The Masaharu Fukuyama Detective drama Galileo is back, and I gotta say that the thing that's got me MOST excited about its return is the new addition of uber- cutie Yuriko Yoshitaka as Kishitani Misa, Yukawa "Galileo" Manabu's new "partner" in crime-solving of the strange and supernatural!
When the show began, I actually wasn't sure how she'd would fit in with the overall feeling of this show since the dynamic Fukuyama and Shibasaki Kou had between them was what really made the original series, but it didn't take long for Yuriko's trademark "Manic Pixie" persona to come out and begin stealing the scenes!
The first episode eases us into the new situation nicely with Shibasaki's Utsumi Kaoru character showing her replacement the ropes before leaves to pursue crime in Oklahoma, of all places. I like the rapport between these two (with Misa reacting with disbelief at all the nutty things the seasoned Utsumi accepts as just another day at work), and in fact wouldn't have minded it they kept the formula like this! It coulda been like a Japanese Cagney and Lacey!!
But soon it's time for Utsumi to leave and finally Yuriko takes center stage. Her character "Misa Kishitani" is a person who regards herself very highly, and though she rubs people the wrong way, her heart is true, and soon Yukawa finds she really is someone who wants to make a difference, and a new "partnership" (of sorts) is born!
Oh, the show certainly has its serious sides, but the BEST scenes for me are the ones where she's her usual super-energetic self, arguing with Yukawa, and (most hilariously) with poor maligned Kuribayashi (Ikkei Watanabe) who finds himself at the receiving end of most of her venomous remarks and haughty attitude, LOL! Ah, this show looks like a good one!
