Octo: Kanjo Sosakan Shinno Akari Episodes 1+2

Time to get back into more jdoramas. The first one I decided to try is Otco, a Iitoyo Marie dorama from 2022. After she killed it in Nanyobi ni Umareta, I am ready to give any of her shows a try. I want to find out whether she really is that good or was it just the Nojima Shinji magic. (My bet is on the latter)

In Otco Iitoyo Marie plays Shinno Akari, a detective who can see the colours of anyone's feelings in their eyes. It is not an automatic lie detective ability because she still has to decipher how the colour matches their answer. 

Asaka Kodai plays her partner, Kazehaya who distrusts her ability and is on a secret mission at that particular police station from someone high up. Shinno is not good with people as using her powers too much makes her tired so she relies on Kazehaya to interview witnesses while she lurks suspiciously with her hoodie on.

My first impression of Octo is that this is such a useless gimmick. The pattern seems to be Shinno sees a particular colour on a suspect, asks a few questions and has to figure out why the suspect felt that way during the questioning.

For the first episode I would rather your usual police procedural, looking at the suspect's face and answers rather than watching someone sketch colours while suspect is being interviewed. I was already contemplating dropping the series.

Then episode 2 happened. with Hashimoto Manami and the Shinno was trying to find out why the suspect was so happy and it was not for the reason that everyone thought. I effing love the ending of episode 2 because it is creepy but also makes sense and I think everyone can understand this character that Hashimoto Manami is playing. This has got to be one of the most memorable episodes I can remember!

Now Octo has my attention. I still think that the first season of Octo is going to end up being a run of the mill jdorama. Everything feels generic from Shinno's past to Kazehaya's true mission. 

I don't believe that the emotional colour gimmick can work for 10 episodes but I would love to be proven wrong. Will definitely keep watching.

Hashimoto Manami needs to be the main villain! Too bad she is a one and done villain of the week. Let's see if the writers have more tricks up their sleeves. Watchable second episode. Will continue watching the first season and keeping my hopes low.