(Long time no see?) Finished BOSS early this morning… I don’t know what I’m going to watch now! I wanted to start Byakuyako, but something tells me I need to watch PRIDE very soon. Yeaaaaaahhh!
Major spoilers. This is more like an unnecessarily long recap of the last two episodes than anything…
CASTING
I initially watched the drama for Amami Yuki (Osawa Eriko) (since I’ve never watched any of her work), Tamayama Tetsuji (Katagiri) was an added bonus… but when I saw Toda Erika (Kimoto) I was like, “no thank you …” But she held her own against the two better actresses (the other being Kichise Michiko). And her character wasn’t as grating or annoying as the one in Ryusei no Kizuna, also a plus. Great, great casting. I hate that there’s so many actors/actress that I recognize from SOMEWHERE though. I don’t think I’ve watched a lot of dramas (maybe 26 or 27?)… it trips me ouuuut and then I worry about where I’ve seen them before. Then it’s like, “really? REALLY? YOU WERE IN HERO? How come I don’t recognize you?” Things like that.
Since the series is really episodic, there’s always new criminals being introduced, but THIS GIRL!!
Shida Mirai (Ishihara Yuki) was one of the most convincing ‘criminals of the day’. She took it to a (rather irritating) level that only a ~youngster could do and it was pretty darn impressive, so much that I really started to dislike her character for being so clever/difficult/cunning! Apparently she was in Sapuri… I do remember her, but I choose to block out that drama from my memory for various reasons. Kamenashi Kazuya
OPENING
I LOVE IT. I just really love this opening! What a badass crew.
The point of this post
Was to talk about the last episode (which I just finished last night), plus some other shit.
Episode 10
Now, this is where things get a little crazy. The Countermeasures Unit is temporarily suspended and they’re just doing menial (but lulzy — KATAGIRI, YOU’RE TOO HANDSOME FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. OLD LADIES and me LOVE YOU) duties while they’re not… you know. Solving crimes with homicidal teenagers and psychopathic magazine models.
I don’t understand how these two are not dating! I mean, she kind of woke up in his room in the very first episode. And they’re on a first name basis. Ish.
So, Katagiri finds out that there may be a possible corruption scandal (“slush fund corruption”) and comes to discuss it with Nodate, but he’s just like “meh, it’s just gossip. Don’t worry about it!” and invites him to a party, in true Nodate fashion. ♥
BUT THE CORRUPTION IS INDEED HAPPENING, AND ONODA KNOWS ABOUT IT TOO. SHIT IS STARTING TO GET REAL, FOLKS. Since Onoda trusts Katagiri not to spill the beans… and their discussion begins.
There’s a big event going down (Superintendent General’s Letter of Gratitude to the MPD), and with the bombings happening recently, everyone is on edge. Nodate is in charge of security. While he and some guards are checking the area…
Katagiri comes to the same spot he and Onoda have been meeting to talk about the corruption scandal. He’s late. They show Onoda taking a breather or something and from the camera work going on, you can tell someone is sneaking up on him. Hmm.
Oh, yeah, there’s also a terrorist group involved (“Black Moon”). They bomb stuff. That’s kind of important. Why? They manage to sneak by security by posing as repairmen for the broken garage door or something. Things start getting really suspicious. Really, really suspicious. At this point, I am on edge and about to crap my pants.
It’s not hard to figure that there is someone on the inside helping them out; they were able to mobilize and set up bombs with little security and no interruptions. They’ve even disguised themselves as security and police! BUT WHO’S HELPING THEM? Pressing questions.
Turns out some higher ups were pooling money from the MPD illegally, and since they were almost discovered (from what I believe) by Onoda, they had to siphon the money elsewhere; that ‘elsewhere’ being the newly created Countermeasures Division.
Speaking of Onoda, he’s UNCONCIOUS (DEAD?)/CRITICALLY INJURED ON TOP OF SOME GARBAGE. My reaction: “OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CANNOT USE ENOUGH EXCLAMATION MARKS TO EXPRESS MY SHOCK / how did this HAPPEN?!?! WHY?” SERIOUSLY
Stuff happens (more like explodes), Osawa and the rest of the crew come to the lecture center to find Nodate driving away, along with the Superintendent General… and he waves at her from inside. Like nbd.
