Kujaku no Dance, Dare ga Mita? / クジャクのダンス、誰が見た？
Directed by Tanaka Kenta, Aoyama Takahiro, Fukuda Ryosuke and Tanazawa Takayoshi, starring Hirose Suzu as Yamashita Komugi and Matsuyama Kenichi as Matsukaze Yoshiteru.
Watched 16 - 19 April 2025 — 10 episodes (NETFLIX)
*Started watching this Japanese crime drama on a plane journey to my native country (first 2 eps. on the outbound flight, 3 more eps. on the inbound flight, so basically already half of the drama) and finished the rest in no time. It's a quick watch, only 10 episodes of approx. 45 minutes each, and the story is gripping and nicely paced. Fortunately it's not predictable, with plenty of twists and turns.
*I sought this out because of the appealing lead actors Hirose Suzu and Matsuyama Kenichi (judging from a photo, hadn't seen neither of them in a drama before). I like both of them and also their characters. The lawyer Matsukaze Yoshiteru is a bit peculiar in the beginning but he grew on me and I was glad he was on Komugi's side and genuinely wanted to help her. I like their interactions and banter.
*Komugi is a likeable character, determined to find out the truth about her father's death. The actress is beautiful (I liked her hairstyle) and she's convincing in her emotional moments. Gosh, she has so much to endure and the revelations about her parentage are shocking.
*Things are getting quite twisted and disturbing but eventually everything gets resolved and there are no loose ends. In fact, I think the series has a very satisfying ending where proper attention is being paid to all characters. Love how the father and son, who were falsely being accused of the murders, are reunited and how the reporter, who's also the son's friend, is witness to this. I found the reporter annoying for most part of the series but in the end it was evident he only wanted the truth and wasn't seeking sensational news.
*I was happy the final moment of the show was reserved for our main couple. Nothing romantic there but it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
