Tokyo Salad Bowl (2025)

A detective drama that I instantly fell in love with

The story takes place primarily in the International Investigation Unit of the Higashi-Shinjuku Police Department. Here, our female lead, Koda Mari, is a young police officer known for her many quirks, like her green hair or her penchant for investigating “small” cases. She’s often assisted by a former detective turned translator, Arikino Ryo (Matsuda Ryuhei). In every episode, they interact with immigrants from different places, shedding light on the challenges and experiences of those living in a foreign land.

The plot is fairly straightforward, with an episodic format with one case each, that also slowly putts in some backstory for the leads. Not all cases were equally compelling, but each one was at least engaging to follow.

From this, it may seem like just another detective drama at first, but something about the about the leads kept me glued on this one. Their dynamic was delightful to watch. Truly, the highlight of the whole show.

Personally, I thought the way they lured us into Arikino’s past and case to be perfectly done. Each episode kept me wanting to know more about him. He’s rather mysterious and inexpressive as a character, but he never felt flat or stiff thanks to his actor. Honestly, Matsuda Ryuhei was a real discovery for me.

The female lead also held her own, but maybe I have a soft spot for the actress and for quirky, sunshine characters.
The show is not without its faults, there are many things that left me like hmmm, like threads that weren’t properly solved or were simply dropped after a few episodes (like the food aspect). But, all in all, it has a wonderful cast, a solid plot, and some great acting.

So, give this drama a chance! It definitely exceeded my expectations!

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