This review may contain spoilers
A Worthy Psychological Crime Series
Me and my husband does not have any expectations on this series as it is something that we watch on the fly.We are happy with how the story progress as well as the twists on each episodes. We are discussing who are the killers or suspects and we also love that mental health is one of the biggest subject on the whole series.
Mental health is a taboo to many Asian countries but here, you can see how twisted and how a person can kill and even blames their victims along the process.
As for the characters, I love that they are also growing. Its not just Totonou who is solving things here, we have Garou who is also intelligent and wants to avenge his sister and Furomitsu.
I also love the fact that Totonou is looking into beibg just a regular college student but he is begrudgingly being tagged on each cases.
I am looking forward to the next season and I really hope that this is something that will happen late this year or early next year.
Was this review helpful to you?
garo and kunou are fruity
i'm not the type to write a review but this series is just so good and everyone deserves to know about this!! i decided to watch this because of suda and the iconic hair of his character but i didn't expect the story to be this good! the acting is on point, every character has an interesting background, and it's just really fun to watch. you can feel happiness, sadness, chills, excitement, etc while watching this show so i really recommend it!! while watching, i feel like i'm also a detective haha! there's a lot of lessons you can get from every episode and i cried several times. i hope there will be a season 2 asap bc garo and kunou are fruity af!!Was this review helpful to you?
Mystery to Iunakare; The Engaging Japanese Mystery Series…
When news broke out that Yumi Tamura’s mystery-crime manga ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ ( ‘ ‘ ミステリと言う勿れ’) would be adapted into a twelve -episode Fuji TV drama, there was certainly trepidation and excitement towards the delivered result.Adapting a Josei manga to a television production series can be a complex affair for the production team. The abundance of manga chapters and volumes that often have to be forced into a compact screenplay , racing against time deadlines, as well as budgets and casting choices can truly make or break an adaptation.
Indeed, Fuji TV’s ‘ Mystery to Iunkare’ ( alternatively known as ‘ Do Not Say Mystery’ or ‘ ミステリと言う勿れ’) is no exception. However despite the restricted duration length, ‘ Mystery to Iunkare’ offered viewers with a fairly intriguing mystery-crime plot.
21 year-old Totono Kunou ( Masaki Suda- ‘Kamen Rider W’, ‘ Assassination Classroom’ and ‘ Konto ga Hajimaru’) is a student at Todai University and seemingly preferred pupil of psychology professor Haruo Amatatsu ( Kosuke Suzuki- ‘ Liar Game’, ‘ Doctor X’ and ‘ Konto ga Hajimaru’).
However Kunou has landed himself in hot water when he becomes a key suspect in the murder case of his classmate. Brought into Otonari Police Station, any doubts surrounding Kunou’s involvement in the case are soon diminished when he demonstrates his meticulous observational skills and intelligence to the detectives .
Detectives Seiko Furomitsu ( Sairi Ito- ‘ In This Corner Of The World’, ‘ The Naked Director’ and ‘ Momoume’ ) and Yuto Ikemoto ( Matsuya Onoe- ‘ Onna Joshu Naotora’, ‘ Hanzawa Naoki 2’ and ‘ Kamakura dono no 13 nin’) are shown to be particularly won over by the student’s actions and words, later giving him a helping hand during key moments and dilemmas of the narrative.
To a lesser extent, Kunou also helps to change the ways of Inspector Mariaki Aoto ( Michitaka Tsutsui- ‘ Bataashi Kingyo’, ‘ Iron Grandma’ and ‘ Jashin no Tenbin Koan Bunseki Han’). An enigmatic man carrying a big burden, Aoto is given some surprisingly enlightening advice by Kunou as to where he went wrong in the past.
As Kunou becomes determined to help solve mysteries and cold cases, Kunou finds himself involved in a growing mystery tying together his past along the way…
Nevertheless despite an intriguing setup, it’s important to note that the concept of the “ eccentric genius” and the “ mysterious and dark major case from the past” have been seen and done countless times before. However despite its “seen and done before” setup, ‘ Mystery To Iunakare’ is still able to grip viewers thanks to screenwriter Aizawa Tomoko’s established tone and character building.
