Kei x Yaku – Series Review

Ichiro is an undercover police detective who works in the Ministry of Public Security. Three years ago, Ichiro's senior colleague Nakaba was killed on duty. Her death is shrouded in mysterious circumstances. A viral video shows Nakaba kidnapped and shot in the chest, presumably assassinated by gunfire. However, Ichiro finds it strange that he can't find more information about what happened. His boss Taguchi won't tell him anything.

Three years later, Ichiro is assigned on a new case. He must investigate Shiro, a young yakuza leader who skyrocketed in the ranks recently. Shiro made a fortune with trading investments and used his wealth to gain power in the criminal world. Ichiro must go undercover, follow the yakuza leader, and report his suspicious activities to Taguchi.

Shiro is involved in shady dealings, like unlawful gambling and violent assaults. He makes many enemies in his line of work, facing threats and constant attempts to end his life. Ichiro assumes a fake identity to get closer to Shiro's illegal activities. However, the yakuza quickly deduces the police detective's deception. Subsequently, Ichiro loses a fight and lands himself in a precarious situation. Yet, Shiro releases him and doesn't pursue further action.

Later, the characters meet again in the graveyard. Both discover they have a mutual connection to Nakaba. Shiro is Nakaba's younger brother, who grew up in the orphanage together. Like Ichiro, Shiro feels puzzled by his sister's death and seeks answers to the mysterious circumstances. In fact, Shiro became a yakuza specifically to find out what happened to her.

The two men decide to team up in their investigation, hoping to use their police resources and yakuza network to solve the mystery. As they chase leads, Shiro and Ichiro discover a political conspiracy behind Nakaba's death. Before her tragic demise, Nakaba worked on an investigation around an influential politician, who may have covered up a sinister plot in the past.

The mystery fan in me enjoys Kei x Yaku, a compelling crime thriller with twists and turns. To be honest, I had trouble adjusting to the early episodes, which explained the confusing situations hazily. After a while, I got into the groove of the fast-paced narrative, packed with nonstop action and entertaining interactions. Not all the outrageous storylines made perfect sense, but I went along with the silly shenanigans anyway. Kei x Yaku can be stupidly fun, stimulating me with a surreal adventure.

However, it's tough to justify giving a high review score when this series has many shortcomings. If we look at Kei x Yaku as strictly a crime drama, the story is subpar. The convoluted plot isn't written well, full of clunky exposition, nonsensical events, and one-dimensional villains. The circumstances are also laughably ludicrous. There's a prime minister who sleeps with a yakuza leader and an unkillable assassin who defeats dozens of mobsters by herself. You can't overthink Kei x Yaku, or else the bizarre leaps of logic don't hold up under scrutiny.

If we judge Kei x Yaku as a BL series, the lacklustre romance seems disappointing. The relationship content is minimal, with practically no emphasis on affection. While the lighthearted scenes at the end of each episode are adorable, we don't get enough flirtatious or seductive exchanges. Ichiro and Shiro's bond resembles a bromance, never going beyond a platonic rapport. The most pronounced BL material actually comes from Shiro's sordid affair with a minor character. Sadly, they have a more passionate spark than the two leads.

It's too bad that Kei x Yaku seems so shy about the BL material. Otherwise, they could've capitalized on the juicy dynamic between a police detective and a yakuza leader. A stronger romantic subplot would compensate for the weaker storylines. This series gets its priorities wrong, emphasizing the dull gangster drama and the shallow political conspiracy. Instead, the BL relationship should've taken more prominence with some occasional mystery sprinkled here and there. Kei x Yaku fails to be a serious crime thriller when it's better off as an action-packed love story.

This series benefits from having likable protagonists, making you want to root for them to overcome their struggles. Portrayed by capable and charming leads, both exude genuine charisma on-screen. Shiro's performer (Atsuhiro Inukai) brings swagger and flair as a gangster. He's best when his façade drops in those heartfelt moments with his sister. As for Ichiro, the actor (Nobuyuki Suzuki) turns me on. 😳 The towering height, lean physique, and dimpled smile produce an attractive package. He also gives a wonderfully emotional performance in the finale.

Kei x Yaku goes on a streak of exhilarating episodes around the midway point, fun to watch even without much BL. Unfortunately, the plot loses steam towards the end with sloppy storytelling, absurd events, and an anticlimactic finish. The unsatisfying conclusion hardly changes the dynamics, putting too much hope into a second season that may not happen. Overall, Kei x Yaku is occasionally exciting, but it never amounts to anything exceptional. The mediocre mystery and modest bromance make this series seem insignificant to the BL genre.