Kapanlagi.com - Japanese Dramas often present dark themes, including brutal and bloody scenes. Such Japanese dramas are certainly not suitable for underage viewers. Although they contain adult content, these dramas still have exciting and complex stories, making them appealing entertainment for adult audiences despite being unsuitable for children.
There are several recommendations for Japanese dramas that contain brutal scenes and are not appropriate for children, but are enjoyable for adult viewers. It is important to note that these dramas are intended for adult audiences and contain content that may be disturbing or uncomfortable for some people. Therefore, discretion and full awareness are necessary when deciding to watch them.
Interestingly, despite containing violent scenes, these dramas also offer a deep exploration of the human condition, social critique, and challenging moral questions. Here are some recommendations for Japanese dramas that should not be watched by children but are exciting for adult audiences.
Read more interesting recommendations for Japanese dramas at liputan6.com.
1. DEATH NOTE (2015)

DEATH NOTE (credit: mydramalist)
| Rating | 7.9 mydramalist |
| Episode | 11 eps |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Streaming | Netflix |
| Cast | Kabota Masataka, Yamazaki Kento, Yuki Mio |
Who hasn't heard of DEATH NOTE? This popular Japanese drama is a live-action adaptation of the popular manga and anime of the same name. The story focuses on Light Yagami, a genius student who discovers a supernatural notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it.
Light decides to use the Death Note to rid the world of evil, starting a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a genius detective known as L. As Light seeks to create a new world free of crime, his actions become increasingly extreme and brutal.
DEATH NOTE explores themes such as justice, morality, and the dangers of absolute power. The graphic death scenes and intense psychological elements make DEATH NOTE unsuitable for young viewers.
2. LIAR GAME (2007)

LIAR GAME (credit: mydramalist)
| Rating | 8.3 mydramalist |
| Episode | 11 eps |
| Duration | 36 minutes |
| Airing | Fui TV |
| Cast | Toda Erika, Matsuda Shota, Suzuki Kosuke |
LIAR GAME follows the story of Nao Kanzaki, a naive college student who gets caught up in a billion-yen con game. She seeks the help of Shinichi Akiyama, a former con artist, to help her win the game and free the other participants from their debts. Each round of the game tests the participants' ability to lie, cheat, and manipulate each other.
Although it does not contain explicit physical violence, LIAR GAME is filled with psychological violence and intense emotional manipulation. Participants are often forced to make brutally moral decisions, sacrificing others for their own survival.
This drama explores the dark side of human nature and how far people will go in extreme situations. So it is fitting that LIAR GAME is among the Japanese dramas that should not be watched by children but is exciting for adult viewers!
3. ALICE IN BORDERLAND (2020)

ALICE IN BORDERLAND (credit: mydramalist)
| Rating | 8.8 mydramalist |
| Episode | 8 eps |
| Duration | 48 minutes |
| Broadcast | Netflix |
| Cast | Yamazaki Kento, Tsuchiya Tao, Murakami Nijiro |
ALICE IN BORDERLAND is also a Japanese drama that should not be watched with children. This drama tells the story of Ryohei Arisu, a young unemployed man who is obsessed with video games. One day, Arisu and his two friends, Karube and Chota, suddenly find themselves trapped in a deserted and mysterious Tokyo. They soon realize that they must participate in a series of deadly games to survive.
Each game has a different level of difficulty, marked by playing cards, and failure means instant death. As Arisu and his friends struggle to survive, they encounter other participants like Usagi, a nimble mountain climber. Together, they try to uncover the mystery behind this brutal game world while facing increasingly dangerous and brutal challenges.
4. TOMODACHI GAME (2017)

