BG: Shinpen Keigonin/ Personal Bodyguard - Episode 2 (Recap)

Trotwood: Before I start the recap for this week’s episode, I feel I need to apologize to Mamiya Shotaro because in the previous recap I said I did not know him from anything but the movie Tori Girl; however, that is not true. He also plays Saito’s younger brother in the lovely if odd movie The Kodai Family. I think it’s because when I watched this movie, I was getting airsick from reading the subtitles while flying, but I kept watching anyway (getting sicker and sicker) all because of Saito. I don’t remember much about the other characters because of my nausea.  I also think it’s because of his hair, which made him look like a completely different person. So this week’s hair retrospective in the comments will focus on Mamiya.

Panda: I did watch and enjoy Kodai Family! I only remember the leads and the sister though.

Episode 2

The time 19:30 looms large on screen in front of Shamazaki and a woman, who seems pretty hysterical, on an elevator. She takes off a fancy pair of shoes saying it’s karma because she bought these shoes and is being punished. Shamazaki calmly kneels, places them in front of her and tells her that she can’t go home in bare feet.
I already am giving her a side eye. I also find it very funny how unflappable Shimazaki really is. 

Morning of that day, while Shamazaki is getting ready to go to work, his son is sitting front of the television as usual eating his breakfast while Shamazaki fusses at him to straighten things up. Shamazaki flexes and stretches in his suit jacket and his son watches him intently from behind. He pretends he isn’t when Shamazaki turns around.

I think the son is a bit obnoxious, but I get the feeling that even though he only says that he is worried about his mom being happy, I think he is worried about his dad, too.
Son acts older than he looks, and he does give his dad a lot of lip. I wonder if he was forced to live with Shimazaki or he chose to?

At work, the team is sitting watching a news clipping about a controversial murder case in which the public seems to believe that the accused is guilty, but the judge is deemed a human rights softie.

Judge Yukinaga Tatsua (played by Tetshushi Tanaki, who played the team leader in Crisis) has been the victim of arson, and the police think it might be linked to the acquittal of the person charged with murder in the case, so he is being protected by SP.

Ohhhhh, I see where this is going and foresee another potential clash between the SP and Hinode Security.

However, this protection does not cover his family, so he has hired Hinode Security for his wife. Newbie looks nervous about the potentially angry people. Suganuma is annoyed that they will have to work with the snobby SP and isn’t interested in being assigned this one . . . until Murata says that the level 3 risk means extra pay. She immediately turns around and jumps up to volunteer to lead. She doesn’t even let him finish the sentence.

Ha. I love her focus on growing her savings account. Murata asks Shimazaki to be her back up because Newbie clearly is doing the “don’t pick me” eye avoidance thing. Pfft. He’s either a bodyguard or not!

I think why I love jdramas (you know when we are lucky enough to get subs) is that they do not treat their women as "Candys". I laughed so much when Suganuma jumped on board immediately when she heard the money. She is focused on her primary aim, and it didn't seem forced. Newbie just needs to grow in confidence, I believe in him :))

Meanwhile, sulky Takanashi is alone in his apartment printing out another news article about Shimazaki’s old boss, Kuono. I say another because he pins it up on the wall next to several other ones with Shimazaki’s head circled if he is seen in the photo. He whispers at it “Why is he keeping this a secret?” I’m like, why don’t you just ask him since you think you have a right to know? But he can’t hear me, and I doubt his character would listen even if I transported myself into the drama.
Drama Queen. Pfffft.

Suganuma and Shimazaki show up at their new assignment only to find SP Ochai there just as pissy as ever. The judge is welcoming and thankful, but his wife is not.

She doesn’t want to spend any more money than they have to, and Ochai doesn’t help when he snarkily teases them about not even being armed to be able to stop an arsonist. She’s annoyed that they are paying exorbitant fees for people who are just regular citizens. Suganuma is all like “Our fees aren’t that high” Ha. I immediately find the wife obnoxious. Don’t be mad at the bodyguards. They are just there to do a job.
Aha! The SP are pissed off as I predicted they would be, especially our Ochai. When is he is going to get over the chip on his shoulder?

She doesn’t get any better. After her husband leaves, she belittles them some more and asks Suganuma to wash her dishes and for Shimazaki to clean up the entryway and take out the recycling. Pfft.

Shimazaki notices that he can’t put all the shoes away in the entry closet because it’s already filled with shoes. He also notices some specific advertisements for apartments in his recycling and in the newspaper piles outside. Once he is finished, the judge’s wife tells them to clean the bathroom while she goes out shopping. Of course, they go with her. She clearly does not want them around and is acting pretty sketchy.
So Level 3 means being a maid??? I couldn't believe she told them to do all those AND that they did them. She also has a very weird idea of who a bodyguard is if she had truly expected them to remain at home while she went off shopping. 

