Jimenshitachi: A brilliant crime drama with a dash of thriller.

In a bit of a change of pace from the recent posts on the blog, this time I wanted to cover something a bit different. Instead of action, this post is focused on a crime drama with a dash of thriller blended in. Based on the novel by author Shinjo Ko, Jimenshitachi was produced for Netflix back in 2024. Now, I know what you might be thinking. Netflix? Yeah, it's true. Netflix has had a mixed record on producing dramas and adaptations, that's for certain. I do not touch their anime and manga live-action adaptations produced in the west at all. They're usually an affront to God. I include the acclaimed One Piece adaptation in this sentiment. Lot's of people loved that production, but I will never watch it nor anything produced in the west. It just feels wrong. Call me an otaku, a weeb or whatever you'd like. It does not bother me. Quite the opposite in fact, I will wear it like a badge of honour. Anyways, the drama adaptation of the novel, also named Jimenshitachi was directed and written for the screen by Hitoshi Ohne. It surprisingly was a brilliant drama with some outstanding performances by a talented cast and a tight script. 

Jimenshitachi also known as Tokyo Swindlers to the English speaking drama watchers, follows a team of land swindlers as they tackle an extremely daring scam. Takumi Tsujimoto was once a regular family man, with a wife and a son. Tragically, after having fallen victim to land swindlers, his own father was driven mad and in an act of despair and desperation, set fire to the family home, killing the family, including his own wife, Takumi's mother, in the process and with him ironically surviving. After working as a driver for a couple of years, driving an escort around to clients, one fateful day, Takumi encounters Harrison Yamanaka who nearly murdered the escort, Saki. After seeing the way Takumi handled the situation, Harrison offers the lost Takumi the chance to join him as a land swindler. Tsujimoto, of course, accepts and join the team which also features, broker Goto, forger Nagai, informant and drug addict, Takeshita and imposter recruiter Reiko. This team takes on the case of selling the house of Kenichi Shimazaki and the much more dangerous task of selling Kouan-ji temple. The latter ends up being far more tense and deadly with bodies mounting and the danger coming from both within and outside the group. 

High quality production values as expected of Japanese dramas that get the Netflix treatment. Lot's of dynamic, fluid camera movements, no wasted motion. Good usage of drone footage, making visually engaging sequences and shots such as the top down shot that slowly morphs into the scene behind the police detectives. The opening shot is beautifully picturesque, being a sweeping shot of a trio on a horseback journey in grassland, somewhere outside of Japan, possibly in Europe. I also loved the usage of lighting, particularly the blue and greens used, especially towards the end of the drama. Slow-motion is used quite effectively, often showcasing characters at extreme low points. On the other hand, I didn't like the 360 camera rotation in the last episode, it felt unnecessary and overindulgent.

Surprisingly informative, detailing how land swindling works and the history of it in Japan. It informs everyone about how it boomed post-war following World War 2 and even in the Bubble period of economic growth before dwindling in the modernisation of land ownership, due to personal documentation becoming increasingly digitised. Of course, this didn't curb the problem completely as proven when Tokyo hosted the 2020 Olympics as swindler sprung into action, targeting areas that were vulnerable with absent owners and poor management.  

It also showcases just how the land swindling is handled. I really enjoyed seeing how the assembled team comes together to work on the scams. Harrison is the obvious mastermind, team leader and the brains behind the whole operations. He pulls the strings and the others follow his orders. Takumi is the masterful negotiator and the number two, just below Harrison in the pecking order. He poses as real estate agents, doing a lot of skilled and shrewd negotiating with the buyers in the meetings. Goto acts as a broker and legal advisor, also being present during the meetings with the potential buyers and acting as an intermediary. Reiko, the sole woman on the team, is responsible for finding and recruiting imposters that pose as the actual landowners, who agree to sell their supposed property. Nagai acts as the team's forger, specifically forging all of the necessary documentations in order to fool the real estate agents. Finally, there's Takeshita's role of the informant. Takeshita scouts the locations, gaining as much information on the land, property, landowners and potential problems as possible before passing it on to the team. They manage to seal the deals and gain the money swiftly and scarper long before the real owners of the properties object to the sales and the authorities clamp down or inform the real estate agents that they've indeed been swindled. It's fascinating stuff and my write-ups could never do it justice. A funny sentence to write about swindling, considering it's morally reprehensible, but I digress. 

I have always been a huge fan of Go Ayano and you might have noticed that if you've read the posts on this blog that feature his work. He is genuinely one of the greatest actors of his generation and beyond. He's super consistent and I have yet to see him turn in a bad performance. The role of Takumi Tsujimoto gives him a complex character to sink his teeth into and he nails it. Takumi is definitely the most sympathetic of the swindlers with his motivation for doing what he does being revenge for the death of his family and being swindled himself. The sheer range of expressions and emotions that Ayano brings to the role is astounding. 

Etsushi Toyokawa is fantastic in the role of Harrison Yamanaka. He brings a certain charisma and suaveness whilst also underlining his performance with an edge and a sense of impulsive danger that makes him seem like a threat. The Die Hard references were on point and the Hans Gruber comparisons are rather apt. He definitely is a suspicious man and a truly fascinating character, very intriguing to watch. 

Kazuki Kitamura is great in the role of meth addict and informant, Takeshita. He becomes increasingly erratic and twitchy, demanding increasing amounts of money for the jobs which causes tensions with the group, especially Harrison. He plays a large role in certain events towards the latter stages of the drama as his actions cause a tremendous ripples. Pierre Taki, in the role of Goto, put in a splendid performance in his own right with him giving Goto a big, humorous mouth and a certain flair. I do wonder though, what it would be like if Kitamura and Taki had switched roles, given Taki's infamous arrest on suspicion of cocaine usage and the subsequent jail sentence. I figured that Taki would have been the perfect fit for the drug user. 

Koji Yamamoto and Taro Suruga portray Aoyagi and Maki, two men that experience the highest of highs (non-drug related) before falling to the lowest of lows. Both do a terrific job at handling the shift in attitude of the characters and it's hard not to empathise with them both to some extent. 

Veteran Lily Franky puts in another nuanced performance as aging police detective, Tatsu. It's always nice to see him in dramas and movies, although with my tastes, it's usually in villainous roles that he pops up! Alongside him, Elaiza Ikeda is delightful as Tatsu's newly appointed partner, drama and movie enthusiast, Kuramochi. She makes a cute detective, but also really excelled in all aspects of the role. Kuramochi has a vital part to play in the latter stages of the drama and some emotionally charged moments, all of which is expertly handled by Ikeda. She is very much the most morally good out of all of the characters.

Special mention has to go to Izumi Matsuoka. She went above and beyond in portraying the role of the owner of Kouan-ji temple, bald-headed nun, Natsumi Kawai. Her arc is rather tragic and I feel sorry for her in multiple ways. 

Overall, I very much enjoyed the drama adaptation of Jimenshitachi, it had me hooked and engaged from beginning to end. I couldn't stop binging it, it was so fascinating with the high production values, the incredible cast, the riveting plot and the complex characters. It's an easy recommendation as long as you're not squeamish when it comes to a bit of gore and some rather tame scenes of clothed intimacy.