Kyojo 2 is a solid sequel to the first drama special and KimuTaku shines again.

After finally sitting down and watching Kyojo, I was pleasantly surprised at just how solid the production was. Naturally, after finding out that a sequel was made, I was cautiously optimistic about it and so I set out to watch it and find out for myself whether it was good or not. 

Kyojo 2 takes place a year after the events of the previous drama special. It's a new year at the police academy and as such, there are new, young hopefuls studying to become police officers. Like the previous year, Kazama Kimichika is once again the intimidating, strict and yet well meaning instructor, hoping to create a new batch of dedicated police officers. 

As was the case with the first drama special, the production is on point. Isamu Nakae once again gets the most out of his cast members performance wise and frames the scenes with precision. The small budget is overcome with smooth camerawork, editing and smooth pacing. Ryoichi Kimizuka also deserves credit for his streamlined and focused script which also helps the cast feel like human beings and not wooden planks. As far as standout camerawork is concerned, there's a really neat shot that occurs that needs a little context. There's a scene in which Inabe and Toba are discussing ants that have been invading the boys dorm via a hole in the wall. Inabe sticks up for the insects and wants to keep them as pets, whilst Toba wants to get rid of them even if it means exterminating the lot of them. To Inabe's dismay, the scene ends with Toba stomping on one poor, unfortunate ant. The scene cuts to a birds eye view of the training grounds where the students march. From this angle, it's the students themselves that are ants and the academy is eliminating those that don't make the cut. 

Much like its' predecessor, Kyojo fleshes out the backstories and motivations of the numerous students on a case by case basis. Some are involved in cases that are criminal in nature. For example, it's discovered that one of the students has been stealing various pieces of equipment. Sure, it's a petty crime, but we later learn that there's a very particular reason for it. All of the items stolen had been tied to the same person. Once again, there's also the use of violence between fellow students. This time there is some adhesive glue and insects involved. 

What I loved about Kyojo 2 is how they handled the students from the previous drama special. Instead of just moving on and forgetting about them, they all return for cameos. They're used with great respect as the moments they're on screen are poignant with some solid acting from the returning cast. Miyasaka gets the most screen time of those returning, but it's because he has a role to play in driving the overarching plot forward. 

Something that was more noticeable to me in Kyojo 2 was the soundtrack. Whilst the soundtrack didn't really change much from the first series, it's used to great effect. There's moments were Kazama Kimichika has his flashes of brilliance and superb timing which is accompanied by a small portion of the theme of the series. Its like a leitmotif as it is tied to the instructor as a character. 

As far as performances are concerned, KimuTaku is once again the standout performer. He oozes charisma as the intimidating, intelligent, observant, strict and harsh instructor. He conveys the cold nature of Kazama really well and nails the subtle contrasting, underlying hope for his students to succeed. 

Gaku Hamada impressed me in the role of Tobu Nobuteru. I'm used to seeing Gaku Hamada in more comedic roles and I had some serious doubts as to his ability to be a serious police academy student. He definitely exceeded my expectations in a difficult role. He portrayed the conflicting emotions of Tobu's journey of atonement incredibly well. I enjoyed his arc, he made a big mistake and paid a heavy price for it, before vowing to atone for it by graduating. 

Fukuhara Haruka was a joy to watch in the role of Oshino Megumi, Okazaki Sae left a lasting impression as Isaki Touko and I really liked Meguro Ren as Soma Rikito. All of the main cast were really solid and performed tremendously. I also have to give credit to Kohinata Fumiyo as he made the most of his limited screen time. The only role I didn't like as much as the others was Tozuka Junki as Yoshimura Kenta. I felt like he was out of place as an annoying character that was the comedic relief. 

Whilst I wouldn't say that Kyojo 2 was as good as the first series, I would still recommend it as it's still a great television drama special.