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@Mitsuki: Here’s the Nogizaka46 cast photo : 
http://www.nogizaka46.com/news/assets_c/2014/04/140307_EN_00324-thumb-300xauto-6393.jpg
" /> The
Puella Magi Holy Quintettaken from
http://www.nogizaka46.com/news/2014/04/-46.php I can guess them all except for the far right one. Maybe she’s Mami?
Cast (Japanese writing order):
Btw. Kitagawa Keiko is getting married in January! All ye Sailor Mars fans rejoice! Update:
She got married on January 11!
http://blog.stardust.co.jp/keiko/20160111_1758/ 
http://image.news.livedoor.com/newsimage/4/f/4f356_760_2065152_20160111_195751_size640wh_9285.jpg " /> Tantei no Tantei / Detective Versus Detectives
" /> 
" /> special finger care! ; special face care!
" /> 
" /> ΞΞΞ‘ trap; nasty stuff
PV
[BBvideo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjrlE9UXgLU [/BBvideo] Type: detective drama
Genre: crime, detective, action
Year: 2015
Intro:
The show is based on a series of 4 novels of the same name by Matsuoka Keisuke. The show at least covers the 3 novels (training, vs. Gedo, vs. Shinigami). Frankly, the 4th novel is supposed to be the final which seems to be included. I’m not sure due to the timing.
Synopsis:
Sasaki Rena is a beautiful woman with excellent memory and intelligence. Five years ago, her sister Sakura-chan was murdered by a stalker who had used a private detective to track her down.
Rena is bend on hunting down evil private detectives, and one day get the one, “Shinigami”, who caused her sister’s death. She went through rigorous training and became the most hated anti-detective detective in the country.
With possible enemies in her own company, the whole world has become her enemy. Even if wrong, she is unpopular among her own colleagues. Soon enough her enemies and the police plot to take her down. Every detective firm known has started to investigate her.
Despite enemies at every corner she escapes fatal blows. Unknowingly, she already has stepped into the net of her arch enemy. Her every step’s been guided by the enemy. When she finally realizes it’s already too late. She’s forced to choose death and save someone or live (for the time being).
Critique:
Shocking, brutal, violent and intelligent. For reasons mentioned and or not further explained posting of images has been limited. This show is undoubtedly meant for the female audience. Ye woman and gals should be watching this. Seriously.
So what’s it about? On the surface it’s about detectives hunting detectives. The things they do border on or are crimes and murder.
However, subtly the main theme is violence against women. Crimes are committed on all three sides (the good, the bad, and the victims).
Important information are provided and spread throughout the show. They are worth listening to. Ya better do.
Kitagawa Keiko aka Sailor Mars as Sasaki Rena is awkward. Well, she’s completely different from her usual self. She’s cold as she has shut herself off. Through hard work she uses all her knowledge and skills to gain an edge in the uneven fights against her male opponents. Due to her emotionless appearance and poker face she’s a turn off. Frankly, this affects the show greatly.
In the second half the focus increases more on Kawaguchi Haruna as Minemori Kotoha. She’s the typical weak sheltered little sister who starts to live by herself trying to gain independence. Being caught in the reality of being a novice assistant she’s absolutely helpless and lost. Therefore, her role didn’t help improve the show.
The “real” partner is the detective Kubozuka Yuma, who typically is against private detectives. Sadly, he gets killed off as soon as he becomes an ally.
The fights are brutal as far as TV drama shows go. There are way more brutal movies, though. Despite everything not a lot of blood is spilled but when it does it’s a pool. The show doesn’t hold back on tricks you shouldn’t try at home. Don’t even think of trying. Better yet forget it.
Since Rena is smart, it’s immediately obvious when the show tries to set her up, when she makes a mistake. On the other side there’s at least one case where she’s way too smart…or rather impossible to figure out within the time constrain.
It’s really something: Abiru has prepared a modified laptop that won’t boot when found. The motherboard has to be put into a microwave and heated for 6 minutes at 170 degrees such that the soldering points will melt and the interrupted wire will be reconnected. Afterwards, chill it in the refrigerator then put it back and the computer will boot. An amazing scheme that would put police forensics to shame!
Let’s ignore the microwave could have fried all the internal circuits.
π Imho figuring out the problem in the first place is no easy task. From a real world example, there was once a specialized precision control industrial computer board numerous engineer couldn’t figure out the problem for years on end. Then someone newly assigned figured it out in an hour and some hours more to fix it. The problem was energy levels beyond the limits of measurement, hence, nobody could figure it out. It was right between the macro cosmos (measurable world) and the micro cosmos (immeasurable world=quantum). Simply put, regardless of the number of engineers with unlimited time they wouldn’t have been able to solve it but yours truly genius would pull it off. That’s why it is impossible or that Rena is too smart not to mention Abiru.Overall, the show is good but the actors fail to please. It’s not exactly their fault and I dunno if the script and directing could have been improved with the given setting in place. It’s a shame because I think the show has the potential for being better not to mention there are a lot of good stuff I cannot further in details.
Verdict: 7.6
Cast: 8
Cast performance: 7
Script/Directing: 8
Keizoku 2 – SPEC
" /> the special team!
