Akira Inami (Shun Oguri) is a former Self-Defense Force member. He was emotionally scarred by a special mission and subsequently discharged from the Self-Defense Force. Now, Akira Inami works for a secret Special Investigation Team at the National Police Agency. Meanwhile, Saburo Tamaru (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is kind and stoic. With Akira Inami, Saburo Tamaru and other members, the Special Investigation Team tackles important political matters and dirty jobs for the government.
Paris, 22 February 2017 – The Japanese drama series “Crisis”, produced by Kansai TV, will feature as the first-ever Asian World Premiere TV Screening at MIPTV 2017.
The MIPTV entertainment content market takes place in Cannes, France, from 3-6 April 2017. “Crisis” will be screened to delegates on Tuesday 4 April at 11:45am in the Palais des Festivals, in the presence of one its stars, Hidetoshi Nishijima, and Executive Producers Takahiro Kasagi and Takashi Hagihara.
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I'm a big fan of this guy and I just can't miss any of his shows. As always, I found him very charming as for his good-looking -which got more beautiful especially here in this series, the guy is aging in a fine way- and for his splendid acting, particularly the fighting scenes, he's so natural & genuine when he plays any character, hands down: one of the best, if not the best of all.
The story in general is not very engaging -at least to me- and I think that the genre of this series is more into: Politics, Political Corruption, National Subjects, and even Psychology - I daresay.
It talks about the internal corruption of the Japanese government, their greed, their dirty works which should be covered at any cost, even if it means killing some innocent people.
Those political high-positioned & dirty-handed people who end up protecting themselves by exploiting and using the Police, SP, Military Forces members/agents, who on the other hand, do their jobs and strive with a good intention to do good to their own country, but they end up covering up some holes caused by other's foolishness and greed.
As they say in the drama: ”Kuni no tame janai, Kokka no tame da!" = It's not for the sake of the nation/country, it's for the sake of the state.
Each episode has a different case, and each's solved in a different method & strategy by our beloved team.
To me, those internal matters of a country that I don't belong to or live in, doesn't really matter in anyway and I believe that the core of this series is not received as an interesting one internationally. Yes it will matter to the Japanese people, it does indeed, but I hope deep inside that the actual reality doesn't really resemble the incidents of this drama, I truly wish that yet I assume that the writer got actually inspired by the real one.
I love Kaneshiro Kazuki's style, he never fails to do a great job and he absolutely did in this as always. But something about his ingredients that always smells & tastes the same, I could recall the same atmosphere I have been in while watching SP & BORDER, the same gloomy air and the same seriousness.
For the acting and the cast: Just phenomenal! They did their best and they proved their talents, each and everyone did so great, indeed the only thing that kept me engaged with this drama is their fine performance.
Oguri Shun, can't say more, this guy is just awesome, he never leaves a bad impression of any role he portrays. Nishijima also left a good impression on me this time -which is rare!-, he did not impress me overall yet his fighting scenes were so priceless, to me -as I commented before-, he seems to be dull and his acting is bold. He's the same person in each drama I watch, with the same haircut, same facial expressions, same quiet personality, he never changes based on the given role, which's so unlike Oguri Shun.
Generally, I will definitely give them 10/10 for their wonderful acting, it was so absorbing and so real.
Their sense of humor and their little random jokes which peeked through was so light & pleasing, that's another thing that made me look forward to each and every episode.
The Music in this is not really wow but different, the song at the beginning says a lot & it really suits the nature of story, the OST in general is serious and it matches with the seriousness of the plot.
I might rewatch this drama if I am going to miss Ouguri Shun and Nishijima's slight bromance, it was really a heart-warming & touching addition.
Frustration, Devastation, Self-doubt, Self-loss,Confusion, Broken trust, Being victimized, betrayed, used, deceived, cheated, fooled & misled. These will be the emotions you'll develop throughout this drama and definitely when you finish it, So if you're ready to face them, then definitely GO AHEAD.
Despite of all the gloomy and dark sides of the story, it was a good show. Very well performed by the cast & very well executed & produced overall. I truly enjoyed watching the team and how strongly united they were, each one got the other one's back and how they faithfully supported each other.
Lastly, The solution of the Crisis in my opinion is very & well known to anyone with a normal common sense, but it stays difficult and hard to implement in reality. YET, I wholeheartedly hope for this corruption to end one day, not sure how but somehow. And for that reason I pray that they will get us a second season showing us their way of doing it!
Enjoy!
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Story: Story was great, i liked how every episode had a different problem and usually ended in one episode. Although there was an underlining story, it was a bit confusing and I think they could've done a better job with it cause it seemed all over the place. I wish they had more of a back story for all the characters and how they got to where they are now, maybe they will do that in a second season cause it defiantly needs one.
Acting/Cast: Literally the best, finally some acting that wasn't over the top and crazy from a J-drama. They clicked so well, they all had their roles, and i always love seeing a girl that can kick ass.
Music: I gave music the only 10 cause i wanted to emphasize how freaking LITTY the music was. From the theme song to the instrumentals in the scenes they all fit so well I was enjoying the music more so the actual scenes.