Now what I’m thinking is, “this is like … the ultimate betrayal. if what I’m thinking what is happening is true.” GOOD GRIEF.
Episode 11
Osawa waves/signals (?) back and everyone is generally confused.
Turns out that yes, what I thought was happening is true and Nodate is working with Black Moon. Pants crapped. I know BOSS can pull out the stops for twists, but this was just THE ULTIMATE. UNBELIEVABLE. The worst part is that you barely suspect a thing! Usually when betrayal happens it’s like, “ooh, why is he acting so strange?” but Nodate was just being his normal playboy self. Just brooding more than usual, but that could have been a gameface — gotta focus on protecting the Superintendent General, right? WRONG. Hotdamn.
(seriously, you would think that Yada is clearly the devious villian, and he kind of is because he’s been a jerk for most of the series, but you can’t judge a book by their cover. Or their slicked back hair that clearly spells evil.)
Luckily Onoda is “okay” (pfft), but seriously injured. But it’s not all sunshine and butterflies, because they’ve just discovered a huge ass bomb at a power plant! And not just any huge ass bomb, it’s a fuel vapor explosive. Whatever that means. There’s no one they know who would be able to disable it. Or is there?
OH YES THERE IS. Meet Nogaki Taizo, the criminal from the very first episode (currently serving life in prison) and explosives expert. You might also know him as the benevolent Ogata Kounan (Western Medicine Office) from JIN. I don’t know, but it pains me to see him being such a douchelord! So, they ask him to help them disarm this thing and of course, he’s being a serious jerk about it. And he almost stabs Osawa’s hand with a pen. But anyway, the fuel vapor explosive is disarmed successfully.
blah blah blah they make it to the Black Moon hideout with an agreement; that they would exchange three jailed Black Moon members for the Superintendent General and Nodate. But since this is BOSS and there’s always a twist, things went awry. I’ll explain it in bullets:
1. Osawa and the Black Moon leader Takakura (lol I want to call him Demando, cookies if you get the reference) exchange prisoners.
2. Takakura goes PSYCHO and kills the three members of his group. WHAT IN THE WHAT WHAT.
3. THEN NODATE SHOOTS THE SUPERINTENDENT GENERAL. He flees, Osawa orders Kimoto to chase after him — I’m not thinking about the fact that she sent KIMOTO of all people after him right now
4. Black Moon escapes, Yada, Osawa and Kimoto are looking for Nodate.
5. They find him, he shoots at them. I was trying not to be loud because it was three in the morning when I finished this but gsdfygsadyfugsfykgsfdysgfduyagfdausdgfajkdsfgaujfkahdsyfudigaskgfyasgfdauysgfduygadsf
6. Osawa starts tearing up big time and it’s understandable; she has to shoot her good friend if it gets down to it.
7. And she does.
Me (early morning): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Now Yada does something classy; he slips a flash drive into a dead Nodate’s back pocket. Very nice. You’re trying to hide some sort of evidence by hiding it in a dead man’s body. But wait! Osawa comes running back.
Osawa: By the way, where is it now? (steps on his gun) The Swiss bank deposit account number for the slush fund pool.
Yada: What are you talking about?
Osawa: You put it in Nodate’s pocket, didn’t you? I watched you doing it from other there. Moreover, he watched you, too… it’s okay already, Nodate-san.
Nodate: (gets up) Ah! This play went on for too long.
HOW DARE YOU TOY WITH MY EMOTIONS AT THAT EARLY HOUR. HOW DARE YOU! :(
The jig’s up and they all (including Kimoto, who was filming somewhere) caught him in the act. Yada tries to pin the blame on Nodate: “But… you shot the Superintendent General!”
Lo & behold, the SG comes skipping ’round the corner (haha, I’m not kidding, it’s actually sort of cute in an old person way). WHAT A TRICKSTER.
Finally, Hanagata, Iwai, Katagiri and Yamamura all catch up to Takakura and one of the other members. Before Takakura moves to shoot Yamamura (!!!)…
Don’t move. Or I’ll blow your head right off.
Sigh. ♥