This review may contain spoilers
What An Amazing Mini-Series. One of the Best Jdrama of the year!
It won't be an exaggeration to call this one of the best, if not the best Jdrama of the year.It's amazing how a 25 minutes 6 episodes short drama can have such an impact on the viewers.
This drama is based on a real-life criminal probationary System in Japan where trained volunteers are appointed as probation officers for convicts.
This drama essentially follows what I will call the adventure of one such female voluntarily probation officer, Kayo Agawa in her duties in dealing with 3 convicts who were placed on probation.
Each convict's case is dealt with separately although there are some overlap in so far as the supporting actors appearances are concerned. I have to say that each episode is so thought-provoking, touching and excellent that you will be amazed by the amazing acting from all the casts involved.
This is the first drama that I've ever watched that dealt directly with the job scope of a voluntary probation officer and it's really an eye opener on the challenges and difficulties faced by such officers. You may even wonder if some of the things showed in this drama are true and although it may seem unbelievable at times , it is actually totally true in real life. I've read articles that confirms that the depiction in this drama of the workings of such voluntary probation officers in Japan are pretty accurate.
If you are someone who wants to watch something unique and different from your everyday romance/horror/comedy drama, this one is for you.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a gem of a drama.
PS: Ishibashi Shizuka is really a scene-stealer everytime she appeared on screen. I'm really amazed by her great acting.
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A Compelling and Introspective Look at Criminals as Humans
I think this drama is special for a number of reasons. Firstly, it covers an interesting and little addressed topic without being overly obtuse or philosophical. Secondly, it steers clear of the unfortunate reputation of most Jdramas, presenting a solemn and cliché-free exploration of the topic. And finally... well I just really like the main character. Such a unique personality, in such an interesting situation, with a great portrayal by her actor.Criminal justice was always an interesting topic, especially on a personal level. It's easy to reduce criminals to lesser beings or statistics, but everyone has their own situations, and in the end, everyone's a person. However, it can't be dismissed that certain people are inclined towards behaviors which are inherently incompatible with society or which do (or should) violate one's values. These people must either learn to curb these behaviors or face the consequences, and yet they are still people and so can't be condemned forever. Zenkamono is certainly one of the best portrayals of this conundrum, demonstrating anecdotally each of these situations through the eyes of someone uniquely positioned to address the subject: a probation officer. And while (to our benefit) the show avoids grand philosophical debate, there are subtextual implications of greater questions that are being explored, if you care to think on them.
And, perhaps that's where Zenkamono gets it's tone: one which isn't necessarily unique among television media or even Asian dramas, but which is certainly less common in the Jdrama scene. The whole show is permeated with a steady sense of solemnity, even when punctuated by moments of drama, emotion, and intrigue. Even during the comic relief and the least tense of scenes, there is a feeling that no one is denying the truth of their situation, that it has been accepted so they can move on.
Beyond the more intangible elements of the show- if we were to get into the nitty gritty- the production level was spot on, as is pretty much expected by now for all productions of this size, and the acting was all incredible. The characters were really sold in their portrayals and lines, with a fantastic screenplay backed up by a pondering score. I will say, for a show only six episodes long, the plot felt a little disjointed, like it's stuck halfway between a narrative style and episodic style. I didn't mind that they started a new plot line every couple of episodes because it kept it fresh, but narratively it felt a little rushed. Perhaps we can chalk that up to production constraints and give them a little leeway.
All in all, a great show. Probably not a silly, fun comedy or romcom if that's what you're looking for, but if you're searching for something interesting and compelling and perhaps with something to say, you're in the right place. You won't be disappointed by the thought-out scenarios of the characters or the believable acting that occurs in them. With that, I will recommend this show.
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This review may contain spoilers
Are we bound by our past mistakes?
Zenkamono deals with heavy subject matter. The main stories are split into 3 separate stories with some overlap. Each one takes a look at how difficult it is for criminals to reintegrate into society after crime.Arimura is the most aggressive that I've ever seen her. She's also at the weakest I've ever seen her in a role. I respected that aspect about her character. It's really explosive sometimes. Sometimes almost comical. She goes through the most extremes I've seen her in terms of character personality.
The first story I felt was the most powerful. Midori and Kato have an amazing chemistry together. I thoroughly enjoyed their interactions and banter. Midori's character arc had an amazing setup and back story with a great payoff. I thought the inclusion of the her childhood trauma and friendships were a good addition to the layers of her character. I felt bad for her circumstances and thought her case was nuanced. I think the strength of this show is how it factors in reasonings for their crimes and how sometimes doing something for the right reasons in their minds lead to the crimes. Midori also added a good balance to restore faith in Kayo every time they interacted.
The second story I thought at first was somewhat odd. Kazu was introduced as a quiet fellow but then when they through in the other layer of his lust, I was surprised. This segment's actor had such amazing body language. He felt awkward and scary. I've met people in real life who have had his posture and mannerisms and it was exquisitely done. The framing of this one was very unexpected and was a good morality question. When we don't agree with someone's morality are we still able to help them? I thought this was an important question to ask in this series. When the end of his story began with the confrontation of his lust and his effect on the other victim, I thought this was some powerful drama. It forces you to understand perspectives on both sides of this story.
The third story was great too! The reframing of the criminal into a victim themselves is something that is a very real occurrence. Allowing Tamiko's character to make poor judgements due to her disposition was a smart way to show the human side of criminals. These people aren't perfect and they themselves know what they did was wrong. But they cannot be shunned from help because of this. Everyone deserves a second chance. Tamiko's fraility and dependence was well communicated in Kotone's acting and body language. They also did excellent work on her makeup to make her look sickly.
The drama on this show is done very well with respect to the subject matter. I would if looked to have seen more in the logistical side of how probation is done. But I think for the human side it was focused well. The cinematography was crisp and movie quality. I can see why they opted for a movie sequel with the series. Enjoyable watch with a little room for more.
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This review may contain spoilers
..A VERY WEIRD ONE..
..in Japan, there's a lot of weird things they can feature - like foods, rules, culture, you name it...
..even on the job too - a probation officer with you such earnings. . .what is that?..
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..this is a story of a girl soon to be decided to be a probation officer because of her past experience..
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..here, you need to be with one of a certain criminal that may be free from prison based on their characters once they let go outside and see the society..
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..well, I just watch this because of Kasumi Arimura getting popular to me, the time I watched her on Rurouni Kenshin and Conto ga Hajimaru..
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..yet, I love the drama, the cinematography is so impressive which is very different from other series I have watch - the more I focus on the scenes, the more I getting feel that I am there, just a few steps with them - the staffs behind this is so creative..
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..this is just a miniseries, not knowing if that is the last episode, until they release a movie, with different casts - telling me that it's the last episode..
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..a very cliffhanger series for me..
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