Shinzanmono (2010)

To be a detective who not only solves cases but helps the victims and their families move on. This sums up the philosophy of the main character, Kaga, a new detective (shinzanmono) in the police department of a fictitious town.

Like most mystery story leads, Kaga is a genius who solves all mysteries that comes him way. However, what makes this drama unconventional is how each mystery and its characters are interwoven together to the main plot and how they all tie together into one long emotional journey that tugs at your heart. I enjoyed watching each episode for not only solving the mystery but also its believable characters who all have their own realistic reasons for their actions.

Another aspect I liked was how the drama plays with the setting which is something I rarely ever see in mystery dramas. Each mystery/episode was like a small trip down one of the streets of this fictitious town. Toward the last episode, I felt have explored the whole town with Kaga learning about the ordinary yet moving lives of its inhabitants living on each street.

While you don't learn much about the backstory of Kaga, I feel this doesn't take away from how great this drama was. This drama injects its own brand of quirkiness and creativity in its unique way of storytelling that is so different from the mystery dramas we are used to seeing today.

Overall, I would highly recommend this drama to anyone who is getting tired of watching mystery dramas with essentially the same set up and is looking to try something new.

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