Thursday Theater Higashino Keigo Mystery #review

Mokuyo Gekijyo Higashino Keigo Misuterizu

Writer -  Higashino Keigo
Network -  Fuji TV
Episodes -  11
Released -  2012, July - Sept
Genre -  Suspense, Mystery, lite Comedy

   

CAST

Kenji Sakaguchi, Koutaro Tanaka, Takashi Sorimachi, Masanobu Ando, Kento Senga, Haruma Miura, and more

SYNOPSIS

11 short stories collected from three novels "Hannin No Inai Satsujin No Yoru," "Ayashii Hitobito," and "Ano Koro No Dareka".

REVIEW

Bravo on another job well done.

Short, concise, and riveting as to be expected in Japanese dramas of this type.

Each episode is stand-alone but begins with this guy

Kiichi Nakai

who is attempting to solve his own mystery prior to introducing us to each episode.

It was great to see some old actors reappear on screen, too, whom I've listed in the credits above.

However, each episode is its own mystery that stars a new cast of characters.

The mysteries all ended with a plot twist, but there were a few times when I knew who it was even knowing the twist was on its way.

They're fun to watch, don't take forever to tell, and stick to the plot w/out added info, recap, or aside characters to bog down the story.

My only disappointment is the time it is taking for Season 2 to show up, because if you watch all 11 episodes, you'll know this isn't the end.

When you buy into a Series of Romance novels but are led to believe each is a stand-alone, only to reach the final chapter and discover you need the next book in order to find out what happens...

This was one of those types of dramas, and its been a lo-ong time since then, too.

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Crows Zero 2 / クローズ ZERO 2

Spring, 2009, Japanese movie that stars Shun Ogiri and Takayuki Yamada in their same, nemisis roles from the same school, along with a few of the other, original cast as well.

This time, "The Army of Killers" from rival high school Hosen Academy threaten Suzuran High aka the School of Crows.

Genji Takiya (Shun) isn't aware of some things and walks in on a potential gang murder attempt on a Suzuran sempai just released from prison for stabbing to death a student from said Hosen Academy a few years earlier.

Genji unknowingly breaks this 'code' between the two gangs and now full-out war has been declared.






Trouble is, the in-fighting among Suzuran students is so bad that no one knows who or even if anyone will be there for Genji come doomsday.

Top it all off, the dude who caused all the trouble in the first place runs away while searching for Ken, and ends up safe in this seaside town somewhere far, far away from all the dangerous action.

There were some notables starring in the second part, including Haruma Miura as Tatsuya Mito, the little brother of the guy who got killed.


Haruma Miura


Nobuaki Kaneko as Taiga Narumi, the leader of the Hosen Academy thugs.





And someone new to me, but who also managed to intrigue while also baffle in the on-stage 'is he or isn't he' category, Gou Ayano as Ryo Urushibara (carries the umbrella and packs a hella punch)

Like the first show, the sequel had as many laugh moments (and laugh-able) as hoped for, along with plenty of nasty fighting beyond the survival rate or even endurance level which no-doubt made this such a popular series among 'dudes'.

There were a few hints at a possible third episode as well, but if it is anything like the sequel, I'm not counting on it being a smash hit.

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Binbo Danshi / ボンビーメン / Bomb bee men

 

A January to March, 2008, Japanese drama that stars Shun Ogiri as Koyama Kazumi, an overly friendly, eager-to-please college student who spends money like he was born into it when in reality, he's as poor a chap as you or I.

I stumbled up this one at aznv.tv, and wow! was I happy that I did!

It's nine, amazing episodes that take us step-by-step through Kazumi's honest intent to repay the $1.1m yen debt he's accumulated while making friends  along the way.

It's labeled as a comedy, but the fact that I hardly laughed during any of the episodes has absolutely nothing to do with it's actually being a somewhat comedic endeavor.

I cried more than I laughed, but that's beside the point.

Binbo Danshi was heartwarming, charming, and sentimental without all of the stereotypical hogwash that goes along with it, and while each of the characters interested me enough to want to get to know them better, this drama managed to pull something off that few others can:  it kept my focus riveted on and rooting for the main character, Kazumi, from beginning to end.

When Mirua Haruma entered the picture as Shiraishi Ryo, a troubled 17-yr-old thinking he's responsible to repay a $10m yen debt incurred by his father, I will admit to being somewhat startled, if not slightly aghast by what I saw.

Miura Haruma

Don't get me wrong; the dude is beautiful, but that's what left me spellbound for a time, and then feeling slightly uncomfortable about it later on.

I mean - he's too beautiful, if you get my drift.

Feminine beauty on a guy rubs me the wrong way, and I know, how utterly old-fashioned of me in this day & age, eh?

I'm sorry - it still creeps me out.

High fashion trend in Japan is for guys to look like, act like, and want to be like girls, I know.

What do they call them again?  Grass eaters?

It's gay in every sense of the word, and not something I hope will continue as a trend, much less have that big of an impact anymore, kind a like the way I feel about sagging pants, bald heads, and goatees.

Enough already with the unattractive weird, ok?

Anyway, Binbo Danshi left me with that warmhearted feeling, making me happy to have watched, and I thoroughly adore as much as I appreciate this.

It also conjured up those odd, playstation game moments as much as it had me thinking about Manga, which I'm sure this drama stems from - as do all the others nowadays, but still, that isn't a BAD thing in this case.

It showed us the 'other' side of Tokyo, the side where Manga perpetually revolves, and its fictitious characters made me wish they were somehow real - like I wish that was the real Tokyo, and I like it.

Let's look at more pics, shall we?

Kazumi in more trouble with the debt collector dude

For a poor dude, he had a lot of modern conveniences at his disposal

I WANT A FRICKIN' VAIO, too!

Kazumi in a rare, relaxed moment at the Coco Restaurant

 

How he does that with his fingers manages to escape me

the cast

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