Rimôto

If they'd stuck with what worked, this would have been a gripping, moving series from beginning to end. I kept marveling at how immediately and consistently disarming Kyoko Fukada is, managing to play a character who's overtly stupid, whiny, and childish yet still comes across as guileless, humble, understanding, helpful, selfless, likable, and funny. I can remember only one moment where I saw something resembling a smirk (when her fiancé seemed like he might be mimicking her in the hotel). Impossible not to like her, and its rather terrifying how good she is at keeping it that way, with no sense of what might lie underneath should she ever slip.

Unfortunately, they tried to mix in parodies of police dramas with a lot of characters who are nothing but comedy props and it falls painfully flat again and again until you're groaning as soon as you see them start up, yet they do little to rework these parts by the end of the series. Maybe they felt they had no choice because the series is based on a manga. Fukada's character is transferred out of her department to work for a eccentric shut-in because she's seen as stupid, yet after seeing more antics of the other officers, she seems like an absolute genius in comparison. If you can bear with it through these parts, the rest is great. For more of Kyoko Fukada, I recommend Yama Onna Kabe Onna (2007).

Note: English fansubs for this are better than those on the Ember Power DVDs and their timings are based on them.

Kosaburo Himuro (Koichi Domoto) is a brilliant young detective, who has his own division called A-kyu Miketsu Jiken Tokubetsu Sosashitsu ( Special task force for unsolved case - a.k.a. A - Bekkan ) department. But because of an unfortunate accident a year ago, he refuses to work outside of his office that is situated at the basement of his house. Because of this, he needs a partner who can do all the leg work for him, but this situation puts lot of stress on his partner.

Assistant supervisor Chikumagawa (Masato Ibu) works for the Tokyo Police Force's detective division. He has one headache - his team member keeps quitting due to hardship of having to work with Himuro.

One day, detective Otaguro (Jun Nagura) comes up with an idea to use a useless detective as Himuro's partner. This way the police force doesn't have to keep losing valuable work force to quirks of having to work with Himuro.

Kurumi Ayaki ( Kyoko Fukada ) is a police woman working for parking enforcement section of the police force. She's engaged to Shingo (Hiroshi Tamaki), and getting prepared for their wedding. She's firmly set on retiring from the police force after she gets married.

Chikumagawa, and Otaguro one day finds Ayaki who they see as not too bright, to be the perfect "fall guy" (?) for the next assistant to work for Himuro. They recruit Ayaki, and tells her that she now works with Himuro. Himuro communicates with her using cell phones.

The unlikely pair of Himuro, and Ayaki becomes a real A-Team in partnership in solving difficult cases.

The real main character of this series is Kurumi Ayaki who is played by Kyoko Fukada. She adds comical touch to the serious situation. Koichi Domoto plays the real brain who figures out the mysteries behind all the crimes. Supporting cast of Masato Ibu et al also adds comic relief playing the dumb detectives who takes themselves way too seriously. All combine to make this a delightful soup of intrigue, comedy, and situational drama that makes this amongst the best of crime detective comedy to come out of Japan.

Young Hiroshi Tamaki plays the fiancé of Kyoko Fukada. He's poised to become an A list actor in Japanese TV and movies in the coming years.