College J-Dramas come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing most series have in common is that they’re highly addictive and full of interesting characters that will make you feel a lot of emotions. J-Dramas are so popular with all sorts of audiences for their slower, more introspective storytelling, compelling characters you love to root for, quirky humor, and strong focus on emotions. College J-Dramas are even more binge-worthy, as the school setting allows for more interesting premises and relatable turns.
Whether you’re hoping to relive your college days or you’re currently a student yourself, J-Dramas will make for the perfect watch if you’re looking for something to stream, and Netflix has plenty of those.. Adults who have already graduated often love returning to places with which they associate so many memories, while students who often deal with the pressure of a variety of tests – from assignments to various exams like the Certified Nursing Assistant certification, and Practice Test Geeks provides free CNA Practice Tests to help – can find college series relaxing.
We’ve put together a list of great college J-Dramas to watch on Netflix. Find them all below in alphabetical order! Happy watching.
1. Dragon Sakura – Season 2 (2021)
Back in 2003, Norifusa Mita created a manga series called “Dragon Zakura” for magazine Weekly Morning, which became so popular that new chapters of this story kept being released till 2007. Naturally, the manga was soon made into a J-Drama, whose first season was released in 2005 on TBS. The show, called Dragon Sakura, subverts the college formula by making its protagonist a teacher. But this is no ordinary teacher. Kenji Sakuragi (Abe Hiroshi) is also a lawyer, and he used to be a member of a motorcycle gang. When we first meet him, he’s hired by a struggling high school to get some challenging students into Japan’s most prestigious college, Tokyo University.
Needless to say, our hero succeeds, but when we meet him again in Season 2 – the only season of the show that’s available on Netflix right now – he’s faced with a new set of challenges. This time, it’s a former pupil who enlists his help with a whole new team of students; needless to say, our favorite lawyer-turned-teacher is up to the task.
While a good chunk of Dragon Sakura Season 2 takes place at Ryuzan High School, the show offers some insight on how to prepare for university and exams, seen from the perspective of both teachers and students. It’s also a different kind of college J-Drama, as it’s not a romance but a series about friendship, resilience, and how hard work will eventually lead to success. If you need some encouragement, look no further than Dragon Sakura!
2. Good Morning Call (2016)
Though Good Morning Call is a 2016 series, Netflix added it to their catalogue quite recently, and audiences have been raving about it ever since. Also adapted from a manga (1990’s “Guddo Moningu Koru”), this quirky J-Drama revolves around two students who both book the same apartment after falling victim to a scam. But telling their parents would possibly mean delaying university, so Nao Yoshikawa (Haruka Fukuhara) and Hisashi Uehara (Shunya Shiraishi) decide to become roommates. The only problem? The lovable, goofy Nao is a freshman, and the brooding Uehara is the school’s most popular heartthrob.
Though living together is initially quite challenging, our two protagonists soon start to get along, and eventually fall for each other. But what happens when another boy (Yosuke Sugino) shows up, showing Nao that relationships can also be open and warm?
While Good Morning Call contains most of the usual tropes of college J-Dramas, what elevates it from other series is that most of its characters are genuinely likable, from Nao and Uehara to their many friends at school and new characters who are eventually introduced as they get older and wiser. Not only that, but the series prioritizes Nao’s journey over the romance itself, which gives us a more well-rounded protagonist you’ll love to root for.
3. Hana-Kimi (2007)
Hana-Kimi, or For You in Full Blossom, in its English translation, is one of the most popular college J-Dramas ever, and for good reason. Though the premise itself is very simple – a Japanese-American girl named Mizuki Ashiya (Maki Horikita) pretends to be a boy and transfers to an all-male college in Japan – the story is a lot more absurd and surprisingly deep than the plot would have you believe. Not only are Ashiya’s motives completely different from what you’d expect – and we’ll let you discover them on your own as you watch – but, as she attends college, she meets so many other students, each with their own quirks and desires.
Over the course of two seasons, Hana-Kimi gets us acquainted with every single one of these students, and we guarantee that, by the time the credits roll, you’ll have learned all their names by heart. Not only that, but there are interesting adults too, such as the school’s nurse/doctor, Umeda Hokuto (played by a larger than life Takaya Kamikawa), one of the few characters who are aware of Ashiya’s secret, whose own history and educational journey often brings new elements to the plot.
Hana-Kimi is a silly and lighthearted J-Drama that gets more unbelievable with each new episode, but there’s a strong emotional core in it too. It’s ultimately a show about overcoming challenges, staying true to yourself, and realizing that part of what makes college such an important experience is the friendships you make. Leads Maki Horikita (Always: Sunset on Third Street), Shun Oguri (Godzilla vs. Kong) and Toma Ikuta (The Fallen Angel) all shine in this binge-worthy J-Drama.
4. Rookies (2008)
Futakotamagawa School’s baseball club isn’t doing so well, as its team members can’t seem to get along. Not only that, but most of them are bullies, and as a result of their behavior, they have been suspended from taking part in school competitions for a year. But something is about to change at Futakotamagawa, and it all starts with the arrival of a new Japanese Literature teacher, Koichi Kawato (Sato Ryuta). Can our new professor pull an “Oh Captain, My Captain” and get the team ready for a major tournament?
The answer is easy to guess, but as you spend more time with the protagonists of this 2008 JDrama, you’ll also learn a series of valuable lessons. Rookies prove that, with hard work and determination, obstacles can be overcome and dreams can come true. If you’re looking for an uplifting sports JDrama that takes place in college, you’re bound to enjoy this!
5. Switched (2018)
The last title on our list is a Netflix original, and chances are, you might have guessed its plot just from its title. At the center of it all is a body switch that takes place when the popular Ayumi Kohinata (Kaya Kiyohara) and her aloof classmate Zenko Umine (Miu Tomita) go on a date. Suddenly and unexpectedly, each finds themself in the body of the other, and it happens at the worst possible time. In fact, another boy named Koshiro Mizumoto (Tomohiro Kamiyama) had just confessed his feelings to Ayumi, but when the real Ayumi tries to explain what happens, he doesn’t believe him. Another classmate, Shunpei Kaga (Daiki Shigeoka), does believe her, though.
As all of these characters’ lives intersect, and everything becomes more complicated both at college and back home, Ayumi needs to find a way to get back to her own body. If you’re a fan of body swap classics like Freaky Friday, you’ll love Switched, but there’s also a little bit of mystery in a show that also leaves room for some unexpected sci-fi elements. Don’t miss it!
These 5 college j-Dramas are all available to stream on Netflix right now, and they’ll provide you with different experiences, depending on what you’re after. From popular series to lesser known-hidden gems, there’s something for everyone here. Happy watching!