Tokyo Vice

Irony -- other shows work so hard to create a vibe of tension and potential threat. Here, if you can relate to this wonderfully relatable character, every second of every moment is filled with tension because the Japanese culture is one of the most unique on the planet. And one of the most especially unforgiving towards outsiders. (I have seen thousands of films, submitted almost 2000 reviews here, and yet the most terrifying movie I have ever seen is Japan's 1964 "Woman in the Dunes," which is not even a horror movie!) Excellent and addictive series. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

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!

It took a while for this show to be made but the result is pretty cool! Michael Mann knows how to do interesting thriller and delivers again. Great atmosphere, great camera work and a great cast! Good stuff and shows that HBO is still the gold standard...not Netflix!;)

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.