Shokuzai: Penitências (2012)

Positive thoughts:

-Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films have always had a wonderfully surreal and eerie pitch to them, and the same goes for this TV mini-series. If you didn't know, there'd be no way to tell this was a TV show rather than a film.

-The cast is excellent, no exceptions.

-The premise and format of Shokuzai is highly intriguing: Five grade-school girls are good friends. One is abducted and murdered. Each subsequent episode reveals how this event screwed up all of their lives in completely different ways.

-The plot-line is highly suspenseful and unpredictable. One never knows what exactly is happening with each individual storyline or the overarching plot until near the end of each episode.

Negative thoughts:

-The show goes a bit too far into twisted and disturbing territory towards the end. I do immensely enjoy tragic and disturbing stories, and Shokuzai succeeded in this aspect for most of its duration, but by the end of the show it feels like the show starts becoming as twisted and disturbing as possible merely for the sake of it.

-Nearly every male character is either deranged or evil.

Overall thoughts:

I've always been more partial to Korean dramas, but Shokuzai has launched me into the Japanese drama scene, particularly WOWOW's mini-series'. Great show, and I hope to find more like it.

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In my experience, a good WOWOW noir is a quite effective way to keep one's mind off the heat and the humidity of a scorching summer night. It was with that spirit that I decided to watch this, and indeed I was granted my fair share of thrills - thanks to a superb photography, to some extremely eery music, and to those über-creepy, flickering shadows on the walls which are a constant presence in this dorama. The problem is, though, that this story is waaay too dark and disturbing for my taste!!! Still, the great cast did, as one would expect, a great job, and I have to admit that, had the last episode been differently developed, and had the most disturbing scenes and details been expunged from the whole story, this could've been a perfect noir indeed. Hence my not too harsh vote.

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Who really faces the penance

There was a bad guy and the actual antagonist, the mother of the deceased Emiri, Asako. Asako harasses Emiri’s friends for somehow not stopping the murder and causes them damage and trauma into adulthood. In the end, she realizes that Emiri’s murder is closer than she thought and has a ridiculous amount of forgiveness/calmness for him, even after having spite towards the ones not even responsible.

I guess the twist is that she ended up paying her own penance, for causing everyone around her pain.

What was interesting about the cinematography and a little bit offsetting, was the present day was hard to distinguish as present due to the saturated lighting. The past was colorful but present, dim and dry. I can understand that the director may have wanted to emphasize that the girls present lives were depressing and their past was the last bit of brightness and happiness in their lives.

I liked the side stories of girls who had now grown into women. Even though these stories didn’t tie into the plot in anyway it did exemplify how Asako’s grudge keep them stunted. I’d say Yuka ended up being the most fearless and was the only to go against Asako which humbled her a bit. Which is ironic because I had high hopes for how Maki would be but she was the most overbearing while “bear” grew to be the most stunted but paid her “penance” by standing up bravely to her brother and stopping another child abuse case.
I liked Sae, she stood up for herself but also gave into Asako’s criticism of her and was filled with insecurities.

Again, Yuka was affected by Emiri’s murder but in the most indirect way. She simply became infatuated with law enforcement because she was still traumatized by the day of the murder. However in the end, she was able to handle Asako’s delusion by giving her the answers to take care of on her own. Shockingly, Asako couldn’t handle the pressure, her penance was to be put in the girls shoes of feeling guilt and hopeless confusion.

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Get past the first episode - just lose yourself in the series

This was a very good series. I have read the reviews and they talk of this directors part directing so they had that to reference I do not. This is the first I've seen if this director. It's an odd series, but odd is kinda normal when watching certain Japanese content. I have watched enough anime, Japanese films and series as well as video games to come to expect a very different sensibility that rarely is found in America. This is not much different...at least partially. There are 5 episodes. A murder occurs and four girls are tied to it and then you have the mother of the one murdered. The first 4 episodes deal with the fire girls who played a part, sorta played a part, and then the 5th episode deals with the mother. I am not going to divulge much in the plot. That's for you to watch, all I'll say or try to do is set expectations a tiny tiny bit and share very briefly my take on the overall series - quite simply. Firstly the 1st episode is very odd in tone and direction from the last 4 episodes to me. It starts very eerily and gives the impression you are about to watch a more horror toned series, but from the second episode on it, to me, really charges direction, feel and tone. The first episode is very good and creepy to say the least. Perhaps on it's own it would have been amazing, but out into the entire series, it doesn't exactly fit in my humble opinion. Does that detract and ruin anything, not really. Especially if you let go it's oddness and let yourself move on. There are plenty of oddities to all the episodes, but the first one was ABSOLUTELY the oldest for me. Drama series like this almost always have over the top moments or plot points and that happens here a bit too, but I was fine with everything and just went with it.
As I have said, I am not trying to give too much away. I am sitting vaguely on purpose, you need to watch and enjoy. I really enjoyed this series. I was quite engrossed and finished it easily within a day.

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