Tantei Monogatari (探偵物語), or Detective Story, is an action Japanese TV series starring Yūsaku Matsuda that was originally broadcast on Nippon TV in 27 forty-five-minute episodes from September 18, 1979 to April 1, 1980. The show had various directors including Toru Murakawa, Kiyoshi Nishimura, Yukihiro Sawada and Yasuharu Hasebe.[1][2]

Plot

Shunsaku Kudō sets up office in a rundown building as a private detective after spending five years as a cop in San Francisco where he became familiar with firearms. Kudō was originally envisioned as a standard hard-boiled type but star Yūsaku Matsuda looked too much like a rebel so the character ended up riding a Vespa scooter, smoking Camel cigarettes and dressing in a black or white suit and sunglasses. Also living in the building are two young girls (American actress Nancy Cheney and Kahori Takeda) who fuss over the detective.[1][3]

Cast

Reception

Tantei Monogatari with its easy-going humorous style earned high ratings while on the air and later acquired a cult following. Nippon TV published a book about the show titled Yomigaere! Tantei Monogatari (Come Back! Detective Story) in 1994 and Toei Video later released the whole series.[3] Toei also released the entire series as a boxed set of Blu-ray discs in 2015.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Clements, Jonathan; Tamamuro, Motoko (2003). The Dorama Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese TV Drama Since 1953. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press. pp. 60–61. ISBN 1-88065681-7.
  2. ^ "探偵物語(1979)" (in Japanese). AllCinema. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  3. ^ a b Schilling, Mark (1997). The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. Boston: Weatherhill. pp. 127–129. ISBN 978-0-8348-0380-0.
  4. ^ "Tantei Monogatari Blu-ray Box". CD Japan. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
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