Asian Addicts Anonymous

Yes, I’m a week behind. I know. It’s been kind of busy, but after playing catch-up, I’ll try to get these out sooner.

We open with Tokage doing his usual ritual of drinking soy milk and putting the stickers on the chart on his fridge. Only a little more left to go. What is the goal for all that soy milk? Tokage then offers Sota some, but the boy immediately turns it down. We then cut to Tokage picking out some clothes. Of course Kaori thinks he’s preparing for a date with a girl he likes to put so much effort into his appearance. Sota says she is way off course as usual and Tokage shoots her a dark look when she asks if Tokage is leading some poor woman on. He tells her it’s not a date at all.

Turns out that Tokage will be impersonating a famous stylist from London, Satoru Shimazaki. Nobody really knows what he looks like as he’s never shown his face to the public, but he’s quite famous. Tokage’s job is to impersonate a stylist to get into a modeling agency to act as a bodyguard for the twenty-year-old popular model Nagata Mizuki (Oomasa Aya). Why does this model need a bodyguard? It appears she has a stalker on her blog and since the police don’t have the man power to be bothered, Kirishima asked for Tokage’s help. So…they are doing this as a favor? Sota assures her its solely for the money. Such a kid.

He then settles himself onto Tokage’s lap and switches the channel to a news report about the murder of some businessman named Takeyama. We then cut to the murder scene where Terashima and Makihara are busy working. Since Takeyama is a media mogul, they will need to solve the case quickly or else lose face. Enter Amane to deliver a message from Kishimori. Terashima is disappointed as he thinks Tokage is taking yet another case from him, but that is not the case this time. Kishimori wants Terashima to lead this investigation. At HQ, Kishimori then reveals to Amane that he had originally wanted Tokage on the case, but he’s busy with something else.

We then cut to Tokage at a shoot watching over Mizuki who is a bit of a selfish diva. She complains that another model Haru is overshadowing her and she complains about the outfit she’s wearing. Tokage takes her to change her clothes where she gets annoyed by him touching her and turning her to look at the new outfit. Time to change the lipstick, too, right? Mizuki agrees and Suzuki, her manager from Oasis, apologizes for Mizuki’s behavior. But it does seem like the young girl likes Tokage. What’s not to like? Suzuki then says that it’s an important week for Mizuki. Tokage says that is why he came all the way from London.

Suzuki goes to talk about how she created the star Mizuki when up pops Kaori who says that Mizuki is certainly looking tense right now. This surprises Suzuki and annoys Tokage as Kaori pops up everywhere. Suzuki asks who Kaori is and she introduces herself as Shimazaki’s assistant, Mochizuki. Tokage tells Suzuki to never mind Mochizuki and pulls Kaori away with him. Just what is she doing there? Is she stalking him? Kaori laughs. She doesn’t have the free time to stalk him. Okay. Then why is she there? Kaori replies that she’s there to help since she’s been helpful with the past cases. Tokage says that is right, how could he manage without her (guess Kaori missed the sarcasm there as she took it as a compliment). She is happy, though, when Tokage tells her she can stay.

That night, Mizuki apologizes to Haru for her earlier attitude, but Haru says she understands that Mizuki is on edge as it is really an important time for her. Kaori tells Tokage that she is glad that the girls are close in private. What makes her think they are? Because they are wearing the same perfume. If they hated one another, they wouldn’t be able to stand that. Enter Suzuki and Kaori is surprised to smell the same scent on her as well. All three must be close then. At this time, Mizuki gets an unpleasant text message and Tokage sees a man outside. Suzuki then explains about the recent harassment and how they’ve filed a complaint. She then asks Tokage to keep an eye on Mizuki while he’s there.

Looks like there will be a connection between Tokage’s case and  Terashima’s case as after the murder took place, a woman was caught on video leaving the place and they found a bottle of expensive imported perfume.

Mizuki is giving an interview where the same man is spotted outside on a nearby rooftop eating and watching her. While Kaori is out running an errand for Tokage she notices Makihara who just came out of a perfume shop. It seems that Takeyama bought a lot of that perfume before he died, so no leads on the woman as of yet. Suzuki then rushes up and starts sniffing Makihara, shocking the woman. Kaori apologizes and says that Makihara wears the same perfume as Mizuki. Who is Mizuki? A model from Oasis whose case Tokage is working on. Makihara says nothing more and just leaves.

