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

Yorou Uranaidokoro Omyoya e Yokoso Review

Title: Yorozu Uranaidokoro Onmyoya e Yokoso

AKA: Welcome to fortune teller Omyoya

Genre:  Mystery

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2013-Oct to 2013-Dec

Theme song: Kokoro Sora Moyo by Kanjani8

Cast: Nishikido Ryo, Kurashina Kana, Chinen Yuri and Kashiwagi Yuki.

The people in the shopping district of Oji, a town in the Kita-ward in Tokyo are a group of close knitted busybodies who help each other out in every way they can, and rarely face any issues or problems. That all changes when a man called Abeno Shomei (Nishikido Ryo) opens a fortune telling store in the heart of the shopping district. On the first day of opening Sawazaki Midori (Minamino Yoko) a huge fan of the supernatural and her son Shunta (Chinen Yuri) visit the store, and as the fortune telling goes on Shunta calls Shomei a fraud and punches him, breaking an expensive ornament. When Shomei notices something in Shunta he tells them that he can pay off the broken ornament by working at the shop.

Shortly after the entire shopping district is against Shomeis store because they are sure of Shomei being a fraud. But for some reason Shomei is able to solve people’s problems, and for weirdly enough everything about Shomei seems of. What is he doing there, and what does he really want?

This is one of those nice dramas that get you hooked immediately. Not that it is all exciting, but it makes you kind of interested and you feel like the drama has an honest approach, even though it is fantasy. Honestly these kinds of dramas make me remember why I love jdrama more than any other kind of dramas. The cast was great and even though half were only there for comic relief, the other half did a good job. Nishikido Ryo is awesome as always, and watching Chinen all grown up made me happy.

I’m trying to keep all the cards for myself, so if you think about watching this I won’t say more. It is recommendable :D

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts