

52 minSeason 1 • Episode 11
LatestBuzzer Beat is a Fuji TV Japanese television drama, which stars Yamashita Tomohisa, Keiko Kitagawa, and Aibu Saki. The series primarily focuses on two characters, Naoki Kamiya, a professional basketball player, and Riko Shirakawa, an aspiring violinist. Over the course of the series Naoki faces difficulties trying to succeed in the world of basketball, and Riko struggles to become a successful violinist. Eventually the two meet and the series chronicles their relationship and struggles, as well as those of their friends.
Acting
Yamashita's puppy-dog eyes could melt actual glaciers
Score
Violin pieces that make every almost-kiss feel epic
Production
Basketball courts and concert halls shot with genuine warmth
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Buzzer Beat captures Japan's 2000s 'renai drama' boom where sports settings became shorthand for youthful ambition and delayed romance.
Yamashita Tomohisa performed his own basketball scenes after months of training, while Keiko Kitagawa had to fake violin prowess—she's actually left-handed.