" /> 
" /> tooth; spitting tooth attack
" /> Saya’s Mr. pillow
courtesy Hello! ProjectSaori masu!
[BBvideo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyUfSRrGEPw [/BBvideo] Saori masu! battle
[BBvideo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA6Jj–44P4 [/BBvideo] Type: mystery drama
Genre: mystery, detective, action
Year: 2010
Intro:
This is the continuation of the Keizoku show but made 11 years later with a (nearly) complete new cast. Unlike the first this show is about crime committed by people with paranormal or ESP powers. It’s a remake and an alternative universe. Therefore, by all means it’s “Keizoku 2 SPEC”. Aside from the drama show there are two specials and three movies.
Synopsis:
While the SIT (Special Investigation Team) special commando unit went after criminals, Shimura gets separated and shoots at Sebumi Takeru. However, he is hit instead. Sebumi [Takeru sounds worse] is accused of shooting Shimura.
Sebumi gets shunned to the “unsolved cases” special division SPEC of Public Welfare, the secret police force. It’s located in a separated corner of the MPD HQ. SPEC is tasked with cases of ESP, that can not be explained with science, to build up evidence to stand trial. In other words, handling nonsense cases and claimer complaints that are passed around departments.
π Then unit is always on the verged of being crushed from enemies and friends alike. (ESP ability is called SPEC in this show.)Sebumi’s rock bottom enthusiasm is met with Toma Saya’s hunger. The one armed woman is totally annoying to his proper and correctness as a policeman. Saya’s patronizing and ease of acceptance of shocking law breaking procedures is another annoyance. Obviously SPEC is used to do this. Yet, she has conflicting issues about lying and telling the truth.
It’s all unacceptable but no matter how hard he tries to use common reasoning only Saya can solve them. As the cases come and go he is forced to acknowledge her expertise and skill going so far as actually asking for them.
Unknowingly, the secret enemy organization and the old enemy have been manipulating them since the distant past. It’s a secret war between humans and “established” SPEC population. Saya is fated to face her past again and become instrumental in committing her own sinful cruel tragedy. Having lost everything she finally faces her true enemy.
It’s a shocking revelation. Will she become the enemy’s slave or die by his hand or…?
Critique:
Toda Erika as Toma Saya has lots of much fun. Most of the time she makes all kinds of faces. This is actually true for many of her roles but it’s totally different from her proper public appearance e.g. Hana Yori Dango2. She’s an actress for all I know. It’s refreshing to watch, though. She usually gets bullied by Sebumi Takeru and the criminals. Sometimes she pays them back, of course, and when she does it borders on excessive. One funny thing is she studies Schroedinger’s cat and it seems she still didn’t finish it midway of the show.
Her ex-boyfriend “Lefty” teaches preparatory physics classes for university entrance exams: writing gravitational kinematic orbital equations and continues with relativity and the twin paradox. This is a hint. This final level is normal for senior high school students in Japan (and some European countries). It’s a mystery why Saya’s stuck with Schroedinger’s. Yet, she calculates the time passed within the Hayabusa space probe because of her father’s work. This is another major background story difference as it occurred after Keizoku.
It’s also kind of funny watching how skilled she is in handling and eating food of any size(!) with just one hand and chopstick. She eats at least as much as ten people. It’s her “side effect” (term borrowed from World Trigger). You got to wonder how she handles toilet issues. Well, Japanese controls are on the right so it should be convenient. She uses weird tools for cooking…which looks edible, probably. Sebumi didn’t die but is still ungrateful.
π She’s probably taste deaf.Kase Ryo as Sebumi Takeru is the stiff, soldiering detective. Being stiff with a poker face his acting hardly influences impression. He starts out as ignorant, proper policeman, but due to lack of power falls to the dark side. He basically fails as the perfect counter or sheath for Saya which is all too human. It’s only hinted in the show Saya being some kind of monster. When volunteering for unit Zero, the secret police within Public Walfare, Sebumi pulls a tooth bare-handed! He also has extreme defense reflexes to throwing/flying attacks from the side, e.g. outside FOV. Is he even human?
Ryu Raita as Nonomura Kotaro is one of the old cast (aside from chief clerk Kondo-kun). This old chief is (still) two timing with an idol police woman, Miyabi! They are there for comic relief and or from time to time make some insightful comment. Miyabi joked once she was pregnant which for some reason is taken as given later on. Further confusion was made with her having a relationship with another young detective. This side story is completely irrelevant to the story.
There are a number of recurring names from Keizoku which caused some confusion. The show has a reference to Sakai Masato (as Date Kazuyoshi) in Joker where he plays a detective who secretly makes untouchable criminals disappear. It’s a good cruel show with similar things going on, hence, the reference.
At one time it was mentioned using a PHS phone was alright in a hospital. This is certainly not true at least not in all hospitals. In the same episode there’s a whole listing of Japanese specific diseases.
