Gave up on this series.
4 / 10
racerX · 5 Sep 2013
I tried really hard to keep an open mind and like this show, but after watch 3 epi's, I just cannot justify wasting my time on this. The plots and execution of the script is just irrational. How am I suppose to believe that a room full of over 20 ARMED police allow one gunman to empty a revolver and NOT one police gets off a single shot? Why would anyone go up against an adversary wielding a knife in hand to hand combat when he (the police) has a gun? It's moronic. Another thing that nagged at me while watching this show is that the set for the SP office is EXACTLY the same as the office in the series Hancho Azumi.
I just don't understand why Japanese drama insists on have the same worn out character use for comic relief. If you watch Hancho and SP, you will what I mean. It gets really annoying.
ester_grace · 24 Dec 2010
My fave eps is terorist in hospital, oka-jun so hot!
rationale behind the plot and storyline
7 / 10
lizakajang · 7 Apr 2009
Minna san! Hello! i watched the drama without the special episode which I am unable to find at this point (April 2009) in KL. however, with regards to the open-ended plot etc, i think that the
explanation below should suffice to explain why the drama was the way it was - APPARENTLY it'll all be explained in the special episode.
"Fuji TV's Saturday night drama series "SP" will be transformed into a one-shot special on April 5, airing at 9:00pm. The series ends its 11-episode run this week, but so far, it has averaged 15.0% ratings despite its late time slot (11:10pm-11:55pm).
The action drama is scripted by Kazuki Kaneshiro ("GO") and directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro ("Odoru Daisousasen"). It stars Junichi Okada, Shinichi Tsutsumi, and Yoko Maki as special police bodyguards.
According to producer Ichiro Takai, the special episode will cover the original 11-episode series, but it will be re-edited and the timeline will be rearranged. It will also reveal a "secret" that is left undisclosed in the original, leading to some additional scenes that have already been filmed. Takai hopes the new version will appeal both to first-time viewers and the show's regular audience."
but i must admit that some of the scenes were really clearly not synchronised at all....if you look at the scene where the Tokyo Governor gets shot in the press conference room - bodyguard in back moved in first shot scene but when the SP fell to the ground, bodyguard in back was standing still. I mean like...HUH?
Limes · 23 Jun 2008
It was slick and stylish - and lacking a definitive, good plot. In the end, there were too many loose ends left untied and many characters left undeveloped. I did love the camera angles and the throbbing soundtrack, but if you're looking for a good storyline with interesting characters, it might be well worth it to skip this one.
Allen_L · 17 May 2008
Lameness galore. Rarely have seen this much braindeadness being succesfully packed into a 11-episode show, it's actually fun to watch.
Dumb Ending and horrible subtitles
7 / 10
justjuice · 9 Apr 2008
This was a reasonable drama, and the hospital series was pretty good. A bit like Japanese MacGyver.
However, the twists didn't make sense, especially at the end. Come on, even amateur story writers know that if you want to have a twist you have to plant some seeds earlier.
English subtitles (QueerBeet) were so bad I switched them off and had to rely on my poor Japanese. I don't know how they get away with selling a DVD with English subtitles that are nonsensical. It was almost as if the "translator" stuck the script into an internet translator and just copied that in without any verification. Most disappointing. Oh, and all Japanese names came out in the subtitles as Chinese names! Geez, just leave the names alone, fgs!
Being a classical music lover, I enjoyed some of the choices of music, but it was a little intrusive at times (I find there is too much music in Japanese dramas generally, making it difficult to hear the dialogue), and often it didn't match the action. For instance, there was some really aggressive Shostakovich (my favourite composer) that didn't suit the scene where the characters were just standing around the office talking!
Worth a look if your Japanese is good and you can forgive the dumb tricks.
sucigam · 17 Feb 2008
Although this drama has some pretty big names, this is one of the few dramas where I felt like the director is the real star of the show(IWGP is the only one I can think of that betters this one). It's all very pleasing to the eyes and ears(great orchestral pieces, even got the one from 2001: A Space Odyssey!). The problem is that although having a unique style is refreshing, the drama lacks a good storyline. Actually it gets down right ridiculous at the end and the "cool" factor is ruined by moments where you literally go "wtf?"
As for the acting Okada does a good job, I'm surprised he pulled off the action scenes so well. Tsutsumi is always good but his character in this drama is pretty stock, theres no depth to him, and most of the other side characters, which makes the "twists" not so gripping. I guess that's the biggest issue with this drama in the end, it chooses style over substance, making the drama as a whole pretty forgettable.