Of course Kaori chases after her and sees her looking up information on Takeyama. So does Makihara think that Takeyama has some connection to Oasis? Makihara asks why she has to share that information with Kaori. The younger girl replies that Makihara wouldn’t have thought of the connection without Kaori’s nose. Makihara is getting annoyed with her attitude and goes to scold her, but Kaori remembers the scarf and goes rushing back to the shoot.

At the shoot, the video of the woman leaving the building is being aired at the news. Mizuki looks very unhappy and turns off the television. Her stalker asks if she was the one leaving the building—is she the killer? At the investigation report, Makihara asks if Terashima will bring in Tokage for help as making an arrest without him may be difficult. Of course Terashima doesn’t plan on bringing Tokage in. Meanwhile, Amane or is it Yamane?Reports to Kishimori that evidence is really pointing at Mizuki as the killer. Kishimori asks the man to keep this as a secret between them for the time being and then grins. I never understand what is going through that man’s head.

After a photo shoot, Mizuki asks Tokage back to her place. His offhand, natural okay was bemusing. The two go back to her place where they are being eavesdropped on. Mizuki is asking Tokage how he feels about her and he tells her she doesn’t need to say anything, He squeezes her hand and vows to protect her. Can she trust him? Tokage nods and says he loves her. Kaori then yells cut. She and Suzuki are also there as it looks like they are helping Mizuki run lines for her drama. Mizuki then gets a text about her being there with her boyfriend. Tokage starts looking at all the electrical outlets (for a bug) and Mizuki says it is a relief that he is there with her and she hopes he really can protect her.

It is Yamane vs. Amane. I always get someone’s name wrong. Yamane visits Yanagida to drop off DVDs from the security cameras. They want his help to find any new footage that could lead to the killer. This surprises Yanagida, especially when Yamane asks him to come up with a “new story.” We then cut to Tokage all in black in the ceiling. I swear that has to happen in every episode. He lets himself into Mizuki’s apartment where he plants a security camera as well as takes out every bug the stalker has placed in the apartment. He finishes up just before Mizuki enters the apartment.

Back at Yanagida’s Kaori dumps all the bugs and says that there was over a dozen. Sota says that means the stalker can enter Mizuki’s place whenever he wants and not get caught. Kaori then looks over at Yanagida and asks the little boy what the older man is doing. Sota says he’s looking for clues about the murder. Yanagida then complains that he has no time to sleep with all the videos brought to him. Sota asks if they can’t ask Tokage for help. No, not him, but they do have his assistant.

Kaori goes to Tokage and says she can’t believe that Mizuki is the prime suspect in Kameyama’s case. Tokage watches the footage Kaori brought in fast forward and she is amazed at his talent. He tells her it’s not talent and then asks why she’s watching him when she should be watching Mizuki’s place. That’s right. She turns back to her own monitor and says no one left or entered. If that’s so then why is the chain off. Whoops. Tokage then rushes off.

Mizuki is waiting for a taxi when someone pushes her into an oncoming truck. She twists her ankle and stands frozen. Tokage then rushes to the rescue and tackles her to safety. He then sees the same man watching the scene from a distance. Is she all right? Mizuki isn’t as her ankle is hurt. Tokage swoops her up in his arms and she asks why he was there. Because he forgot something at her place. He then takes her to get her ankle looked at.

At the hospital, Tokage asks where she was going. Mizuki replies that she never really knew her father. She only saw him when he would come to her mother’s shop on occasion. He became a police commissioner soon after she graduated from high school and stopped coming to visit. She sent him a ticket for Tokyo Runway as she wants him to be there to see her achieve her dream. Before she can tell him more, she is called in to have her foot examined.

