Tobo Bengoshi eps 1-8

 
Tobo Bengoshi is a dorama of two storylines. The first is fugitive lawyer Narita Makoto helping each person per episode. Mokoto will encounter someone in need of legal advice, fraudulently claim to still be a lawyer and dispense some legal advice. To stomach the fugitive lawyer with heart of gold part, one must accept that Makoto is able to be on the run for a whole year in Tokyo and not get caught.

Sure, Tokyo is freaking huge but he could have at least changed his hair and grew a beard. Mokoto is a wanted murder suspect with his face pasted all over. They tried to explain it by saying that the prosecutor is happy for Makoto to be on the run because he doesn't have enough evidence but Makoto escapes from the cops so easily and frequently that I'd be tempted to be a chikan in Japan.

One must accept that Makoto has not been struck off the professional list and is committing fraud by wearing the badge. That Japan does not have legal aid or community legal centers to help the public. One must accept that the person who Makoto is helping will find out he is a wanted suspect, threaten to expose him until they rationalise Makoto must not be a baddie because he is helping them. Makoto will then launch into some hypocritical tirade about how good the law is and how everyone except him should turn themselves in.I wish he'd just use his legal know how to in helping people indirectly instead of acting like a self righteous lawyer dispensing legal advice. Covertly helping people would have fit in so much better with the theme of a fugitive lawyer.

So why did I watch Tobo Bengoshi for 8 episodes so far? Two reasons. Firstly, the main story which is about who is responsible for framing Makoto is actually pretty exciting. Contrast this with Atami no Sousakan or Shinzanmono where the main mystery was sleep inducing without proper pacing. Tobo Bengoshi has actually structured the main story very well. You still get your red herrings but every episode leaves me wanting to watch the next one. Being able to skim the good samaritan fugitive lawyer bits does help as well.

Second reason is the casting. Isihara Satomi as the victim's daughter and Yada Akiko as the prosecutor's assistant. Their roles are pretty boring but they are very pretty to look at. Are Ishihara Satomi's lips getting fuller the more doramas she does. Not to mention the guest stars; Aibu Saki as a stalker hostess, Suenaga Haruka in ep 4 and Shiraishi Miho in ep 8! Sakurai san from Densha is in the dorama as well.

So the ultimate question is whether Tobo Bengoshi is worth watching. I wouldn't say it is but the main story and casting do make the the show tolerable and maybe even watchable. It all depends on what happens in the later episodes with the main story.