Screenwriter Aizawa Tomoko, probably best known for her screenplays such as ‘ Very Sweet’ , ‘ Kagi no Kakatta Heya’ , and ‘ Boku Dake ga 17-sai no Sekai de’, adapted the screenplay for ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ from Tamura’s manga. Similar to its predecessor, the series offered viewers with an element of dark suspense , tense mystery as well as moments of lighthearted respite in order for viewers to understand more about certain characters through interactions.
It’s hard to deny that the performances by the main cast of ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ were fairly brilliant. Although there were some overblown moments of dialogue and acting, Masaki Suda playing the main lead of the series, Totono Kuno, and Sairi Ito starring alongside Suda as Seiko Fukomitsu, particularly stood out with their dynamic onscreen performances.
Nevertheless important to note that ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ did feel somewhat limited at times by its pacing. Admittedly this did not engulf the full series. Tomoko’s narrative was fairly quick-paced at times, allowing several open opportunities in order to downplay key events and grip viewers through an array of intriguing characters also. ( Without definitive spoilers, these characters were gradually tied from counterplots into some events of the main narrative through various causes. )
On the other hand there were certainly several moments in ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ that could feel somewhat stretched-out or felt unresolved . ( One of the most notable examples of this problem included Kunou’s childhood ; briefly touched upon in order to tie-in major events of the narrative, but often lacking a resolved ending or explanation .)
Under the directing leadership of Aizawa Hideyuki ( ‘ 5-ji Kara 9-ji Made’, ‘ Good Doctor’ and ‘ Radiation House 2’) and Hiroaki Matsuyama ( ‘ Liar Game’, ‘ Nobunaga Concerto’ and ‘ Switched’), ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ was admittedly satisfactory with its editing and cinematography .
Of course this isn’t to downgrade the series completely. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ did boast some stunning tour de force moments through closeups of characters, settings and some pragmatic editing decisions. On the other hand ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ could often feel slightly underwhelming at times by several sloppy cuts and limited camera angles.
Admittedly this isn’t entirely the drama’s fault per say. Fuji TV’s budgets are not extensive and limitations with filming should be expected. On the other hand it is hard to deny that it often felt as though that ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ was still somewhat underwhelming at times by its limited camera angles and filming gradients.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding the OST. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ offered viewers with an eclectic range of comprised tracks; some of which were certainly more memorable than others. ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’’s main theme song and ethereal melody “ Chameleon” ( “ カメレオン”) by indie pop band King Gnu, alongside niche yet effective renditions of haunting classical music compositions such as Debussy’s ‘ Clair De Lune’ were particularly memorable.
Fuji TV’s twelve-episode series certainly offered an entertaining and enjoyable mystery-thriller. Of course, ‘ Mystery to Iunakare’ wasn’t without its more problematic issues such as execution and cliches. However with a potential sequel season alongside brilliant performances by the main leads, the drama series will like offer a satiable and indulgent viewing experience for any crime and drama fan.
Was this review helpful to you?
Thrilling Puzzles
This show quickly became one of my favorites from the beginning! Suda Masaki is almost like a chameleon the way he blends in to roles time and time again without leaving traces of old characters in them; though he does keep some of his own personality in his characters which is fascinating to watch!The story follows "just a college student" as he helps the police figure out difficult or confusing cases full of puzzles me "what ifs". But with his on point observations and quirky personality, he has a great way of showing that each human (though different) can be such an amazing person!
The story is full of fantastic cast members that have created a superb and amazing story! The funny moments and sad moments are extraordinary to watch unfold, sometimes they're scary and sometimes they're bittersweet, but the humor continues to slip in almost unnoticed and everything balances to make an incredible story unfold!
Was this review helpful to you?
Mystery from a Fresh Perspective
Here we have a premise which is wholly recycled and yet completely unique. We have seen the inexplicable genius time and again, numerous reincarnations of the unstoppable crime solver: a loner, and yet loved by all. This is that, certainly, but it is also something entirely more interesting: a crime solver who does not wish to solve crimes. That changes everything.Let me preface the rest of this review by saying that mystery is my least favorite genre of drama. This both detracts from my ability to asses this in regards to other mysteries, but also elevates the show's effectiveness for overcoming my preconceptions.
