Mozu is a hard-boiled noir spy thriller with a great cast and high production values. Since it is based on the novel published in 1986, you know what to expect.


The production budget of this show is of almost obscene levels. There is no single clandestine meeting that doesn't occur on the skyscraper rooftop that offers a magnificent (and nicely color-graded) view of the night time Tokyo. If all of the rooftops are otherwise occupied the characters opt for car parks full of gleaming sports cars or 'dirty' alley ways that have never looked so upscale before.

Those who were expecting Mozu to be serious drama might start to suspect that something is a bit off once they are hit with a full force of blockbuster grade production values. Indeed, Mozu seems like a serious political thriller with a devastating human tragedy at its core but this impression is most certainly wrong.

Mozu, first and foremost, is a hard-boiled spy thriller. The action, the atmosphere, the charismatic heroes, and the sensational reveals are the main attractions of this show.

The over complicated plot is actually a red-herring. The viewer has no chance to untangle most of the mysteries because that is not the point. After all, we all know that Soviet spies, I mean, North Korean spies are behind everything anyway. We are just not sure exactly how but that's why second seasons exist.

Once you realize that the show is not supposed to be taken too seriously, there is no end to entertainment on offer.

Firstly, while everything is stylish as it should be in a good noir, the characters are what's really in style. They are all charismatic and have great chemistry with each other. One needs exactly 5 minutes to understand why Nishijima Hidetoshi who plays the protagonist is considered a sex-symbol in Japan. His image of dependable stoic man goes right in hand with his character, a detective driven to the brink by the corrupt world he lives in. Low voice, black suite, and cool one-liners are the nice finishing touches to the portrayal of the character you wouldn't mind rooting for as he fights Russian spies and Takeshi Kitano alike (in the sequels, obviously).

Other characters are charismatic in their own way. The show that casts Yoshido Kotaro as a petty villain most certainly does not pull its punches. Ikematsu Sosuke, in particular, shows off his great range.

Another great fun of the show is plot reveals and suspense. The viewers are kept on the edge of their seat almost every episode with the litany of "they can't imply that, right? There is no way!" on their lips. While the overall plot is hopelessly tangled, some points of it are accessible and make for a lot of entertainment while the viewer tries to guess the "ultimate truth".