WHAT IS IT?
Yet another private detective/benriya type show in the vein of River's Edge and Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi which Eita also starred in.
IS IT GOOD?
Nope. Tonally, Hello Harinezumi just feels very muted and flat. The above mentioned shows had a certain edgy feel to them (pardon the pun) while Hello Harinezumi feels like your afternoon generic cop show like Hancho. The chemistry just isn't there and I don't really see a purpose to Morita Go's character.
IT CAN'T BE ALL BAD, RIGHT?
I rather enjoyed the two action scenes at the end of episode 3. It was pretty well choreographed with plenty of MMA moves and told the story within the fights very well. There was also plenty of blood and bruising which is a step up from so many boring jdorama fights.
I also liked that it set up the big baddies for the Harinezumi to take down.
SO ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE WATCHING?
Nope. Episode 4 is a horror story and the tone and lack of chemistry just kills any interest from me. I just feel like River's Edge and Mahoro Ekimae are so much better and I've got better things to do with my time.
BUT FUKADA KYOKO IS IN THIS SHOW!
I can't stand her but she's in it with all her wide eyed stupid look glory, if that's your thing. Meh.
That's a pity, I was looking forward to it (despite Fukada Kyoko). Sorry for Eita that this is meh. I guess Aoi Yu and Yamaguchi Tomoko didn't have much to do?
ReplyDeleteep 4-5 were kinda fun though (and have Aoi Yu and less Fukada Kyoko)
ReplyDeletefinished watching, it grows on me honestly kinda missing them :) ep 9 is very very funny cannot stop laughing.
ReplyDeleteNot a good year for cop jdrama. Thrill is run of the mill dumb, Hanzai S1 is flat, honestly I enjoy this the most even though it's nowhere near 'good'. Can't wait for Border 2.
ReplyDeleteI'm am episode 7 and giving up - it's a Morita Go-centric episode and I haven't warmed up to him either. Eita is trying to channel his inner Kobuzuka Yosuke, but the problem is that's just not him. It's always amazing to see how little Fukada progressed since that HIV drama from 1997 - her expressions haven't changed one bit. I also thought the Aoi You episodes were fun but they have a supernatural element that the rest of the episodes don't have, which makes this drama a bit weird and inconsistent.
ReplyDeleteYou know how I feel about Fukada Kyoko, I watched this mostly for her and Eita. I think both of them move a lot like models though and less like actors. I still love her no matter what.
ReplyDeleteI liked episodes 4-5, but that's pretty much most of what I liked. I really enjoyed watching Aoi Yu in this -- it just reminds me of how interesting and talented she is.
Yamaguchi Tomoko didn't come out for me in this one, but I couldn't get into Going my home (?) either.
I decided not to watch it PRECISELY because Fukuda Kyoko's in it.
ReplyDeleteThe ending song is great tho
ReplyDelete