Yell (2020)

A sweeping NHK morning drama about a composer whose music becomes a source of hope for an entire nation across Japan's transformative Showa Era.

Yell - Series Information

  • Original Title: エール
  • First Air Year: 2020
  • Last Air Year: 2020
  • Type: TV Series
  • Genres: Drama
  • Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode: 15 minutes
  • Number of Seasons: 1
  • Number of Episodes: 120
  • Status: Ended
  • Original Language: Japanese
  • Spoken Languages: Japanese
  • Networks: NHK G
  • Production Companies: NHK, NHK Enterprises
  • Production Countries: Japan
  • Alternative Titles: 連続テレビ小説 エール (JP)

Yell - Plot

NHK's 102nd morning drama depicts the life of a famous composer. Koyama Yuichi with his wife Oto. They meet each other through music and overcome hardships together. Yuichi composes songs that became "Yells" for people all over Japan in the Showa Era (1926-1989) in which radical changes were going on.

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Yell - Cast & Crew

Main Cast

  • Yuri Nakamura
  • Masataka Kubota
  • Fumi Nikaido
  • Toshiaki Karasawa
  • Momoko Kikuchi
  • Takara Sakumoto
  • Naotaro Moriyama
  • Ikusaburo Yamazaki
  • Aoi Nakamura
  • Hiroki Otsu

Yell - FAQs

What is Yell about?

Yell is NHK's 102nd asadora morning drama, following the life of fictional composer Koyama Yuichi and his wife Oto. United by their love of music, the couple faces hardships together while Yuichi creates songs that inspire and uplift people across Japan during the sweeping changes of the Showa Era (1926–1989).

Is Yell based on a true story?

Yell is loosely inspired by the life of real Japanese composer Yūji Koseki, known for iconic wartime and postwar songs. While the central characters are fictionalized, the drama draws on Koseki's biography and the broader cultural landscape of Showa-era Japan to ground its narrative in historical authenticity.

Who are the main actors in Yell?

Yell stars Masataka Kubota as protagonist Yuichi Koyama and Fumi Nikaido as his wife Oto Koyama. The ensemble cast also includes Yuri Nakamura, Toshiaki Karasawa, Momoko Kikuchi, Takara Sakumoto, Naotaro Moriyama, Ikusaburo Yamazaki, Aoi Nakamura, and Hiroki Otsu.

What is the asadora format used in Yell?

Asadora, short for asa no renzoku terebi shosetsu (morning serial television novel), is NHK's long-running weekday drama format. Each episode runs approximately 15 minutes and airs in the morning. Yell is the 102nd asadora, comprising 120 episodes across a single season broadcast in 2020.

How many episodes does Yell have?

Yell consists of 120 episodes across one season. Each episode has an average runtime of approximately 15 minutes, consistent with NHK's traditional asadora morning drama format. The series aired in its entirety in 2020 and has since concluded.

What network airs Yell in Japan?

Yell aired on NHK G, the flagship general television channel of Japan's national public broadcaster NHK. The series was produced by NHK and NHK Enterprises as part of the broadcaster's prestigious asadora morning drama slot, which has been a staple of Japanese television since 1961.

What are shows similar to Yell?

Viewers who enjoyed Yell may also appreciate Amachan (2013), another beloved NHK asadora, as well as Tokyo Noodle Factory (2021) and Our Little Love Story (2023). For biographical drama with a period setting, Halston (2021) offers a comparable blend of personal ambition and historical atmosphere.

Is Yell cancelled or still running?

Yell has ended. The series concluded in 2020 after completing its single season of 120 episodes on NHK G. As is standard for NHK asadora dramas, Yell was conceived as a self-contained story and was not renewed for additional seasons following its broadcast run.

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