racerX

Another procedural crime busting series. The stories are okay, but the characters, especially Sakuragai, is just too clinche. No one as naive and childish gets to be a detective much less a sergeant. I don't know what it is about the Japanese, but there is this obsession they have with portraying young women as naive little children. I can understand maybe even accept it if it was an office worker or maybe a sales clerk, but not a police detective.

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.

I like this police/detective drama, but not because it is unique or somehow breaking new grounds. I like it because it is pretty standard treatment of Japanese police dramas which I just happen to like. The characters can be lifted from any other similar genre, but sometimes an old worn shoe is comforting and just nicer than something trendy.

I like this series for both the intelligent mysteries and the characters' chemistry with each other. I like how they play off each other like a team of misfit do-gooders. I especially like Toda Erika in her role as Aoto Junko; it's a departure from her usual roles and she does it quite well with a comedic timing that I did not know she had.

From the beginning to the end, I was gripped by this drama. The screenplay and acting are so well done, that I had to keep reminding myself it's fiction and not real just so I don't get too depressed.

This is an incredibly well crafted drama. The adult actors are impressive enough, but the children and teens actors had me blown away.