Second to Last Love
{{For|the 2016 South Korean remake of the same title|Second to Last Love (South Korean TV series)}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi (Season 1).jpg
| caption = Promotional poster (Season 1)
| alt_name = My Second Last Love{{cite web|title=Second Last Love / Saigo Kara Nibanme No Koi Japanese Tv Drama|url=https://www.amazon.com/Second-Nibanme-Japanese-Digipak-English/dp/6160600591|website=Amazon.com|accessdate=4 December 2014}}
| creator =
| developer =
| writer = Yoshikazu Okada
| director = Rieko Miyamoto, Masaki Tanimura, Michiko Namiki, Yusuke Kato, Ryo Miyawaki
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = Kyōko Koizumi
Kiichi Nakai
Naoko Iijima
Kenji Sakaguchi
Yuki Uchida
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| opentheme = "Hello New Me" by Ayumi Hamasaki (season 2)
"Mimosa" by Ayumi Hamasaki (season 3)
| endtheme = "How Beautiful You Are" by Ayumi Hamasaki (season 1){{cite web|title=Hamasaki Ayumi to sing the theme song for "Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi"|url=http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2011/12/hamasaki-ayumi-to-sing-the-theme-song-for-saigo-kara-nibanme-no-koi/|publisher=Tokyo Hive|accessdate=4 December 2014}}
"Teijiro" by Kyōko Koizumi and Kiichi Nakai (season 2)
| composer = Atsushi Hirasawa
| country = Japan
| language = Japanese
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes = 34
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer = Hiroki Wakamatsu, Sumi Asano
| editor =
| location = Kamakura, Kanagawa
| cinematography =
| camera =
| runtime = 54 minutes
| company =
| channel = Fuji TV
| first_aired = {{Start date|2012|1|12}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2014|6|26}}
| related = Second to Last Love (South Korean TV series)
}}
Second to Last Love, or {{Nihongo|Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi|最後から二番目の恋|My Second Last Love}}, is a Japanese television drama series, starring Kyōko Koizumi and Kiichi Nakai.{{cite web |url=http://www.tokyograph.com/news/koizumi-kyoko-nakai-kiichi-star-in-romance-drama-saigo-kara-nibanme-no-koi/|title=Koizumi Kyoko, Nakai Kiichi star in romance drama "Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi"|date=2011-11-21|accessdate= 2011-11-23|work=Tokyograph}} The series aired Thursdays at 22:00 - 22:54, on Fuji Television from January 12, to March 22, 2012.
A second season entitled {{nihongo|Zoku—Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi|続・最後から二番目の恋|}} was broadcast by Fuji TV from April 17 to June 26, 2014. In 2025, a third season— {{nihongo|Zoku Zoku—Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi|続・続・最後から二番目の恋|}}—began on April 14, 2025.{{Cite web |last=Inc |first=Natasha |title=小泉今日子×中井貴一「続・続・最後から二番目の恋」始まりとこれからを切り取ったポスター（コメントあり） |url=https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/617025 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=映画ナタリー |language=ja}}
Plot
Described as an adult love story, Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi narrates the tale of Chiaki Yoshino (Kyōko Koizumi), a 45-year-old TV drama producer. As she is becoming older, Chiaki becomes increasingly more concerned about her health and retirement, instead of building romantic relationship with someone: The hope she once had of sharing her life with someone seems distant. Chiaki is subsequently troubled about deciding on taking a break from her ruling life, and such questions lead her to Kamakura, where she decides to settle. In this ancient city she meets Wahei Nagakura (Kiichi Nakai), a 50-year-old widower and father of one child who works for the city office.
Chiaki and Wahei start getting closer as they learn more about each other's lives. However, Wahei's family start obstructing the development of their relationship. Wahei's brother, Shinpei, starts courting Chiaki, creating a conflicting triangle relationship. On the other hand, Wahei's sister, Noriko, constantly harasses Chiaki. Facing these problematic family members, Chiaki and Wahei try to build and sustain their budding romance.
Cast
- Kyōko Koizumi as Chiaki Yoshino
- Kiichi Nakai as Wahei Nagakura
- Kenji Sakaguchi as Shinpei Nagakura
- Mariko Watanabe as Erina Nagakura
- Hiroko Moriguchi as Keiko Araki
- Kazuyuki Asano as Hiroyuki Mizutani
- Naoko Iijima as Noriko Mizutani
- Yuki Uchida as Midori Hatanaka
Episodes
=Season 1=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||
| No. | Air date | Title | Directed by | Ratings{{cite web|title=メディア・マーケティングデータ、広告プランニング・効果測定、市場調査ならビデオリサーチ|url=http://www.videor.co.jp|publisher=Video Research Ltd.|accessdate=4 December 2014|language=Japanese}} |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |{{Start date|2012|1|12}} | There aren't adults who aren't lonely (寂しくない大人なんていない) | rowspan="3"|Rieko Miyamoto | 12.1% |
| 2 | |{{Start date|2012|1|19}} | Being single is a freedom that ends hurting (ひとりって切ないくらい自由) | 12.8% | |
| 3 | |{{Start date|2012|1|26}} | Don't laugh at adults enjoying their youth! (大人の青春を笑うな!) | 11.8% | |
| 4 | |{{Start date|2012|2|2}} | Aging is a heart-wrenching thing for a woman (女が年取るってせつないよね) | Masaki Tanimura | {{color|blue|11.4%}} |
| 5 | |{{Start date|2012|2|9}} | What will the last love of my life be? (人生最後の恋って何だろう) | Michiko Namiki | 12.6% |
| 6 | |{{Start date|2012|2|16}} | Unlike any love until now (今迄のどんな恋にも似てない) | Rieko Miyamoto | 11.7% |
| 7 | |{{Start date|2012|2|23}} | How should I love? (恋ってどうすれば良いんだ?) | Masaki Tanimura | 13.1% |
| 8 | |{{Start date|2012|3|1}} | An adult's kiss is painful but laughable (大人のキスは切なくて笑える) | Rieko Miyamoto | 11.5% |
| 9 | |{{Start date|2012|3|8}} | A kiss can be as eloquent as one's words (キスは口ほどにものを言う) | Masaki Tanimura | 12.3% |
| 10 | |{{Start date|2012|3|15}} | Even an adult's future shines (大人の未来だって、輝いてる) | rowspan="2"|Rieko Miyamoto | 13.0% |
| 11 | |{{Start date|2012|3|22}} | A love that hasn't ended yet (まだ恋は終わらない〜最終回) | {{color|red|13.7%}} | |
| colspan="5"|Average rating: 12.4% |
=Special=
=Season 2=
Awards
- Tokyo Drama Awards 2013 - Excellence Award (Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi 2012 Aki){{cite web|title=あまちゃん：「東京ドラマアウォード」グランプリほか"じぇじぇじぇ"の7冠|url=http://mantan-web.jp/2013/10/22/20131022dog00m200004000c.html|website=Mantanweb|language=Japanese|accessdate=4 December 2014|date=22 October 2013}}
- Tokyo Drama Awards 2014 - Best Screenplay (Yoshikazu Okada){{cite web|title=Winners of 'Tokyo Drama Awards 2014' announced|url=http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/10/winners-of-tokyo-drama-awards-2014-announced|publisher=Tokyo Hive|accessdate=4 December 2014|date=25 October 2014}}