Maou魔王 – Release July 08

Kumo Japan Drama sneak!!

Japan Drama Story:
Ryo Naruse (Ohno Satoshi) 大野智 is a brilliant lawyer who helps people who are poor and innocent. He was given a nick name “Angle” by mass media for representing poor people in court.  Ryo Naruse (Ohno Satoshi) 大野智 has a dark evil side driven by revenge, a revenge of getting back to those who are responsible for the death of his brother. The person responsible for the death of his brother is Serizawa Naoto (Ikuta Toma) 生田斗真 who is also a police detective. It has been 11 years since the death of Ryo Naruse (Ohno Satoshi) 大野智’s brother but he has been monitor closely at Serizawa Naoto (Ikuta Toma) 生田斗真. When a serial murder case which involves victims related to people close by with Serizawa Naoto (Ikuta Toma) 生田斗真, it seems like justice starts to catch up with what he did 11 years ago. Is it revenge, karma or just pure murder? With the help of Sakita Shiori (Kobayashi Ryoko) 小林涼子, Serizawa Naoto (Ikuta Toma) 生田斗真 must solve the serial murder case before people around him getting hurt, and that includes himself.

Feelings and comments:
This drama is a remake of a popular Korean drama “The Devil”. It seems like it’s able to receive good rating and viewer rates in Japan too. Although the drama looks interesting and nice to watch, there is one thing that makes me feel not right. It seems like the police are hopeless but have to rely on the psychic power of a girl. Plus, Serizawa Naoto (Ikuta Toma) 生田斗真 definitely does not have the looks and behavior of a detective. He looks more like a runner that always chasing criminal instead of solving cases. In the other hand, the role of Ryo Naruse (Ohno Satoshi) 大野智 is very persuasive with a brilliant, disturb, sad, good and evil characteristic.
     I suppose the Korean version of “The Devil” is much more interesting than this drama. I’ll let those of you that watched both Korean and Japanese version decided on that. I think the best version comes if the role of Ryo Naruse and Serizawa Naoto are played well by the actors.
    There are reasons we are who we are today. That includes choosing the path of our life and occupation. We always have the choice and option to do good or bad. It does not matter what happens to us, we always still have the choice. Don’t make any incident that happens to us becomes an excuse of who we become today.  In fact see it as an experience which helps us to choose and become a better person.

Things that caught my eyes:
The tarot cards and psychic power of Sakita Shiori (Kobayashi Ryoko) 小林涼子 definitely increases the mystery within the drama. By the way the coffee seems tasty at the coffee house where Sakita Shiori (Kobayashi Ryoko) 小林涼子 stays.

Japan Drama Rating:
Nice to Watch. This drama is exciting, suspense and interesting but I just felt that the police was unable to do anything but running around. The overall sense of mystery and evil plot throughout the drama is great.

Purchase:
2008 Japanese Drama: Maou w/ English Subtitle

Drama Theme Song: Truth by Arashi

Japan Drama Preview: