Keibuho Sugiyama Shintaro ~ Kichijoji-sho Jiken File
5 people found this review helpful
The story is absolutely heart wrenching, sad, upsetting, thoughtful, unique, ingenious, kind, silly, happy, and filled with a lot of genuine honesty from a family, from friends, and from coworkers that you don't really see a lot of from this genre/type of drama. To be honest, I was a little hesitant in watching (even if Kaname Jun is acting as a main character) this series because it seemed more of a comedic take on family life while being a detective. But, once I started watching the first episode, I realized that I was wrong. This show sincerely and seriously takes on the aspect of being a working detective and head of the house hold; it shows, in true honesty, just how hard balancing two jobs (detective and father/husband) can really be. So, to me, this show is very much true to life.
Each actor played their character with respect, honesty, kindness, and sincerity; and I'm not saying you don't see that anymore, but even down to the child actors I felt that their skill and talent was close to perfect for each story and case that arrived. I'm very glad that I decided to watch this show and I definitely hope a lot more people give this drama series a chance!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
It did move fast in some areas of the film, but it also didn't go so fast that you would miss something or not understand something. The story, itself, progressed rather quickly, I thought. But, that also could be my imagination because ever since I pressed play on this story I have been completely sucked in!
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is one of the most heart-wrenching, relatable shows I have seen in a long time! Although I can see, and sort of agree, with how and why a few commenters have said they've dropped this show, however, on the other hand, with such an amazing cast and a very thoughtful, tangible, genuine story of life and friendships and reality, I just don't see how they could drop it!If you've seen the American show "Friends", then the feeling/air of this show is something similar, though I wouldn't say it's an exact copy because it definitely has its own fantastic qualities! The synopsis, and even title of the show itself, suggests that it is a show about men and how they move throughout their life/lives while being single. But do not let that throw you, and do not let this show fool you! Sure there are a few slow moments, but if you pay attention to detail (mostly words and how the actor himself/herself portrays their character) during those slow moments, you'll realize that everything that person says and does is pretty beneficial to the show as a whole.
This show is not just a story about the three main characters friendships within their "lair" or within their group; it also shows a lot of how society manipulates and recreates us as human beings, not to mention our relationships within our families, romantic relationships, and within our jobs. This show brings to life the actual act of human life; real, raw, and honest!
Was this review helpful to you?
If the story alone is enough to draw in someone as picky as me, then you add in the amazing cast, this show must be a hit (lol). Speaking of the cast, hearing Takei Emi be so unemotional was something I was not used to at all! It took me a few episodes to get used to, too. Listening to Sasaki Kuranosuke speaking in Osaka (i believe it was) dialect was one of the most amazing things I'm ever heard. Watching each person of this fantastic cast work as a team, even though they were sometimes at odds, was fascinating, to say the least! I also found a few wonderful new actors to follow!
I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I worried, I was curious, I learned, and I felt as if I was part of each case. The stories were an even 50/50 balance of typical stories for a police/medical examiner/mystery/crime drama and stories that I've never witnessed before. I think that may have been a strength and a weakness for this show; it could have been longer than 8 episodes, but it was completed wonderfully with a finale that I never saw coming.
I would like to see more of this story, if not more of an apathetic, unemotional Takei Emi and an eccentric, thick dialect speaking Sasaki Kuranosuke. This drama does seem a tad underrated to me, but maybe that's just because I haven't noticed it myself. I believe this show could have lasted longer than 8 episodes and would have loved to see more of this entire team of medical examiners and police working together!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Hold on, this may be long! I'm sorry!I can honestly say that this is one of the most intense, dramatic, surreal shows I have ever watched; Japanese, South Korean, or otherwise! When I heard about this show, I was immediately attracted because of the genre (forensics/police/crime/etc..) but I didn't want to watch it so soon because I wanted to watch this show based on its story and not be biased because of the popularity of its cast since the genre is one of my favorites. I am so glad I waited for the first wave of hype to die down because I was not disappointed at all!
The fact that this show is a police/forensic/medical/crime/etc... show is what drew me in but that was only halfway, of course, the other half was because I had faith in (this may sound hypocritical) the cast selected: Nishikido Ryo, Araki Yuko, Yamazaki Shigenori, Sasai Eisuke, Koyuki, Funakoshi Eiichiro, and the multitude of extremely talented guests. However, do not let the cast fool you! The real gem of this show is, in fact, the story alone!
Yes, everyone involved with this show did an outstanding, superb, exceptional job from work on the set, to directing, to portraying their characters, and so much more. Not one moment of this show is wasted in any way, shape or form. The amount of hard work, respect, talent, and genuine love for the show was so strong that it pulled me to continue watching and I binge-watched the entire show in one day.
To me, this show did seem to be lacking something, but to be honest I could never put my finger on it and once I finished watching I completely forgot what it could have possibly been. Each episode slowly but surely lays the trail of the finale, if you blink you may miss something important. There were episodes where I thought I could predict the outcome, but I was completely wrong; this goes for the final episode, too! I could never have thought of, nor have I ever seen, a drama/tv show/movie/play/book that had this shows genuinely honest and raw intensity.
If you pass on this show just because of a few comments/reviews or because you don't like a certain actor/actress then you are missing out on a once in a life time story.
Was this review helpful to you?
