Tantei no Tantei (2015)

Angst and mystery, starring kick-butt female characters

The main appeal for me of a series is often the characters, and Tantei no Tantei did not disappoint. The main characters are Sasaki Rena and Minemori Kotoha. Rena (who is brilliant and can seriously kick butt) appears like the strong and stoic type -- and she is, but it quickly becomes apparent how much emotion lies under the surface. Kotoha seems fragile in comparison, but that only makes it all the more impactful to watch her grow.

The mystery at the heart of the show -- "Who is the detective that contributed to Sakura's death?" -- is one that kept me guessing all the way until around the time it was revealed toward the end. The show's pacing felt overall pretty good, though there were a couple of timeskips that felt kind of jarring.

I've seen some people comment that they thought the acting wasn't very good. Honestly, I don't know what they're referring to, although to be fair my focus was primarily on Rena, and I would naturally expect that as the most experienced actor of the group, Kitagawa would be the best. Rena is complex and likely a difficult character to portray. She says she's trying to survive, yet she throws herself recklessly into situations that could kill her. Part of her wants to be close to others while another part of her tries to push them away. At times she seems so stoic, and yet there's so much emotion under the surface. Honestly, this felt very realistic for someone with PTSD. (Rena is never explicitly said to have it, however with her frequent flashbacks and such, I think it was implied.) I can only imagine the challenge of capturing such a complex character, but I felt Kitagawa did a great job.

My biggest complaint about the series is that I did not find the ending satisfying, however, this may be because Tantei no Tantei is a ways outside of my usual genre. I would have liked a happier ending, but I can also see that as being potentially out of place here.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed Tantei no Tantei. I connected a lot to Rena and enjoyed her friendship with Kotoha. I enjoyed seeing both characters grow throughout the series. The series is suspenseful and emotional. If any of these things appeal to you, I'd definitely recommend it.

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