At a department store, the judge’s wife tries on a pair of fancy shoes.

And while the store employees applaud and tell her how good they look, Shimazaki asks Suganuma using their headsets, what kind of occasion would a woman wear shoes like that. Suganuma assures him that women simply like to own shoes like that.

Newbie calls him to tell him the courthouse news, a woman had went after the judge, and he asks to be updated if the woman at the courthouse is connected to the arsonist. While protecting the judge at the courthouse, Ochai gets a call, and it’s from PM Tachihara who wants to know why he is guarding a judge rather than her. Well isn’t she the princess? GO AWAY! Pfft. He tells her that it was a special request from the police and that he isn’t her personal guard. She tells him that she doesn’t like the guy who is in charge now, SP Kyota (who is beautiful and good, what’s not to like?), because she thinks he is prejudiced against her.

Who would blame him? He’s the guy she knocked down and escaped from to meet that dodgy reporter guy. Double pfft.

PM is toying with Ochai clearly. I really do not like her. BTW, Shimazaki, you do not know women just like shoes "just because"? No wonder you are a bachelor.

Ochai patiently assures her that Kyota is a professional and will do his job despite the fact that she willfully put herself in danger the last time (at least someone is calling her out on this).

She gets back at him when he doesn’t respond to her flirtatiousness by telling him that she might hire a personal bodyguard, maybe that guy who got beat up at the stadium. Evil woman. Don’t get Shimazaki involved in your weird powerplay with Ochai. I really hate this woman. She should become friends with the judge’s wife.

She is like a Black Widow, weaving her spell around Ochai. I am impressed he called her out on her past behavior, thought he would never mention it.

That wife is off to the salon Suganuma is pissed. She and Shimazaki have another conversation over their radios about whether or not they have to do everything that she says just because they are guarding her. Shimazaki shares his suspicions about JW (judge’s wife—I don’t like her enough to look up her name) with Suganuma. He wonders if the she has an ulterior motive, especially since she doesn’t actually seem to be getting her hair done. Now Suganuma is suspicious, too.

JW is clearly acting suspiciously. I feel she wants to get rid of them.

Back at headquarters, Murata goes over to the cash transport division to look up Takanashi.

Murata wants him back, especially since Takanashi was the one who asked to transferred and trained as a BG in the first place. Murata says that at least he should get a reason, but all Takanashi does it bow and leave.
I really like Murata Trot. Takanashi, we all know you want to go back.
I do, too. I didn't write about the dinner he had with Shimazaki. I've liked him ever since that dinner. I want to know more about his back story as well.

Suganuma and Shimazaki are getting colder and colder standing outside (why didn’t they wear coats in the first place since it’s winter? Even if you thought you’d be in the house all day, wouldn’t they have coats when they went there?) They are still trying to figure out the judge’s wife’s motives, but Suganuma starts thinking that Shimazaki is wrong until she sees that the judge’s wife is no longer in her seat.

She runs in while Shimazaki watches the exits only to find the wife trying to sneak out. She’s annoyed that she didn’t get away.
I honestly thought she had successfully evaded them when I did not see her in the salon. In addition to having a terrible character, she will also make a terrible spy.

She talks about being restricted as a judge’s wife, especially with a husband judge that is so focused on work, middle-aged, and not that good looking (I disagree, lady. Tetsushi is a teddy bear!). She even asks them if she can have an hour to meet someone alone. They want to know who the person is, but she doesn’t want to say even though they all go to the restaurant together. A man in his early 30s shows up. Suganuma thinks it is her boytoy, but JW says he’s a realtor who is married with kids. She claims to want a new apartment, but Suganuma isn’t buying it.
Trot, we need to fight! How dare she disparage Tetsushi so. Pffft. I am 70% sure that man is not just her realtor. 

But right when they wonder about this, the young man gets up and leaves. JW doesn’t look happy anymore, and Suganuma wonders if he broke up with her.

While they are leaving, Shimazaki asks her if she is okay and whether she wants to tell them anything. He says it’s their job to protect her, but she insists again that she isn’t the target. He asks her if she doesn’t think she might be since it was her bike that was set on fire. This upsets her even more, and she fires him on the spot. He leaves and is replaced by Newbie. Instead of going back to headquarters though, he goes back to the house to ask to speak to the judge.
This is where Shimazaki's experience kicks in.

Shimazaki tells him that he got fired and wants to apologize, but he clearly has other things to say. The judge calls him in to his study. Shimazaki asks Yukinaga whether he thinks his wife might be the target or if Yaukinaga hired them to spy on his wife, which the judge denies.

