JDrama Review : Ouroboros (2015)

This drama has been previously reviewed in another article on recommended Japanese detective dramas, along with several others. This time, I will delve deeper into the drama starring two famous Japanese actors, Toma Ikuta and Shun Oguri.

This drama is an adaptation of the manga series "Uroborosu – Keisatsu o Sabaku wa Ware ni Ari" by Yuya Kanzaki, first published on March 6, 2009, in Weekly Comic Bunch. Ouroboros first aired on January 16, 2015, on TBS with 10 episodes and achieved an average weekly rating of 10.4%.

Ouroboros tells the story of a revenge mission undertaken by its two main characters, Ikuo Ryuzaki (Toma Ikuta) and Tatsuya Danno (Shun Oguri), for the murder of their orphanage caretaker, Yuiko Kashiwaba sensei (Ryoko Hirosue), whom they considered an older sister. The murder was committed by five unknown men when they were still in elementary school.

First, let's discuss the meaning behind "ouroboros." Ouroboros is a pendant belonging to Yuiko sensei, previously given to Ikuo. This pendant holds a significant clue about Yuiko sensei's murder case.

Ikuo and Tatsuya are two children living in an orphanage where the only person who sincerely accepted and loved them as their own family was Yuiko sensei. Tatsuya was abandoned by his parents. Thanks to Yuiko sensei, both Tatsuya and Ikuo could experience the warmth of a family.

Tatsuya often teased Ikuo, but this was because he loved Ikuo like a younger brother. Their happiness vanished one night when five adult men came to the orphanage, and that’s when the nightmare began.

Unfortunately, there was only one witness to the murder, and that was Ikuo. Due to the shock he experienced, young Ikuo couldn't clearly remember the incident. He only had a vague memory of a man in a police uniform wearing a gold watch who told him to forget about that night.

At the time of the incident, Tatsuya and the other orphanage children were asleep, but they woke up because of gunshots. Panicking, Tatsuya ran toward the sound and found Yuiko sensei's body lying on the floor covered in blood, with Ikuo, who appeared shocked, kneeling beside her.

From that night on, Ikuo and Tatsuya vowed to find Yuiko sensei's killer and avenge the death of the person they loved so much.

Fifteen years later, Ikuo and Tatsuya have grown up. Ikuo works as a highly talented detective in the police force, quickly advancing in his career. On the other hand, Tatsuya joins the yakuza, where he holds a significant position.

Although they walk very different paths, their goal remains the same: to uncover and capture the murderer of Yuiko sensei from 15 years ago.

This drama has an unpredictable plot that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, eager to finish watching it. The cases investigated by Ikuo are linked to the 15-year-old case, like pieces of a puzzle that ultimately reveal the truth behind everything that has happened over the past 15 years.

Moreover, Ikuo is always aided by Tatsuya in solving his cases, even though they are on opposite sides. Additionally, the murder case of Yuiko sensei from 15 years ago is connected to the dark side of the Japanese police organization.

In this drama, we can see the acting and chemistry successfully built by the two main actors, Shun Oguri and Toma Ikuta. Not to mention the drama’s plot, which stirs the emotions of its viewers. For JDrama fans, this drama is a must-watch.