[yellow_box]Spoilers for the most recent episodes of BOSS 2, JIN 2, Rebound and all of Ogon no Buta. This post is a long one!
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BOSS 2
Remember how I said that BOSS 2 was descending into a pit of mediocrity (maybe not in as many words)? Well, episode 7 happened, and it was exactly the kind of quality I’ve been wanting and expecting all season.
The episode was different because even though the criminal was right in front of them (and it wasn’t hard to figure out he was the one committing all the crimes), they didn’t know him, and that was the problem! Pretty good episode. I liked all of the flashbacks, too. AND SPEAKING OF FLASHBACKS!
When I first watched BOSS, my thoughts on Osawa and Nodate were: “I don’t understand how these are not dating!” These feelings kind of waxed and waned, and I only really think they needed an equally foxy foil for Osawa Eriko. However, I got SUBTLE romantic vibes from the Nodate-centric flashbacks in this episode. First Nodate’s mom asks him what he doesn’t like about the girl that he was dating.
She’s a nice girl, but there’s something missing. That little something. Mom. We’re talking about a partner for life. I have to take a real close look. Isn’t there a woman who, how should I say, can stand firmly on her own two feet? [sees Osawa running towards their parked car through the rear-view mirror] What? I’ll call again. Okay, I’m hanging up. Yeah, good night.
Am I being delusional? Even if the writers don’t mean to pair them up, they are my favorite duo ever!
Episode 8
Yah, things have finally improved! This was the BOSS that I’ve missed. One of my favorite guys (Tanihara Shosuke) guest-starred in this episode, and I mistakenly thought he appeared in the first season… all these crime shows are running together! Naturally, the episode was a bit predictable, and a part of me wanted to believe that Yoshino (Takenaka Naoto) was the killer, but it’s never been difficult to determine the criminal of the day in BOSS. I appreciate them trying to mix it up though! Still, it was a good episode and much more lighthearted than the previous week’s.
To return to the point I made earlier, Nodate sets Osawa up for an omiai as a favor to his boss. The meeting went so well that she’s going on a second date! Yamamura gets wind of this information, and tells Nodate (and everyone else in the office for that matter), whose expression all it needs to say about that. Hah!
Nodate: Are you serious?
Osawa: About what?
Nodate: You’re too old to be going around with that indecent ‘I’m-in-love’ look on your face.
Osawa: Oh no! Does it show?
Nodate: Your omiai mission is over. You don’t have to feel obligated to me anymore. Don’t force yourself.
Osawa: What? No. Hey. Are you jealous?
Nodate: Don’t be ridiculous. The day I get jealous over you is the day I’m done as a male.
Osawa: Fine. Then don’t butt in. My heart hasn’t fluttered like this in a long time!
Jealousy! I never thought I’d see the day. They’re honestly too much fun to watch!
(PS. I think they’re really underusing Narumi Riko, but GUESS WHO’S BAAAAAAACK?)
JIN 2
Episode 8
I hate to say this about JIN 2, but I’m not as impressed with the episodes as I was in the very beginning. The first three were seriously action packed! Tons of feelings were involved, the fourth included some awkwardness and tension which is always pleasant to watch, but after that… the show lost its momentum. I also realized that I don’t really give many fux about Choshu/Satsuma/Sakamoto Ryoma at all — the “political intrigue” I felt earlier on turned into political fatigue (heh). Ryoma’s assassination is being hideously drawn out, too.
However, the eighth episode was better! It was an intense watch. And I can stan for Ayase Haruka all day everyday (she was really excellent in episode 3), but Nakatani Miki slaaaaaaayed. Her scenes were hard to watch, obviously. But Nokaze’s pain felt so real, and not as inauthentic as Jin’s painful headaches look to be (sorry buddy). We learn that Nokaze’s baby has breeched, and things only get worse from there. The baby starts coming out hand first, and Jin makes the decision to save her life at the expense of her unborn child. He reasons that even if they were able to do a Caesarean section without anesthesia, it’s not guaranteed that the fetus would live.
While in the operating room, Jin comforts her by saying that they’ll do their best to relieve her pain first, and she asks if the painkillers would bring harm to her child. He says that they’re light, and it’ll be okay. Nokaze takes one look at Saki and knows that things are amiss. She calls him out on his lie and appeals to him to cut open her stomach — she will not die until she holds that child in her hands.
What ensues is the worst c-section ever… a healthy baby, and a happy mother.
Episode 9
Finally, episode nine. Again, my eyes nearly glazed over during the politcal parts, but AHHHHHHH Kyotaro was breaking my heart in all sorts of ways! Asking Jin to protect Saki, making all kinds of heartbreaking expressions, and not really wanting to cut down Ryoma. Seriously though, his discomfort made ME uncomfortable! It was strange, awkward, and perfect. Gosh. This drama.
Towards the end, I honestly thought that Higashi was going to kill Kyotaro since Ryoma didn’t die on his birthday. I even thought that Higashi had a change of heart, but it didn’t really look to be so. Saaaad! Now I’m actually looking forward to the tenth episode, and apparently it’s supposed to be the first half of the finale. I can’t believe the time slip is coming to an end!
This brings me to my final point: who is the man that pushed Jin down the stairs? When the first season started, I automatically thought it was Ryoma because, at the time, it made sense that he’d have someone he wanted to save. Second season, all signs pointed to Jin being the bandaged man… but now, I’m not so sure. Shozan Sakuma fell into the future as a child, and as far as we know, he was the only “one” to have existed (he was more than likely deceased in the future, whereas Jin doesn’t exist yet in the past). It wouldn’t and doesn’t make any sense for there to be two Jins! An ancestor (Nokaze/Miki) is one thing, but a duplicate self is another…
On the next page: Rebound and Ogon no Buta!