Tokyo Vice - Season 2 (HBO MAX/2.8.24)

I AM WARHOL

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He felt too cartoony with how chaotic he was written. Versus how other characters are presented
How they dealt with his demise was even cornier imo. Was no real build up for everyone to turn on him collectively like that. Sato’s brother just saying “he killed someone in the mountains” and sato agree was all it took? Even if he was being problematic I would’ve liked an episode of him alienating the gang a little more, before their decision to murder him
 

Trips

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How they dealt with his demise was even cornier imo. Was no real build up for everyone to turn on him collectively like that. Sato’s brother just saying “he killed someone in the mountains” and sato agree was all it took? Even if he was being problematic I would’ve liked an episode of him alienating the gang a little more, before their decision to murder him
Everything about the elevation of Sato's brother bothered me. He's bumped completely over a bunch of the "young boys". His dialogue in the bath house was also cringe. The way the entire clan shifted immediately on Sato the previous episode didn't make sense. But, I guess how they immediately reverted and did it again this episode is equally shameful. Guess that just serves to show how bad ass Ishida was to have them fools completely in lockstep.

But, I still feel this was a good episode overall and didn't feel that way last week.
 

Chris Cool

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How they dealt with his demise was even cornier imo. Was no real build up for everyone to turn on him collectively like that. Sato’s brother just saying “he killed someone in the mountains” and sato agree was all it took? Even if he was being problematic I would’ve liked an episode of him alienating the gang a little more, before their decision to murder him
They already wasn't fukking with him before that.
 
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I think his wife will lead to his downfall, if she doesn’t outright kill him herself.
Oh yeah..I forgot to mention his wife.........I got a thing for women that have power like that.....Tozawa's wife had me on :takedat: time, I'd tap that wrinkled 55yr old ass up one time....
 

Nero Christ

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That scene with Sam and the fake rich cat was the worst scene in the whole show's run...good lawd :scust:

Hayama from start to finish felt out of place and added nothing except speeding up ol boy to takeover

I also highly doubt Tozawa is bribing that fed...he most likely an informant cause if not...that's a jump the shark moment
 

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That scene with Sam and the fake rich cat was the worst scene in the whole show's run...good lawd :scust:

Hayama from start to finish felt out of place and added nothing except speeding up ol boy to takeover

I also highly doubt Tozawa is bribing that fed...he most likely an informant cause if not...that's a jump the shark moment

yeah, I keep returning to the shows portrayal of violence, it just seems so soft. So Netflix esque. That kind of sanded off algorthmic content. The director has a great sense of visual style, colors, but whenever he does a shooting, or a beating, it just feels so soft. I'll have some more thoughts later.

the writing got really obvious and sloppy in some parts. There was a scene a few episodes back when Ishdia was like take this money and go buy guns and pulls out a little black weekend bag. It just didn't have the feel of authenticity to it. which was what really anchored the shows first 5 or so episodes in Season 1.
 

Nero Christ

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yeah, I keep returning to the shows portrayal of violence, it just seems so soft. So Netflix esque. That kind of sanded off algorthmic content. The director has a great sense of visual style, colors, but whenever he does a shooting, or a beating, it just feels so soft. I'll have some more thoughts later.

the writing got really obvious and sloppy in some parts. There was a scene a few episodes back when Ishdia was like take this money and go buy guns and pulls out a little black weekend bag. It just didn't have the feel of authenticity to it. which was what really anchored the shows first 5 or so episodes in Season 1.

Show feels made by someone whose only experience with violence comes from what they've seen in movies. Not saying you have to be a gangster to make gangster shows/movies or violent flicks, but I do think being around it (different than being in it) helps with the portrayals especially if you're going for a grounded & realistic approach with the other subjects in the show.

If the violence is gonna be campy, then the whole show needs to be so scenes like the bathhouse scene don't stick out so badly. Eastern Promises does the same bathhouse scene but it's handled far more superiorly and manages not to stray away from the overall vibe of the film.
 

re'up

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How they dealt with his demise was even cornier imo. Was no real build up for everyone to turn on him collectively like that. Sato’s brother just saying “he killed someone in the mountains” and sato agree was all it took? Even if he was being problematic I would’ve liked an episode of him alienating the gang a little more, before their decision to murder him

Also, the writing and direction was so poorly done, that it really seemed to be, in both scenes, when he "banished him", and when he returned, that the entire crew was more with Sato. And so, his brother speaking up, just felt odd. It seemed like Sato had the upper hand in each scene. The Hayama character was very badly done. There was enough screen time for him to be better developed or personified a little better.
 
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Also, the writing and direction was so poorly done, that it really seemed to be, in both scenes, when he "banished him", and when he returned, that the entire crew was more with Sato. And so, his brother speaking up, just felt odd. It seemed like Sato had the upper hand in each scene. The Hayama character was very badly done. There was enough screen time for him to be better developed or personified a little better.
As @FreedMind said above, once I saw the Hayama scene I somewhat feel that this show is wrapping up after this season. Banished for half of the previous episode then halfway into this one you're back to administer payback?....Really should've been a multi-episode power struggle because that in itself is a whole storyline. Shoot look how long Tozawa's power struggle has been simmering.....The series did have a good setup to be a nice 4-5 season show with a slow buildup, but something went awry...Hollywood politics and shyt I suppose. Cause they ruined it. I think the directors are trying to salvage it, but their vision is getting ruined.
 

re'up

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As @FreedMind said above, once I saw the Hayama scene I somewhat feel that this show is wrapping up after this season. Banished for half of the previous episode then halfway into this one you're back to administer payback?....Really should've been a multi-episode power struggle because that in itself is a whole storyline. Shoot look how long Tozawa's power struggle has been simmering.....The series did have a good setup to be a nice 4-5 season show with a slow buildup, but something went awry...Hollywood politics and shyt I suppose. Cause they ruined it. I think the directors are trying to salvage it, but their vision is getting ruined.

It's probably a budget/production value thing. They are shooting on set in Japan right? That's expensive. The actors are not that expensive, but just producing a show like that overseas, has to be costly. They are cutting down to the bone all across streaming, and esp. WBD.

Two seasons would have been perfect, but tone down the drama. An example of what i think worked from Season 1, was the attempt on Ishida, that felt pretty tense and ugly, blood and swords on skin, up close, with enough time to feel the intesnity. Compared with the more cartoonish scenes we saw in S2

the car killing
the bathhouse scene
The nightclub killing
 

re'up

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Also, my read on one of the scenes where Katiguri has a revelation, was that he realized it WAS the investigator/special prosecutor, whatever?

because she would have had to duck?

but then she got reassigned, and the interpretation seemed to be that because of corruption she was transferred away, due to the shift in power?
 

jay211

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Show feels made by someone whose only experience with violence comes from what they've seen in movies. Not saying you have to be a gangster to make gangster shows/movies or violent flicks, but I do think being around it (different than being in it) helps with the portrayals especially if you're going for a grounded & realistic approach with the other subjects in the show.

If the violence is gonna be campy, then the whole show needs to be so scenes like the bathhouse scene don't stick out so badly. Eastern Promises does the same bathhouse scene but it's handled far more superiorly and manages not to stray away from the overall vibe of the film.


I totally agree, that Eastern Promises bath house scene was really well done.
 
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