Tokyo Vice

 

If you’re in the mood for something that feels like a cool, neon-soaked fever dream, let’s talk about HBO Max's Tokyo Vice.

This was one of HBO Max’s early flagship shows (back when it was still HBO Max), and now that it’s officially wrapped its two-season run, I can safely say: this is one of those rare prestige dramas that actually nails the ending.

Set in late-’90s Tokyo, the series drops us into a world that politely insists “murder doesn’t exist”… while quietly burying the truth under paperwork, tradition, and a whole lot of blood.

At the center is Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), a real-life journalist who becomes the first American reporter at a major Japanese newspaper. He’s not just there to write fluff pieces — he’s obsessed with the criminal underworld, sometimes to his own detriment.

That obsession pulls him into the orbit of Detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe, doing effortless legend behavior), who becomes part mentor, part reality check, part moral compass. Together, they start tugging on threads that lead straight to Tozawa, a Yakuza boss who has zero interest in tradition and every interest in owning the city.

And here’s the thing: the plot is gripping, but what really makes Tokyo Vice work is the vibe.

Michael Mann directed the pilot, and you can feel his fingerprints all over the show — the cigarette smoke hanging in the air, the neon bouncing off wet pavement, the quiet conversations in dark bars, the city glowing and threatening at the same time. It’s one of those shows where you can almost smell the rain.

Ken Watanabe is phenomenal, of course, but the real breakout is the Japanese cast, especially Show Kasamatsu as Sato. He starts off as a low-level enforcer and slowly becomes the emotional heartbeat of the series. His journey is messy, painful, and incredibly human — the kind of arc that sneaks up on you and then refuses to leave your brain.

Not everything is perfect. The Samantha storyline (Rachel Keller’s aspiring club owner) sometimes feels like it wandered in from another show, and the whole “foreigner navigating a mysterious culture” angle is familiar territory. But those are small dents in an otherwise beautifully built machine.

By the time the final episode rolls around, Tokyo Vice isn’t just about crime anymore. It’s about loyalty, compromise, identity, and what it costs to live in a world where morality is flexible, and violence is just another business expense.

It’s stylish, patient, emotionally heavy in the best way, and quietly devastating when it wants to be.

A slow burn, yes — but absolutely worth it.

And now I have to know: who were you rooting for? Jake, Katagiri, or (let’s be honest) Sato?

Let’s debate in the comments.

You can catch Tokyo Vice on HBO Max.