Drama Digest
One of the most popular series on domestic Japanese television, the second installment in the Hanzawa Naoki series arrives seven years after the first one. Banker Hanzawa Naoki has had a glorious track record in exposing several discrepancies at the Tokyo Chuo Banking Corporation. Consequently, he is transferred to the Tokyo Central Securities (TCS) as the head of the Corporate Development Department. However, TCS soon gets embroiled in a ruthless takeover by an IT giant, leading to a rivalry with a new bank.
Will he be able to cross all the hurdles in his way at the TCS while handling the crowd who insist on making perverse demands? Watch this series to find out.
The Feel-Good Part
This is a befitting sequel to the first installment of Hanzawa Naoki, matching all the expectations that one has after watching the first season. This series explains the workings of the banking world simply so that the layman viewer does not have trouble comprehending anything. Hanzawa and Owada’s relationship dynamic has the perfect amount of chaos that makes the entire experience of watching them bicker very enjoyable. The series also refrains from being as repetitive as the first one was, and has better writing. The grandeur nature of the series does not feel gaudy either.
The Disappointing Factor
The story does falter at a few points, and it feels way too much like a children’s comic book. The show ends up being predictable at its core because we have the assurance that Hanzawa will never face failure. There is also the character Hana who feels like the manifestation of the male fantasy of the ideal wife. She is demure, rarely interjects, but is always around to provide Hanzawa with information that might help him and act as a support system. However, she is not given a personality of her own. Her entire existence is tied to her husband’s, and female viewers will feel how idealized her character is when they watch this show.
In-Depth Analysis
Featuring some highly exaggerated performances which should have been off-putting, Hanzawa Naoki does not seem ridiculous. The actors overact and the plot is too grandiose but everything, somehow, manages to fall into place. At the end of every episode, you find yourself at the edge of your seat wondering how everything will play out so that Hanzawa can emerge victoriously. The series does not have an OST, per se, and it uses harmonies as somber background scores that fit the events happening on screen.
There are a few flaws that the viewer can nit-pick and point out, but it is an entertaining watch that makes you feel the suspense and the thrill one expects from dramas like this.
Star Power
Kaku Kento’s exaggerated acting fits this show so well, and he manages to engross the viewer. Sakai Masato, as usual, is fabulous.
Overall Opinion
This series entertains you to the utmost, with its several plot twists and thrill.