As the story progresses it gets clear our two protagonist are just a play-ball in a war between two secret all-powerful all-present organizations and society. Even dogs are serving agents. Yet, both sides, for some reason, need our protagonist as actors in the war. The most trouble some issue is in the later quarter of the show where things suddenly escalate into chaos. Both sides get partially or in whole wiped out and two boss showdowns happening one after another. It’s makes sense watching but having it suddenly explode and end is awkward. In case you are confused, Youta did die. The show is just preparing for things to get resolved with the Special and the 3 follow-on movies, though. I’m not happy about this scripted dependency.
Saya makes some nice statements after recovering from her overwritten memories saying : she’s who she is. Or rather her super deductive brain cannot be deceived. It’s like when you understand a theory or the matter things you can always recreate the equations. Hence, you actually don’t need to remember an equation if you understand it all. Well, I’m not so sure a personality won’t change when memories are changed, though, e.g. split personality. After all memories, experiences, and meetings make what we are. If the wiring don’t change it should be alright but who knows. Surprisingly, Sebumi manages to recover, too. In his case, it’s sensory / draumatic memory e.g. smell. He’s a hound! Saya further says suffering and pain changes (people) into kindness. This is certainly true that is if revengeful fallen people are discounted. Therefore, facing and accepting pain is important.
The final episode leaves you wondering what actually happened in the end. Saya used her secret SPEC power “which” independently acted to save them. At least that much is obvious but watch the Special for the answer.
In the Special, an enemy appears who collects SPEC DNA to gain and control SPEC powers not his own. This is obviously an idea taken from the anime DNAΒ². Saya’s power is finally revealed, too. Don’t be shocked. There’s a reference to Turn A Gundam and Gundam. It’s a leap in thoughts. There are more unimportant references. The Yakuza cop (see Neko Samurai) has actually cool skillz but fails on any other account!
Saya reveals an interesting cue: the Kanjis for reading Ku-on can be read as Que-en in frenchgish (as Kuon does with Maman instead of Mama). Kuon’s acting is great. Too bad she’s so evil.
Btw., there’s a new poster on the walls for every episode or instance. I dunno about their connection if any.
The difference between the two shows is based in time, characterization of the protagonists, and story. In other words, it’s mostly a generation based difference or taste if you will. I think both are good in their own respect and do have their own awkwardness and issues. Keizoku is ordinary but has twists while Keizoku 2 is more (weird) fun and less serious. There are some good stuff in this show, though.
Verdict: 7.8
Cast: 8
Cast performance: 8
Script/Directing: 7.5
Keizoku
" /> veterans Mayama Tooru & Kido Aya: “Not again!”
" /> top secret stealth fighter a la Ace Combat X-02 Wyvern or NCSI-New Orleans S2E03 Skystorm
Type: mystery crime drama
Genre: mystery, detective, action
Year: 1999
Synopsis:
Todai graduate Shibata Jun joins the MPD as an elite detective. She is an extreme moronic simpleton, clumsy, naive, and gullible virgin with a super analytical brain and has no sense of direction. She’s the daughter of legendary detective Shibata Jun’ichiro, who solved all crime cases. He usually took case files home and had them solved by morning. In truth, he never looked at them but let his 9 year old daughter read them. She always found them cheap mysteries, though.
On her way to work she often helps people solve their problems. She can solve any university level problem instantly. To help some helpless internet user she fixes his laptop by connecting it directly with the Pentagon’s supercomputer giving him access to unpublicized data. Later, the user(s) became famous world wide, and their faces well known in certain circles.
There are a total of six people in the unit each with certain skills. While solving cases Jun learns about the world, the human heart and its dark side.
Critique:
Nakatani Miki as Shibata Jun can be characterized as a combination of your typical Japanese woman and a naive country girl who knows nothing of the world or people. She’s full of contradictions that borders on ridiculous. She’s extreme on both side of the medal on most anything. She remains on the good side, though. Seriously, can there ever be a person like her?
Watabe Atsuro as fellow detective Mayama Tooru is Jun’s relyable and experienced “knight”. So far it’s the best role I saw him in. He basically pulls her back to reality and reveals the true human nature or motive behind the cases that Jun can’t figure out. He usually does it at the very end when Jun asks the murderer about their motive. He also does some secret investigation throughout the show. The romance part doesn’t appear until near the end. It’s still your old style proper Japanese drama.
Suzuki Sarina as Kido Aya is virtually the big sister in the unit. She’s an elite who got dumped into the unit from General Affairs and mostly works as librarian. She usually teases Jun or tells her simple kid’s lies but often has to come to her rescue.
Famed police actor Ryu Raita plays as Nonomura Kotaro, the unit’s chief. He serves as mediator and provide comic relief stories about his marital troubles. They only appear as intro to each episode, though.
The rest of the cast don’t seem to matter much. Overall the above form a good team with nice relationship. This arrangement is better than the later
Keizoku 2 – SPEC. The mystery cases are ordinary in today’s therms. For example the 3rd story is about a room when entered it is empty one time and full the next time or vice versa. It’s your typical moving wall ninja trick or changing labyrinth trick. But how an ordinary person can pull it of in the time given or creating it in the first place without residents noticing is a greater mystery.
π It’s a bit old and may not be appealing for some but I still think it’s a good show in its own right.
Verdict: 8
Cast: 8
Cast performance: 8
Script/Directing: 8
