Tokyo Vice Episodes 6 – 7 are the 6th and 7th instalments of a crime drama created by J.T. Rogers based on the 2009 book of the same name by Jake Adelstein. The series is set in 1999, as American student Jake Adelstein becomes the first foreign-born journalist in Japan and starts at the very bottom at the Meicho Shimbun newspaper covering the Tokyo police beat.
S P O I L E R S
Clearly, with Tokyo Vice Episodes 6 – 7, the series is beginning to really get into its stride with a story that features engaging plots and characterisations. These latest episodes spread the focus to other characters besides Jake Adelstein and the series is all the more better for it! In fact, it is the Yakuza characters who take centerstage, so to speak, with Sato and Tozawa, being greatly humanised despite their ignoble pursuits.
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For Sato, increasingly he is finding conflict within himself as he seeks to protect Samantha without compromise his position within his criminal organisation. Very often, he bites off more than he can chew, which reveals his naivety, recklessness and lack of experience. Also, in an emotionally charged scene, when he visits his stroke-ridden father in the hospital, Sato is literally attacked by his mother, who does not bother to hide her distaste for his gangster activities.
Tozawa, we find, is actually not himself behind his encroachment into the Tokyo Yakuza territory as he has been ordered to by his own superior. Thus, he is in fact following orders himself. It is revealed that Tozawa is suffering from medical issues and this hardens his attitude towards the task he has at hand. He is humiliated by his superior as he apologises for the assignation attempt on Ishida in the previous episodes.
Sure, the other characters are in play as well, but the expansion of the character palette has been rich reward for the faithful viewer. Hopefully, the various sub-plots get adequate resolutions in the remaining instalments. Recommended.
Now streaming on HBO Max.
… still there’s more …