On July 31, 2025, Netflix debuted its new Japanese musical drama Glass Heart worldwide. The series stars Takeru Satoh as Naoki Fujitani, frontman of the fictional band TENBLANK. The story, taken from Mio Wakagi’s novel, follows Fujitani’s tense rivalry with Toya Shinzaki (Masaki Suda), the lead singer of competing group Over Chrome. At the same time, it explores the inner workings of a demanding music industry. On the other hand, there is Akane Saijo (Yu Miyazaki), a university student and drummer who’s invited by Naoki to join his band. There, she teams up with guitarist Sho Takaoka (Keita Machida) and keyboardist Kazushi Sakamoto (Jun Shison).The conclusion of Glass Heart discloses Naoki and Akane growing closer. Meanwhile, guitarist Kazushi also harbors affection for Akane, but she ultimately chooses Naoki. Later, as TENBLANK faces a potential disband due to Naoki’s health issues, the band instead makes a powerful comeback, remaining united.Glass Heart recap: Do Naoki and Akane become a couple in the end?In Glass Heart, drummer Akane admires Naoki Fujitani even before they met, aware of his musical brilliance. Though she doubts she could match his level, she is determined to prove herself. As they begin working together, Akane becomes drawn to him.When the TENBLANK decides to create new music, they leave the city for a forest cabin. Despite the tension, Akane eventually admits her feelings to Naoki. But he turns her down, saying music is the only thing that keeps him going. Crushed, she pours herself into her drumming.Meanwhile, Kazushi, another bandmate, also develops feelings for Akane. Though he quietly confesses to Amane, she is still in love with Naoki. Akane also visits Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine and wishes to stay connected with Naoki through both music and life. Soon, the band learns Naoki had a brain tumor and continuing to perform could kill him. Takaoka, shaken, leaves the group for Naoki’s health.Akane, realizing Naoki’s survival depends on creating music, takes him away to inspire him. However, when he collapses, she blames herself and quits, working instead at her mother’s restaurant. Naoki later reaches out to her and confesses his love. The two kisses! On the other front, Yukino left after learning that it’s Naoki (and not Isagi) who wrote all her tracks.Yukino and Isagi in Glass Heart (Image via Netflix)Feeling betrayed, she walks away. Yukino, used as a pawn, turned against Isagi. Furious, Isagi exposes Naoki’s illness to Takaoka, hoping to break the group. TENBLANK rose stronger, and Yukino exposed Isagi publicly, ruining his reputation.To boost TENBLANK’s reach, Naoki approaches Toya, the lead singer of Over Chrome, and his old rival. Though Toya has always envied Naoki, he eventually comes to terms with it and forgives his half-brother. In the end, Kazushi (who had always cared for Akane) stood by her without expecting anything.Toya and Naoki in Glass Heart (Image via Netflix)Takaoka also returned, realizing music meant more than fear. Even Yukino, after being cast aside by Isagi, was invited on stage by TENBLANK during their final performance, proving her loyalty. In the finale, TENBLANK, now reunited, performs with Naoki, Akane, Kazushi, Takaoka, Toya, and Yukino — all on the same stage.Will there be a follow-up season to Glass Heart?A second season of Glass Heart hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the story is far from over. The finale tied up the romance between Akane and Naoki, yet it left several threads loose, which can be covered if there's ever a follow-up season. Naoki's brain tumor remains a key unanswered plot point.Although his collapse pushed Akane to quit and later return, the story never revealed if his condition is terminal or if treatment is even an option. His passion for music continues to be his only lifeline, but how long he can physically sustain it is murky. This health risk endangers not just his life but the very survival of TENBLANK.Now that Akane and Naoki are together, the query remains whether their relationship can endure the weight of ambition and illness. Kazushi’s arc is equally open. Though he stood by Akane through heartbreak, he was left in the shadows. Yukino, once manipulated by Isagi, walked away from him after discovering Naoki had been the true writer of her songs all along.She joined TENBLANK onstage in the finale, a symbolic act of redemption, but her future is still a question. Will she restart her solo career or collaborate further with the band that welcomed her back? Meanwhile, Isagi’s downfall was decisive but possibly not final. Publicly exposed by Yukino, he lost his credibility and power in the industry.Still, a character with his ego may not disappear so easily. Even TENBLANK’s trajectory isn’t stable. Their debut single was dropped after Toya’s leaked track exposed a near-duplicate version. With the band’s momentum interrupted, questions arise about whether they’ll regroup creatively and produce a fresh hit.If season 2 of Glass Heart happens, it has plenty of ground to cover. Until then, fans have to wait and watch. The Japanese drama is available to stream on Netflix!