Usotoki Rhetoric

A gentle, meaningful drama and that's no lie

I really enjoyed this drama. Its gentle storytelling resonates with me. This is particularly poignant during the current turbulent times. Life is simpler in Small Town Japan, circa 1926. Of course, I can't help but think the 1930’s is just around the corner . . but I digress.

What is not simple is the FL's life. She has the cliche ability to detect lies. We get the whole audio and visual effects. It came as no surprised that she was driven out of her village with extreme prejudice when she was still a teenager.

Nevertheless, she is lucky to run into the ML at her lowest point. The ML is a gentle soul and wise beyond his age. He etches out a simple existence as a private detective in a small provincial town. He does not judge the FL even after being made aware of her special ability. Instead of rejecting her, he decides to take the FL under his wings and they slide easily into cohabitation.

Now, you would think the ML being a keen observer of people plus the lie detection skills of the FL, they would make a successful crime detecting duo. However, they still struggle to stay afloat. It certainly adds spice to their lives.

Not that there is no work for them, but it is rare and a rather eclectic mix. More importantly, the ML uses these jobs as opportunities to educate the FL about truths and lies. The world is too harsh if we see everything as black or white.

Acting is decent from the ensemble cast. The young cast did their best and the easy-going script kept them largely in their comfort zone. You can feel they had fun making the drama.

I really enjoyed this show because it has such a genteel setting and promote positive messages. It is so easy to be invested in the characters and their lives. The OTP has a n easy going chemistry which is just starting to get more complicated. Their friends and associates are interesting. There are no extremely angsty situations. Yet, the plots are reasonably intricate and reflects the time and societal norms. Their world is a nice place to lose oneself for a few hours.

During my research for this review, I discovered that this series is based on a 10-volume manga of the same name (it is available in English). With so much material from the manga and a well charted plot, you'd think that more seasons would be a given. However, decision regarding live action adaptation doesn’t always play by the same rules. I can only hope. Please give us at least a second season. Pretty please?

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Soooo Lovely and Full of Charm - Season 2 please ?

Ahh I'm so glad I stumbled upon this drama. It's soo unique, cute and full of charm. At first, the studio like setting was obvious due to the era it's set in which isn't my favourite because it feels constricted. However, later on this became one of its strength. The characters are so lovely and it made it feel like a small community of warm hearted people.

The main leads complement each other perfectly too. Kanoko is so soft spoken and I love how gentle and how well Soma pays attention to her and accepts her for who she is.

Plus the cases are never too deep or too light. I can just watch this endlessly, I really hope they make a 2nd season. This was so calming and relaxing to watch!

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Usotoki Rhetoric is a drama you definitely don’t want to miss :)

I rarely write reviews outside of Asadora, but this is an exception because I truly fell in love with Usotoki Rhetoric, and I want to put that love into words, even if words can’t fully express how much this series means to me.

From just the first few minutes of watching, I already knew this would become one of my favorite dramas. The production quality stood out immediately and looked very promising. Usotoki Rhetoric offers a complete story, not just mystery, but also about family, friendship, and self-discovery.

The main reason I love this series is that, even though it deals with mysteries and Kanoko’s painful backstory, the overall story is light, making it easy and enjoyable to watch. The mysteries are solved in a clever and entertaining way, with just the right amount of depth to keep viewers like me engaged without feeling overwhelmed.

♡ Things I love about this drama:
1. Cinematography
I’m very picky when it comes to the setting, especially in historical or period dramas. If the set looks mediocre or feels empty, it distracts me and makes me less interested. But that’s not the case with Usotoki Rhetoric. The settings are precise, detailed, and full of life. The props bring the scenes to life, the lighting is beautiful, and the filters are perfectly chosen. I would even say this is one of the best Japanese dramas I’ve seen in terms of cinematography.

2. Faithful adaptation of the manga
Honestly, I only read the manga after watching the drama, so I'm speaking from the perspective of a drama viewer who became a manga reader. In my opinion, this is one of the best manga adaptations out there. As far as I’ve read, the drama stays very true to the original. In fact, some details are shown even more clearly in the drama, for example the tea Kanoko makes is explained more thoroughly, which helps the audience understand better. I also completely fell in love with how Suzuka Ouji and Matsumoto Honoka brought Souma and Kanoko to life.

3. Iwai Souma
At first glance, he may seem silly and carefree, but he’s so much more than that. While he can be lazy at times, he takes his work as a detective seriously. He’s kind, smart, considerate of others’ feelings, and the way he treats Kanoko with such warmth and gentleness really made me fall for his character. I love how, even though he and Kanoko live in poverty, their life is happy, warm, and full of mutual support.

♡ Overall, I absolutely love Usotoki Rhetoric! I adore the main characters, Souma and Kanoko, the neighbors in Tsukumoya, and even their detective service clients. I especially love how Kanoko finally finds a place she can truly call home. I couldn’t find a single thing I disliked about this drama, but honestly my only complaint is the cover, as it really doesn’t do justice to how good this drama is.

