Take Five - Oretachi wa Ai wo Nusumeru ka (2013)

I have to say that this drama was far more enjoyable than I thought it would be when I watched it, and I am so glad that I was able to see it!
Without giving any of the plot away, the story follows a group of 'criminals' and a detective who are all trying to find out the truth about what happened in an incident 20 years ago. Every part is beautifully acted and it made me love every character. Which makes it hard to chose who to identify with. Do you support the thieves that are stealing with 'love' involved, or the detective who believes that all theft is evil? Just like the characters, your ideals may change throughout the story too!
The music was hit and miss for me. The main themes were brilliant, including the ending by kpop group 2pm, but the other bgm were not so memorable.

Overall, I recommend to give this drama a watch. Whether you like crime drama or just want to watch something with a gripping story and a lovable cast this is a good drama for you!

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This show was something I watched because I liked the synopsis and I wanted to see more of Inagaki Goro after watching him in "Fukuie Keibuho no Aisatsu"; though I have to admit that the show does become slow toward the ending, sort of like it was grasping at straws for something to be interesting to fill the gaps before the show's finale... And it wasn't awful, either!

The way the directors, writers, and cast created this show was so spectacular to watch it was almost as if watching a live play of a painting come to life. I know that doesn't make much sense, but the music within this show flowed so well with their movements and the suspense of each episode and theft that it seemed as if each story was filled with magic.

The "Take Five" crew are some of the most interesting people I've seen before: a teacher, a security man, a doctor, a construction worker, and an "undercover man" (you'll figure out the last bit if you watch); not to mention they don't exactly fit any suspicious group of people I know of. Though I have seen the same types of people in other police/crime/mystery genre shows that are criminals and arrested separately, I can honestly say I have never seen any of them form a group like this show.

The story itself is unique, in that it doesn't seem to be a copy of any other show. It seems to follow a certain, very strong, singular creative point but it does not draw on any other detective/police/mystery shows for their material. Each episode was a different story with a different theft and after the main story ended for that episode, somehow it led to a tiny bit of string left at the doorway of an open door that led the viewer to follow along with its main storyline. What I mean to say is, even though each episode had a different story, it all seemed to continue if you followed the tiny details (like a detective) left throughout each episode that built up at the end to create the main story.

Each character was such a mystery until the end that it was such a grand, almost magical, experience watching them create each plan, go through each theft, and still live their normal lives; whether that be as customer and owner, or doctor and patient, or even police and suspect/random encounters. I have to admit that sometimes I had a love/hate feeling toward Sasahara Rui (played by Matsuyuki Yasuko), although toward the end she did kind of annoy me as well, though I have to say her character is a puzzle within herself and if you get wrapped up in trying to follow her and her story specifically you may miss certain other important parts to other characters or the story as a whole.

A hint, do not let your guard down when you watch the members of the Take Five group, whether that be separately or together, each one is a very strong player throughout the show: Minami Shinichi (played by Rokkaku Seiji), Iwatsuki Kai (played by Inagaki Goro), Hioka Tamotsu (played by Irie Jingi), Niimi Haruto (played by Matsuzaka Tori) and Homura Masayoshi (played by Karasawa Toshiaki). Also, do not be fooled by what or who the "witch" appears to be.

This story and its characters are an enigma! Nothing is what it seems, it's all smoke and mirrors from one theft to the next and the main story is something incredible to be witnessed! This is a very underrated gem, I hope more people get a chance to watch this wonderful show!

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