TOMODACHI GAME (credit: mydramalist)
| Rating | 7.5 mydramalist |
| Episode | 4 eps |
| Duration | 25 minutes |
| Airing | - |
| Cast | Yoshigawa Ryo, Uchida Rio, Yamada Yuki |
A Japanese drama that should not be watched by young children but is exciting for other adult viewers is TOMODACHI GAME. This drama tells the story of a group of friends who are trapped in a mysterious game that tests the limits of their friendship. Yuuichi Katagiri and his friends must participate in a series of dangerous games to pay off a debt that they somehow incurred.
Each game is designed to create distrust and betrayal among friends, with increasingly severe consequences as time goes on. TOMODACHI GAME explores themes such as trust, betrayal, and the value of friendship in extreme situations. Although it does not always depict physical violence, the psychological violence and intense emotional manipulation make this drama unsuitable for young viewers.
5. GANNIBAL (2022)
The drama GANNIBAL centers on Daigo Agawa, a police officer who is reassigned to a remote village called Kuge. At first, the village appears friendly and calm, but the mysterious death of a resident uncovers a dark secret. Daigo slowly realizes that the Gotoh family, the most influential clan in the village, harbors a tradition of cannibalism that has been passed down through generations.
This drama is not suitable for children as it presents extreme violence, intense psychological tension, and disturbing and traumatic themes of cannibalism for viewers under age.
6. GOKUAKU GANBO (2014)
Starting from a fraud that destroyed her life, an ordinary woman is forced to plunge into the underground criminal world. She collaborates with criminals, loan sharks, and psychopaths to survive and seek revenge for the pain she has endured. The dark world she enters is filled with intrigue, betrayal, and power plays.
This series is not suitable for children as it contains themes of serious criminality, cunning manipulation, and amoral behavior that can adversely affect a child's character development.
7. MUSEUM (2016)
The story of MUSEUM follows a detective hunting a mysterious masked serial killer known as the frog man. The perpetrator executes his victims using brutal methods that he considers to be "moral punishment" for their sins. Each case brings new terror that increasingly tests the mental limits of the detective.
This drama is banned for children due to its depiction of brutal torture scenes, excessive gore, and a visually and psychologically disturbing psychopathic antagonist.
8. DEAR PATIENT: KIZUNA NO KARTE (2020)
This series highlights the lives of doctors and nurses in a hospital dealing with patients from complex backgrounds. In addition to medical conflicts, the story develops towards personal relationships among healthcare workers filled with emotional pressure, secrets, and moral dilemmas.
Not recommended for young children due to adult scenes, explicit romantic relationships, and adult life issues that are not suitable for children's consumption.
9. BURN THE HOUSE DOWN (2023)
In BURN THE HOUSE DOWN, Anzu Murata infiltrates the wealthy Mitarai family's home as a housekeeper. Behind her false identity, she harbors a personal mission: to uncover the truth about the fire that destroyed her childhood home and shattered her family 13 years ago.
This drama is not suitable for children as it addresses themes of obsessive revenge, emotional manipulation, and an antagonist character with sociopathic tendencies.
10. AND THEN, THERE WERE NONE (2017)
Ten strangers receive a mysterious invitation to a remote island without knowing the real reason. Upon arrival, a voice recording reveals each guest's past sins. Terror begins when they are killed one by one following the order of a chilling nursery rhyme.
This drama is not suitable for young children as it presents a mystery of serial murder with a cold and gloomy atmosphere. In addition to the oppressive psychological atmosphere, the story also highlights past crimes and heavy adult moral themes for underage viewers.
11. FAQ
1.Why is the SCAMS drama not intended for young children?
The SCAMS drama is prohibited for young children because it highlights the dark side of the criminal world, particularly about money transfer scams. This drama shows how someone facing economic problems can fall into a crime syndicate filled with manipulation and illegal actions.
2.What makes the FISHBOWL WIVES (KINGYO TSUMA) drama categorized as adult viewing?
FISHBOWL WIVES is very unsuitable for young children because its main focus is on the theme of infidelity in marriage. Articles mention that this drama contains many intimate scenes that are very vulgar and explicit, thus it is intended only for adult viewers.
3.Which drama tells the story of a dangerous and excessive love obsession?
The drama is RINKAI. Its story highlights a very intense and unhealthy romantic relationship, where there is a strong element of obsession between its characters. Emotional content and adult scenes make this drama unsafe for viewers under age.
4. Is there a drama on the list that tells about a secret relationship between coworkers?
Yes, that is the drama HAPIMARI: HAPPY MARRIAGE!?. Although it has a contract marriage premise, this drama explores the development of a romantic and sexual relationship between a boss and his employee, thus it falls into the category of recommendations for adult viewers.
5. What are the general criteria that make the four dramas in the article prohibited for children?
According to the article, the main criteria include the presence of explicit bed scenes, discussions of complex household issues (such as infidelity), depictions of the criminal world, and difficult-to-understand adult psychological themes that could negatively influence a child's development.
These are some recommendations for Japanese dramas that should not be watched by young children but can be exciting viewing for adults. Once again, it is hoped that viewers will be more prudent in selecting what to watch!
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(kpl/psp)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.