The most important, and most outstanding part of this drama is certainly the main character: Kunou Totono. Set apart in appearance by his curly hair and in personality by blunt and honest speech, Kunou draws you in from the very beginning. It only gets better as he is falsely convicted of a crime and brought into the police station, where our story can begin. This first episode, the details of which I will leave for you to discover, is in my opinion the best of the total twelve. It is a perfect showcase of all the strengths the show has going for it.
While many protagonist crime solvers can seem like superheroes in their deduction abilities, Kunou's are those of reason and speed. It is reasonable to assume, given enough time and information, that the audience could reach the same conclusion that he did. What sets him apart is his attention to detail and ability to recognize connections. This lends the show a much more realistic feel, and also further endears the protagonist to us by making him seem more realistic. Still, the main draw for Kunou is his complete disinterest in all things mystery. While he may be able to solve puzzles (and may subconsciously enjoy doing so), he makes every effort to avoid being involved in any, assisting any, or even knowing about any mysteries which may be occurring. From this sprouts both comedy and a vicarious sense of detachment, where we can objectively view the situation alongside the main character. Objectively viewing scenes which may otherwise be played for drama or emotion can result in a certain amount of intrigue.
That said, it's not a perfect strategy. The main issue is how to force the main character into several mystery situations in a believable way. And, while the show accomplishes this is most regards, it can be felt that they're running out of ideas towards the end. The other big issue is that our engagement in each mystery is almost entirely dependent on Kunou's involvement in it, which comes at a great cost towards the end of the show and with several scenes which involve the side characters.
Production wise, the show is good enough that you don't notice it. You can be wrapped up in the story, which is all that we really need. Beautiful cinematography is great, but not all that necessary in this sort of show. The score, while fitting, was a bit disappointing to me in actuality. In contrast with the uniqueness of the premise, the show employs a frankly tired collection of classical pieces (including Vivaldi, Debussy, Beethoven, and strangely enough a paino rendition of the Tetris theme), with only a few original songs. Whether that was due to creative or budget reasons can't be said, and of course the songs (Winter, Claire de Lune, Moonlight Sonata... Tetris) are good, but it felt like a cop out.
All in all, the show is very good. I was reeled in from the start and binged the whole thing in a few sittings. The main character is great, the mysteries are interesting, and there are even a few compelling character arcs thrown in for good measure. Despite a few minor flaws, the show certainly surpassed any expectations I had. (Special thanks to AnQuat for the recommendation.) In turn, I will also recommend this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The cases in this drama honestly surprised me. They never turned out the way I expected them to. Totono-kun's observation skills were simply awesome, not just regarding the cases but also people, simply people. He might've been a loner but he knew about people. I loved that, yeah, he was annoying to some but when he started talking to the culprits or to the victims, he truly got through to them and made them see reality as was, not just the way they thought it was.Suda Masaki was fantastic as Totono-kun. I saw him in a few things already but he has never really caught my interest, I was always all, "Yeah, and so-n-so was played by Suda Masaki. Alright." But here, he was truly marvelous. The way his Totono-kun was a loner, a bit weird but not in a bad way, a walking encyclopedia but also someone who just walked in the rain, singing a song about potatoes, who was all excited about a bento and an impressionist exhibition, who never, ever wanted to get involved in the cop's cases and yet, when push came to shove, he always helped... Yeah, that was cute.
Also, Totono-kun & Garo! Wow. I'm so curious where that is headed and I hope that there will be S2 that will explore their relationship!
Overall, a great series. Funny but also so intriguing!
Was this review helpful to you?
Thoroughly Entertaining!
I had a great time watching Mystery to IuNakare. It's a fun ride. I absolutely adored Kounou Toutonou! Japan has done several takes on Sherlock Holmes. Some hits. Some misses. I'm not saying Toutonou is young Sherlock Holmes, but it he reminds me of him. Honestly, to me he's a combo of Holmes and Tom Baker's Doctor Who (the 4th doctor.. look him up). Kounou Toutonou is a college student (as he says many times) with beyond exceptional deductive reasoning and observational skills. His antisocial behavior and personality led him to become the prime suspect in the murder of a former high school classmate. I was hooked from the first few minutes in episode one (finished the entire series in less than a day). Any time a suspect is taken in for questioning and winds up questioning the police, I'm in. Of course he shows off his skills, thereby setting up the rest of the series.The story is great. Yes, the murders may be somewhat common, but the solving of them is not. I mentioned Kounou reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. He has his own Moriarity. Someone who is brilliant, but pushed to the edge due to circumstances and winds up on the wrong side of the law. There's also a common thread throughout the episodes that does not become readily apparent until the end. The writing was done very well as was the production. This is not a gritty crime detective story. Although, somewhat lighthearted in many ways, it's not a comedy either. I'd categorize it as a dramedy.