He says that he has to keep an upstanding personal life too if he is going to be a respected judge and do his duty. He also admits that he knows that his wife frequently meets other men, so Shimazaki tells him about the man she met.
Tough situation to be in; poor Judge. 

Yukinaga thinks the name sounds familiar, and Shimazaki asks if it is someone connected to the murder case. Yukinaga says they need to check because if it is, they will need to postpone the hearing scheduled for the next day; however, they only have until 7 PM to be able to make that call.

The countdown really begins here

He asks Shimazaki to not only bring his wife home before that time but also to keep it from the police because if they take action, it will cause more of an uproar about the case.

Shimazaki calls Murata to update him about the situation. Murata initially believes that they should tell the police because it may have something to do with the arson, but Shimazaki agrees with the judge that they can’t jeopardize the case. He also thinks that they owe it to their client to respect his requests. Murata agrees and says he’ll look into it, too. Shimazaki is in front of the salon as he says this and looks at the building like he’s checking out its specs.
My spidey senses are tingling all over.

It is now 17:39, and JW is at the grocery store randomly picking out things. Suganuma suggests that they go home soon, but JW doesn’t want to go. She fakes stomach pain and the guard comes running as does a store employee.

Suganuma and Newbie have to show their id cards to convince them they are not criminals, and in the meantime JW has disappeared. They run to look for her and bump into Shimazaki who tells them about their new charge from the judge.

At the judge’s house, Ochai interrupts the judge who tells him that he is busy. However, Ochai insists in asking if something has happened to his wife.

Something the judge denies (which as far as he knows is true). Ochai is annoyed and says that the judge should trust SP more because they are doing their duty while the body gaurds are just protecting him because they get paid. Hmm. You get paid too Ochai. You are not doing charity work here. The judge tells him to wait downstairs.
Ochai is more upset that the judge told Shimazaki more information than him which is not his business really. And really why is the JW so silly?? I will try and excuse it as that she doesn't know she is the real aim but still, she gets on my nerves.

Shimazaki goes back to the building with the salon and gets a call from Murata that the realtor story about the wife and kids is a lie, but we don’t hear his answer when Shimazaki asks him why he’d lie about that.

We just shift to seeing that same realtor in a dark van watching him. Shimazaki goes inside to a floor of storage closets and finds JW is sitting in one surrounded by shoes and clothes and purses that she has bought. She wants to know how he figured it out, and he says he noticed that she buys brand named things but none of her things at home are brand named.
Not just brawn BUT Brains :)

 

She proceeds to talk about how her life as a constrained judge’s wife who can’t play her music loud or order take out or buy fancy things to keep from being gossiped about. She says her husband never complains no matter how bad it gets, but she hates it and feels bad that she can’t be stoic like him.

She tells him that she knows the realtor because he told her about this place. This makes Shimazaki nervous, and he suggests that they get home because her husband is worried. She doesn’t want to leave.

So what does she do there exactly? Buy shoes and wear them in the storage closet? 

In the meantime, the realtor guy goes in the building, locks the doors, and puts up a closed sign. And at headquarters, Takanashi shows up in front of Murata. I love you Saito, but I don’t have time for you right now! Still, he stays but noticing Murata’s mood, he asks what is wrong.  Murata tells of his dilemma about calling or not calling the police because of the client request.

Takanashi sounds a lot like Suganuma when he asks whether they have to do everything a client says. He warns Murata not to let someone like Shimazaki lead him around like this. Pfft. Oh Takanashi, you are as snobby as Ochai.
He is being very petulant isn't he? I blame his luscious lips.

Murata shows up at Yukinaga’s house to tell him about the realtor and his wife. The realtor was the fiancé and then the husband of the victim in a stalking case the judge ruled on last year. The stalker didn’t get any time, and the victim got married and they were expecting a baby, but she was so worried and paranoid about the stalker coming back that she became depressed and committed suicide. The realtor set the bike on fire.
Oh No. That is terrible. So now he wants revenge on the JW. Sigh.

Meanwhile, JW admits to Shimazaki that she suspects the realtor set the bike on fire because she had told him how much the bike represented her constraints. They used to have a car, but her husband said that a judge couldn’t afford to get in an accident, so he sold it. Wow. He is too earnest. Shimazaki tells her the real story. She’s upset because she thought he was a nice man who made her feel better, but she is an idiot. Finally convincing her that they should leave, Shimazaki gives her the fancy shoes to wear (why? She can’t run in those shoes! Those are not running shoes!), and she promptly loses a shoe (told you!). The realtor sees them on the camera monitors in the security room. Not good.

They get on the elevator only to have it suddenly stop. When the emergency lights come on, Shimazaki pushes the emergency button and a voice comes over the intercom telling them that this is NOT an elevator breakdown. Guess who it is. Guess, Panda.
Realtor Guy?!!!!!

