14. Hibana: Spark

I suspect that the exact things that make Hibana worthwhile TV are also the things that might hamper the Japanese series for an American audience. It's a show about a young man trying to succeed as a comedian, and it's unreservedly rooted in Japanese culture. From an outsider's perspective, the show's manzai-style comedy can seem baffling. ButHibana is beautifully made, and full of sharp specificity. The result is an appealing little show about Japanese comedy, set inside another show that's remarkable for its cultural precision.