A number of highly anticipated drama specials screened during the lull before the new drama year starts.
Hanzawa Naoki 2 Episode 0
I never got into the Hanzawa hype, but it was the highest rated drama of last decade. It’s due for a sequel later this year, and has decided to whet everyone’s appetite with a short spin-off in episode 0. Commerce, business and economics being my weak point, I had no idea what they were talking about, but the gist of it was that one of the big business (or stocks?) companies was trying to change their online system, and other people are trying to use this opportunity to undermine its digital security. For something that’s just over 1 hour long, it managed to fit a surprising amount of character development and sympathy without compromising the pace. Neither Yoshizawa Ryo nor Imada Mio are fantastic actors but they’re photogenic enough to make you overlook that.
Gibo to musume no Blues (rating: 16.0%)
I was really looking forward to this, and so I was quite disappointed by what turned out to be 2 hours of nothing really happening. Of course, it’s nice enough to see the characters grace the screen once more with their familiar quirks, but it didn’t have the emotional heft the original series managed. It looks like it’s trying to set up a second series with Takenouchi Yutaka having another big role, but his reintroduction was soured by the fact that he was teased multiple times throughout the 2 hours but was only properly introduced, quite literally, at the closing minute. As much as I like Satou Takeru, I still think this is one of his more awkward and less likeable roles, and there’s very little chemistry between his bumbling character and Ayase Haruka’s elite office lady. If there is another season, I hope it’s better quality than this
Kyoujou (rating: 15.0 + 15.3%)
Kimura Takuya is a brand so strong that his name being attached to a drama is assurance enough about its quality. Even then, this 2-part series (coming up to 4 hours total) was a pleasant surprise. Supported by a cast of popular B-grade young actors, including Miura Shohei, Kudou Asuka, Oshima Yuko, Kawaguchi Haruna, Hayashi Kento, Aoi Wakana and Nishihata Daigo, and adapted from Nagaoka Hiroki’s award-winning book of the same name, what it doesn’t have in the form of explosions and fisticuffs, it makes up for in its gripping characterisations. Set in a police academy, frequently described by characters as “a sift” to rid the police force of poorly qualified people. But where it could have been the survival of the cruellest, the appearance of Kimura’s character Kazama Kimichika puts a stop in that. Aloof and apparently emotionless, his lessons teach self-belief, empathy and persistence, while forcing students to confront their reason to be in the police force and work out for themselves whether they’re appropriate for the job. In the process, he also weeds out students who are likely to later abuse their authority for personal gain, as they are already doing in the school. The cutting between characters and scenes feels choppy at the start but as you become familiar with the class it makes the interactions more interesting. I would have loved to watch this as a fully fledge 12 part series as its own, and giving each character more time to develop, but at the same I appreciate the tighter pacing. The ending opens the way for sequels, and I’d love to see more.
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