Quick Review #56: Ryoujin no ono - Autumn 2022

Title: Ryoujin no ono / 両刃の斧

Rating: 7 / 10

Recommended for: 

Those who like thought-provoking but slow-paced suspense stories with twists

Liked:

- While this was largely a suspense story trying to get to the bottom of a 15-year-old murder case, it turned out that the truth was not as it seemed. To be frank, rather than feeling gratified that the truth was out in the open, the feeling of "munashii" (in vain or emptiness) came across more strongly. Was it everyone's best interests that the truth was known? Just like what the title meant i.e. a double-edged axe, there was a likelihood of hurting someone behind you when you did something seemingly for the best. As such, it was worth considering that if the entire journey in search for closure and the truth was worth it after all because this felt like a tragedy after all with a bittersweet ending.

- The acting of Shibata Kyouhei and Iura Arata was a good contrast between calmness and passion and their chemistry on screen was a joy to watch. Even the supporting cast members had their moments to shine especially Nao. I would have wanted to see more of Mikami Ai and Nagasawa Itsuki though - just too bad.

Disliked: 

- The slow pacing of the story (despite this being just 6 episodes) can be a test of your patience if you are the type who craves for faster developments. Although there were many twists in the story which provided some "excitement" and unpredictability, I really had the temptation to turn up the playback speed whenever it took ages for things to move along.