Nice and original procedural!
Please allow me to start with a premise: I've read a fair share of messages bashing this series in forums, social networks etc., all due to Higashide's scandal. Now, I must confess not caring much about actors' and actresses' private life, and let me explain why: I've met several artists in my life (though in my case musicians and writers, rather than tv or cinema people) and I gotta tell you, most of them were, to put it bluntly, shitty people; ego-maniacs dumb as rocks who'd stomp on anything and anyone for just a little more fame. And yet, they were great at their jobs. So the lesson I've learned from those personal experiences was that it's better not to know the person behind the artist, and limit ourselves to appreciating the artists for their art. That said, Higashide might even be a rotten human being (and then again, maybe not...after all we'll never know the whole story and that's probably better), but that doesn't change the fact that he's a good actor, and he proved that once again in this "Keiji to Kenji" (portraying that silly, childish but at the same time kind prosecutor) - together with the rest of the cast...all of them did a great job, seriously, from the always überfunny Kiritani Kenta (as the loud and big-mouthed Osakan high-school teacher turned cop) to the lovely Higa Manami, who could be the poster girl for "Classic Beauty" (personally, I'd gladly follow her not only to Portugal, but even to Cleveland or Detroit, LOL - sorry Clevelandites and Detroiters, I know y'all must be sick of those jokes, but you gotta admit they work every time just the same...gomen gomen! ^_^;...)I really liked this series and I think it'd be a pity (besides being a tad disrespectful towards all those who took part in this production and weren't involved in any sordid scandal) if people were to miss this only because of the "boycott the cheater" movement.
Apart from the afore-mentioned great performance by the whole cast, I think this dorama stands out for the profound humanity (pettiness and flaws included, LOL) with which the screenwriter infused both the characters and the plots. If you're, like me, fed up with the robotic, bidimensional characters of most Western "Police Procedurals" and their cold, heartless, all-action-and-zero-empathy plots, then there's a high chance you might really appreciate this series too!
I agree with fellow reviewer Joe Shiren that some of the comedy parts were really too much, though. The comic relief had been good, even very good throughout the whole series imho, but in the last episode they really went overboard! More generally, the last episode was way weaker than the rest under all aspects (plot, dialogues, acting etc.)...too bad, otherwise I'd have given this an even higher grade!
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IMO, this could have been better and taken different directions (or even a sequel) if there wasn't the announcement on scandal of Higashide while the series was airing.
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Original Yet Familiar
This show feels like it's drawn from some very prominent, popular, meaningful, and significant Japanese dramas... Yet still has paved it's own way to filling those very same prominent and significant shoes as its predecessors.This show is intense and quite thrilling! Each episode brings about new mysteries that are mesmerizing and extremely entertaining. I have laughed, cried, held my breath, got angry, sympathized and empathized; each story threw me for a loop but there are some predictable parts, too.
The relationships (romance first) are subtle throughout the entire show but they are also pretty evident, too, though not cheesy or overbearing either. I very much like and enjoy seeing a lot of strong female actresses in this "male dominated job" series. Each actor and actress stepped in to their roll whole heartedly and completely submerged themselves in to their characters career(s).
The strong respect for partners/co-workers (friendships next) is also mildly subtle, yet still visible. It's not heavy or excessive, but it isn't cheesy, the "friends to enemies" type(s) is tangible but is also pretty simple yet not idiotic; and each character freely seems to share their opinion openly and freely multiple times throughout the show, which is what makes it so funny and interesting. It seems like the actors/actresses' report with each other has also flown into how their characters treat and act with each other, too.
If you are looking for a darker police drama then this may not be for you, though it does have dark and mystifying moments! This show is mesmerizing, hilarious, honest, unique, different yet familiar, strong, full of talent, and definitely feels raw and real (as in true to the character's actual persona). If you are just getting started in the Japanese dramas or are a "veteran watcher" or are looking for a new genre to dive in to, then this show seems to have it all!
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