Trillion Game (2023)トリリオンゲーム
Directed by Murao Yoshiaki, starring Meguro Ren as Haru, Sano Hayato as Gaku, Imada Mio as Kirika / "Princess Kiri", Kikkawa Koji as Kazuki, and Fukumoto Riko as Rinrin.
Watched 25 - 26 December 2025 — 10 episodes (NETFLIX)
*During the Christmas holidays in my native country The Netherlands, I stayed at my elder sister's place and we opted for watching this Japanese drama because of the good reviews and ratings, and it has only 10 episodes. So we could easily finish it during my short stay. We binged it in two days — day 1 seven episodes, day 2 the remaining three! My brother-in-law also joined us in watching.
*This fast-paced drama is full of energy, it's infectious, and we immediately liked it. Meguro Ren as Haru (seen the actor before in Where Does the Sea Begin, playing a very different role) is a smooth and charismatic communicator, starting his own business with Gaku (Sano Hayato), a nerdy computer wiz kid. The two are an unlikely match but they complement one another and have good chemistry. I love how resourceful Haru is. He immediately recuperates after a setback and thinks of something else.
*My biggest gripe with the series is the lack of character arc for Haru. There's also no background story given, we only know that he claims to be selfish and his goal is to earn a trillion dollars. He's also a bit over the top, almost a caricature. I think about the only character who has an arc is Rinrin, who comes to work for Haru and Gaku. I really liked her. (In comparison, Korean dramas mostly provide background stories for main characters, often shown in flashbacks.)
*Because of the lack of well-developed characters, the show loses some points from me. I was rooting for the team to become a success, but never felt an emotional attachment to any of the characters.
*I like Imada Mio as Kirika / "Princess Kiri", a sassy character, and she has sizzling chemistry with Haru. I would have welcomed a romance between them. By the way, the costume design for Kirika's outfits is insane.
*The episodes felt a bit repetitive and formulaic. In order to build the Trillion Game business, Haru and Gaku had to overcome obstacles, so they experienced both successes and setbacks. It reminded me of the recently watched Typhoon Family.
*All in all, a fun and quick watch. This will likely get a second season. I'll watch that too.