Ameku Takao's Detective Karte

It is only logical

Using a savant as the lead of a drama is nothing new. They are both a source of interesting characters as well as pitfalls. One false step and you will be seen as making fun of someone with a disability. This show handles this aspect reasonably well but not faultlessly.

As expected, our FL is not a personable doctor but a diagnostic genius. She is clueless about handling people. She literally has a cheat sheet on how to interact with patients. Some of her interpretations of those pointers can be cringey yet endearing. Her very deliberate staged smile is a sight to behold!

This is where her trusted nurse sidekick and new assistant doctor comes in handy. They are her calming influence, boundary setter, as well as moderator to round off some of her sharper edges.

Initially, I thought it would be just mysterious medical cases where the diagnosis eluded the attending doctors. The first episode was largely that and if I’m honest, a bit boring. There are too many jargons and obscure medical conditions. I suppose it does set the scene and introduced all the characters. However, everything shifted up a gear in the next episode.

She ends up being drawn into more dramatic cases, some involving the police. Most of these happened either in her hospital or another medical facility. She would either stumble onto a mystery or be called in. That's the through line.

Other staff involved are often nonplussed and resent her intrusion. Her blunt approach and off kilter personality rubs people the wrong way. Her actions often challenges the status quo. It is ML’s full-time job just keeping her from flying off the handle.

Now let’s talk about the bread and butter stuff. Acting is on par for a j-drama of this length and decent production quality. There is always going to be some overacting for a show in this genre. The FL did her best to stay in character. I don't know if it is a realistic portrayal, but she throws herself into the role. There is a surprising amount of physical comedy.

Overall, it is quite watchable, but don't dig too deep. Most cases conclude within one episode. This is no singularly focused, intricately crafted whodunit. Each case is logical once she solves the puzzle, but she held most of the cards. She would do a final reveal and pulls all the dangling threads together. It is good enough for the general audience.

Now, the big question, will there be a second season? Nothing is official, but the foundation is laid for a continuing series. There is a budding romance. Her staffs are loyal; the department is finally on solid footing. Given the series is based on a 13 volume manga series, there is no lack of source material. There is even a 12 eps anime series released this year. The question is whether there is a will (and viewership) to make it happen.

In the end, I won't say this is an unmissable drama. I did enjoy my time with it. Rewatch is unlikely as once the mysteries are solved, there is little to sustain your interest. Peace.

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Autistic Doctor Solves Cases

Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte is a fun ride, in my opinion. As an autistic person, I think I can provide some feedback regarding the authenticity of the performance and the main character as a whole. Ms. Hashimoto, as Ameku Takao, definitely gave it her all with this performance as an autistic doctor. Yes, at times I think her struggles are "played up" for laughs, but I didn't find any of it offensive, which isn't something I can say for all shows featuring autistic characters. In fact, I often caught myself reflecting on my own experiences while watching the show. Takao doesn't feel like a 2-dimensional character, because she isn't reduced to a list of symptoms, and we're allowed to see different parts of her.

Hata Mei in her support role is excellent as well. She knew what to do to in her scenes, and she never failed to provoke a reaction from me. Miura Shohei, who played Takanashi Yu, has a really deep, resonant voice — I think I could even listen to him read the phone book all day without complaining, to be honest. All round a great cast.

Another thing that struck me was the tone of the show. In that sense, it feels very much like Great Teacher Onizuka especially in the way it inject moments of levity between instances of violence or serious topics. For those who like realism, it might not become one of their favorites. But people who like to laugh AND cry? They might really dig this show.

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