Kujo no Taizai is a fascinating dive into morality and justice.

 

Netflix. A streaming platform that has something of a spotty record when it comes to live-action adaptations of Japanese works. Apologies in advance for bringing these up, but one only has to look back on their insulting takes on Cowboy Bebop, Death Note and Resident Evil to name just a few. Of course, there's some decent to good also in the mix, but they are often Japanese productions that at the very least respect the source material. An exception to that rule was allegedly the live-action adaptation of One Piece. Now, it might very well be decent in large part thanks to the creator of the franchise Oda himself being involved. I must admit however, that I have less than zero interest in Western productions of Japanese works. To be full transparent, even Japanese productions don't always live up to expectations and there are also some appalling dramas that should have never been produced. A prominent example of this is a drama that will not be named starring Takumi Saito and Juri Ueno, with a plot that involved Takumi, the male, somehow becoming pregnant against all nature. A true abomination. Anyways, I apologise for the long-winded introduction, this post is going to be focused on a live-action drama adaptation on Netflix based on Shohei Manabe's Kujo no Taizai. It was a sleeper hit that stayed in the top 10 of the charts for over 2 weeks. I myself found it enjoyable after being drawn in by Yuya Yagira. 

Taiza Kujo, our leading man, is a lawyer notoriously known for taking on cases in which he acts as the defence attorney for the reprehensible, criminals and gangsters such as those involved with the Yakuza. Working alongside him in the Kujo Law Firm is University of Tokyo graduate Shinji Karasuma. Despite the duo both being elite lawyers, the two clash on perspectives, especially when it comes to morality as Karasuma is much more prone to being led by emotion and doing what is right, according to his beliefs. The duo are often brought clients by Kengo Mibu, the owner of an auto-repair shop with deep ties to and connections within the criminal underworld. To make matters even more complicated is the fact that Kujo's association with Mibu draws the eyes of both sides of the law. A detective looking to put them behind bars, Yoshinobu Arashiyama, and the formidable, powerful and intimidating, Kiyoshi Kyogaku,  second-in-command of the Fushimi-gumi clan. 

It's hard to summarise the plot when most of the season is focused on episodic cases. The closest thing to an over-arching plot-line is the relationship between the leading men as Karasuma over the course of the drama begins understanding Kujo's motivations and perspective. 

The best summary of the drama as a whole can be found in its very opening. The scene shows a case being won by Kujo with his client being found not guilty and walking free. Whilst that's happening, we get to hear a voice-over declare that "An attorney can only defend their client, even if that client is labelled a villain by society." It sets the tone perfectly. Kujo no Taizai is not a straight-forward story of good versus evil, it's much more morally grey and complex than that. It asks the viewer to delve deeper and find that the system doesn't truly care about the perpetrators nor the victims or changing their circumstances. That system through law, is deeply flawed and doesn't truly prove beneficial to most people, providing a mere façade of being fair, impartial and non-biased. It can be rigged to benefit only the most influential and powerful, those with the resources and wealth to manipulate. The best part about all of this is the fact that it does so in a non-preachy manner, allowing the viewers to reach their own conclusions without insulting their intelligence.

The introduction to the character, Kengo Mibu, is one of my favourite scenes in the drama. It's a fun sequence which sees the camera track his movements from upstairs in his auto-repair shop to the front where Morita stands awaiting his presence. It's just one example of some stellar camera-work with more in the form of cool drone shots that highlight the rooftop on which Kujo lives in self-isolation. It's rather cool dynamic shot types blended with much more traditional techniques that deliver a pleasant viewing experience. On top of that, you have a rather well put together screenplay written by Nonji Nemoto that is faithful to the source material. It's a winning formula. 

Kujo is a very intriguing character. In lesser hands, he could have came across as simply an unethical lawyer doing whatever it takes to win his cases. Instead, he's much more complex. Being able to forgo emotion and concentrate solely on the law is no mean feat. Whilst he repeatedly tells Karasuma that it is his job to protect and defend his client and his actions can seem unethical, skirting the fringes of the law, underneath the surface he has a kinder heart than it appears. He manages to play the system to bring about his form of justice, manipulating it to benefit his clients in ways that are quite extraordinary. His kind nature makes itself known when we learn about his divorce and how he willingly gave all of his assets to his ex-wife and child. In turn that is pretty much how he ended up living on the roof in a tent. Naturally, with the cases he takes and how the press vilify him, it all weighs on him. He's not a hero, but does fall neatly within the realm of an anti-hero because he's not a villain in nature. His quirks are pretty fun with him constantly wearing a breathing strip over his nose due to his sinus condition that constantly flares up. Yuya Yagira's performance is expert with him perfectly capturing all of the subtleties necessary for the role. 

On the flip side, you have young Karasuma. The University of Tokyo graduate often challenges Kujo, reminding him of ethics and being opposed to the latter's methods. He feels very much like a stand-in for the viewers at times as he learns more about Kujo as we do. He's the voice of reason, even if being reasonable sometimes doesn't help in law, especially when letting one's emotions affect our actions. Despite all of that, even Karasuma admits that Kujo's methods are genius in gaining justice. Hokuto Matsumura does a wonderful job in portraying the much more traditionally upstanding lawyer. 

Mibu is another rather interesting character. His swagger, his effortless charm and his strength alongside his impeccable fashion sense and design in general bely his complexity. He's not a one-note Yakuza type character, he has a certain code and morals that are present throughout the series and his tattoos, one in particular, have a deep meaning. Indeed, Mibu is a character one might not expect to sympathise with, but the drama does a great job at giving him a depth and backstory that makes a viewer do just that. Plus, he's a dog lover. Anyone who loves dogs can't be all bad right? 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent watching Kujo no Taizai. It kept me engrossed and engaged throughout with compelling characters, smart writing faithful to the source material and wonderful directing. The acting from all of the main characters from Kujo to Arashiyama is top-notch. Therefore, it is beyond an easy recommendation from me.