Ms. Justice (Seigi no Se) || JDrama Review

Note: The first half of this review is spoiler-free but I'll be discussing some of my more favorite moments of the series in detail after that.

These cuties! Unfortunately, if you want to see these two together then this drama is not it LOL

It's been awhile since I've done a review but I recently discovered a nice drama called Ms. Justice or Seigi no Se 正義のセ. It's a 10 episode drama aired in 2018 with each episode about an hour long so it's not that long of a watch but it's pretty enjoyable if you're bored and want something to watch. Not to say that it's only worth watching only if you're bored LOL but it's episodic and a few of the episodes aren't really that memorable. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this and think it's important to recognize this drama for its strong female lead and how she is depicted in her profession.

A quick summary of the story: Takemura Ririko, a young and energetic prosecutor, transfers to the the Yokohama Prosecutor branch after one year of working elsewhere and struggles to adjust to her new work environment and co-workers. Additionally, she is assigned an assistant named Aihara Tsutomu, who is to oversee her prosecutor duties and advise her but he doesn't seem to trust her abilities; this is due to her novice status and the fact that she is stubborn and sometimes unprofessional during her interrogations. As Ririko works hard at her job, she also finds it hard to balance her work and personal life. 

What I like about the drama: 

• Features an assertive female lead that is physically out-and-about trying to solve cases; granted she can't really keep her emotions in check in the beginning but it becomes her strongest asset and helps her solve her cases
• Female in a male-dominated profession (and office) and none of the men use her gender to diss her ability 
• Dynamic between Aihara and Ririko; an older man supporting a younger woman...now that's a work relationship that you don't see often; also they're really funny together 
• Okay slightly spolier-ish (highlight to read): Characters break-up on good terms
• Maybe this is just something all crime dramas do but I appreciate it here because this drama provides a platform to explore issues that are currently occurring in Japanese society (chikans (train perverts), bribery, scams, etc.)through an episodic format: introduces case in beginning, solving the case in the middle, realizing the case wasn't as simple as they thought, and then case solved)
• Theme song was pretty good; I felt like it was a standard, uplifting drama OST but it gets me pumped every time so eh, whatever, I like it.

What I didn't like about the drama: 

• The length; I'm not sure how long the source material was but I really wanted this to be longer!!
• No real plot; I say this because I believe the show is solely driven on the growing bond between Aihara and Ririko (as well as Ririko gaining the others' approval and respect) and other character dynamics. There isn't anything like a "final boss" or mystery that needs to be solved. But at the same time, it makes the drama seem more like slice-of-life in that it's not really over dramatic but rather the main focus is serving justice. 
• Some cases weren't really memorable and were kind of mediocre...to be honest. But I listed my favorite cases below!

Okay, so this section is where the spoilers will be! Read on if you don't care! >_<


My favorite cases: 

• Most Touching Case: Episode 4 

Right when the feels hit

• I was, like Ririko, really conflicted on what would be the right decision in that situation. I had mad respect for the young apprentice dude for owning up to what he did and trying his best to atone for it. It was really bittersweet seeing the old lady be considerate for him since it's understandable that she would be enraged if the person killed her husband was given a lighter sentence. But you know, this case teaches an important lesson that even though unfair things may happen to you, you still should be considerate of the other side, especially when they are genuinely apologetic. If they're not apologetic then...f*ck them. :D JK  No but seriously, moral of the story, own up to your mistakes. Be a decent human being.
• Both sides were really genuine towards each other so it just made me even more sad that the unfortunate accident happened to them. 
• Funniest and Most Epic Case: Episode 5



Aihara's hilarious reaction

• Collaboration between Otsuka and Ririko??? Do I need to say more?? Their dynamic is hilarious and the drunk kiss just sealed the deal. Mainly because of Otsuka's cool demeanor just completely collapses every time Ririko comes a little too close to him. 
• This case was especially epic because it involved two crimes -- thus both Otsuka and Ririko worked together -- and my favorite scene was when the two suspects were at the office and being interrogated separately by Otsuka and Ririko. I got chills when Otsuka got the phone call that the other suspect confessed! The pressure and atmosphere of the scene was sooo intense. Total mind game right there! 

If you haven't watched Ms. Justice already and you want to watch a drama that is pretty low commitment, then definitely check it out! Oh, especially if you're seeking to watch a show with a real, strong female character.