Punch-Drunk Woman (2026)

Name: Punch-Drunk Woman
Rating: 8.0

Rating: 8.0

Synopsis

A strict female correctional officer’s disciplined life unravels when she encounters an inmate who is connected to her deepest secret.

First Air Date: 2026-01-11

Last Air Date: 2026-04-26

Number of Seasons: 2

Number of Episodes: 15

Networks: Nippon TV, Hulu

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Ryoko Shinohara as Kozue Fuyuki
Naohito Fujiki as Yusuke Saeki
Sawamura Rei as Yu Uchimura
Jesse as Reiji Kusaka / Haruomi Kusaka (University Student)
Hiroko Nakajima as Kayoko Nakama
Kang Ji-young as Park Ha-yoon
Tsutomu Takahashi as Kenji Tokai
Ichika Osaki as Minami Haneda
Haru Kashiwagi as Tomoaki Chinen
Shinya Niiro as Shinya Sekikawa

Seasons

Season 1 (2026)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Episode 1 (2026-01-11)

The man a strict female prison guard fell in love with was a murderer behind bars. Kozue Fuyuki (Ryoko Shinohara), a prison guard at Hikawa Detention Center, is disciplined, calm, and collected. She has always been strict with herself and others, but her encounter with murderer Reiji Kusaka (Jesse) changes the fate of both Kozue and Yusuke Saeki (Naohito Fujiki), the detective investigating the case... How will Kozue transform into a "villain"?! Inspired by a true story from overseas, an unpredictable "prison break suspense" and "forbidden love" story unfolds!
Ep. 2: Episode 2 (2026-01-18)

Kozue Fuyuki (Ryoko Shinohara), a prison guard at Hikawa Detention Center, has always been strict with herself and others, but she begins to feel unsettled by the words of Reiji Kusaka (Jesse), who has been transferred to the prison on suspicion of murdering his father... Meanwhile, an important tablet containing the data of inmates is stolen by someone, putting Kozue, the head of the detention center, at risk of disciplinary action. Meanwhile, Reiji, who is plotting an escape, is also after the tablet... Who stole it? The theft marks the beginning of the countdown to the prison break!
Ep. 3: Episode 3 (2026-01-25)

"I didn't kill my father." To Kozue Fuyuki (Ryoko Shinohara), a prison guard at Hikawa Detention Center, Kusaka Reiji (Jesse), who is suspected of murdering his father, claims his innocence. Detective Saeki Yusuke (Naohito Fujiki) says that the circumstantial evidence makes the possibility of his innocence extremely low, but... Meanwhile, Reiji approaches a cult that is plotting a prison break, asking them to join him... Soon after, a hostage situation breaks out inside the detention center! What is the motive behind the man (Ken Horiuchi) who demands a retrial in exchange for Kozue's life...?
Ep. 4: Episode 4 (2026-02-01)

The escape plan is underway! Prison guard Kozue Fuyuki (Ryoko Shinohara) teams up with Kusaka Reiji (Jesse), a suspect in her father's murder, to capture the culprit behind the hostage situation, but her ID and password are stolen by a traitorous prison guard who is a spy for the cult that is also plotting the escape! Kozue is framed by the cult and is suspected of being a spy! Reiji, who wants to escape, is also trying to betray Kozue...! Who is the traitor!? Kozue is cornered and in dire straits!
Ep. 5: Episode 5 (2026-02-22)

Kozue Fuyuki, a prison guard at Hikawa Detention Center, becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy when a cult plots a prison break with help from an insider. After being rescued by murder suspect Reiji Kusaka, he is forced to choose between escaping with the cult or saving her, while Kozue risks her life to stop the breakout.
Ep. 6: Episode 6 (2026-03-01)

Kozue Fuyuki, a prison guard at Hikawa Detention Center, seeks help from murder suspect Reiji Kusaka to stop a cult-led prison break, but is betrayed and imprisoned in a warehouse. As her life hangs in the balance, Reiji and the escapees hijack a transport vehicle and attempt to flee, leaving Kozue in a desperate race against time to survive and stop the breakout.
Ep. 7: Episode 7 (2026-03-08)

Reiji Kusaka, accused of murdering his father, insists he was framed and forced to take the blame after being threatened with his sister Suzu’s life. As prison guard Kozue Fuyuki learns Suzu may be in danger, she begins her own investigation—uncovering a truth that pushes her to the edge.
Ep. 8: Episode 8 (2026-03-15)

Determined to save an innocent man, Kozue crosses the line and sets a bold escape plan in motion to free Reiji. As she challenges acting warden Koyanagi and seizes control from within, Detective Saeki starts to suspect her drastic change.
Ep. 9: Episode 9 (2026-03-22)

Now fully committed, Kozue carries out her risky escape plan while deceiving those around her, including Saeki. But with Koyanagi seeking revenge and the police closing in, Kozue and Reiji are pushed into a desperate corner—will they make it out?
Ep. 10: Episode 10 (2026-03-29)

Driven by her resolve to save falsely accused inmate Reiji Kusaka, prison guard Kozue Fuyuki abandons everything—even her fiancé, Detective Yusuke Saeki—and breaks free from the system. As she evades the police and races to rescue Reiji’s imprisoned sister, Suzu, Kozue risks losing it all for the man she believes in. With no turning back, she chooses a path that could lead to either love or despair.