Alice Hirose in "Kanzen Muzai~Completely Innocent"

As you all know, I am a huge fan of actress Alice Hirose and try to see everything she stars in, and at episode 3 of her latest crime mystery drama “Kanzen Muzai”, think this might be some of her finest acting yet!
Lawyer Chisa Matsuoka (Hirose) is a Criminal Defense attorney who holds the unenviable job of defending purported criminals in court, a job not looked fondly upon the public when she successfully frees suspected murderers in court, but this is her job, and she does it as best she can.

Matsuoka is assigned to a case in her old hometown where a convict who has been imprisoned for years declares he is innocent and wants a retrial.  The convict Satoshi Hirayama (Yukiya Kitamura) is in jail for the kidnapping of three young girls and murdering one of them 21 years ago. At the time, Hirayama confessed to the crimes, but now says he was coerced by the police into it, and that he is innocent.

We can see from her reaction when told about the case that there is something about it that haunts her, and we will learn she has greater personal ties to the case than one would guess…

She arrives at her hometown where she is met with her colleague Hiroki Kuma (Shunsuke Kazama) who knows her well and is on hand top help and assist in the case. In her first interview with the convicted felon Satoshi Hirayama (Yukiya Kitamura) , he seems stand-offish and aloof and she wonders if he even truly wants the case to be re-examined.

 But as someone dedicated to her job, Chisa goes through the initial investigating anyway, going back over the old case files, interviewing past witnesses, and revisiting the location of the murder.

 Word soon gets back to a Victims Counselor named Yoshio Arimori (Eiji Okuda) and a woman named Toshie Ikemura (Naomi Zaizen) that the convict Hirayama is trying to appeal his sentence and get out, news that greatly disturbs both of them.

21 years ago, Arimori was the lead detective on the abduction case and the one, along with fellow detetive Imai (Takumi Ooto) who eventually nabbed and got the confession out of Hirayama that sent him to prison, but now their methods of getting it will be under scrutiny.

The woman Ikemura is the mother of the 8 year old girl Akiho who was kidnapped and murdered, and is still grieving for her loss after all these years. The idea of the murderer trying to get free is outrageous to her, firmly believing in his guilt and saying he should show repentance instead of trying to get out of jail.

Back with Matsuoka, she is finding that there is little evidence to suggest a retrial and once more goes to interview Hirayama for more information. But she is once again rebuffed by the man who presumes she’s just some hotshot city woman who doesn’t really care about his case or what happens to him.

 

Matsuoka finally has had enough of his aloof attitude and, confronting him at last, reveals her connection to the case: Chisa was one of the three girls that got abducted all those years ago! 

Thankfully, she was one who managed to escape at the last minute from the abductor, however she still bears the scars of the traumatic event, fighting nightmares of the past, anxiety, and a flinching phobia of being approached to this day.

She levels with him by telling him that if he IS the murderer, then she gives no DAMN if he is to be executed, and good riddance. HOWEVER, if he truly is innocent, she cannot ABIDE the VERY IDEA of the actual guilty person still walking around FREE. “So let me ask you again for the last time, Hirayama-san," she firmly asks at last.”Are you innocent?” 

And finally, seeing her resolve, Hirayama breaks down. After years of everyone , his lawyers and friends, all telling him they believed him even as they secretly suspected him, here is a woman whom he knows will TRULY get the the bottom of things. He pleads his innocence to her, and puts his fate into her hands…

Chisa Matsuoka will fight with her life to defend Hirayama and bring the ACTUAL perpetrator of the crimes to justice, but she’ll have her work cut out for her…not only is she seen as freeing a guilty man by all involved, but there are people working in the shadows to make sure that what is buried never come to light!

HOLY TOLEDO, what a GUT-WRENCHING first few episodes! And while I’m (as always) apprehensive about the show’s story resorting to the usual cliche twists and bored tropes with corrupt higher ups, etc, I’m hoping that the drama’s lean 5 episode structure  leads to a more straight-forward murder mystery caper….

It's been SO GOOD so far, crossing fingers that they don't blow it!!!

PS: I've said it before but MAN these WOWOW dramas are always shot with these sickeningly greenish blue filters making everything look so drab and cold! Always feel like I need to watch something bright afterwards!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Recently Wrapped Up!

LOTS of shows ended  in the last two weeks and I thought I'd do a quick recap with small summaries and my ratings. 

 Enjiya

9/10

A series that really would have benefited from being given  more room to breathe than a mere 6 episodes! The tale of Nao and her team of theatrical con-artists for hire, Enjiya has so much potential for bigger stories, as it is we only got about 3 cases and we didn't even get to delve into the other members' back stories in any detail. still, was thrilling and heart-wrenching for the episodes we got, and who knows? We can cross our fingers for more!

Omameda Towako to 3-nin no Moto otto
8/10

This was s spirited drama in the vein of shows like "Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai ", where smart, fun and witty dialog is the style du jour! Each episode was filled with wonderful scenes of the ever0set-upon Towako dealing with life, love, work...and those three pesky ex-husbands of hers!

If I have a complaint, it's that I wish the show ended on a stronger note, instead of the weak fizzle we got...

Hyouchakusha
9/10

A gripping mystery  that reminded me of the best Stephen King books like The Dead Zone, where , in a world where everything seems to be going to Hell in a handbasket, hope comes from an unlikely source- a shy and reserved young man who holds the vision that can save us...or take us down! Had me on the edge of my seat throughout!

Ukiwa~Tomodachi Ijou Furin Miman
10/10

Already gushed how much I loved this drama and Mugi Kadowaki's sincere portrayal of the lonely Maiko. A story with  long stretches of pondering and reflection, you were rooting for the slighted spouses throughout, and I have to say I was entirely satisfied with the show's thoughtful resolution. You don't see dramas like this one too often.

Kazoku Boshu Shimasu
3/10

A fairly pedestrian family drama, I didn't get into this one as much as most did. A story about three parents who come together to help each other raising their children, this had pretty much all the cliches you would expect and then some...

Dream Team
3/10

Another one I was disappointed to find I didn't like that much. Considering how much I love Naomi Zaizen and Sayaka Yamaguchi, I really wanted to dig this one, but after a while it started feeling like a filler NHK Asadora. While at first I was rooting for the women, by the mid-point I realized they were all going nowhere fast. Come to think of it, NHK made this, so I might be on to something...

Chijou No Seppun
7/10

VERY cliche, rote and predictable romance chestnut, but somehow I just couldn't stop WATCHING this, and of course it ALL comes down to ADORABLE Yurika Nakamura, whose clumsy, stunned, and stammering behavior made every scene fun and entertaining to watch! Watching her stumble through her first love, ya just HAD to stick around to see what she would get into NEXT!

Kareinaru Ichizoku
7/10

A very serious and gripping period drama about the power wrestling going on within the banking world...and one man's own family! All the while I was beside myself wondering just HOW the persecuted would get out from under the thumb of the tyrannical power-holders... Alas, I was to find I was watching a tragedy and not a success story. Quite sombre show and a VERY downer last episode, while at first I didn't like it, I found I could NOT stop thinking about it. Powerful.

Hakozume~Tatakau Koban Joshi

10/10

Whoohoo~! A very fun, entertaining and even serious show starring Erika Toda and the adorably hyper Mei Nagano as two policewomen working out of a police box, this was one where the whole cast came together to make a very fulfilling show, one that I wished would go on forever!!! Maybe a sequel or even a Special? Need more!!!