Bingo! Realtor guy. He can see them in the camera. He tells them that JW is going to die. Shimazaki yells at him that she has nothing to do with any of it, but realtor guy says his wife is dead, and he wants to see if the judge will be able to be as calm as he was before when his own wife is dead. He picks up a hammer, and the elevator starts running again. [Pfft. I thought he was going to do something to send them plunging to their deaths. Why even have this conversation and give them time to prepare then? Shimazaki is now going to know to be prepared to fight once the doors do open.Pfft again.] 
"Why even have this conversation and give them time to prepare then?" because it is a drama! An elevator plunge would have certainly killed them and we all know Shimazaki ain't dying so soon.
Besides maybe he wanted the satisfaction of smashing in the JW head himself.

Sugunama and Newbie show up outside the building, but the door is locked, so they go looking for another entrance. Now we are back to the 19:30 scene from the cold open. I felt sorry for JW when I first saw it, but in context I have no patience. She pretty much throws her shoes off in a self-pity fit. She needs to be thinking about how she is going to fight her way off this elevator rather than wallowing in regret. Wallow later lady!
I know I should but I still don't have any pity for her at all.

Realtor guy gets on elevator at one of the stops with two hammers. He and Shimazaki circle each other with JW behind Shimazaki until she is at the door. He tells her to run, and of course, she trips because of those damn shoes, leaving one behind in elevator!! [I’m pulling out my hair right now.] Shimazaki glances back at her, trying to get her to run. What is with these people who won’t run? I’d be booking it out of there or picking up a weapon. Sitting on the parking lot floor should not be an option! The elevator door closes, and the fight is on. They are pretty evenly matched. Shimazaki has skill, but the realtor guy is enraged and has two hammers. He is able to injure Shimazaki with the claw of one of the hammers, but still, skills win out, When the police take realtor guy away, Shimazaki picks up the shoe. I would’ve have chucked that thing in the garbage.

LOOOOL. 

Back at the house, they bring JW home as if she’s been a wayward teenage who ran away. Shimazaki has to push her forward toward her husband, and Sugunuma has to remind her that her husband was worried. She rushes out too embarrassed to face him, but Shimazaki convinces her to go back. Ochai is in the hall and overhears their conversation.
Not just brains, brawns but a degree in Marriage Counseling - Shimazaki-San
Seriously, look at that empathetic face!

Ochai gives him a compliment when they meet outside, and it takes a bit for Shimazaki to notice that he’s being sarcastic, but he warns Shimazaki about blindly following orders of a client and ignores Shimazaki’s explanation about being armed vs. being unarmed by getting into his car and driving off with the SP.

Yukinaga comes out and starts babbling about how he isn’t really unemotional and really is upset about his wife, but Shimazaki, smiling slightly, stops him and tells him to tell his wife all of this instead. We have a touching reconciliation between the judge and his wife. I think they both have a better understanding of each other.
That reconciliation was touching. I do hope they work it out. 

Back at headquarters, Murata warns Shimazaki that if he were more flexible in the way he does things, he wouldn’t keep coming back injured. He also informs everyone that Takanashi is coming back. This does not sit well with Suganuma who thinks he’s a diva. I have to agree with her here.

On his way home, a car follows Shimazaki. At first he ignores it, and then realizes that he can’t really run because of his injury, so he just confronts the person in the car. It’s PM Tachihara in a baseball cap disguise. She wants to hire him as a personal bodyguard on an assignment that SP can’t know about. I hate the way they play this romantic music when they are together because I want her far far away from our tired Shimazaki. He just tells her is that she should contact the company and walks away. She looks disappointed, but I’m not sure what she’s expecting.
Takanashi is coming back! More fireworks ahead and hopefully eventually a bromance. The MP seems into Shimazaki, and I can't get his read on her. So far it has been strictly professional, and may it remain that way forever. Amen.  
I double that Amen.

He gets home to find his son asleep on the couch. He pulls up the blanket to cover him and starts putting his dirty dishes away. The son wakes up, telling him not to be mushy. Shimazaki gently mentions again about keeping the place clean; he wants order in case he doesn’t make it back from one of his cases. Son still acts snotty, but Shimazaki seems pleased when his responds to his goodnight. That boy needs an attitude adjustment.

Comments

This was a fun case. I liked seeing Crisis alum (so many great memories) and also the team coming together and forging an even tighter unit. Takanashi is back! I hope he leaves his attitude in the past. The case was a good one but I truly had no empathy for JW. When they were in the elevator, my concern was not about her but rather Shimazaki. LOL
I noticed that there are a lot of interesting angles used in shooting this show because it was very hard to get stills that looked okay because of camera angles. It creates the perfect mood of things that look normal but wouldn't be normal if looked at from a . . . different angle.