Fan reviews: Tsugumi e...

wansen · 19 Jun 2001

I like the theme song sing by Janne Da Arc.

tetsukei · 8 May 2001

Everything starts with a dentist stalking Yumi, a housewife whose family moved in to the neighbourhood just recently. Then comes the kidnap and murder of her daughter Tsugumi. Yumi and her husband Takashi uncover the clues to the truth of their daughter's death, and all subtle evidence converge to the suspicion of the dentist. However, the seemingly well-mannered dentist cannot be nailed without concrete evidence. Moreover, the dentist's protective mother has secret links with the police official in charge of the investigation.

The first episode looked promising, with the kidnap of Tsugumi and the neigbourhood-wide search for the little girl. But unexpectedly, the murder occurred on the next episode, which ends all the suspense. Right from the start, the viewer knows the murderer's identity. Soon, even the the little girl's parents know the truth, plus an apathetic police officer and a confused tabloid reporter. Everyone lurks around the dentist, trying to nail him, without much success. This goes on for about 9 episodes, with little progress in the investigation.

Finally, in the last 2 episodes, the most important piece of evidence, surprisingly produced by the murderer's own mother, is sent for DNA tests. Even then, Tsugumi's parents had to go through a secret meeting with the murderer, which ended in a struggle. This is all so ridiculous.

This is overall a very draggy show. It would have done much better in just 5 episodes, instead of the regular 11 or 12. There are some special themes such as the unconditional love of a parent for a child, and the importance of family bonds. The drama did, however, end on a beautiful and warm note, as the devastated parents of Tsugumi resconstruct their lives and start anew in the memory of their beloved Tsugumi.