Summary
- Jake makes risky choices for justice in
Tokyo Vice
, sacrificing friendships and betraying sources in the dangerous world of yakuza investigations. - Katagiri’s retirement is short-lived as viewers eagerly await his return to combat new threats in Tokyo’s shifting underworld landscape.
- Samantha’s resilience shines as she rises above defeat, paving her own way as a successful nightclub owner with the potential for a romance subplot.
Warning: Spoilers for Tokyo Vice.
Tokyo Vice follows Jake (Ansel Elgort), an American living in Tokyo who becomes the first foreign-born journalist to land a job at a major Japanese newspaper, the Meicho. There, he encounters a tough boss, Eimi (Rinko Kikuchi), and a corporate culture shock he eventually settles into rather quickly, given his passion for reporting on what’s really happening in the city. Based on a true story detailed in a memoir by Jake Adelstein, the series chronicles his experiences as he investigates the dangerous underworld of the Japanese yakuza. He quickly develops relationships with a Tokyo police detective named Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), a prominent member of the Chihara-kai yakuza clan named Sato (Shô Kasamatsu), and another expatriate named Samantha (Rachel Keller) who strives to carve out her own space in the world as a nightclub owner despite her personal connections to Sato.
As the second season unfolds, Jake and Katagiri make difficult choices and cross lines they never would have in the previous season. Desperate for confirmation of Tozawa’s (Ayumi Tanida) involvement with the FBI, Jake ultimately gives up his source and ruins the career of a State Department employee while simultaneously severing a friendship. Unable to pursue proper legal recourse for Tozawa, Katagiri gives Sato the FBI paperwork proving Tozawa’s dishonorable actions.
As a result, the yakuza leaders rally behind Sato and confront Tozawa in order to serve a different kind of justice by forcing him to commit seppuku. With the “bad guys” now defeated, Katagiri embarks on retirement while Sato officially becomes the new oyabun of the Chihara-kai yakuza clan, Samantha carves out her own path, and Jake is unsure about what to do next. As such, there are a slew of situations viewers hope to see in the potential Season 3 of Tokyo Vice.
Katagiri Back on the Beat in Tokyo Vice
Tokyo Vice
4.5/5
- Release Date
- April 7, 2022
- Seasons
- 2
After Tozawa’s demise, Katagiri decides to retire. However, Jake makes it clear he doesn’t believe the retirement will stick, and Katagiri will be back on the beat in no time. Given the kind of detective Katagiri is, viewers hope to see him alongside Jake once more in Season 3. As the structure of the yakuza clans shifts in the wake of Tozawa’s death and Sato’s ascension as the Chihara-kai oyabun, the knowledge and relationships Katagiri cultivated throughout his career will likely be needed.
Although Tozawa was defeated, there are still plenty of threats facing the city that viewers want to see Katagiri combat. Furthermore, Jake and Katagiri have formed a unique bond over the past two seasons, which viewers are not ready to let go of. There might not have been a massive cliffhanger at the end of Season 2, but its conclusion felt more like the beginning of another chapter with Jake and Katagiri as its core. As such, viewers need to see Katagiri back on the beat if Season 3 ever comes to fruition.
Samantha as a Successful Nightclub Owner on Her Own Terms
The finale saw a defeated Samantha pick herself back up and take matters into her own hands once more. Arguably the most resilient character in the entire series, she forges her own path time and again, even when a situation appears hopeless. After brokering a deal with Kazuko Tozawa (Makiko Watanabe), the late Tozawa’s wife, she obtains the money she needs to start over without being indebted to any yakuza members. She then uses the opportunity to recharge herself away from Tokyo.
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Samantha says goodbye to Sato for the time being, leading viewers to believe she’ll be back better than ever upon returning to the city. Given her talents, viewers can only hope she’ll come back with plans to set up the best nightclub Tokyo could possibly ask for. All while doing so on her own terms. Furthermore, without the complications of continuous threats and danger facing Samantha and Sato, it’s possible their romantic relationship can flourish without other yakuza members getting in the way.
Tokyo Vice Season 3 Should Feature Another Dangerous Story for Jake
Now that Jake has crossed the ultimate ethical line by giving up his source, such an action could come back to haunt him in future stories. When chatting with Katagiri at the very end of Season 2, it’s clear he won’t be able to remain idle for long. He’ll most definitely find another story soon enough, and it’s likely to be just as dangerous as his previous one. However, his interactions with future sources could shift, given his willingness to betray a source’s confidence. Furthermore, his severed friendship with Trendy (Takaki Uda) could prove problematic for his relationships at the Meicho.
As of now, it’s unclear whether the discovery of how Jake obtained confirmation of Tozawa’s deal will be perceived. It certainly won’t be a welcomed action, but whether it jeopardizes future stories remains to be seen. Nonetheless, Jake’s tenacity will likely push him forward no matter what those around him say. He’s a headstrong journalist with an inability to sit still. Because his passion involves reporting on the true nature of what’s happening in Tokyo, he’ll find another dangerous story to cover in no time. Seasons 1 and 2 of Tokyo Vice are currently streaming on Max.
