Furuhata Ninzaburō
Furuhata Ninzaburō is a Japanese television series that ran periodically on Fuji Television from 1994 until its final episodes in 2006. It was written by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani and is often referred to as the Japanese version of Columbo.
The series is a police detective drama starring actor Masakazu Tamura as Furuhata Ninzaburo and Masahiko Nishimura as his stereotypically bumbling sidekick, Shintaro Imaizumi. The program aired weekly and featured a guest villain each time, usually a famous talent in Japan. Pop-stars like Takuya Kimura of SMAP, television hosts like Sanma Akashiya, and even sports figures like Ichiro Suzuki have been featured on the program. It was one of the most popular television dramas in the history of Japanese television, having spawned several seasons and TV specials.
Plot Patterns
Furuhata opens each episode with a humorous monologue that appears to be a non-sequitur but really contains a hint or clue relevant to the following mystery, followed by the opening credits.The viewers witness the ingenious murder and watch the killer cover up the crime. The murder is then discovered, and Furuhata is usually called in by the police to investigate; sometimes he just coincidentally happens to be nearby when the crime is discovered. The murderer hangs around the scene of the crime to misdirect the investigation by throwing in several red herrings.
Despite the killer's interference, Furuhata spends the episode trying to spot the real evidence and determining exactly how the crime was committed. Furuhata does this by obnoxiously hanging around his chief suspect. Just before the final act, Furuhata "breaks the fourth wall" and challenges the audience to guess:
- What tiny slip-up the killer made which let Furuhata know who the killer was,
- What clue Furuhata spotted which led him to figure out how the crime was committed, and
- what ingenious trap Furuhata will use to get the killer to confess their crime.
The Character of Furuhata
Looks and Mannerisms
- He wears a black suit, usually over a black shirt but never a tie.
- He usually has awkward posture, stooping at a 45-degree angle at the waist and carrying his hands in front of his chest like a mouse on hind paws.
- Since he stoops, he tilts his head and looks up at the person he speaks to, rather than at eye level.
- His hair is shoulder-length but always excellently coiffed.
- He speaks in a halting, mumbling tone, elongates his vowels abnormally, uses the honorific, ultra-polite register of Japanese when speaking, and hums while thinking.
- He has odd "tics", like poking his forehead with his finger when thinking.
Shintaro Imaizumi
The character of Shintaro Imaizumi, portrayed by Masahiko Nishimura, is the bumbling, inept sidekick of Furuhata. Imaizumi tends to be quite childlike and very passive. Imaizumi somewhat resembles Charlie Brown in personality.His character not only acts as comic relief, but acts as the Watson to Furuhata's Sherlock Holmes. Through his naïveté and ineptitude, Imaizumi often falls for the red herrings left by the killer and comes to the conclusion that the murderer intended. Furuhata then scolds Imaizumi, explaining why he shouldn't have jumped to such a conclusion. Thus, he acts as a sounding board for Furuhata to explain his theories and as a proxy for the viewing audience.
Furuhata can be mean to Imaizumi. He is often visibly annoyed by Imaizumi's incompetence and often hurls insults at Imaizumi or gives Imaizumi demeaning tasks. Furuhata constantly slaps Imaizumi on his forehead.
Imaizumi still lives with his grandmother and counts knitting, magic tricks and flower arrangement among his hobbies. He loves meat-stuffed peppers, his favorite movie is Grease, his favorite group is ABBA, his favorite Golden Half member is Eva, and his favorite song is Dancing Queen.
In season 2, Shintaro Imaizumi featured in a series of 7 minute skits which aired after the main "Furuhata Ninzaburo" episode.
Other recurring characters
- Otokichi Mukojima - aka Otokichi Higashikunibaru, played by Takashi Kobayashi. Mukojima is a patrolman that often greets Furuhata at the scene of the crime. His first appearance is in Episode 2, and he is the only recurring character to have appeared in every season of the show. Mukojima is the subject of a long running gag in the show. Despite formally introducing himself in several episodes, Furuhata often forgets Mukojima's name. Furuhata tries to memorize it but by the next episode has forgotten it. In an "Imaizumi Shintaro" skit, it is revealed that Otokichi adopted his wife's last name because he married into a Zaibatsu family with no male heir. Furuhata finally manages to memorize Otokichi's last name at the finale of Series 2; however, Mukojima then reveals he got a divorce and changed back to his original last name. Afterwards, Otokichi has to remind everyone that his name is now Higashikunibaru. Later, he reconciles with his wife and changes his surname back to Mukojima. In a "Final Series" episode, it is revealed that Mukojima is baseball superstar Ichiro's half-brother. In the Chugakusei Furuhata special, Mukojima is shown to have a son. Strangely, the 2008 Furuhata Chugakusei special, reveals that Furuhata and Otokichi were friends for a few months during Junior High. Otokichi's last name at the time is Mukojima, not Higashikunibaru. Though its implied they may have been in periodic contact before Series 1, Furuhata does not appear to recognize Otokitchi when they meet in Episode 2.
