Translation guide
A set of television programs with a common title, typically broadcast on a regular schedule. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is テレビドラマ for scripted series, but the term varies depending on genre and format.
television series (drama)
television series (anime)
television series (general)
A fictional television series with a continuing storyline, typically aired weekly.
The most common term for a television drama series. Often shortened to ドラマ in conversation.
What's the most interesting TV drama this season?
Used for a drama franchise with multiple seasons or related series.
This drama series goes up to season 3.
An animated television series, often from Japan.
Standard term for a TV anime series. Often shortened to アニメ.
A television series in a broad sense, including documentaries, variety shows, etc.
General term for a TV program or show. Can refer to a series or a single episode.
Referring to a series with a fixed number of episodes, often a limited series.
Used to describe a series with a specific total number of episodes, e.g., 全10話 (a 10-episode series).
ドラマ specifically refers to scripted dramas, while 番組 is a broader term for any TV program, including variety shows, news, and documentaries. Use ドラマ when you mean a fictional series.
This drama is moving.
I'm watching a new television series on Netflix.
テレビシリーズ is a direct loan and widely understood, but テレビドラマ or テレビ番組 may be more natural depending on genre.
Emphasizes that it is a serialized drama, as opposed to a one-off special.
This drama series has 10 episodes in total.
This anime series airs every Sunday.
Used when emphasizing the series aspect, especially for multi-season shows.
This anime series is more popular than the original manga.
This TV show is a popular long-running series.
Often used as a suffix or standalone to mean 'series'. Context usually clarifies it's a TV series.
This series is streaming exclusively on Netflix.
This 5-episode series can be binge-watched.
Borrowed from English, used for a short-run series.
This miniseries concludes in just 3 episodes.
この番組は毎週月曜日に放送されます。
This program airs every Monday.
The word シリーズ can be attached to many nouns to indicate a series. For example, ドラマシリーズ (drama series), アニメシリーズ (anime series), or simply シリーズ when the context is clear.
このテレビ番組は10年間続いています。
This television series has been running for ten years.