Tokyo Vice

Finally something new to get behind! I have to say I really love this series. I lived in Japan while on active duty with the Marine Corps and I fell in love with Japan, the culture, the beautiful people, the history and everything else about it. If there is any other country I could live in again, it would be Japan. The culture was so impactful on me as a young Marine, it just has never left me... Anyway This show is extremely well made and gives you a little dose of everything Japan. Great acting, great writing, solid directing it really has it all. Don't screw this up HBO and not give us another season. If you are into crime type dramas, give this a go. And Give it 3 episodes before you make any decisions. You're hooked after that. Tokyo is one of the most unbelievable cities in the world that's for sure so go visit! The city, and the people, will change your life forever! Again give the show a try. You will really enjoy it.

Enjoyed the first three episodes, invested in the main characters and keen to discover what happens next. Daunting at first with the skew toward Japanese with subtitles, though the balance has changed and this has eased significantly. Some great direction producing fine imagery through use of cinematography, wardrobe and linguistics. It is clear the story is a whodunnit exploring the contrast between conformity & self and honour & honesty.

Some fine performances from Ansel Elgort (Jake), Rachel Keller (Samantha) who was excellent as Syd in Legion, Ken Watanabe (Katagiri) and Rinko Kikuchi (Eimi). Each of these characters has been well fleshed out and we understand their respective motivations, their relationship to one another and their place and contribution to the plot.

Tokyo Vice is a dark, gritty drama that builds intrigue from the very beginning. The criminals have deep traditions like the Sopranos. The police and the crimes committed are violent and shocking, similar to The Wire, and the cinematography is dark, like Boardwalk Empire. It's everything you want in a classic HBO Mobster/Gangster story with a very talented ensemble.

As always, if you made it this far, thanks for reading, and if you watch this series, let me know what you think.

Stay Channel Surfing!

Damian at TalkTeaV.

Tokyo Vice was so much better than I expected. It looked good to me and I'm a Michael Mann fan and heard he was attached and it still exceeded my expectations. It's based off a true story and shows a realistic view of Japans criminal world. This show is exciting and will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very first episode throughout the series! The entire cast is great and led by especially great performances by Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe. I absolutely recommend this show!

I'm blown away by how much I enjoyed Tokyo Vice. This series not only met my expectations but surpassed them in every way. It was created by Michael Mann (Heat, Ali, Collateral, Miami Vice, etc) and you can definitely tell because it has Mann's gritty style. It follows American journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) as he works with the police to descend in the criminal underworld of Tokyo. Apparently enough people liked it that it got renewed for another season which is fantastic news. I can't wait to see where they take this series next. If you're looking for a good thriller then give this a try. I promise you won't be disappointed!