Kinkyu Torishirabeshitsu (2014)

I'll try to keep this review short and sweet :3 As opposed to the other review, my review is kind of positive for this drama. Sure, this wasn't the best drama that Amami Yuki has acted in, but in my opinion it is still worth a watch.

Pros:
- The music: I love the opening music whenever an episode starts. The horrifying music they played when there is a new case was kind of chilling as well. (It felt like a horror movie when that music is played)
- The characters/actors: Each character has their own personalities and I think the actors and actresses acted them out really well. Not only the investigators, but I felt the suspects themselves acted their roles superbly as well.
- Story (Episodic): The cases kept me intrigued till the end of each episode. Some of the outcomes were a pleasant surprise.

Cons:
- One of the detectives was quite annoying at first with his arrogant attitude
- The way they ended was okay but I wasn't really satisfied with it

This is my first review, so yoroshiku onegaishimasu. ^^ I recommend you to try the drama out if you have nothing to watch at the moment. It is not so bad to the point as reviewed in my opinion.

Thank you for reading :D

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Veteran Japanese actors play a team of interrogators who 'undress' suspects with dramatic flair using only their cunning and empathy.


This drama is almost unparalleled in Japan. So popular it went on for three seasons, it boasts the brilliant script, the high quality production, and the acclaimed guest stars for each episode. It wouldn't be a big stretch to say that so much effort is rarely put in procedurals. Most importantly, the real human emotions run high every episode giving the show a dramatic edge and universal appeal more genre works usually lack. Great tension, pacing, and consistently witty dialogues keep the viewer engaged.

At the centre of the drama, though, is Amami Yuki. She perfected her presence and charisma during her time as a Takarazuka performer, and she is simply majestic here as the strong female character J-dramas deserve. Her chemistry with other interrogators played by the veteran actors is through the roof.

There are two reasons why this drama in not on top of the Mydramalist Rating.

Firstly, there are no ikemen in the main cast. Admittedly, it's a stupid reason but rare comic relief scenes with Hayami Mokomichi do not an idol drama make (and heart wants what it wants). I'd recommend you to give it a chance nonetheless as the cast is unbelievably entertaining.

The second reason is the case-of-the-week structure of the show. A lot of action happens inside confines of an interrogation room so there is no space for elaborate overcomplicated sensationalistic cases. The final arc of the show has appropriate sinister foreshadowing but would hardly shock anyone.

All in all, it's a brilliant Japanese production with the second season being even better than the first.

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What a waste of money and time. I think I kept hoping it would surprise me at some point, but the only surprise I received was how horrible the last episode was.

Amami Yuki is an over-actor. It's painful to watch at times. Even when interacting with the kids, just too extra. In one episode, I truly felt like someone was going to hit her with a harisen and there be two drum beats. I just couldn't take her seriously. I really wanted to because I love strong female leads.

Each case played out pretty much the same way. The formula was redundant; just different suspects and a different conflict. The story overall is very weak.

At first, I said this was one of those shows you watch when you're waiting on your other shows to update, but I take it back now. This is lower than filler shows. It's just a waste of time.

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Worse than awful!!

I was late to this drama via Netflix. I was attracted to Emergency: Interrogation Room because it's short with only 9 episodes and has what I hoped would be a strong female lead. I was even willing to put up the stereotypical misogynistic clashes and the two horrible shouty detectives Motsu and Nabe, but the crimes in the early episodes, specifically Ep.3 are poor written.

Spoiler Alert!!
The key issue in Ep.3 isn't who hit the victim but whether the action was premeditated and whether the victim then accidentally fell to his death or was pushed. Since the victim slipped and fell after being hit in the head, in every other detective drama this point would have been decoupled from the initial event, and the police would have taken this into consideration. Very poor writing!!

For now, I don't know if I'll continue watching this.

Spoiler Alert!!
I thought I'd give this another go but the writing gets worse as the series progresses and the acting or should I say over-acting, is shocking. Ep.6 Detective Nakata shouts and cries at the perpetrator because Nakata had a brief history with him when he was a child. Come on!!! Then in Ep.7, Makabe who suspects the criminal is admitting to a killing he didn't commit to protect someone he loves tells him the real criminal would not be able to live peacefully because she would be wracked with guilt. REALLY??!! If this is the case, she could turn herself in to the police. This is SOOOO BAD!!.... And the editing and additional casting for Ep.8 are questionable: It's the 8th anniversary of Makabe's husband's death and the camera lingers on a photo of the deceased; this immediately cuts to a chef who looks like Makabe's dead husband and where Makabe's colleague Koishikawa is eating.

I ended up watching the entire series in the hope the writer and directors would redeem themselves but I regret it...I will never get back these nine hours!!!

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