Keiji 7-nin 2 Review

Title: Keiji 7-nin 2

AKA: Seven Detectives 2

Genre: Detective, Crime

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2016-Jul to 2916-Sep

Cast: Higashiyama Noriyuki, Takashima Masahiro, Kataoka Ainosuke, Suzuki Kosuke, Kurashina Kana, Yoshida Kotaro, Tsukamoto Takashi and Kitaoji Kinya.

This is the second season of the drama Keiji 7-nin.

Continuing from season 1, the 12^th Division is still working cases based on being “the bottom” of the hierarchy. Amagi Yu (Higashiyama Noriyuki) has been transferred to division 6, driving around in his patrol car and responds to radio calls, and is first on scene. Though he is transferred, the division works together, and investigates crimes - always in a dramatic way.

When a serial of body parts is left in gift boxes around Tokyo, the team, together with other divisions, try and track the killer, who seems to taunt them. At the same time, Aoyama Arata (Tsukamoto Takashi) is tasked to keep an eye on division 12, and report back to the head investigator…

I watched this right after the first season, and compared to first season, this season is dark. There is a heavy seriousness and very little humor, which is odd, because in the first season it was explained that Division 12, was for outcasts and weirdoes. Basically, they did a 180 degree turn, on our characters, and I didn’t appreciate that. All seem so dull and stoic, compared to the loud and funny characters from season one. Especially our main lead, who straightened his curly hair, and changed his brown suit, to a black one. Worst of all, he only speaks when needed, and has a frown. Definitely different than season 1…

Other than that, the entire season was good. The stories were great, and the team work was intriguing to watch. I honestly liked every single story in this drama, so kudos to the writers.

All in all, different from season 1, but still a good drama.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Keiji 7-nin Review

Title: Keiji 7-nin

AKA: Seven Detectives

Genre: Detective, Crime

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2015-Jul to 2015-Sep

Cast: Higashiyama Noriyuki, Takashima Masahiro, Kataoka Ainosuke, Suzuki Kosuke, Kurashina Kana, Yoshida Kotaro and Kitaoji Kinya.

While working at the Lost and Found Center for the MPD (Metropolitan Police Department) Amagi Yu (Higashiyama Noriyuki) gets a visit from Katagari Masatoshi (Yoshida Kotaro), who tells him to return to the First Investigation as a detective. When he arrives at his division, Division 12, Amagi is met by 6 odd members. Infamous for being a “detective graveyard”, Division 12 is the place where detectives go, but don’t move up, no matter what they accomplish. The chief, Katagari is laid back and chain smoking, not really invested in his position. Samura Kosuke (Takashima Masahiro) a brute detective, with temperament issues. Nagasawa Keita (Suzuki Kosuke) a worrisome detective, who doesn’t stop talking. Mizuta Tamaki (Kurashina Kana) the only female detective, but without real motivation. Yamashita Takumi (Kataoka Ainosuke) a fancy detective, who works as the team’s lab expert. And Domoto Shuntaro (Kitaoji Kinya) the forensic professor, who seems to know Amagi well.

When a boat explodes by the harbor, Division 12 is set out to investigate, but due to hierarchy, they lose the case to another division, and get two minor cases instead. Soon they realize that all three cases are entwined, and they uncover an even deeper conspiracy…

So, I really like Higashiyama, like I am a fan, since I started liking Johnny’s, but I never knew he was doing TV. This was a pleasant surprise, as I really enjoyed this drama. It was interesting, fun and it got me emotional at times, but still managed to have a bit of action. Though I would occasionally find it a bit dragged, not in the bad sense, but in the “filler” kind if way, it was still a good drama to watch. The cast was good, pretty standard, and Higashiyama was alright… I mean, his character is a bit typical, and the rest are also quite stereotypical, so I wasn’t blown away per se. But it was good, nonetheless.

All in all, a good drama, with good storytelling.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Eight Ranger Movie Review

Title: Eight Ranger

Genre: Action, Comedy, Superhero

Origin: Japan

Release date: July 28, 2012

Cast: Kanjani8 (Yokoyama Yu, Shibutani Subaru, Murakami Shingo, Maruyama Ryuhei, Yasuda Shota, Nishikido Ryo and Okura Tadayoshi), Tachi Hiroshi, Becky and Higashiyama Noriyuki.

The year is 2035 and the Japanese population is about 75mio. Due to the low birthrates, the economy decreases and as a result the country is divided in two: the poor and the wealthy. The rich live in the central city protected by the law, whereas the rest is left to fend for themselves. Whether or not you are to live in the upperpart or lower part is determined when the child is 6 years old: they take a test, and if you pass you are allowed to live in the city with your family, if not, you don’t have a choice but to live outside.

Yokomine Makoto (Yokoyama Yu) failed the test as a kid, and now lives outside the central city. Addicted to gambling he is hunted by loan sharks daily. That is until he meets Captain Silver, a superhero who saves people in need. He then decides to go to ‘Academy for superheroes’, in order to become one himself, but also earn money. Here he meets 6 other people whom he is told he is going to be the leader of, and realizes that all 6 have debts, which is the reason for joining the academy: Marunouchi Shogo (Murakami Shingo), who is addicted to online shopping. Yasuhara Shun (Yasuda Shota) who is addicted to the color blue, and spends all his money on blue items. Nishikino Tetsuro (Nishikido Ryo) who was part of a one-wonder band, and lives believing he is famous. Okawa Ryosuke (Okura Tadayoshi) a naïve guy believing everyone, and falls for every scam. Shibusawa Kaoru (Shibutani Subaru) an alcoholic. And Muraoka Suki (Murakami Shingo) who is desperate for a girlfriend, he spends all his money on beauty salons.

As the criminal world begins to steal children off the streets, and the police are unable to do anything, the superheroes of the Academy of Superheroes’ called Eight Rangers are set out to save everyone. But for some reason the group of 8 don’t all seem like superheroes… Can these so called ‘heroes’ save the world?

I’ve recently started to watch Kanjani8 because of the laughs they give me on Japanese variety, even though I have watched Nishikido’s dramas and some of Yokoyama’s, I never really watched them together. J-idols are really good at acting together, expecially of they are in the same group, so I simply had to watch this.

Kanjani8 are known as fools, or ‘funny’ group, and really I didn’t expect any coolness out of this movie, so this was quite what you’d want to watch if you are a fan. It is light-hearted, and a bit silly to be honest, but that doesn’t make it any less good. It has a childish feature, so I guess some of the targeted audience is children.

Besides that I had quite the laughs, like due to the different colors of the actors I already knew, but also the interesting characters I got to know. So, yeah a fun movie.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts