# Duty First, Kiss Later (2026)

> An old-school detective and his cold, ambitious partner navigate a growing attraction inside a rural police station.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1104985

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 10
- Episode runtime: 23 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: romance, comedy, drama
- Created by: Su
- Network: ABC TV
- Cast: Shu Watanabe, Ryu Saito, Haruka Kudo, Yuta Kanai, Doronzu Ishimoto, Toshihiro Yashiba, Rei Kikukawa, Jouji Shibue
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt43712007/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: cheerful, comforting, sincere, bittersweet, playful

## Synopsis

Duty First, Kiss Later (2026) is a Japanese boys' love miniseries created by Su and broadcast on ABC TV. Across ten episodes of about twenty-three minutes each, it follows an old-school detective, Heisuke Takoi (Shu Watanabe), and his cold, ambitious partner, Shiono Shu (Ryu Saito), as their growing attraction complicates their work inside a rural police station. Mariko Egawa (Haruka Kudo) and Jiro Hasegawa (Yuta Kanai) add lighter threads around the station, while the local izakaya and its colleagues give the small town a warm backdrop. The engine is simple and emotional: two men who must keep up a professional front while every case and late shift pushes them closer. Each episode mixes flirtatious banter, sincere heartache and goofy workplace shenanigans, so the romance feels sweet without losing its ache. Set in a contemporary Japanese countryside town, the series has a cozy, comforting register and a sincere, cheerful sensibility. Fans of Ossan's Love and Given will find resonance in its boys' love warmth and workplace tenderness. Viewers who enjoy a gentle, funny romance with real feeling will find it an easy and affectionate watch.

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