Giri/Haji

Unbelievable! This is a perfect fusion of Asien ( Japanese) and European (British) cinema with an intelligent script, great animation parts, complex character development and outstanding actors! If you want to criticize something, there could be less brutality, but on the other hand it's a crime drama about the Yakuza. So it fits again.

How come this show has a rating below 8 stars and small-minded shows with their predictable, repetetive stories and stereotypical good guy- bad guy characters like Cobra Kay already have 3 seasons and are rated with over 8,5?! I just don't get it.

This started of really well. First 2 episodes were mind-blowing and refreshing. The animation part was awesome ,flashbacks were done great too. But after 4th episode it just became something else. Lost all its charm due to unnecessary subplots.

What a breath of fresh air in a world where tv is so uniform and unoriginal that you can predict the next move a mile away.

I'm also grateful that we got to discover a bit of Japan and its culture beyond the usual Hollywood cliches.

Well worth my time and highly recommended.

Exceptional storytelling and direction in this compelling series which broke the mold and reinvented the genre with its brave and brilliant style, Everything about it was outstanding - directing, writing, casting. It had humor and wit despite the bleak subject matter and it was all done with incredible style. British drama showing the world how its done.

Binged watched this week but no spoilers here. This really benefits from having 8 episodes rather than the BBC's usual 6 and allows for greater character development and backstories. There are side plots and stories galore, bloody violence, humour, tears, sadness & retribution but everything comes together with a few twists and turns in a final episode that has one of the most unexpected & touching rooftop moments. The cast are fantastic as is the script and cinematography. Loved it.