Happy Sunday, Streamers.
Depending on your spiritual persuasion, allow me to wish you a Happy Easter, Passover, or Weekend 1 of Coachella. We’ve come down with a severe case of Japanophilia over here at The Sunday Stream, and this week I present two recs to you that feature the land of the Rising Sun in polar opposite fashion.
Let’s get to them, tomadachi.
Tokyo Vice
What It’s About: Based on Jake Edelstein’s memoir “Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan,” this drama follows an American crime journalist (Ansel Elgort), as he dives into the deep underbelly of Tokyo’s crime underworld in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s.
Why You Should Watch: For sleek visuals layered on top of slow burn, neo-noir.
I don’t like Ansel Elgort. He’s an uncharismatic goober who inexplicably gets cast in projects much more interesting than he’ll ever be. Tokyo Vice is no exception to this rule in that much like Baby Driver or West Side Story, it is stylish, sleek, well-pedigreed, and somehow not brought down by Ansel’s babyfaced rigidity. My point is if you can get over his involvement, Tokyo Vice is actually a really rewarding watch. What starts as a fish-out-of-water story turns into a simmering, gritty crime noir with a genuinely intriguing premise; when you throw all that into a blender with the exotic locale, warring Yakuzas, neon-drenched ambiance and an always-great Ken Watanabe, you get some really compelling television. I just wish Ansel wasn’t in it.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Ansel Elgort - The Fault in Our Stars, The Divergent Franchise, Baby Driver, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, his cringeworthy music career (see below), or his semi-recent sexual assault allegations (I’m telling you, he’s the worst!!!).
Ken Watanabe - Being second fiddle to another white savior trope in The Last Samurai, the recent Godzilla franchise, Inception, Memoirs of a Geisha, and as the fake Ra’s Al Ghul in Batman Begins.
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Michael Mann directs the first episode, setting the visual tone and style in the same wheelhouse as his other hits like Miami Vice, Heat, and Collateral. The series was created by J.T. Rogers, wrote the recent Oslo.
Where You Can Watch: HBOMax
Old Enough
What It’s About: A Japanese reality show in which children between the age of two and four run errands by themselves for the very first time (that’s it).
Why You Should Watch: For comfort content and general adorableness
You’ve probably seen clips from this show on the internet over the past couple of days, and if you haven’t, then you really need to check this one out. While just coming to U.S. screens this week, a version of Old Enough has apparently been running on Japanese television for the last 30 years, and you can quickly see why: the outrageously simple premise is so pure, so wholesome, so stupidly entertaining, you can’t help but smile while watching it. Ten seconds is all it took for me to be completely bought in, belly laughing as I cheered on these adorable and determined children from the couch (Look both ways! Leave the candy! Don’t forget the curry!!!). Episodes are ten minutes long, so there is really no reason to not put aside a couple of minutes and let the joy of these infants boldly attempting mundane tasks wash over your cynical heart.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
N/A, unless you have somehow met one of these toddlers in action at a supermarket or on a bus.
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Shockingly I couldn’t find much about the creators of this show, probably because their genius is now being put to use on more important pursuits like addressing climate change, ending world hunger, or convincing Elon to use his wealth for something actually useful (an edit button?!).
Where You Can Watch: Netflix