- Mantaro Kuwabara, played by Toshihito Ito, is a forensic scientist who works at the crime lab. He appears in some Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 episodes but was featured prominently in all the Season 2 Imaizumi Shintaro skits. These skits often featured Kuwabara consoling Imaizumi after he vents his frustration with his treatment during the episode. Sadly, Ito died in 2002 of a brain hemorrhage.
- Haga Keiji played by Shirai Akira, is a detective who has made several appearances in the series. His appearances include: episodes 14, 17, 25, 27 and two Shintaro Imaizumi skits. Haga has filled in for Imaizumi when the latter has been unavailable. Imaizumi and Haga are bitter rivals and extremely competitive with one another for Furuhata's attention. Haga is much more competent than Imaizumi, and Furuhata has said he would like Haga to replace Imaizumi as his partner. In the 1999 Special, Haga is now Head of the Detective Division, and he assigns Saionji to become Furuhata's new partner.
- Mamoru Saionji, played by Masanori Ishii, appears in the third and fourth season of Furuhata Ninzaburo. He is a 'second' sidekick to Furuhata and a direct contrast to Imaizumi. Saionji is serious, logical and competent as opposed to the silly, immature, and inept Imaizumi. Saionji is a huge admirer of Furuhata and emulates his skills as a detective. As the season progresses, he becomes an excellent detective whose skills of observation and deduction nearly rival Furuhata's. Saionji is only 5'2" tall but has remarked he is the tallest amongst his relatives.Hanada is a character played by Norito Yashima who appears in several Series 3 episodes as well as the 2004 Special. He is a bystander who randomly appears when the detectives are at an impasse in their investigation. After overhearing the detectives' conversation, Hanada is able to accurately deduce the killer's motive or modus operandi. He is uncannily correct and disappears from the episode after he has made his point, leaving the detectives to find the hard evidence. He has appeared every time in a different occupation. First, he was a waiter in a family restaurant, then a manager at a cafe, next a server in a pub, then a flight attendant, a taxi driver and as an employee in the Japanese embassy to Spain. He also appears for a few seconds in a brief non-speaking cameo as the flight attendant in the January 2004 "Imaizumi Shintaro" skit which aired right after Episode 39. In Episode 39, Hanada reveals that the flight attendant in Episode 36 and 2004 Imaizumi skit is actually his older brother.
- Matsuzaka the Stage Director played by Isao Nonaka. Matsuzaka has appeared three times in the Furuhata series. He first appears as the stage director for SMAP's show in Episode 26. He reappears as the stage director for the "Rakugo" performance in Episode 28. By the time he meets Furuhata again in Episode 33, he becomes exasperated, wondering if every performance he directs will end in murder. Incidentally, Isao Nonaka appeared briefly in Episode 22 as a taxi driver driving Furuhata and the suspect to the bowling alley. It's not clear if the taxi driver is Matsuzaka moonlighting in a different job.
Episode List / Guest Stars
Final Series (2006)
The final series, written with the intention of being Furuhata's final adventures, consisted of three 2-hour TV movie specials.Special Episodes
Most episodes of Furuhata Ninzaburo ran for 50 minutes ; however, the show would periodically air extended length TV movie specials.Imaizumi Shintaro Comedic Skits (January 10, 1996 ~ March 27, 1996; Jan 3, 2004)
In the second season of the drama, Fuji TV produced a series of 7-minute comedic skits called "Imaizumi Shintaro" which followed the "Furuhata Ninzaburo" episode. These skits feature Imaizumi and his confidante Mantaro Kuwabara portrayed by Toshihito Ito. This series was immensely popular until the death of actor Ito in 2002. In the skits, meek and long suffering Imaizumi vents his anger and frustration about his treatment in the main episode. During the skits, he tries to prove that he is the superior detective, makes prank calls to Furuhata, works up the courage to tell Furuhata off, and even plots the murder of Furuhata. However, the skit always ends with Imaizumi proving his ineptitude or losing his nerve, forcing Kuwabara to escort his sobbing, spineless, and broken friend out of the lab.Despite the absence of Imaizumi, Saionji or Mukojima in the January 3, 2004 Furuhata Special, all three did appear in a 10-minute "Imaizumi" skit which aired later that night. Hanada also makes a brief cameo appearance