The cast is great. Suda Masaki is fantastic as our curly haired protagonist. The characters including guests were all well cast. I enjoyed their performances. It took almost an entire episode for me to recognize Eita. When he shaves and covers his ears, he's unrecognizable. LOL
The music was pretty good. I really didn't take much notice of it which means it supported the scenes instead of overwhelming them. Re-watch is medium as I rarely re-watch, but I may, especially if there's too much time between seasons. Hopefully, there will be a season 2 as season 1 ends with a cliffhanger. Plus, there's too much about Kounou-kun that is unknown.
Overall, this is a fantastic binge worthy drama. I highly recommend it.
Was this review helpful to you?
A very comforting show
Ngl the story pacing felt very much Gintama style (which I love). But what dragged me into loving the show is the chemistry and romantic hints around Totono and Garou. I hope this gets developed in the next season if it does. There are not that many detective/mystery shows that hints that the male lead is homoromantic while still dealing with the serious topics at hand. Which is what I like about this story and how the drama portrayed this. I wish they couldve made a trio with Garo, Raika and Totono. They would be unstopable honestly so badass. I wish the manga was translated into English so I could read on..Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Who can find the culprit first?
The watcher or Totono?At first I didn't plan to watch this, I just kinda skipped it when it was airing and then later I continued to skip it until I actually wanted to watch it.
It was fun and I liked it a lot.
I wondered why I didn't watch it before but if I made myself watch it I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much as I did.
The story
A lot of different cases are solved through the drama, some are connected, some are not but all of them are interesting.
The culprit is mostly hinted at or shown and then we watch Totono get involved and help the police.
I find it funny when a character is not a detective but he keeps getting connected to crimes/cases and he keeps solving them.
I actually liked all of the cases, every case had an unique twist that made it more fun.
Totono, he is smart and cute. I liked how we watched him change a little and make friends.
Garo is my favorite character and I liked the connection between him and Totono. If there is a second season I would like to see more of that.
Raika is another interesting character that left a big impression on me.
All of the characters were nicely written, I wasn't frustrated by any of them (their actions).
When a drama is good, I don't really have much to say. ¯\_ಠ_ಠ_/¯
I recommend this drama to people who like weird mysteries that make you think.
Was this review helpful to you?
A crime series with heart
I have not read the manga, so my comments are all about the series.It's a heart-breaking, delightfully heart-warming experience.
Pros
The cases are unique in themselves. Mostly heart-breaking and sad. The retelling of the cases and their progression are a delight to watch. Don't expect a hard-core, very difficult case. It's all about the human-ness of both the villains and the victims.
Totono is adorable, he embraces his life fully. He possesses a unique insight into each character that he meets. Not surprisingly, he's drawn to people like himself: people without artifice, people who take their lives in their own hands and live it the way they want to.
Cons
The scene flashbacks could be lesser.
Rewatch value:
Absolutely will watch it again.
Was this review helpful to you?
Sherlock Holmes meets Agatha Christie meets Harold Pinter…
I’m fairly new to Japanese drama, so I may not totally have a handle on the styles that govern it, but I must admit that I was more than a tad confused at the start of this one.At first I thought I had time-travelled back to the 1960s and was watching a play by Harold Pinter. It has that surreal hyper-normality to it, where bizarre things are accepted as totally ordinary and people stand around and willingly listen to long, quasi insightful/philosophical speeches.
Then, half way through the first episode, it takes on a weird Sherlock Holmes homage logical deduction trip (and to be fair the subs team are called 221B Baker Street). Just when I decide the production isn’t going to take itself too seriously (and mercifully I shouldn’t either), it gets really worthy. With tearful remorse and regret for wrongdoing accompanied by a swelling string section. At which point I nearly give up on it.
