Full disclaimer before I continue, I have only watched one episode of this show thus far. That said, I’ve been wined, dined and swooned beyond belief, please check this out on your nearest streaming service asap.

I first took notice of Giri/Haji when it popped up in my Netflix feed in 2020 under "Asian Thriller" and "Detective drama". As per my monstrous procrastination skills, I proceeded to shelve said show for the next 3 years.

Fast forward to today. Having exhausted my supply of Netflix-original anime, I decided to take a look at my watchlist, sorting items from oldest to latest. Guess what popped up?

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 1 INCOMING

義理/恥 (Giri/Haji), which directly translates to Duty/Shame in Kanji, roughly follows the journey of Detective Kenzo Mori, as his eventful yet fulfilling home life is interrupted by news that his dead brother is not only alive, but is also at the epicenter of what could become the Yakuza’s bloodiest conflict. Thus ensues Detective Mori’s journey to London, where he becomes embroiled in a grisly tale of bureaucracy, rivalry, vengeance, and honor.

While I am a sucker for this exact genre, this does indeed sound like pretty stock standard stuff plot-wise. Instead, what really caught my attention (and thoroughly sustained it through the first 45 minutes of the pilot episode) was the style oozing from every shot of Giri/Haji. To understand what I mean, you really do have to watch at least one episode, but believe me when I say there is not a single uninteresting shot in this show.

Till now, I’m still milling around, trying to figure out which director’s fingerprints are on this piece of work. Giri/Haji feels heavily inspired by Kora Eda and Park Chan Wook in its uncompromising cinematography and story-line, but the pacing is a different beast entirely.

While it is undeniable that Giri/Haji has a beautiful asian backdrop, being based in Japan and London, it almost feels to me as if it carries an exotic heartbeat (seriously giving Wes Anderson vibes). Right when I expect the scene to cut, or characters to speak, the camera lingers on for a few more uncomfortable seconds. When I expect festering tension to erupt into violence, there is instead a flashback, or a complete stylistic swap to a cell-shaded scene.

The variation is immense, the pacing is thrilling, the shots are so very captivating, and the vibes are immaculate.

Please give Giri/Haji a watch as soon as possible. We’re barely halfway through 2023 but I already know with certainty this gem of a show will be making its way to the top of my 2023 films tier list.

This was a shorter-form recommendation, but I really couldn’t hold back my excitement for this series. Hope you enjoyed reading this nonetheless. Thanks for reading! See you around soon :).

Soli Deo gloria.