Behind-the-scenes maneuvering, betrayal, ruin, and revenge… Highly recommended by drama experts! A gem of a “power struggle drama” that adults will love
Special Entertainment Research Feature [Part 1]
From mega-hits with ratings over 40% to hidden gems
Manipulating the majority, setting traps, and winning over influential figures—using any means necessary to knock rivals down and climb to the top.
This is a scene played out in every kind of organization, from the corporate world to the political arena. Because they make for compelling stories and deal with themes familiar to many viewers, numerous dramas centered on power struggles have been produced. Among them are masterpieces that achieved peak ratings exceeding 40% and became social phenomena.
So, which power struggle dramas are truly the best? FRIDAY interviewed six professionals well-versed in the genre—including former TV producers and TV columnists—to select the Top 10.
“Hagetaka” (NHK, 2007) Starring Nao Omori
Ranked number one and hailed by the most experts as a “masterpiece of power struggle dramas” is the 2007 NHK series “Hagetaka.”The story follows a foreign fund manager, played by Nao Omori (54), as he acquires Japanese companies one after another. Omori rose to stardom overnight thanks to this series.
Sachinobu Okada, a former Nippon TV producer and professor in the Faculty of Sociology at Yamato University, praised the series, saying, “It portrays corporate takeovers not merely as economic stories, but as human dramas.”
“What makes this drama outstanding is that the companies being acquired all have deep-rooted problems. Management refuses to take responsibility for declining performance and even engages in the personal use of company funds. Meanwhile, the banks providing loans do nothing to resolve these issues and simply put them off.Watching this, viewers are left wondering whether the protagonist is merely a ‘vulture.’ While depicting various corporate takeovers, the series compels us to consider who a company truly belongs to and what capitalism really is.”
Columnist Takashi Kimura also speaks highly of *Hagetak*.
“In addition to the production staff, the cast—including Ryuhei Matsuda (43) and Kyohei Shibata (74)—is top-notch.Since *Hagetak*, NHK has begun producing substantial, meaty productions. Although the ratings weren’t exceptionally high, I want to recommend *Hagetak* because it overturned the perception that ‘NHK only has morning dramas and historical epics.’”
The table below the article is the “Top 10 Masterpiece Power Struggle Dramas,” compiled by the editorial department based on interviews with experts. Below, we’ll explain the appeal of the ranked works.
“The White Tower” (Fuji TV), broadcast in 2003, garnered support rivaling that of “Hagetaka” and took second place.Set in a university hospital in Osaka, the story follows Associate Professor Goro Zaizen (played by Toshiaki Karasawa, 62) as he engages in a fierce power struggle to secure the position of professor.
“The protagonist, played by Karasawa, is a surgeon with genius-level skills. To fulfill his ambition of reaching the pinnacle of the medical world, Zaizen enters into a ‘political marriage’ and works behind the scenes with other professors during the election to achieve his goal.
What left a strong impression was the performance of Toshiyuki Nishida (who passed away at the age of 76) as Zaizen’s father-in-law, Matakazu.The lines Matakazu delivers to the protagonist while dining at a traditional Japanese restaurant—‘The ultimate human desire is honor,’ and ‘No matter how far you go, money is still just money’—had an eerie intensity.“Considering that it achieved viewership ratings exceeding 30% despite being set in the unfamiliar world of the medical community, it certainly deserves a spot near the top of the rankings,” said Takahiko Kageyama, a professor at Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts.
“The White Tower” (Fuji TV, aired in 2003) Starring Toshiaki Karasawa and Yosuke Eguchi
“Hanzawa Naoki” (TBS, aired in 2013), starring Masato Sakai
“Hanzawa Naoki” (TBS), a must-mention when discussing power struggle dramas, ranks third.Broadcast in 2013 as part of the “Sunday Theater” series, this drama tells a story of good triumphing over evil, in which a banker played by Masato Sakai (52) is caught up in battles for promotion and factional strife while exposing internal corruption and driving out the villains.
“It’s incredibly thrilling to watch him barely scrape by while being saddled with impossible tasks, such as debt collection and the financial restructuring of a hotel he’s lending to. Amid the edge-of-your-seat drama, the scenes with his wife, played by Aya Ueto (40), serve as a welcome respite.The rival characters, such as Executive Director Owada played by Teruyuki Kagawa (60), who will do anything for their own advancement, are also compelling. Given its impressive peak viewership rating of 42.2%, it will surely rank among the top three.” (TV columnist Tamami Hiyama)
When it comes to masterpieces featuring salarymen, the 2009 series “Barren Land” (Fuji TV) is particularly famous.The protagonist, who served as a staff officer in the Imperial Japanese Army, transitions to a career as a trading company executive after the war and wields his formidable skills. Mr. Kimura, mentioned earlier, analyzes its appeal by saying, “The scale is on a completely different level compared to other dramas.”
“While ‘The White Tower,’ also based on a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki, was a story set in the narrow world of a university hospital, ‘The Barren Land’ takes place against the backdrop of the entire postwar world. The protagonist takes on massive business challenges, such as the competition to select fighter jets for the Air Self-Defense Force, partnerships between Japanese and American automakers, and oil drilling in the Middle East.And in the process, he is hindered by rival companies that shower politicians with money and by internal factions within his own company that resent his rise. The protagonist fends off all these obstacles and even brings down the president himself. The gritty, unflinching intensity—something lacking in recent dramas—is what makes this series so formidable.”
“Barren Land” (Fuji TV, aired in 2009) Starring Toshiaki Karasawa
From the June 19, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”
PHOTO： Jiji Press (2nd photo) Sota Shima (3rd photo)