Fan reviews: MR. BRAIN

jdoramadotcom · 25 May 2011

There's so much acting talent in every episode that Ryoko Hirosue is reduced to under ten minutes in the introductory episode - which as as tense and thrilling as anything you'll find in doramas. Takuya Kimura plays a man whose recent brain injuries spark an interest in novel approaches to crime prevention, and heading the "brain" unit lets him assist in solving crimes unsolved for years. In two episodes, Yukie Nakama shines as a victim of multiple personality disorder - a highlight of the series.

Haruka Ayase, whose proven her skill at comedy and action, falls between the cracks in her lackluster role as Mr. Brain's assistant.

The drama take its inspiration from programs like The Mentalist, but with added production gloss. Ultimately, it comes of as somewhat shallow and even puerile at times, calling upon high-tech graphics to suggest an approach to crime solving that's often preposterous. A major antagonist is never quite brought to justice - which suggests that MR. BRAIN 2 is always a possibility.

Never boring - it's just a waste of top-flight acting talent.

Sun_Shang_Xiang · 6 Jan 2011

Even Kimu Taku has off days. Bad Japanese imitation of CSI, Rinjo does this so much better.Unfortunately although this drama has a star studded cast both Ayase Haruka and Kagawa Teruyuki who are both very good actors are both wasted in this.Ayase Haruka is reduced to being a porcelain vase. Yukie Nakama was great though in her episodes.

ester_grace · 23 Dec 2010

Smart dorama..great acting from many famous artists (kame, gackt, koyuki, yukie,etc)

SayaOtonashi · 12 Oct 2010

Great dorama with some similarities to some US TV shows. You can see Patrick Jane (from "The Mentalist") in Tsukumo's clothes and acting (he even wears a vest). You can salso see "CSI" in some science scenes (noticed those colours while working in the lab? or the skyline views), as well as in the intro. "Bones" is also seen there, in some of the strange tests they do in the IPS premises, as well as the premises themselves (though the skull was pretty worse than in "Bones", ne?). And finally there's some "24" as well, in the last episodes. I'm sure some other TV shows are portrayed...

Anyway I just had a great time watching it. It was wonderfully written and produced, and it casted great actors such as Nakama Yukie, and some surprising ones such as Gackt. Pace was incredibly good and action scenes were some of the bests I've seen so far (in a dorama!). I'm sure they tried approaching another style of making doramas. Don't miss the slow motion scenes, they are just wonderful. Besides that, Mr. Brain still maintains some characteristics of a Japanese TV show, like jokes or specific comic scenes. And cases are somehow believable and more complex than in other doramas. Definitely a must see.

Watching it just after 4 shimai tantei dan makes the difference...

snowqueen · 1 Sep 2010

Not Kimura's best, but still pretty entertaining overall. More watchable than his recent stuff. I *really* didn't like the curly-haired guy though (the assistant police guy,) his acting was terrible here! All googly-eyed shock and exclamation points :-/

Oh, and imho, it's more like Lie To Me than CSI :)

Shindou · 5 Nov 2009

Bit disappointed with Kimutaku.....script is not that great and everything seems really cheesy. Characters seem almost like cardboard and you don't get any sense of there being any 'real' characters in this drama. Would have helped if things made more sense but that just further subtracts from the drama. Wouldn't watch this again if I had the chance.

arleneong912 · 16 Oct 2009

Kimura Takuya done it again, this is so funny and very very interesting, i can't believe that most of the things can really be explain by behavioral science. Ayase Haruka, Mizushima Hiro the cast are certainly interesting. Finish this j-drama in 2 days and wants more..........

arleneong912 · 12 Oct 2009

The role of kimura is very good, ayase haruka was also very good as his assistant and so does mizushima hiro. The logic behind evry episode is very practical...definitely a must watch.

KAZdoramma · 4 Oct 2009

not bad,, I thought it was interesting and kept the storyline alive,, not a bad acting cast either,,,so overall RATED!

Jackykero · 29 Sep 2009

A perfect example of what happens when the Japanese decide to copy an American show (or should I say, when they decide to copy several American shows and movies). They don't just copy it, they import the concept and transform it into what they know how to do and enjoy: jdoramas !
This one had a bit of CSI, a bit of "24" and a bit of some more, but then... completely different because it has become a dorama with less-than-optimal detective work, home-made special effects, some overacted roles, but good Kimutaku acting and comedy as usual, lots of typical Japanese situational humour, dorama themes and comedy.
So it's a good series to watch for pure simple entertainment, if you're looking for a good comedy dorama, and not for a CSI - Japan :-)
It is full of cameos too, including some good actors and actresses.

jed_ka · 29 Aug 2009

A Japanese copy of CSi Miami, and all this with the Japanese sense of humor! with current best Japanese Actors

jugatsu15 · 17 Aug 2009

Mr. Brain seems to be an odd drama for some people but for me it's worth watching it, I enjoyed each episodes; never a dull moment. I will recommend this if you want a short (8 episodes), funny and mystery drama.

johnjeon · 5 Aug 2009

I would have to describe this series as a dim-witted, over-caffeinated combination of CSI and The Mentalist.
Kimura Takuya as Mr. Brain gives a very, and literally, in-your-face
performance that often gets annoying. For someone supposedly so intelligent, he does a lot of dumb stuff that only works because the
screenplay says it works and not because it makes any sense.
Ayase Haruka as the assistant does a good job but, again, her character should have been a lot more intelligent given her job
position.

Too much of the action is, as said by others, very chessy and overly dramatic with an almost constantly pounding soundtrack trying to increase the tension.
In too many cases the science is laughably bad. In most episodes the criminal ends up confessing which is a good thing since the "scientific" evidence against them would in many cases
never stand up in court.

Having said all that, if one approaches this as a slightly comedic science fiction/fantasy show then some enjoyment can be had. I had just hoped that a series called "Mr. Brain" would have been a lot smarter.

8thSin · 17 Jul 2009

This series had an all-star cast and very high budget, but it turned out very cheesy and acting was very bad, especially Kagawa Teruyuki, who is an EXTREMELY talented actor when he's not rushed in dorama-pace rushed productions.

The research lab was excessively futuristic, and unlike American tech investigation drama (i.e. Numb3rs, CSI), the technology used by the institute lacks plausibility (at least not for another 50 years).

But one thing this series has is an incredibly good pace. All the cases were somewhat interesting. Amazing cast of special guests for each cases were very cool (especially rare appearances like Gackt). I don't know if the series got better or I got used to the cheesiness, but I enjoyed the latter episodes a lot more than the first half.

Overall, fun series, but excessive plot holes and poor direction.