STARTO ENTERTAINMENT has released the first episode of its inaugural S Drama (special short drama) vertical series, Memory Acquirer.

Produced by BABEL LABEL’s Michihito Fujii, the series stars Koichi Domoto (KinKi Kids) as the enigmatic Chrono, a broker who buys and sells human memories. Appearing when people are at their most vulnerable, he offers relief—but once a memory is sold, it’s gone forever.

Episode one, The Vanished Night, features Taiki Shinozuka (timelesz) as Satoru Oda, a shy university student held back by the painful memories of his past. Memories that have left him unable to speak in front of others, preventing him from reaching his full potential—until Chrono approaches him in a park and offers what he believes is a way to greatness.

But salvation—like magic—comes at a price. For Oda, that price is the very thing that made him special to those around him, especially the girl he likes, Miku (Riko). While his best friend, Ryo Shirai (Oshiro Maeda), enjoys the perks of Oda’s newfound confidence, things take a dark turn when a hit-and-run results in the death of a young man—and Oda can’t remember what happened. Could he really have killed someone?

I’ve never watched a vertical series before, as I’m not usually a fan of viewing films or dramas on my phone. But since this was a STARTO venture, I decided to give it a try. It’s an intriguing concept with plenty of twists and turns— and the length of a regular television episode. It’s engaging enough that I’m already waiting for episode two.

there will be more S-Drama reviews soon so…

Stay Tuned!