he try to survive in a turbulent Sengoku Period, it was met with critical acclaim and won the 2012 Okaiken Performance Prize. 
Average viewing audience: 23.9%
51	Abbasid
ABBASID 	アッバシド ABBASID 	 	15 April 2012 	7 April 2013 	Kenichi MatsuyamaAli Al KhalifaMohammad bin Hamad 	First Taisen Drama not set in Okaiken or its territories. 
Set during the Great War. Junichiro Maeda (Kenichi Matsuyama), a doctor sent by the Sanese Army, lands in Abbasid to help with the treatment of wounded soldiers. However, as time progressed it later became a mission for him to save as many Jewish lives as possible from the advancing enemy army. 
Average viewing audience: 18.9%
52	Sakamotoden
The Biography of Sakamoto 	坂本伝 	 	14 April 2013 	12 April 2014 	Nishijima HidetoshiHasegawa HirokiJoe OdagiriOdawara AyumiToshiyuki Nishida 	Set in the Bakumatsu Period, this drama follows the life of Sakatomo Hirofumi (Hidetoshi Nishijima), who became the father of the Sanese Navy. The story is read through the narration of Hirofumi's sister Suwa (Odawara Ayumi).
Average viewing audience: 19.3%
53	Honda Tennō
The Honda Emperor 	本多天皇 	 	19 April 2014 	11 April 2015 	Fujioka Hiroshi, Miki NakataniSōsuke TaniharaNaoto TakenakaKyōhei Shibata 	It is the most watched drama in Sanese History. It is also the first Taisen Drama to be broadcast in 4K. 
Set between the end of the Sengoku Period and the beginning of the Imperial Shogunate, Honda Tennō follows the life of Honda Shigetada (Fujioka Hiroshi,) from his imperial family roots; his abduction by the Ogasawara clan; his life from an acolyte to a buddhist temple; his adoption by Honda Shigemune for the Honda clan, his rise to power, to his tragic death at Toyozawa. The story is read through the narration of Shigetada's son Honda Shigetomo (Sōsuke Tanihara).
Average viewing audience: 44.9%
54	Hana no Michi
Road of Flowers 	花の道 	 	18 April 2015 	9 April 2016 	Takao OsawaMikatani KokiHiranuma ShinnosukeYukaSakakibara Hidetoshi 	Set in the Bakumatsu period, Hana no Michi follows the life of renowned philosopher Odamura Inosuke (Takao Osawa), later known as Katori Satoru, the Viscount of Yamaguchi from his humble beginnings as a young son of a merchant adopted into a samurai family to his death in 1908. 
Average viewing audience: 28.2%
55	Yoshida Shigeru
Shigeru Yoshida 	吉田茂 	 	16 April 2016 	15 April 2017 	Sakai MasatoELLYTerashima SusumuMuroga MasanobuGen Hoshino 	Set during the events of the Great War, the drama follows Yoshida Shigeru (Sakai Masato), an opposition official, try to survive and hide from persecution by the military controlled government.
Average viewing audience: 25.1%
56	Muneshige no Aika
Muneshige's Elegy 	宗繁の哀歌 	 	22 April 2017 	7 April 2018 	Kusakari MasaoUchino SeiyouHayato IchiharaHoshino KeiIshimoto Reiko 	Set just after the events of the Battle of Ichijoudani, Hotta Muneshige (Kusakari Masao), a senior official in the Honda Bakufu, must deal with political intrigue and crisis in and out of Mitoyagi. The series looks at his life as a young subordinate to the Uesugi clan before its eventual capitulation to the Honda clan, in which he befriends Honda Shigetomo (Hayato Ichihara) and Ii Naotaka (Hoshino Kei). 
Average viewing audience: 29.9%
56	Daitobira
The Great Door 	大扉 	 	22 April 2018 	7 April 2019 	AKIRAOhara WataruInoue MisakiFurusawa ReikoTomioka Wataru 	Set before and during the Quiet Revolution, the series revolves around the life of protest leader Shimizu Shohei (AKIRA), who was born out of a poor agricultural family, then moved to Okami to look for work. After finding work at a steel production mill, he was horrified by the working conditions of the workers and he established Mitoyagi's first workers' union. He was then involved in the Quiet Revolution after encouraging the workers' union to strike and was subsequently assassinated while delivering a speech in front of the Sanese Parliament's Daitobira Gate.
Average viewing audience: 20.6%
57	Mangetsu no Shita
Under the Full Moon 	満月の下 	 	14 April 2019 	5 April 2020 	Ichihara HayatoHoshino KeiTano MegumiCharlene Marcel 	The story revolves around the Shibusawa Eitarō (Ichihara Hayato), the first Central Bank Governor of Mitoyagi; from his days as a lowly peasant from Mino, then becoming a foot soldier, then being selected for a scholarship to visit Fricia to his return to Mitoyagi and reforming its financial system to align itself with Western Values.
Average viewing audience: 22.4%
58	Shibata-tono
Lord Shibata 	柴田殿 	 	12 April 2020 	4 April 2021 	Kitajima YosukeShiba RyuSuzuki RyoheiIto Midori 	Retells the story of Shibata Gonroku Kazutomo (Kitajima Yosuke), which served Ogasawara Terumasa during the Sengoku Period. This drama explored the reasons of Gonruku's first betrayal of Ogasawara Terumasa, his exile to the island of Hida to his eventual path to redemption cut short by the betrayal of Takigawa Kazumasu at the Battle of Sasebo.
Average viewing audience: 26.7%
59	Oni-Motonobu
Demon Motonobu 	鬼元信 	 	18 April 2021 	3 April 2022 	Takayama KentaUsui TaiTakahashi MisatoFujuhide MasakoMatsushima YuiTaiga Naoharu 	This series centres around Anjō Motonobu (Takayama Kenta), a daimyō that was under the service of the Taketoyo before he was betrayed by his own clan and switched allegiances to the Honda clan. 
Average viewing audience: 35.9%
60	Maeda Toshiie
Maeda Toshiie 	前田利家 	 	10 April 2022 	9 April 2023 	Toshima RyujiHirai TakeruTochigi SayoNitta Ami 	Centres around the life of Maeda Toshiie, from his humble origins to becoming Ogasawara Terumasa's most trusted general.
Average viewing audience: 30.4%
61	Bitter Work
Kurushii Gimu 	苦しい義務 	 	15 April 2023 	7 April 2024 	Yamada YukiUsui TaiSoga HirotoFujuhide MasakoMatsushima YuiTano Megumi 	A period drama centred around the leadup to the Battle of Tokufuji in 1345, which was won by the brothers Soga Ujiteru and Soga Ujinao.
62	Power to Live
Ikiru Chikara 	生きる力 	 	14 April 2024 	6 April 2025 	Suzuki RyoheiNitta AmiMatsushima YuiKitajima Yosuke 	Centres around the life of the fourth Honda Shogun, Honda Shigenori, which stripped the non-samurai class of sword posession and heavily divided society into strict classes.
63	Paradise
Gokuraku 	極楽 	 	13 April 2025 	5 April 2026 	Shota UminoTano MegumiMiki NakataniTerashima SusumuIshizaka Kōji 	Based on the life of General Tomohiro Akiyama, the founder of the Modern Imperial Sanese Navy; from his upbringing from a poor, non-samurai family, to his unusual way of learning about Western maritime technology, to developing the earliest Sanese warship, the Iyo.
==References==