Kyojo (2020)

Another piece of evidence that shows why KimuTaku is the GOAT of J-dorama. The rest of the cast also did superbly.

Being a school (or an academy) drama imposes certain limitations and patterns on storytelling, still, it was a great watch.
I set the rewatch value low due to some thriller and investigative elements.

What I appreciate the most in this TV special is the production part. The portrayal of a police academy is concise (possibly as a good PR project from Kanagawa police).

Music/OST is not that standout (typical of one-off TV specials). Ending theme is a good piece though.

Summing up, being 2 parts TV special will take more time to complete, but you will enjoy a different kind of police-theme dorama with a decent cast.

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This is a sleek fast-paced high-tension drama with somewhat unlikely plot and outstanding acting.


Who knew that studying in the police academy in the law-abiding Japan is so fraught with danger? Once the audience accepts that graduating this academy requires enormous grit, determination, and luck, though, the drama flows very well.

Kimura Takuya plays hard to please jerk-of-an-instructor that probably everyone encountered at least once in their lives. These kind of teachers (most of time) are not unfair monsters the students believe them to be; they are just strict and, perhaps, pedantic. As the viewers follow the perilous lives of several cadets, the mystery of whether Kimura's character is evil or benevolent slowly unfolds.

What deserves undeniable praise in this drama is the pacing. The tension is always high and poor cadets are never safe. The high quality production befits the star level of the cast. Many characters have brief stays in the drama, yet, leave long impressions.

Hayashi Kento deserves the most accolades among the cast. His performance brings to mind Elija Wood's cannibal from the Sin City; the level of creepiness is unbelievable. Nishihata Daigo and Tomita Miu also put impressive performances.

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