Rewatch: Great thing about most J-dramas is that they have low episode counts making the easily rewatchable.
Overall: Great drama, gonna sit here and patiently wait for a second season :)
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As was common with dramas of this genre and one that focuses on the Public Safety division, it should be expected that the drama will have some pretty grim storyline. Yet, considering that we do have Oguri in the lead it's to be expected that there'll be some unexpected light-hearted moments that can brighten up the grim plotlines.
That said, I love how despite the plot was full of conspiracies and the dark sides of humanity there was still a glimmer of hope and good in between; which makes the story not be too depressing at times. I love the camaraderie between the Special Security Squad and I love how their relationship with each other as well as personal struggles gave the drama a heartwarming feel and make the characters be so human and relatable.
Then again, this was a common theme in Kaneshiro Kazuki 's writing and I'm glad that I manage to encounter this drama. But gosh, Kaneshiro Kazuki's pension in ending things with cliffhangers I tell you.... never cease to catch me off-guard.
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When the very system at its core is broken.
When the political leaders wield both the law and the police / military for their own private protection and gain.
When the government officials seek to accumulate money and status for themselves and their children at the cost of the people they swore to protect.
When there is no hope under the law and no justice to be found in the courts.
What are the people to do?
The drama points to the issue of vigilante justice. The instinct is to argue that vigilante justice in those situations is wrong (you can see this in the comments for the drama here on MyDramaList) . . . but that raises a new question -- what then should they do? Should they surrender to the system? Many would argue that rather you should go through the legal procedure and justice will eventually prevail. But that seems rather naive.
The legal system in the drama is flawed. It has crumpled under the weight of powerful men and women who obey it only when it conveniences them and then break it in the name of "national defense" whenever the law threatens them. These people are corrupt. Their children are corrupt. And they keep passing their positions from one corrupt individual to the corrupt people below them who bribed their way into that role.
And the citizens, and their children, and the grandchildren they will someday have are all suffering under the burden of this government. As parents and future adults, what is the responsibility of the citizens here? If it is not revolution or vigilante justice, what is the answer? How can they change a system they have no control over? What do the people do? In the past, people have ignored it, until events just piled up one after another. Now the next generation is fed up. Done. They are reaping the ill benefits of the past neutrals. And it is breeding a growing unrest.
It's about how people who are backed into a corner, betrayed by their government and abandoned by their fellow men, can be easily led into a bad situation.
This drama is not a happy one, and there is no happy ending. In my opinion, this drama is not meant to be entertaining. Instead, it's more like "Animal Farm" or "1984" -- a work intended to make you think. And it should make you think. I like that it asks the questions people are raising in the political forum today. It's the same problem we see century after century, from the days of an insane Nero and his cronies to France gone wrong before the French Revolution. The drama does not encourage vigilante justice . . . . but it does ask viewers to consider what alternatives are left and what kind of political system would result in a rise of vigilante justice. Can a system survive, is it truly a good system worth protecting and defending, if victims and civilians feel their only recourse is to take matters into their own hands? And if you do think it is too corrupt, can you really just turn a blind eye and walk away? Knowing that your children and grandchildren will suffer because you did nothing?
The drama offers no solutions, but it does at least ask some important questions.
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I began watching this drama because of Oguri Shun, however, once I began watching everything seemed to melt together and as I realized who was cast I became even more intrigued to continue watching. After falling in love with episode 1, I binge-watched the entire show! This script is well written, the episodes are all well shot, each story is never disappointing. I cannot remember a time when I fell in love with a series so quickly and completely.As I continued to watch, it's like who the actors are (personally) faded away and I was watching an exceptional group of experts in their field of fighting, protecting, hacking, building, creating, defending, revealing, and much more. I wish there were more episodes that continued to show off these talented group of unique, real, fascinating human beings. Each one had a special skill that seemed to melt in with the group of five so perfectly to create a magnificent team.
The premise of the show is something used a lot, however, it is also something completely different than anything I have seen before! Each episode was shot so clearly, that it seemed like everything was filmed in real-time. I cannot believe how real and relatable this show felt; it left behind all trace of being a show and completely felt like reality.
Some scenes may (or may not) have started off as a tactic for this show to gain popularity, but it seems to have been perfectly executed. The few who you thought would be weaklings actually ended up the complete opposite; no talent, effort, skill, or time was wasted in the making of this show. You can see just how hard each actor and actress portrayed themselves and worked themselves for the success of this show.
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With its high production value, great acting, and top-tier writing, Crisis is definitely one of Japan's best dramas that I've seen.
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After slowly watching this drama I wish I would've saw what people who gave this drama a 10 saw. The synopsis sounds a whole lot better than what this drama produced.I'm not familiar with Japanese dramas or their actors but I've seen a few with Oguri Shun in it and I guess he's a typecast who always plays a police officer in his dramas. His stoic demeanor makes me wonder how on earth is he constantly able to find work?? He plays the same titular character in each of the dramas I've seen him in. I mainly dropped a few because of this.
Nishijima Hidetoshi who plays as Tamaru Saburou had the same expression in every episode. Made me wonder if he wasn't happy being cast the role he played, didn't feel like playing that role, or just wanted to get it over and done with. There's only talk about his back story and that was it.