Kaori rushes up and says she can’t get in touch with Suzuki and then immediately switches topics back to Mizuki. So that girl really wants to meet her father, huh?  We then flashback 19 years ago where Tokage’s father is playing footage on fast forward asking his son to find him. Tokage says it is impossible, but his father tells him to think that he desperately needs to save him. Tokage focuses his attention back on the video and quickly finds his father. Kaori asks what Tokage is thinking about, but he won’t tell her. Again, just WHY was Tokage’s father treating him like that?

Kaori asks Yanagida about Tokage as he seems lonely. Yanagida tells her that most people are that way and then asks if Kaori has found the person she is looking for. Kaori replies she hasn’t, but she’s still looking. Yanagida asks if it is someone important to her. Kaori neither confirms or denies this. She says she is probably being silly, but she has something important that she needs to tell that person. Again, wondering about her back story more and more.

Kaori goes to Terashima and tells him about Mizuki being a police commissioner’s daughter. She wishes for Terashima’s help. Terashima can’t promise anything as it will be a huge scandal if it is leaked that a police commissioner has an illegitimate child. Terashima then says it seems like everyone seems to be looking for someone they can’t meet. Meaning? Does he have something, too?

Tokage is outside Mizuki’s place when he gets a call from Yanagida who says that he has finally analyzed the video. Tokage then reveals he already knows who Mizuki’s stalker is—a man named Washio. Meanwhile, the trio of detectives are talking about the case at Masato’s bar. Yamane tells the other two to keep the new evidence to themselves for the time being and leaves. Makihara tells Terashima he’s bound to have trouble as a higher up is interested in the case, but Terashima also needs to make an arrest. Terashima is all cool and says he’ll have to go stir up some more trouble before leaving. Masato comments on how cool Terashima is and then tells his older sister to use her detective skills to find a husband. LOL.

Suzuki is upset that Mizuki didn’t let her know about being nearly killed. Mizuki says she has to hurry off to rehearsal and is helped downstairs by Haru and Suzuki when Washio rushes towards her. He’s caught by Terashima’s men who arrest him. Terashima picks up the necklace Washio dropped and asks to speak to Mizuki who refuses as she is preparing for an important show. Tokage steps in between the two and tells Terashima to butt out since he’s causing a problem. Tokage then sends Mizuki away.

Terashima asks what Tokage thinks he’s doing. Tokage says he’s on a mission. To protect a murderer? Tokage doesn’t think a police commissioner’s daughter is a killer. Terashima says her parents have nothing to do with it. Tokage then says if Terashima can successfully get an arrest warrant, then he will hand Mizuku over. Terashima vows to get evidence and walks away.

Washio confesses that the woman from the video was indeed Mizuki so Terashima wants an arrest warrant. Yamane refuses as they can’t trust an unreliable witness. Fine, then Terashima will get definitive proof. Meanwhile, Kishimori tells the commissioner Nara-san that all evidence is pointing to Mizuki, but he can arrange it to point somewhere else.

Mizuki arrives home with Kaori and Tokage only to see her apartment trashed. Who could have done this since Washio is in jail? Tokage takes a quick glance with his eyes, noting various things. He then tells Mizuki she will have to stay at a hotel tonight. Kaori then says she should call the police, but Mizuki refuses a she doesn’t want them involved. Until she finishes Tokyo Runway, then Kaori can say nothing. Is it really that important to her? Mizuki says it is her reason for living. We then cut back to the person typing messages again. Just who is it? This is the same person who said they can kill them one at a time.

Tokage, Kaori, Suzuki, Haru, and Mizuki arrive at Tokyo Runway while Terashima waits in the investigation room. As Tokage notices something similar in Haru’s bag that Washio also had, he starts putting two and two together. He makes Kaori bump into Haru, sending things flying from the younger girl’s bag and they are all Mizuki-related. Meanwhile, Makihara says they recovered deleted data from Washio’s phone where it had pictures of him and Haru and instructions from Haru to Washio instructing him to stalk Mizuki. Since Washio has been caught, then will Haru make a move herself and kill Mizuki? The team moves out.

Kaori brings the building’s plans to Tokage asking why he wants them. What is he looking for? Tokage sees that they are the same plans in Haru’s bag. He doesn’t know yet what he’s looking for, but he’ll find out. He hands the earpiece over to Kaori and tells her to watch over the three. He gets dressed in his all black getup and starts looking all over. He notices something about a “baton” but find nothing solid. He check in with Kaori who asserts everything is fine with the trio of women.  Tokage looks all over, but still can’t find anything. He tells Kaori to stall the three women as much as possible.