Dr. Koto Shinryojo 2004 Special Autumn
4 people found this review helpful
This show has such a strong, honest life full of relatable moments and people that it's almost tangible! Each and every second of this story is flooded with humanity, kindness, love, and bitter and sweet moments. This series is a must for anyone who (of course) likes the medical/suspense/thrilling/slice-of-life dramas, but I also believe people will fall in love with this series just by the first episode because of how unqiue, real, and tangible this show and it's actors, actresses, and stories are.
Was this review helpful to you?
Not one moment is too complicated or too dramatic. The show is a continuation from the movie, so I can see where people may feel lost if they don't watch the movie first, but to be honest, I felt fine watching it before the film. The different feelings, thoughts, and realities of each episode made this show feel very real and relatable, almost tangible even!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This drama is so much more than a comedy. I've never seen a show with such depth and creativity as this show has proved since episode one! This story is very unique with a few predictable plot points, however, I can promise you that I could not predict the ending and the entire show was written and performed so fantastically well that not one bit of time is wasted.If you believe this show to be a strict comedy/parody of detective or idol shows, then you're sadly mistaken and will definitely miss out on a wonderful show! This show is, without a doubt, one of the funniest series I've seen, though comedy is not all this show is. Within each episode is about 50% comedy and 50% heart. The reality is that this show is, in fact, a detective drama; even so, it's still a complete comedy drama and lives up to that genre completely; but the other 50% of this show is complete heart, and is something truly amazing to watch! Not one minute of this show is wasted, each moment of the story plays out so perfectly well that it's almost like it was real. Watching each member work their hardest and to see their development over time as idols, actors, policemen, band members, and friends was very wonderful to watch. You can see each actor and actress' talent, hard work, unique traits and personality, and honest love for their job and for this show.
It was also nice to see Nomaguchi Tohru in a different role than what I'm used to seeing him in, in fact it was so surprising to me that it became one of the reasons why I continued watching. However, that isn't to say I didn't like anyone else in this show; to be honest, I like all of Decadance's members and I'm very interested in a few more actors and actresses. Either way, this show is not one to miss! If you pass this show up thinking it's just a comedy show, then you're very sadly mistaken.
Was this review helpful to you?
Each story is filmed as if it were a present to the viewers. There's a lesson to learn within each episode, and you lose yourself within the moments of just watching and falling in love with each character and their story.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I've seen a few amnesia shows like this before, maybe even a couple that are included in the detective/suspense/mystery/criminal genre(s), but I have never seen a drama, movie, or special quite like this series! Each episode was very compelling and with very raw, bittersweet emotions that were so strong they were almost tangible!This show is definitely one of Sawamura Ikki's best, and to be honest, I only watched this show because of him! However, once I looked through the full cast list I noticed a few more favorite actors and actresses; and both reasons, along with one of the greatest scripts and storyline's I've seen in a long time, are what led me to continue watching this series. Though a handful of my favorite actors/actresses were in this series, I especially became interested in Yokoyama Daisuke; his talent, personality, skill, and traits made for a very interesting supporting character and I cannot wait to see him in more shows and/or movies.
The location(s) for this series definitely captivated me from the beginning, and throughout the entire show, there were moments where I was completely in awe of the beauty of Japan. The story itself was something very unique to anything I have seen before, and I believe the setting being in such a gorgeous city made this show even that much more amazing. This is a good show to watch if you're a beginner to Japanese dramas or just want to binge-watch something fantastic!
Was this review helpful to you?
The Kitazawas: We Mind Our Own Business
4 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
This drama is one of the most ridiculous, unexpectedly thrilling, heartfelt, suspenseful comedy shows I have ever seen. This show is definitely one that fits under the rule of "don't judge a book by its cover"!Even though I had doubts at the beginning of a few certain cast members, as I continued watching this show they were all soon blown away! This cast is remarkable! I've seen some of this shows cast in previous shows, however, in this series it was like they were someone completely different; and I don't mean because acting is their profession or the people they were acting as was different from what I've seen them in, either! This cast had me enthralled by their talents immediately; everyone was deeply into performing their roles so respectfully that I could see their talent and perfection of the skill as the show went on.
The story had some very unique plot twists that I never could have seen coming. A multitude of feelings were emitted from this show as soon as it began; family, respect, jealousy, ego, pride, narcissism, trust, love, friendship, and many more! The energy this show had was something that shined immediately from episode 1!
I loved each character as they showed the difficulties of daily life while being raised in a "famous" household. It was very interesting to see how each family member lived their lives while in their profession and within their household. Each "troublesome" mission they all took on as a family was hilarious, but it was really interesting to see how the family and the people around them grew separately and as a family together.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
How this show only has four episodes, I'll never know! This show was definitely a highlight for my year even though it came out in 2013; definitely a favorite of mine for forever. Each episode was thrilling and filled with creative suspense and unique talent up until the very last moment! I never could have predicted what would happen next within each episode. I wish there were more than four episodes, it definitely carried itself well between the actor's, actresses, and the storyline/plot(s).The family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and "ghosts" were all very honest, genuine, real people. This is definitely not a typical drama or special-series involving ghosts or family drama, and it is definitely not a drama you can watch just anywhere from any network. This show has something special; each episode showed a very vulnerable, open, raw side to each person involved in this series. It has the power of laughter one second, then anger, then worry, then fear, and then even tears. Though at the end of this series I was left with the feeling of pride, happiness, accomplishment, and I even feel like I learned a lot from each person involved in this wonderful show.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