Nagatsuka Kyozo who played as the director....I didn't get his role. It was like he was psychic or something. He knew how things would play out but let it play along anyway. It was like he was toying with his team and I didn't like his role at all.
Tanaka Tetsushi...He was the team's boss who at times trained his team but always ended up getting a beat down in the end. How are you going to be a team leader where you get your butt whipped in just about every episode?
Nomaguchi Toru. This guy could sniff out bomb scents and draw but could only diffuse one bomb and that was in the very first episode. He coldn't diffuse any other bombs after that.
Araki Yuko. She just looked and sounded so sad in every episode. Of course they made her out to be the weakest member of the team. Her character lacked energy.
If I had to describe how each episode was I couldn't. They lacked...I can't think of the correct word for it but the only thing I could come up with is depth. There was no mystery, no urgency, no nothing. The plots were very subpar. One second they were clueless as to who's behind what. The director knows but decides to let them guess. Then after they show him knowing what's going on then his team just magically happens to figure out who's behind what. This happened in every episode.
Don't get me started on chemistry. There is NONE! I love Asian police dramas because of the chemistry between the fellow actors portraying real life police officers. You won't find that here.
By the 7th episode I was ready to pull the plug. The 7th episode dragged!! It was a 45 or so minute episode and it took a little over 20 minutes to get to the point. There was a lot of silence, people staring at each other, and talking. The last episode was better but how did I know it was about a girl...It always is.
I know I'm one of the few that didn't think much of this drama but I just want to know, what did those who gave this drama a high rating see in this drama?!
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A show that really resonates within you
The most notable characteristics are usually the biggest flaws of works that don't have a big budget or directors with a great ambition to create something memorable and of quality.Action - In another words, the lack of cuts during fights is a positive point. You can clearly see the what each character is doing. There is no shaky camera or a cut every 0.5 seconds. But of course, don't go there expecting John Wick production level but still, the quality of the fights here are way above average. Each movement of the fight feels natural. They don't seem to be fake like they are not punching at all. The staff sure have a great fight choreographer/coordinator and of course, the actors themselves did a great job.
Story - I started watching this expecting a project with episodic structure which is every episode has it's own story and not related or relevant to any other episode.
I was wrong. And I'm glad I was wrong. This story has a continuous time-line where the events of each episodes is completely related tothe main narrative. And is extremely interesting due it's nature of not being one-sided story. This is not a Good VS Evil story. There is no black and white here. Moral dilemmas are common features in every episode, where both sides have acceptable and debatable justifications which creates a rich narrative where each viewer have a different opinion about who is in the right or wrong side.
Soundtrack/OST - Hiroyuki Sawano (My personal favorite composer) and Kohta Yamamoto. Whenever you see these names in a project, you can expect anything above the average. Amazing soundtrack that increases every emotion the show is conveying at the moment, tension, epicness, beautiful and much more. Phenomenal soundtrack.
Characters - Every person has their own unique personality, traits and flaws. They explore all the main characters in a very interesting way, showing they are not perfect, they do a lot of wrong things, but also they learn and change from their own mistakes. Sometimes not, and that's why the show is so good. Some people, no matter what they went through, they will not change. Most characters can be easily relatable.
My only problem with this show is how it ends with lots of unfinished stuff. Open endings are cursed. There are so many things that needs to be explored buat we haven't got any new season, so most likely we will never see a proper ending for it. Still a memorable experience that I definitely would recommend to someone.
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Equipe spéciale et terrorisme... du classique solide
Rien de bien original, on a déjà vu ça, mais là nous sommes au Japon, c’est à dire un style précis et rapide, c’est minimaliste, on ne devine le passé des personnages que par des flash-backs brefs, des allusions courtes. C’est un drama noir, mais pas noir flamboyant, non, noir de la grisaille de l’espoir disparu, de l’impuissance qui étouffe.Les combats sont rudes, extrêmement bien filmés mais rien d’esthétique, pas d’envol de jupes de soie, ou de bonds prodigieux ou coup de pied retourné, non, c’est du corps à corps, réaliste et brutal, sans effusion de sang, pourtant ! L’intérêt majeur de la série, c’est de voir évoluer les personnages, chacun avec son propre caractère, les questions qu’ils finissent par se poser, la conscience qu’ils ne sont que des fusibles qu’on peut faire sauter à tout moment… La fin, que je trouve à la fois frustrante et remarquable nous laisse un goût de cendre, elle montre le cynisme total des puissants, et laisse entendre que les quatre ne vont pas en rester là, sachant parfaitement que c’est un combat sans espoir.
En bref, je l’ai beaucoup aimé, c’était parfaitement interprété par tous (il y a très peu de personnages en fait,) avec un jeu très sobre, et les quatre sont excellents surtout Oguri Shun, et Nishijima Hidetoshi, dont j’aime particulièrement l’air de cocker triste depuis « Strawberry night »
10 épisodes de 45 minutes, et il ne manque rien, tout est dit, suggéré, ressenti… ça m’a donné très envie de revoir du Japonais…
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