‘Informa’ (2023) Netflix Series Recap
Informa is a 10-episode Japanese crime thriller series that recently premiered on Netflix. Fujii Michihito directed and Sakai Masaaki is the screenwriter. It’s beautifully crafted despite the plot gaps and numerous unanswered questions left behind.
The series is based on a novel called Informa by Garyo Okita. It follows the story of an informant stuck in the underworld and on the political side. Together with a dim-witted reporter, he embarks on adventures in search of “real” news to report on. The main role of Keijiro Kihara is played by Kenta Kiritani. Reo Sano plays the role of Mishima Kanji. The cast is pretty fitting for the show in my opinion, and the acting isn’t too bad either.
Informa starts out in the same old stereotypical way – a hardcore character minding his own business. The typical way of entering the series didn’t really captivate me at first. However, as the minutes went by, I realized that it was seemingly difficult to connect with this particular character. He was nonchalant and distant – quite unsympathetic in my opinion. At some points in the story, it seemed like the reporter could use a break from the hero himself.
The story seems boring at first. Of course there’s some action, but nothing that catches your eye, you know? In addition, many characters are added to the story without much explanation. You just walk by and you wonder what’s going on. As the story progresses, you realize that the entire series is one big series that has similar crime scenes throughout the episodes. They ran out of ideas really quickly.
Oddly enough, there was nothing interesting about the morally gray character either. There was, of course, a lot of brute force. But that was all he could think of.
After the fifth episode things are looking up. The main character’s backstory and motives are revealed. It contributes to the plot and condenses. The reporter and main character in Informa finally seem to be working in chemistry and the similar storylines seem to be getting more interesting. If you thought you knew what was happening, this one will prove you wrong. It fails you in the best (but worst) way – a plot twist.
Now for the “big” revelation – it really didn’t catch my attention. It seemed thoughtless and very different from the flow of the plot. To be honest I was crazy about it. However, the climax at the end of the series is quite satisfying and makes you forget the hiccups along the way.
The cinematography is flawless. Using camera angles, capturing facial expressions, slow motion and stunning highlights are just what you need to get through the first five episodes. It picks up early enough for the plot, but the scene shots remain the same, if not more – thankfully.
I loved the series for its reckless moments and the raw imagery it featured. It was basically a real crime thriller. A must for crime lovers who like intensity.
bottom line [7.5/10]
Reviewed by – Jess Doshi
Follow @JessDoshi on twitter
Editor at Midgard Times
