Inheritance Detective

Good law drama on a unique topic - Inheritance, with a good revenge part on the side

It was refreshing to delve into the intricacies of inheritance and see how it was presented in the story. The different narratives—such as the family playing the "butler" against the maid to prevent her from receiving the inheritance, or the complicated business rivalry between half-brothers—were particularly engaging. The latter stood out because of the father’s clever will, which forced the brothers to reconcile and bond over saving their late father’s business.

Haie was a delightful character to follow, meticulously handling each case to fulfill the deceased’s wishes. He even went beyond his duty, ensuring the beneficiaries made the best of their inheritances—like helping the brothers mend their relationship.

I also appreciated how Haie prioritized his team’s safety whenever danger arose—often due to Jidori (his biological father). His loyalty to his stepfather, whom he considered his true father, further deepened his admirable character. Despite Jidori’s status, Haie never sought his approval, reinforcing his integrity.

Haie’s revenge against Jidori was executed brilliantly—methodical, patient, and never rushed. The setbacks caused by Jidori added tension, making the payoff more satisfying.

The dynamic with the reporter was another great touch. Their initial rivalry, initiated through a false article resulting in the revoked attorney license from Haie and Haie’s disdain for him evolved into an uneasy alliance against Jidori, adding an interesting twist.

The trial in the final episode was compelling, though I wish it had been longer. A standout moment was Haie’s closing plea, delivered with his signature boldness and flair.

That said, the ending left me wanting more closure. How did the public perceive Jidori afterward? Did he regain his attorney’s license? Was there any reconciliation between him and Haie? Exploring these threads would have been rewarding.

Overall, the story was well-crafted and enjoyable.

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This drama was a strange one, and I don't mean it in a good way.
It felt as if it was two different dramas -- one that ran for about two thirds of the total and another that started around the end of episode 7 or 8.

The drama starts like quite a few Japanese detective dramas do: An eccentric main character, often a genius, accompagnied by one or two equally eccentric (or very straight-laced) side-kicks solve a "case of the week" , often with a twist or using unusual methods. Their "lair" is appropriately colourful and chaotic, the way the first few cases are laid out follows the pattern of traditional mystery dramas.
And I do love this kind of mystery drama, I liked 99.9 Criminal Lawyer, The Locked Room Murders, and more.
But Inheritance Detective failed to connect me with the team members. It neither develops their quirks well enough for them to really become a running gag (for example Tomonaga is supposed to often speak very quietly, so that nobody can understand him, which is used only occasionally in the earlier episodes, and never in the later ones. Haie himself eats dry coffee beans when he takes on a case, but it's never explained why or at least commented on or, I don't know, *something*, he just does.)
The drama's cases are neither good detective cases, where the audience can either guess along or be astonished at the genius detective's abilities, nor are they connected by a common thread (except by inheritance and wills), unlike the themes of "identity" and "mother-child-relationships" in Don't Call it Mystery.
I could have followed either direction -- comedy, mystery, philosophy -- but this drama failed to evolve any of these possibilities to a depth I could have been satisfied with.

And then the "showdown" with the real villain started, and it felt as if I watched a completely different drama. Any hint of levity was gone, characters suddenly seemed to change (from antagonists to supporters), and it felt like a revenge thriller or court drama, complete with seemingly life-threatening situations.
But this too was never developed deeply enough, even the villain stayed one-dimensional, the speech Haie gives in court near the end felt more contrived than moving -- mainly because I wasn't invested in anything.
Actually, I went through the first five episodes like a breeze, slowed down later, and the last episode took me long enough that I watched both seasons of Minato's Laundromat (which were at least not boring, just frustrating), *and* 8 episodes of Monster Next Door in the meantime.

And it's a real shame that the script was so bad, because the main actors were brilliant. I almost didn't recognize Akaso Eiji, he completely disappeared behind his role.
I think, based on the actors' abilities, I could have loved the team -- but not with this script.

However, there *is* one thing in the script I loved: When Haie tries to sideline his female sidekick "for her safety" (not his male sidekick), she doesn't let him, but involves herself again without his consent or even knowledge.

Was it good? -- It had some good ideas, but wasn't consistent in theme or tone. The actors were brilliant.

Did I like it? -- I would have given the first part a 7/10 or the second part a 6/10 -- but put together, no.

Would I recommend it? -- No. Neither to mystery nor to thriller aficionados.

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