25 March 2019

Signal: Choki Mikaiketsu Jiken Sosahan Review

Title: Signal
AKA: Signal - Choki Mikaiketsu Jiken Sosahan
Genre: Suspense, (Time-travel)
Episodes: 10
Broadcast period: 2018-Apr to 2018-Jun
Cast: Sakaguchi Kentaro, Kitamura Kazuki, Kichise Michiko and Kamio Fuju.

This is the Japanese version of the Korean drama with the same name.
Working freelance, Saegusa Kento (Sakaguchi Kentaro) spends most of his time getting scoop for random gossip magazines, though he’d finished police school. One day he gets picked up by the police, and reprimanded, but let go, due to lack of lawbreaking. While leaving, he accidently passes a garbage truck, and notices a walkie-talkie calling out to him. Confused and curious, he picks it up and starts talking to Oyama Takeshi (Kitamura Kazuki), who asks him about an abandoned hospital. Their call gets cut abruptly, and in order to soothe his curiosity, Saegusa visits the abandons place, only to find a skeleton. Surprisingly, a 15-year-old case that has haunted Saegusa with guilt in the past, has now resurfaced.
Bewildered, Saegusa reconnects with Oyama to ask about the case, but Oyama claims he’s from 15 years ago, and that the case had just happened…

After watching the Korean version, I decided to give this one a go, especially since I loved the original. Compared to the original, this one is shorter, and does not incorporate all stories you get from the Korean version. Thankfully it is the one story that I really didn’t like from the original that they didn’t add, so I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to like the Japanese remakes of Korean dramas, as the stories are good, without the “over-the-top” drama/dilemma. Its very clean cut, and it also is very well acted. Also, I like the two veteran actors, another nice surprise. The lead actor I don’t remember seeing before, but he did a good job, considering the original almost blew me away. So, another plus.
That said, I did feel the ending summed up too fast. I know it is because I had the original in my head, but I felt it being hurried, and little bit messy - not much, just enough for a kdrama fan to notice.
Anyways, I enjoyed it, and I liked it.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

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