The Best Japanese Dramas On Netflix in 2025

As we reach the end of 2025, it’s the perfect time to look back at the standout Japanese dramas and TV shows that landed on Netflix this year. From emotional character-driven stories to fast-paced thrillers and beautifully crafted romances, this year’s lineup delivered once again. I’ve watched them all, and now I’m ranking my absolute favourites — the J-dramas that captured my attention, kept me glued to the screen, and genuinely deserve a spot on your watchlist.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Japanese storytelling or you’re just looking for your next binge-worthy series for the holidays, here are 2025's Best Japanese Dramas on Netflix.

Alice In Borderland Season 3

2025 saw the return of Netflix Japan's most iconic series to date, arguably one of Netflix's most recognisable series - Alice In Borderland. Season 3 picks up years after the second season — Arisu and Usagi are now married and living in the “real world,” their memories of the dangerous alternate reality known as “Borderland” faded and only surfacing as nightmares.

But when Usagi suddenly vanishes after being drawn into involvement with a mysterious after-life researcher, Arisu is plunged back into chaos: he’s handed the final card — the Joker — and forced to return to Borderland in a desperate mission to rescue her.

Once inside, the stakes are higher than ever: with twisted new games, shifting alliances, and deadly traps, Arisu must navigate the risks, uncover dark secrets about Borderland, and fight to save Usagi — all while confronting what it really means to survive.

Miss King

Miss King is a gripping 2025 Japanese drama produced by ABEMA that blends intense human drama with the strategic world of shogi.

The story follows Asuka Kunimi, a young woman whose life was shattered when her father—once a brilliant and celebrated shogi prodigy—abandoned her and her mother without explanation. Left to survive in poverty, Asuka grows up carrying the emotional scars of betrayal, and when her mother later dies from illness, she is forced to face the world entirely alone.

Meanwhile, her father rises to fame in the shogi world, a success that only fuels Asuka’s resentment and desire for revenge. Her life takes a sharp turn when a fateful encounter reveals that she possesses an extraordinary talent for shogi herself. Former professional player Seigo Todo recognizes her innate skill and offers to guide her, encouraging her to channel her pain and anger into a bold mission: challenge the male-dominated shogi world and confront the father who abandoned her.

Supported by Todo and his partner Reiko Sakai, Asuka embarks on a grueling journey to become the first woman to reach the highest ranks of professional shogi. As she pushes forward, she must face not only the traditions and pressures of the shogi world but also the powerful influence of the prestigious Yuki family—her father’s domain and the source of her deepest wounds.

Miss King stands out as a dark, emotionally complex story of resilience, ambition, and rebirth, portraying a heroine who fights to reclaim her identity and destiny on the very battlefield that once destroyed her family.

Last Samurai Standing

© Netflix

Set in 1878, during the turbulent early years of Japan’s Meiji era when the samurai class has been stripped of status and many former warriors are left destitute, Last Samurai Standing follows Shujiro Saga, a once-renowned samurai haunted by war and desperate to support his family amid poverty and disease.

Shujiro is drawn into a brutal tournament called Kodoku, where 292 fighters — disgraced samurai, ninja, and other warriors — are promised a massive cash prize if a single survivor can make a perilous journey from Kyoto to Tokyo. Participants must fight, kill or defeat rivals, steal their wooden tags, and pass through a series of checkpoints along the Tōkaidō route in order to survive.

As the deadly contest begins, alliances form and betrayals unfold. Shujiro finds unlikely comrades among the participants — including fighters with different skills and backgrounds — and becomes determined not just to win the prize, but to protect his allies and uncover the dark, hidden motives behind the ruthless game.

The series explores the brutal collapse of the samurai era, the desperation of those left behind, and the lengths one man will go to reclaim dignity and fight for survival. As the bodies pile up and the stakes grow higher, only one can remain standing — but victory comes at a terrible cost.

Asura

© Netflix

Set in Tokyo in 1979, Asura follows four adult sisters whose lives are shaken when the youngest, Takiko, reveals that their elderly father has been having a long-term affair — and may even have fathered a child with his mistress.

Though stunned, the sisters — Tsunako, Makiko, Sakiko and Takiko — reluctantly agree to keep the secret from their mother, fearing the emotional damage the truth could cause.

As the sisters navigate this bombshell, their personal lives begin to unravel. Long-buried insecurities, hidden resentments, and unmet expectations resurface, forcing each woman to re-examine her relationships — with family, partners, and herself.

Gradually, the narrative becomes a quiet yet powerful exploration of family dynamics, identity, betrayal and forgiveness — revealing how a single secret has the power to upend not only one life, but the foundation of an entire family.

Under the direction of Hirokazu Kore-eda, Asura masterfully captures the emotional pain, contradictions and subtle bonds that hold the sisters together — even as their world begins to crack.

Romantics Anonymous

© Netflix

In Romantics Anonymous, Hana Lee is a gifted chocolatier working anonymously at a boutique because of her deep fear of eye contact. Meanwhile, Sosuke Fujiwara, the new head of a chocolate company, struggles with intense germophobia and an inability to touch others.

Fate brings them together when the company acquires the boutique where Hana works, forcing their worlds to collide. Despite their crippling anxieties, they discover that — unlike with almost anyone else — Hana and Sosuke are strangely at ease with each other.

Their shared love for chocolate becomes the unlikely bridge that helps them open up, heal old wounds, and cautiously begin a tender, slow-burn romance against the backdrop of confectionery and quiet emotional healing.

Final Draft

Final Draft is a Japanese reality-competition show on Netflix that gathers 25 former professional athletes — many having already retired — and challenges them to prove they still “have it.”

Over the course of multiple grueling physical and psychological trials — from icy mountain climbs to sit-up marathons, obstacle courses, and other endurance and strength tests — contestants are gradually eliminated.

The ultimate prize: ¥30 million (roughly US $200,000), intended to help the winner fund a second career. However, the true drama extends beyond athletic prowess to the raw personal narratives: numerous competitors grapple with the aftermath of their sports careers — loss of identity, financial instability, and the desire for a new beginning. Through sweat, competition, and emotional experiences, Final Draft unfolds as a tale of resilience, redemption, and the hope for another chance to prove oneself.

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity

© Netflix

In a town divided by class and reputation, two very different schools stand side by side: Chidori High School, an all-boys school notorious for its delinquent students, and Kikyo Girls' Academy, a prestigious all-girls school attended by daughters from wealthy, elite families.

The story centers on Rintaro Tsumugi, a tall, intimidating-looking boy at Chidori who works at his family’s bakery, and Kaoruko Waguri, a kind-hearted, high-achieving girl from Kikyo. One day, Kaoruko visits the bakery and treats Rintaro with genuine warmth — something he’s rarely experienced due to his appearance and school status.

Despite attending rival schools and facing heavy prejudice from peers on both sides, Rintaro and Kaoruko begin to build a fragile but real connection. Through shy smiles, shared cakes, and quiet conversation, their bond grows — even as social walls threaten to keep them apart.

As friendships grow stronger, the show delves into themes of acceptance, self-worth, and dismantling stereotypes. Rintaro realizes that kindness and sincerity can overcome prejudice, while Kaoruko learns that judging people based on their background or appearance is flawed. Their relationship, along with those around them, gradually flourishes like a flower emerging from adversity, delicate yet brimming with hope.

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity is a tender, slice-of-life romance that blends high school dynamics, social divides, and heartfelt growth — all wrapped in bakery cakes, sincere emotions, and the courage to be seen for who you really are.