6 Years Ago, You Slept on Netflix Best Crime Show From Black Doves Writer – It Has 100% on RT

2019 was a surprisingly good year for British TV series, with new seasons of The End of the F***ing World, Fleabag, and The Crown. Given the circumstances, it's no surprise that some equally worthy but lesser-known projects were overlooked.

Among them was Giri/Haji, a groundbreaking detective show in which two-thirds of the dialogue is spoken in Japanese.

The project was enthusiastically received in the UK, earning a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but never found its audience outside of the country. Giri/Haji shares a screenwriter with the recent Netflix hit Black Doves, which is another reason to check out this crime gem.

What Is Giri/Haji About?

Tokyo detective Kenzo cannot find a common language with his teenage daughter, is going through a crisis in his relationship with his wife, and is preparing for the imminent death of his ailing father.

At some point, the family problems reach a new level: a new war between the Yakuza clans is about to begin. The blame lies with Kenzo's younger brother Yuto, who faked his own death and disappeared with the ceremonial blade of one of the Yakuza bosses. This blade was used to kill the nephew of another big boss in London.

To maintain a truce, the police send Kenzo to London on an important mission – to find Yuto and bring him back to Tokyo to stand trial.

Giri/Haji Is a Bold Experiment in the Field of Crime Drama

At first, the series looks like a typical police drama: someone is killed in London, which leads to a shootout in Tokyo – the police try to interview eyewitnesses and possible culprits.

But then the creators throw the viewer the first surprise – a black-and-white flashback filmed in a narrow strip. A little later – an episode of watercolor animation with a bloody massacre in a London pub.

And the viewer realizes that this is not a typical police procedural, but a bold project with several aces up its sleeve.

Giri/Haji Is One of the Most Unusual and Underrated Series of Recent Years

One of the main advantages of Giri/Haji is the zealous desire of the creators to experiment with genres: in eight episodes they cross a detective, a crime thriller, a coming-of-age story, a black comedy, a road movie and a melodrama.

Giri/Haji is a treasure trove of writing and directing tricks, all working towards a complex plot that revolves around two familiar concepts: duty and shame (the title of the series consists of these two Japanese words).

The story of the series is much broader than the search and rescue of a brother – in fact, it is a successful attempt to look at how chance unites several very different characters, giving them a chance to reflect on their past mistakes and atone for them.