Keibuho Daimajin is an engaging, yet bleak suspense drama.

 

When the live-action drama adaptation of Richard Woo and illustrator Koji Kouno's manga, Keibuho Daimajin was announced, I had high hopes. Why did I have high hopes? Well, the answer to that is simple. Takashi Miike, one of my personal favourite directors of all time, was at the helm of the project. Joining Miike was a stellar cast, Ikuta Toma as the titular character, Osamu Mukai as inspector Hirayasu Saimon and even the lovely Tao Tsuchiya was involved as Tanabata Yuka. It had all the hallmarks of a resounding success. So then, it was a huge surprise when I searched the reactions online after it had aired. It was a truly divisive drama. The divisive reaction tempered my expectations somewhat, but I was eager to find out whether I would enjoy it or not. 

The titular character, Daiba Jin, also known as Daimajin, is the ace of the Metropolitan police investigation department. He has a very strong sense of justice and a fiery temperament with him being swift to anger. When the death of a rather prominent figure within the police force is called in, Daiba arrives swiftly to the crime scene. Despite the scene looking like Amo committed suicide, the case is not so simple and Daimajin knows this all too well... As it turns out, Amo was a nasty man with a very disgusting habit involving kidnapping extremely young girls and used his position within the police force to hide his crimes. Driven by his strong sense of justice, Daiba had sought out and killed the untouchable criminal. 

Unfortunately for our protagonist, his secret is discovered by the head of the Special Investigations Unit, Hirayasu Saimon. Hirayasu uses his knowledge of Daiba's secret to recruit him to the Special Investigation Unit, working directly underneath Hirayasu himself. Unbeknownst to the pair of them, Amo's death causes a super secretive group, the 44, to take notice and retaliate, resulting in a game of cat and mouse between our protagonists and the secretive organisation that has pawns within the police force. Along the way, fellow police officer, Tanabata Yuka, is dragged into it all. 

The first thing that caught my eye whilst watching the drama and what caused me to have a headache, admittedly, was the overabundance/usage of the worst grey and yellow lighting. It was hard to watch at times due to just how sickly some scenes were shot. I wouldn't have minded if it was used every now and again, but it was overdone. Thankfully, it lessens towards the very end. 

There's nothing wrong with the camera work itself. There's a dynamic and wide array of shot types and techniques used throughout the 8 episodes. Far too many to name without getting painfully obtuse and boring. I will say that my favourite shots came within the first few episodes, making great use of the reflective surfaces of mirrors to frame shots in a unique and eye-catching manner. 

The script itself is pretty tight and there's definitely love for the source material in there. What I loved the most is the call-backs to things in previous episodes. Stuff that might have seemed simple or straightforward took twists and turns, particularly in the latter episodes. I enjoyed seeing the plot unfold in this manner, with flashbacks showcasing the developments that included things that were previously hidden from us viewers. 

The fight scenes are a mixed bag. Overall, I think the choreography could have been much better, particularly in the first few episodes. The worst offender might have been the very first fight we see in the drama, with an almost superhuman strength being shown as a certain character catches a chair that is being swung at him before throwing the attacker flying. I personally would have preferred a much more grounded, realistic approach, but I understand that this is an adaptation of a manga. What made that scene even worse for me, was that the character performing the aforementioned actions, did not look like an imposing, physical threat one iota. On the flip side, I rather enjoyed the set-up to the very last fight we see. The dialogue and stand-off played out like a boss fight from the Ryu Ga Gotoku series or Judgement. 

Perhaps, the very best thing of the drama in my humble opinion, was the soundtrack. It too gave me vibes of the Ryu Ga Gotoku and Judgement series. It definitely enhanced the suspense, the tension and the drama. 

Ikuta Toma is an extremely talented actor. Even if I was disgusted with him and his role in the god-awful crime on cinema that was Karera ga Honki de Amu Toki wa, I cannot deny that the man is incredibly versatile in his acting capabilities. With Daimajin, he actually managed to appear somewhat threatening with the hair and wardrobe working in great tandem with his fiery, passionate performance. In all honesty, there was a time when I thought that his signature white coat was a lab coat. It's an amazing coat that never seems to get dirty! 

Osamu Mukai is another extremely capable and talented actor. He seemed to have great chemistry with Ikuta Toma. On screen, he showcased an understated charisma with a certain charm as Hirayasu Saimon. One of the main criticisms of the drama, one which I also agree with to some extent, is the fact that there was great comedic potential between Daiba and Hirayasu, potential that was never capitalised upon. 

The lovely Tao Tsuchiya also put in a tremendous performance as Tanabata Yuka. She showcase her versatility in a challenging role that could have been much lesser without someone like her involved. I enjoyed seeing her character arc through the drama or rather, where her character goes within the plot. 

Overall, I did enjoy the drama and thought it did a decent job at adapting the manga with a tight script and a stellar cast. That being said, I can also see why it has been so divisive as it has it's flaws such as the lack of comedic relief and the over-reliance on the dull, sickly grey and yellow tones in the lighting. I still believe overall that it is worth giving a watch, even with the teasing of a second season that may never see the light of day.