[Discussion] Jiu

[emma-ba]

The show is based on the “Jiu” suspense novel series by Honda Tetsuya. Motoko (Kuroki) is a fierce, physically capable investigator with a strong battle instinct, while Misaki (Tabe) is more intellectual, kind-hearted, and naive. The two of them are both working to track down Jiu, the ringleader responsible for a series of brutal crimes.

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[emma-ba]

Episodes 1-3

I didn't really like them that much because the whole hostage case seemed to be handled poorly. After watching episode three it seems they're basically there to set up the rest of series so it's not so bad now.

I felt a bit worried when I saw that Shirota was in it. So far I've only seen him in Team Batista and he was VERY wooden in that. I hope that doesn't happen here as it seems like he and Motoko are going to be romantically involved. Nothing kills romance like a wooden actor...

[enggrrl]

I agree, I thought the first two episodes were a little weird, especially how

Misaki was punished for something out of her control (being stripped).

but I do like Shirota Yuu's character...he is stoic, but it kinda works for him. (however if you want to see a totally different side of him, watch Samurai High School with Miura)

[Anon.]

I can't say I haven't been extremely disappointed with this series so far (only watched the first two episodes). I'm a big fan of Kuroki Meisa...but, not that I have any qualms with her acting, the stylized fighting seems rather...fake? And since her character revolves around her 'aggressive fighting' side....it's rather starting to get on my nerves (just a bit). I hope I'm not the only one feeling that way...>.>

I seriously hope that it gets better from episode 3...so far, I've rather liked all of her dramas, I don't want this to be the first one I hated.

[emma-ba]

Episode 4

I definitely prefer Misaki's story to Motoko's story. The acting on Misaki's side seem much more natural and also they seem to be achieving a lot more. On Motoko's side she does a lot of fighting but she hasn't contributed much towards the Jiu case. She's got that photo of Amamiya though so maybe we'll find something out next episode?

[OpTicaL]

Kuroki Meisa is trying too hard to be a badass/badgirl. In her PVs and dramas, it doesn't suit her, doesn't come out naturally. Is this how she wants to be or is her agency forcing this upon her?

[lollercopter]

"Trying too hard" is exactly what I thought. The show goes really out of its way to make her character seem like the biggest, baddest supercop in the world, as if afraid that otherwise the audience won't take her seriously. She's also a huge a-hole (just look at the Judo scene) and dresses like a tomboy because being nice and having feminine qualities might be seen as signs of weakness. The amount of overcompensation going on is enough to qualify the show as a comedy.

I don't think Kuroki is right for the role, but it's the awful writing that's chiefly responsible for making the character so laughably fake.

[OpTicaL]

Her role was pretty bad in Ninkyo Helper as well, but this show is like 10x worse.

[emma-ba]

"Trying too hard" is exactly what I thought. The show goes really out of its way to make her character seem like the biggest, baddest supercop in the world, as if afraid that otherwise the audience won't take her seriously. She's also a huge a-hole (just look at the Judo scene) and dresses like a tomboy because being nice and having feminine qualities might be seen as signs of weakness. The amount of overcompensation going on is enough to qualify the show as a comedy.

I don't have any problems with her character being a tomboy, it's not like they don't exist in the real world. What did she do that was bad in the judo scene? The one where she was at achool?

The acting in the SAT half of the drama doesn't seem to be as good as the investigating side of the drama though.

[kalayaan]

Just a question for all who are watching this: are the SEX scenes really necessary for this drama?

[avieamber]

Just a question for all who are watching this: are the SEX scenes really necessary for this drama?

I second this question, actually it surprised me and I don't think it's necessary at all. I don't get the purpose it serves.

[emma-ba]

Just a question for all who are watching this: are the SEX scenes really necessary for this drama?

I second this question, actually it surprised me and I don't think it's necessary at all. I don't get the purpose it serves.

It's a late-night drama so it's not a problem for them to put sex scenes in it. As for its purpose, maybe it shows the effect that the incident with her judo teacher had on her. Although she's sleeping with tall guy, emotionally she's still holding herself back somewhat.

You could just as easily ask what the purpose of the detective putting loads of sugar in his coffee is, so he likes sweet coffee - does it really add anything to the drama? No, it's just a bit of info about a character.

[anohianotoki]

I finally finished this series. (Thanks to the provider for the subs.)

I thought there were too many tactical holes.

A kidnapper still has the hostage. One policewoman has entered the building. The rest of the police stay outside and wait.
Bad guys are on the loose, so let's have a big meeting where self-important officials pose and state the obvious in that irritating voice of authority.

Our bad-ass tomboy cop actually is not that good a fighter and is quite ineffectual. She should've been dead at least once. The emphasis on her fighting prowess in the early episodes lead to nothing. In the ultimate showdown, Jiu didn't even use his knife or she would've been dead early on. As it was she was out of it throughout the crucial time and had to be rescued herself.

The sex scenes didn't add anything, but rather showed Kuroki's character to be unwise.
Enter a new situation with hostile classmates, a hostile teacher, get attacked in the locker room, and sleep with the creepy guy.

At the end, super Jiu has used his super knife on two bad guys---so they're down---and is hugging M when he detonates the a bomb suspended in the middle of the room. How is it that only three bodies are found, with the missing body implied to be M's?

I liked Kuroki in "Space Battleship Yamato" as she was really cast well.
Here, there should have been more depth to her character.

Tabe's character was pretty good. Her partner tells her to wear more practical
shoes, so she does. But, later, when there is more action, she's back to the same shoes as before. She and her partner did a good mix of staying on the job and developing a romance.

So, M has psychic powers of control? The mastermind is actually the jerk in the blue uniform. Will there be a Jiu 2?

[lollercopter]

Replying to this very late...

I don't have any problems with her character being a tomboy, it's not like they don't exist in the real world.

Jiu goes too far, almost becoming a parody. Every five minutes the episode goes out of its way to let the audience know, in increasingly preposterous ways, that Kuroki's character is the most badass of all badasses (and always brooding, of course). It's the kind of bad characterization I'd expect to see in somebody's fanfic.

What did she do that was bad in the judo scene? The one where she was at achool?

My understanding of the scene was that they were just practising normally, her opponent tapped out, and she refused to stop. If your partner taps out during training, you absolutely have to stop immediately. If you don't, you're a danger to others.