And so it ends!
After 12 years of intermittent airing and 42 mostly excellent episodes, "Furuhata Ninzaburô", a show I've grown to love very much, comes to an end. Thankfully, "Final Dance" is one of the show's finest episodes, a glittering display of superb work from the cast and the crew and a glorious note to end the series on.
Let us begin with the guest star, Nanako Matsushima who plays twin writers who write under the pen name Kyoko Kagami. According to the rules of television twins, one is glamorous and outgoing while the other is frumpy and shy. Nothing new there. However, Matsushima is absolutely fantastic playing both roles. During the seamlessly accomplished sequence in which they appear together, you could swear you were watching two different actresses. Not only does Matsushima perfectly manage the physical transformation required, but she also does a stunning job of projecting their different personalities. She is quite simply the best guest star Furuhata Ninzaburô has had since Akina Nakamori in 1994. It is fitting then that Nakamori's character Chinami is mentioned at the very end of the episode.
Not only is Matsushima's performance superb but so is Masakazu Tamura's. Now, it is not surprising that Tamura is brilliant on this show but this episode might just be his best performance. For the first time ever, we get a tantalizing glimpse into Furuhata's love life and Tamura gets to play the indefatigable detective in a situation we've never seen him in before. Namely, a touching romance develops between him and one of the twin sisters and the chemistry between Tamura and Matsushima is absolutely tangible.
The episode is titled "Final Dance" after the episode's extended final scene. It is an uncharacteristically emotional and touching scene and I found myself tearing up watching it. I never expected to cry watching "Furuhata Ninzaburô" but this is a show that continually surprises its viewers. Masakazu Tamura's closing monologue in which he compares Kyoko (the show's last killer) with Chinami (the show's first killer) is a magnificent piece of acting from Tamura and writing on behalf of Kôki Mitani.
If I had a complaint with this episode it is the final big twist. I won't spoil it here but the foreshadowing Mitani does throughout the episode is far too obvious and I twigged it almost at once. Interestingly, however, there is a suggestion that Furuhata figures it immediately as well but simply can't come to admit it due to his burgeoning feelings for Kyoko. An intriguing idea but utterly unexplored. The bigger problem with the twist, however, is that Mitani sacrifices a far more interesting and emotional plotline in order to pull off what is ultimately a disappointing and obvious twist.
But it is merely a sad smudge on an otherwise first-rate episode. I must also mention at the end that I loved the "Furuhata Ninzaburô" spoof that Kyoko is writing. I must also commend Masahiko Nishimura and Masanori Ishii for their hilarious performances (it is a shame, however, that there isn't a final goodbye for them, as they simply disappear from the third act). Finally, I have to ask the question of where was Keita Kôno hiding his talent all these years. He has been consistently my least favourite director on the show with his dull and flat-looking episodes, but his work on the fourth season has been exemplary. This episode is particularly good with some genuinely clever visuals and seamless visual effects. It is a cinematic finale for one of my all-time favourite TV shows. I am sad that "Furuhata Ninzaburô" is over but if it had to end then this is as brilliant a final dance as any of us could have hoped for.