There are so many crime thrillers out there that sometimes they all seem the blur together. Midwestern, dark and broody, and lacking in brevity or moments of humor, they pack a punch but not much else. 2022’s Tokyo Vice, set in 1990s Japan, was a breath of fresh air, and we get to have another lungful with season 2.
As a foreigner living here in Tokyo, it was hard for me to not hear about Tokyo Vice. Though Japan has a very strong film industry of its own, scarce few American productions are happening here, so everyone was all abuzz when HBO came to town. The series is loosely based on the memoir of the same name written by Jake Adelstein, a journalist who became the first foreign reporter for the prestigious Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, reporting on crime during the ’90s and into the early ’00s.
The show takes many aspects of Adelstein’s memoir and weaves them together to create the series’ story, adding new characters and plot lines for additional intrigue. Ansel Elgort plays the young, naive Jake, starring opposite Ken Watanabe as veteran cop, Hiroto Katigiri, a character based on Chiaki Sekiguchi, a cop and mentor to Adelstein at the time. The show follows Jake’s entry into the world of Japanese crime, where he soon finds himself in the murky waters of yakuza politics, where allegiance and honor are everything.
The series was well-received overall and is counted by many as one of the great underrated shows of 2022. This is likely down to its beautiful cinematography and noir-esque feel, likely thanks to the vision of Michael Mann, who directed the pilot episode and served as executive producer. It also offers an intriguing look at the underbelly of organized crime in Tokyo through the eyes of the gleeful and naive Jake.
What can we expect in season 2?
Season 1 left us with a number of cliffhangers which season 2 will likely jump straight in from. If season 1 was an introduction to the world of crime in Tokyo, just as it was for Jake, then season 2 will only see him, and the audience, dive deeper as the stakes get much higher.
In the next season, Jake will have to build back his bridges with Katigiri, though it looks like the two will need each other to face what’s coming. It would appear that American expatriate and former club hostess Samantha achieved her dreams of opening up her own host club, taking out a loan from the yakuza to do so, meaning that her problems are far from over.
Sato’s fate is still in the balance, with the final episode leaving him bleeding out to death on the street having just been betrayed by Samantha who turned to the yakuza against his wishes. In the above trailer, we discover he survived, though barely. Though whilst he’s not dead, threats still hang over him.
Showrunner J.T. Rogers spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming season saying,
“One of the engines of the series is seeing what happens when you’re young, ambitious, and incredibly talented, and you go for what you want, and you start to get it. What does that mean? Heavy lies the crown, the saying goes. All of these characters are grabbing the brass ring, but then because of the world that the show is set in, the danger and the violence get heightened exponentially.”
The trailer seems to promise even more action and intensity with our protagonist pushed further than he could have ever imagined when he signed up to be a journalist.
Who is returning and who is new?
It would appear that all the main actors from season 1 will be returning, with Elgort back as Jake and Watanabe as Katagiri. Rachel Keller is of course back as Samantha, as is Shô Kasamatsu as a grave Sato. Rinko Kikuchi also returns as Jake’s supervisor Emi Maruyama.
New season regulars include Yosuke Kubozuka, Miki Maya, and Takayuki Suzuki. Kubozuka plays Naoki Hayama, a dangerous new gang member, Maya portrays a detective from Japan’s National Police Agency who wants to crack down on yakuza rather than just keep the balance, and Suzuki takes on Masahito Ohno, a charming and brilliant architect who, after falling for Samantha, is pulled into a dark and dangerous world.
When and where to watch Tokyo Vice
The first two episodes of the second season are scheduled for release on February 8 on Max. This season contains 10 episodes in total (two more than season 1), with every episode after the first two being released each Thursday until the finale on April 4.
(featured image: Max)
