This Japanese Bromance is my current obsession. I read it, somewhere in the My Dramalist comments section, that this show might have “Beyond Evil Shades”. That got me pretty intrigued and here we are!
Starring Ossan’s Love star Tanaka Kei as the genius scientist Jinbo Jin, alongside Yasuda Ken who plays the flighty detective Ando Genji; Rasen no Meikyu: DNA Kagaku Sosa is an intriguing mix of crime thriller elements and mystique. Their first meeting is eccentric, which forges their future bond. Frankly, the only reason to start this drama was the “Bromance” tag; add to the fact that I’m huge fan of Tanaka Kei since his Ossan’s Love days, I was completely sold. The show heavily leans on scientific profiling based on DNA extractions. In layman terms, it might seem subjective; but ardent sci-fi fans will definitely enjoy watching this drama. Without further ado, let’s review the first two episodes and figure out whether this Japanese suspense is worth your time!
Storyline and Riveting Characters
The pilot episode focuses on building the camaraderie between our main characters as we get a glimpse into their personal lives and diverse personalities. Ando and Jinbo are like “Day and Night”; there are intrinsically different yet perfectly in sync. Their first meeting is anomalous, where Jinbo drives Ando crazy by interrupting his ongoing investigation. While Ando is steadfast, he isn’t exactly smart. He overlooks quite a few important details while investigating the suspect; which Jinbo points out defiantly. The first case gets solved and Ando is rendered speechless with Jinbo’s scientific expertise.
The show takes an interesting turn when a serial killer “X” suddenly reappears after ten years, to resume his killing spree. Since Ando is emotionally compromised (his wife was murdered by the same serial killer), Police Chief Kurihara Shiro (Watanabe Ikkei) removes him from the investigation. Their huge showdown is vividly played out; as Ando seeks help from Ranbara Runa (Kurashina Kana), the Forensic Lab Scientist. Ranbara is a huge fan of Jinbo and on her advice, Ando begs Jinbo to help them in figuring out the true identity of “X”. I’m not dropping spoilers about the investigation, since you need to watch the show to understand the intricacies. I’m certainly in awe with Jinbo’s technical skills; he is quite perceptive and single-minded when it comes to deciphering the DNA codes. By the end of the first episode, Jinbo, Ando and Ranbara form an unlikely alliance that promises retribution to clever criminals.
The second episode was a lot more sentimental and mystifying. Ando and Jinbo attend a “DNA Matchmaking Event”, where the crowd is introduced to the last year’s winners. Despite their age difference, the couple seem to be in love. Everything is going well, until the wife gets murdered, which unfurls a lot of familial issues like the Pandora’s box. Going by, Ando’s intuition doesn’t help much and as such, Jinbo steps in to investigate the case with his scientific skills. The most important highlight is the diagnostic usage of DNA. Despite being a Researcher myself, I never knew that DNA profiling could come handy in so many situations. The way Jinbo seamlessly ties the loose ends and reaches the conclusive result is mind-boggling. There is no use playing the guessing game; because you really can’t identify the suspect, unless Jinbo hands out the vital hints. If you are a science nerd like me, this show should be high on your watchlist. While Jinbo and Ranbara bring their scientific knowledge to the table; Ando adds his decades of intuitive expertise. This trio is truly terrifying.
The Abundant Bromance
The show does a poor job of hiding the blossoming romance between the main leads. Ando and Jinbo are invariably different and yet during the course of investigation, they become an integral part of each other’s lives. The pilot episode heavily leans on developing their romance, which is in abundance and never slighted. Right from the moment they meet, Ando and Jinbo are clearly drawn to each other. Although Ando doesn’t appreciate Jinbo’s random ramblings, Ando still respects his expertise. Ando is temperamental and hasty, while Jinbo is the complete opposite. Jinbo is introverted, highly dedicated to his research and most of all, lonely. He spends his entire day, working alone in his laboratory. So, when Ando gatecrashes into his life; antagonism is inevitable. They belong to two different fields and have nothing in common. Ando fails to understand Jinbo’s obsession with DNA evidence; Jinbo finds Ando’s hastily drawn conclusions incorrect. Their conflicts aren’t resolved; until Ando is called to his daughter Mizuki’s (Furukawa Rin) school to mediate a major issue. Ando misjudges his own daughter, until Jinbo comes along and proves her innocent.
This event ties them together and Mizuki grows close to Jinbo. At the same time, Jinbo realizes that Ando suffers from a great amount of guilt due to his wife’s murder. They form an association, as Ando begs his Chief to let him join the investigation. The Chief uses Jinbo as a front and appoints Ando as his Assistant. I loved watching the gradual transition in their relationship, as Ando and Jinbo begin to trust each other. Jinbo never had friends; but as they grow closer, he even risks his own life to find the serial killer. Their bonding is truly enjoyable, as Ando becomes the only person who can handle Jinbo’s quirky nature. The second episode ends on a high note, where Jinbo conducts a DNA compatibility test for himself and Ando. The result is an astounding 98%. Like I have already mentioned, the scriptwriters are hellbent on banding these two together. Tanaka Kei and Yasuda Ken have an affable chemistry, which makes this pairing entirely believable. The fact that Mizuki likes Jinbo is another testament to their budding romance.
First Impressions
For now, I’m absolutely preoccupied with this show. The interspersed thriller and mystery elements tied into a decent romance are an interesting package deal. Add in Jinbo’s weird dramatics, Ando’s intuition and Ranbara’s careful observations, this show is a runaway success. Ando and Mizuki add color to Jinbo’s lonely existence and that’s truly beautiful. The supporting characters like restaurant owner Yukari (Matsuzaka Keiko) become their makeshift family and add substance to this crime thriller. Yukari’s restaurant becomes their personal heaven, where the entire group assembles at dinnertime; or they simply gather together to unload their grievances. Watch this drama, if you are looking for a crime thriller with some fun elements and a viable Bromance!
Rating- 4 out of 5
☆ Fan- subbed links for the entire show-
The BL Xpress 