According to Japanese media outlet Nikkan Gendai, Minamida Minami: The Genius Lawyer, which premiered on October 19 on Kansai TV and Fuji TV, recorded a household viewership rating of 7.4%, based on Video Research data from Japan's Kanto region.
The result is particularly impressive compared to the previous drama in the same time slot, GTO, starring Takashi Sorimachi, which recorded 3.7% for its final episode.
This means the Japanese remake opened with exactly twice the ratings of its predecessor's finale, drawing attention to its early performance.
Nikkan Gendai described the 7.4% result as "a very strong start," suggesting that the remake has already attracted considerable interest from Japanese viewers.
Based on the popular 2022 ENA drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo, the Japanese adaptation follows a rookie lawyer on the autism spectrum as she faces prejudice, handles legal cases, and builds her career at a major law firm.
Japanese actress Mana Ashida plays the lead character, Minami Minamida. The drama marks her first leading role in a television series in 10 years and her first time portraying a lawyer.
Fumiya Takahashi plays Minato Funai, a character corresponding to Lee Jun Ho in the Korean original, while Akihiro Kakuta takes on the role of Minami's father.
Beyond its promising television ratings, the remake has also received encouraging early reactions, particularly for Ashida's performance.
According to Oricon, viewers praised the actress on social media following the premiere, with many highlighting her handling of the challenging lead role.
Japanese entertainment outlet Real Sound also gave positive feedback on her courtroom performance, suggesting that the drama could become one of Ashida's defining works in her twenties.
The remake has additionally drawn attention for maintaining the original drama's familiar atmosphere while introducing changes suited to Japanese culture.
However, the Korean original continues to receive higher audience scores on Japanese review platform Filmarks.
As of October 21, the Japanese remake held a rating of 3.6 out of 5, compared to 4.3 out of 5 for the original Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
Despite the difference, Nikkan Gendai reported that some viewers who initially expressed disappointment after watching the remake's trailer had responded more positively after seeing the first episode.
The early reactions suggest that the Japanese adaptation is beginning to attract both new viewers and fans of the Korean series.
With its 7.4% premiere rating and encouraging audience feedback, attention is now turning to whether Minamida Minami: The Genius Lawyer can maintain its momentum in the coming weeks.
The second episode is scheduled to air on October 26 at 10 p.m. JST, while episodes are also being released on Netflix following their television broadcasts.