But seeing as it is still episode one, I think to give it the benefit of the doubt and get to the end. It finishes up comfortably surreal again and continues that way into episode two, which is a complete Agatha Christie style who-dunnit, even down to the country house setting. And it begins to occur to me that if I knew crime novels better, I’d recognise a series of famous authors - Georges Simenon, Micky Spillane, Val McDermid perhaps? However, crime novels are not something I’ve ever been into, so I’ll leave it to aficionados to comment on whether that supposition is true.
The dispensing of wisdom continues unabated with transformational moments regularly swooping like shooting stars across the faces of the previously afflicted, as Totono offers alternative versions of truth. The question is, how seriously do you take it? I have to go for a pinch of salt myself, otherwise it’s all just a little bit too simplistic and naive for me. But if sentimental repentance is up your street, this one is definitely for you.
As for the cases, which occupy one or two episodes each; they are never over until they are over. They meander through surreal twist after twist and there always seems to be another surprise lurking under a stone somewhere about five episodes later. And the whole thing has a circularity precipitated by flashbacks that leaves you wanting to go back and watch it again just to check the order of things and how they all relate. Definitely not straightforward or predictable and for that you have to hand it to the writer for the originality of the plot (probably the inspiration of the manga author on which it is based.) It is the beating heart of the drama and the reason to keep watching.
The deliberate unreality extends to a great many things in the series and often the plotholes are enormous and the motivations not credible, so be prepared. The role of the police is not fully integrated and mostly they feel like convenient spare parts bumbling around the central action. As though they need to be included to give the whole thing some semblance of credibility, but their inclusion seems like an unfortunate distracting sideshow. For me the last two episodes didn't quite have enough cohesion to give it the ending it deserved.
The acting is rather static and formal which matches the feel of the production giving it a very cerebral and largely unemotional tone for long periods punctuated by intense outbursts. The notable exception being Onoe Matsuya II (Ikemoto Yuto) who is strangely manic. So I’m not going to praise performances here, although Suda Masaki is engaging as the protagonist, Kunou Totono. There are any number of curious and weird supporting characters that play the criminal antagonists who are strange enough to keep you invested.
The soundtrack utilises a whole range of classical music, from Vivaldi through Beethoven to Rachmaninoff and various stops in between. It is quite intrusive and deliberately loud, and can punctuate the action with emphatic “meaning”. There is also an OST of contemporary songs with explainy lyrics especially for the repentance/realisation scenes. Not to my taste to be honest.
This is a really difficult drama to rate as it has a uniqueness that could well foster a cult following. It was consistent in its approach and managed to successfully walk the edge of credibility, such that I found myself still willing to suspend my disbelief even though it was way out of any normal comfort zone. So even though it was not really something I warmed to, I think it was very successful and skilful in doing what it set out to do, which means it merits a higher rating than I would instinctively give it.
What my rating means: 8+ A great drama with interesting content and good writing, direction, acting, OST, cinematography. But didn’t quite have the requisite sparkle to bump it into my all-time fave list. Worth watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Great Procedural
For avid mystery enjoyers, Mystery to Iu Nakare’s cases might seem rather pedestrian, but in my opinion, the simplicity of the cases humanize the main character, Totonou, and did a good job on making him not look like a “genius detective” and rather an observant person -- and I think that this is a very important factor in terms of the concept and how the story is built. Grounding the show and the characters in reality. Totonou, at the end of the day, is just a regular person; in terms of where the show is, the cases work in the context of his character.Procedural is a tricky genre, as characters flip through the episode and thus it is easy for the supporting characters to just become a blur of faces, but putting the psychological and emotional aspect of the “mystery” is what makes this show work really well. Every of their stories are handled with care and depth; it reminds me a lot of the way Meitantei Conan handled its suspects, just with more focus on character-driven cases.
The tone of the show is also very balanced -- it’s in every aspect melancholy and serious at the same time as funny. The writing is good. Suda Masaki is a wonderful actor and I continue to love his range -- he can deliver any ‘preachy’ lines so well that it still seems so realistic.
Of course, if you prefer more on the crime aspects of mystery shows, Mystery to Iu Nakare is not the right show for you. This is a show that cares more about the why and the how. It’s a show that cares about the lives and the emotion and not just how a murder is done. Go into this show with the right expectations, and you will enjoy it very much.
Was this review helpful to you?
