Higanbana: Onnatachi no Hanzai File

Horikita Maki plays Nagisa in this half-baked attempt at a mystery.

In Japan there is a tradition of making TV specials of series after they have finished or before. In the first case, it closes some loose ends but nothing more, and are for fans, because Japanese TV series usually are self-contained (they tell a story in between 9-11 episodes and it's over). In the second they introduce the characters before the TV series starts, sometimes, as in this one, more than a year before it happens.

The Tokyo Police has a department which consists of only female detectives. They are basically considered trash (their nickname Higanbana is the name of a poisonous flower). All are quite different in their personalities and qualities but have been shunned just because they are women. When a popular doctor is killed they decide to investigate.

That the show tries to offer an image of strong women in a unfriendly environment is good, but it ends not being greatly done. They are still talking too much about marriage and looks and use their own to get information (and a little bit cringe-worthy moment). Also their personalities are supposedly different, but we only get a real look into Nagisa (a very blank and aloof Maki Horikita, here just a pretty face) and Dan Rei, who actually shows quite a range, but is forced to just be the bitter police boss.

If the mystery was good, those shortcomings could be forgiven, but it's not much of a mystery. Specially because Nagisa seems to have a sixth sense that makes her read minds and, with a look at a murder scene, synchronize with the killer and their motives. It's kind of cheap sci-fi and the script and Horikita don't sell the idea to us too well (just putting on headphones don't make a character). As it comes, it is just a middle of the road attempt at a police procedural centered in women. Maybe the TV series will be better.