Currently watching: IQ246

Well, hello there. Hisashiburu desu ne.

Much as I’d like to say this is a return to regular service, it’s more likely to be a blip. Having said that, there are a few things I want to write about regarding J-dramas, so who knows: I might be back soon. I’m making no promises, though. I doubt that anyone’s too concerned.

But why, then, write about this series? On the face of it, this is another semi-comedy cop show with unlikely storylines and everyone has an adorable quirk. However, when I read the synopsis I saw shades of Sherlock Holmes, and I’m a bit of a Holmes fan, so I gave it a chance.

And to my surprise this has, for some reason, dragged me back into watching J-dramas. First, I like the leading actor, Oda Yuji. His character is pompous and arrogant, just like Sherlock, but is also slightly off-kilter in a way that reminds me of the Japanese Poirot in Orient Kyuukou Satsujin. That performance by Nomura Mansai was perfectly pitched between refined tastes and oddball eccentricity, and I see a lot of that in the lead role in IQ246.

The Sherlock Holmes references – or to be more exact BBC Sherlock references – keep cropping up. Episode two has, as it’s central premise, the same as Sherlock’s opening episode “A Study In Pink” (give the victim a choice between two pills) albeit with a different ending.

Alongside this off-centre genius are some pretty typical J-drama staples. The rookie detective given a job just to keep her out of the way. A Japanese guy who keeps using English when he speaks. And a geeky love-struck pathologist who has the hots for the lead role (also taken from the recent BBC version of Sherlock, maybe?).

This last one, played by Nakatani Miki, reminds me of her work in the first Keizoku and makes me wonder if there might be a way she can do a proper sequel...

I can but dream.

Oh, and excellent subs from candylemon.