Title: 新参者 Shinzanmono
English Title: Newcomer
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year: 2010
Episode: 10
Cast:
- 阿部寛 Abe Tsuyoshi
- 黒木メイサ Kuroki Meisa
- 溝端淳平 Mizobata Junpei
- 木村祐一 Kimura Yuichi
- 泉谷しげる Izumiya Shigeru
- 笹野高史 Sasano Takashi
- 向井理 Mukai Osamu
- 三浦友和 Miura Tomokazu
- 原田美枝子 Harada Mieko
SYNOPSIS
A woman named Mitsui Mineko was murdered in the Ningyo-cho area of Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Detective Kaga Kyoichiro, who just transferred to the Nihonbashi police precinct, is placed in charge of the murder case.
With virtually the entire residents of Ningyo-cho's shopping street emerging as suspects, Detective Kaga must use his keen sense of deductive reasoning to uncover the truth...
REVIEW
Although Shinzanmono is about finding the suspect in a murder case. I think it is more about the people in a small community; these people's emotions and loyalties, and these people's motivations and actions. Since these people are ultimately a representation of all human beings, this drama is about all of us in a sense.
Kaga Kyoichiro is newly assigned to the Ningyo-cho area and he constantly refers to himself as shinzanmono, which literally means new person or newcomer. It is his explanation for not knowing things that the local people deem people in the area should know. In a way it is a good thing that he is new because he can look at everyone and everything with fresh eyes but then again, people are also often distrustful of him because he is not 'one of them'.
I think it's interesting how the drama is about why people lie and withhold the truth. The important question is not really if people are lying or withholding any information; rather it is 'if they are, why are people lying or why are they withholding information?'.
Kaga Kyoichiro: A lie is a shadow of the truth. When you find it, step on it, and never let go.
Kaga Kyoichiro: There are three types of lies: (1) a lie to protect yourself, (2) a lie to deceive someone else, and (3) a lie to protect someone else.
I'm quite impressed with Kyoichiro's analytic prowess and deducing skills. When he uncovers the truth, people always ask him how he found out they were lying or withholding information and he would either point out something someone has said or done that gave them away. Unfortunately for me, I did not find these clues at the time that I watched the significant scenes and I just realized their importance in retrospect.
Related:
赤い指 Akai Yubi
麒麟の翼 〜劇場版・新参者〜 Kirin no Tsubasa 〜Gekijōban Shinzanmono〜
眠りの森～新参者 Nemuri no Mori
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新参者 Shinzanmono