He drops into a male model’s room and knocks him out. Will he impersonate the model? Meanwhile, Suzuki tells Haru and Mizuki it is time. Kaori tells them to wait as Mizuki’s outfit needs adjusting, but Mizuki won’t listen to anyone but the missing Shimazaki. Where is he? Good question. He’s out on the runaway using that time to look around to see if he can’t find any more clues. He looks up and sees a red light that says locked. He recalls the plans and as soon as he is off the runway, the calls Kaori and says the screen above the stage has been tampered with and not to let Mizuki walk the catwalk. Kaori says its too late as Haru and Mizuki are waiting in the wings.

Tokage then rushes back to the runway where Mizuki is heading out. It’s at this time Terashima and Makihara arrive. Are they too late since Mizuki is already on stage with Ayukawa Haru in the wings? They then see a suspicious man in an overcoat. It’s her father, I just know it. Tokage is running around like crazy backstage trying to stop Haru’s plan to murder Mizuki while Haru grins evilly in the background. She seems surprised when the screen doesn’t fall on Mizuki, but keeps her cool.

Haru’s turn comes and she heads out to the runway while we see a woman’s hand pull the lever. When Haru looks up the screen is stating to come down. Luckily, Tokage does manage to stop it. The young woman below is frozen in shock. We then see it was Suzuki behind it all. Tokage realized when he saw Mizuki’s ransacked apartment that any item connecting Suzuki and Mizuki was left untouched. She wouldn’t be able to kill Mizuki, thus she targeted Haru. Why? Haru knew too much thus Suzuki had to get rid of her for Mizuki.

While Suzuki talks, everyone else starts to gather around. Takeyama was a thug who used money to control people. Suzuki became his mistress and just when Mizuki’s career started taking off, Takeyama started taking an interest in Haru instead and wanted to drop Mizuki. When he talked of giving Haru Miziku’s movie role, Suzuki went ballistic and killed him. As Suzuki was leaving the apartment she ran into Haru and Washio who were there to see Takeyama. From that point on, Haru started harassing Mizuki. Suzuki then cries about how she accidentally connected Mizuki to Takeyama’s murder since she wore the coat Mizuki bought her as a present. Mizuki rushes over to the crying Suzuki and apologizes since Suzuki did all of that for her.

Both Suzuki and Haru are arrested and taken away. Mizuki says it’s not over yet. Tokage says that there are people still watching over her and Kaori comes up saying there is someone who wishes to see her. It’s her father! He congratulates her on her dream finally coming true. Mizuki cries and said she thought he wouldn’t come. He pulls out the ticket and says it was an amazing show. Mizuki smiles and thanks him for coming. Nara-san then says he has to go and thanks her. Terashima goes to leave when he catches Tokage’s eyes. Glare down. okage goes to leave when Mizuki calls out to him. He’s not a stylist is he? He’s a cop. Nope. He’s an undercover detective.

At Yanagida’s, he’s on the phone happy to be getting double the usual amount for this case. Tokage walks out and sees Sota on his motorcycle. That bike is still a bit too big for the little boy. Tokage lifts him off and puts the boy on his shoulder. They haven’t been to the park in ages. Sota happily agrees to go with Tokage while Makihara watches all of this from a distance. Kishimori says it must have been hard on Yamane. He then asks if Yamane knows about what happened to Modegi two years ago. Yamane says he is aware of it. Kaori thanks Terashima for all of his help and he asks her why she became a detective. To find someone. Terashima hopes she finds this person quickly so she can get away from Tokage as fast as possible. Terashima then says that two years ago when Modegi died, confidential police information was leaked to gangs. Terashima believes it was Tokage’s doing. I doubt it.

Still liking this. Still waiting to learn what really happened with Modegi and why Tokage’s dad treated his son like a lab rat at times. Still waiting for Kaori’s back story. Just who is she looking for and what does she have to tell them and why did she have to become a cop to find them?