I highly recommend watching Usotoki Rhetoric! this is one drama you definitely don’t want to miss :)

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Demon Liar

Mentir, c'est tout un art. D'autant plus pour un homme pour lequel une femme peut lire comme dans un livre ouvert. Moi, par exemple, cela fait bientôt 200 chroniques de dramas japonais dans lesquelles je travestis la réalité. Série "exceptionnelle" par sa réalisation ou le jeu d'acteur ? Ma grandiloquence doit en énerver plus d'un (si, si, inutile de mentir !). Surtout après s'être laissé séduire par mes mensonges rédactionnels et avoir été déçu par la piètre qualité du drama.

Mais comme tout passionné, je n'ai pas conscience de mon mensonge. L'héroïne de Usotoki Rhetoric ne pourra donc pas me démasquer. Mais moi, je ne suis pas dupe. J'ai bien compris que ce énième Tantei Drama essaye pour la 100ᵉ fois de faire du neuf avec du vieux. Mais comme on dit, c'est dans les vieux nabe qu'on fait les meilleurs oden...

Meiji Patron
L'ère Meiji et les Années folles sont souvent utilisées comme cadre dans les Mystery Drama et autres histoires de détective. Il faut dire que c'est aussi la grande période de la littérature de gare. Le Japon se modernise, s'industrialise, tout en gardant cette touche de l'ère Edo, avec les rues des grandes villes ressemblant davantage à des villages et ses costumes mélangeant borsalino et kimono.

C'est donc visuellement que Usotoki séduit. Les couleurs et les décors sont chatoyants. La reconstitution de ces quartiers flatte la rétine, et clairement, une nouvelle page s'ajoute à l'arsenal du Cool Japan pour attirer les touristes américains. Tout comme Demon Slayer, le meilleur de l'ère Meiji est montré ici. Et clairement, on comprend la fascination de notre héroïne à venir travailler en ville pour ce détective bidon, elle qui n'a connu que les affres de la campagne.

La malédiction de la répétition
Une fois séduit par le cadre, on sera bien plus critique sur les personnages et l'intrigue. Comme souvent avec les Tantei Drama, on use et abuse d'un pouvoir ou d'une malédiction, attribué au détective ou à son partenaire. Le pouvoir de détecter les mensonges, pourtant central, ne vous fera donc pas sauter au plafond.

Perçu comme une malédiction par Matsumoto Honoka, son personnage manque clairement de personnalité. Il aurait fallu davantage de folie ou de dynamisme, mais l'auteur a choisi un personnage complexé et renfermé. Trop proche de son rôle de Suzu dans l'excellent Dans un recoin de ce monde, je ne conseille cette série que si l'on est fan de l'actrice. L'étant, je passerai donc sur sa discrétion pour me pencher sur le manque d'éclat également du côté de Suzuka Oji et Mikata Ryosuke. Au moins l'un des deux aurait pu être flamboyant, mais la retenue est de mise pour les deux, ce qui donne un rythme bien trop lent à l'ensemble de la série et des dialogues.

L'humour est présent, mais à dose homéopathique. Très léger, car la série se veut vraiment familiale. Vous ne trouverez donc pas réellement d'originalité ni de raison de regarder tous les épisodes, hormis l'esthétique Meiji. L'émotion n'est présente qu'à très peu de moments par ailleurs et ça, ça peut être rédhibitoire.

Bof, mais...
Je conseille particulièrement les deux épisodes sur les poupées. Marqués par une esthétique très soignée et des moments forts sur le plan scénaristique. L'ending de Eiru est de plus un moment de grâce dans la série, qui n'en a pas tant que ça. Une écriture certainement trop respectueuse du rythme du manga, voire proche de la littérature du début du 20ᵉ siècle, gâche ce qui aurait pu être une œuvre steampunk flamboyante. Clairement, le Sherlock Holmes de Miyazaki est plus moderne et passionnant, sans parler d'un Demon Slayer, arc du train de l'infinie ou des quartiers du plaisir.

Trop plan-plan, donc je déconseille ce drama aux moins de 40 ans. Et pourtant, je l'ai regardé avec passion... à moins que je ne mente sur mon âge.

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Detective dilettanti, stile Jessica B. Fletcher, in versione giapponese anni '30

Una serie piacevole e raffinata, che per atmosfera e struttura richiama “La signora in giallo”: piccoli misteri, ambientazione curata e indagini dal tono umano.
Come quella storica serie, speriamo che “Usotoki Rhetoric” possa proseguire con nuovi episodi e stagioni, perché il suo mondo e i suoi personaggi sono un gradevole passatempo per persone di tutte le età.

La serie è ambientata nell’era Shōwa (1926), segue Kanoko, ragazza capace di percepire le bugie, e Sauma, detective squattrinato con cui risolve piccoli misteri.

Punti di forza:
- Atmosfera retrò e curata, con un fascino da giallo classico giapponese.
- Idea originale del “potere della verità”.
- Buona chimica tra i protagonisti e tono leggero ma coinvolgente.

Debolezze:
- Misteri semplici e prevedibili.
- Personaggi non sempre approfonditi.
- Ritmo pacato, più da drama che da thriller.

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