"Sukeban Deka" season one drama, recap 22 of 24 episodes

 

Air Dates: April 11 to October 31, 1985 Thursdays at 7:30 pm on Fuji-TV

Based upon the manga by Shinji Wada, there were some differences between the manga and this series such as two new characters but for the most part what took place in the manga was followed... Subs by Mashhamid though a few others have also subbed this series

Ratings: Average for all 24 episodes was 13.04%, the high was 17.0% while 9.6% was the lowest and that happened twice. This episode's rating was 9.6% which is the lowest of the series, this aired on October 10, 1985 and there was no show on the third.

 

 

 The heroine in this series was Yuki Saito who was eighteen when the show began in April 1985, she turned nineteen while it was airing. Wouldn't call Yuki a superstar but she's an actress most drama fans should know of as she's been so busy over the last forty years appearing in too many dramas, movies and stage plays to count! Yuki is also a singer who has about ten albums and 25 singles along with doing many other theme songs to dramas, she does the ending song to this show. Yuki is now 58 in age and she was an attractive woman back in her twenties and thirties, not saying she looks bad now but as mentioned is getting up there in age. Enough of an intro as there's always another mini section after the main character bios which are below and will be editing them quite often.

 Most of the action will be taking place at the Takanoha Academy high school but in episode one the setting was St. Annes school which did slightly confuse me. Episode two is when Saki enrolls at Takanoha Academy and we didn't meet most major characters until then or at least the main students. Most of these photos at the top are of Saki holding a Yo-Yo, it's no ordinary one! When it flips open it shows the Police Crest as Saki is an undercover detective and what power it has. The Yo-Yo can smash through steel and if a person gets hit with it they're down for the count, the steel string is very long and can also double as a pair of handcuffs.

 Yuki Saito as Saki Asamiya.... There is so much to say about Saki and not enough space! Saki's mother Natsu is currently on death row for killing her husband Toshiya, that happened when Saki was six in age which was eleven years ago. For the next nine years don't know yet what became of Saki but by the age of twelve she was a delinquent. She did enter high school but was expelled from Takanoha Academy at the age of fifteen and sent to Kanto Kita Juvenile Center but there was something about Saki or perhaps her circumstances which attracted the attention of the two men below this bio, Jin and Shirei. They're the top two executives of the very secret government department Dark Agency, they've recruited Saki to become an undercover detective as being a teen will allow to work much more efficiently at high schools. Of course Saki refused at first but the offer included an apartment, clothes and such plus a huge kicker. Which is that if Saki successfully completed a mission her mother Natsu's death penalty would be voided though would have to finish a prison sentence. To that offer Saki agreed but the Dark Agency did renege on their end of the deal and came up with an excuse for Saki to do another mission which she reluctantly said yes to so think that scenario of Dark Agency using Saki will continue on. Know more changes will be done to Saki's bio but that covers what we learned in the first two episodes. Saki's mother Natsu is in the bottom screenshot, don't think we'll be seeing her too often.

 

Koji Naka as Kyoichiro Jin.... The top agent for Dark Agency and is Saki's 'handler'. Jin was a cool looking man and was very respected by his superior Shirei. Jin is very skilled at martial arts though we haven't seen him in a physical fight through eight episodes and drives a yellow Porsche 911. In episode fifteen we learned that Jin was born in 1956 so that would make his age 29, he had attended a university in America and graduated in 1982. That meant he was 26 at the time and after returning to Japan Jin began to work for the National Police Agency, the Dark Agency must be an offshoot department. After beginning with the police none of Jin's records or activities are in their database so it's like Jin has been erased from the Earth, discovering that was the very devious older Mizuchi sister Reimi.

 Hiroyuki Nagato as Kurayami Shirei.... Leader of Dark Agency and the person who recruited  Saki to be an undercover detective at high schools. To me it appears Shirei is the one toying with Saki and saying he'll void her mother's death sentence to keep her doing missions, think Jin does have a soft spot for Saki and doesn't like seeing her used. Shirei had been a judge at one time and was one of the six on the panel for Natsu's murder trial! Perhaps that's why he chose Saki to be a secret detective as he had been keeping tabs on her for about a decade and felt she was finally ready for action! Don't know if it will continue on for the whole series but when Shirei appears in screen we never see him clearly, he is an older man and maybe keeping his face obscured adds to the mystery.

 The remaining characters are all from Takanoha Academy which is a high school, in Tokyo? No characters appeared in the first episode so these bios will definitely need to be edited for future posts, the top characters are the students. Don't think any teachers will be key to the stories but will add one in plus the principal. Saki had attended this school when she was fifteen in age but had been expelled in her first year and sent to a detention center, she's now returned to the fury of many who remember her!

Chiaki Watanabe as Miyako Yumekoji.... She too is a delinquent girl but unlike Saki was never sent away to a detention center and is very intelligent though her ego is a bit too large. When Saki had been expelled Miyako took 'control' of the school or in other words has become the leader of the school's undesirables. Who are females and you never see girls have male underlings in these shows or films, of course those henchmen(women?) are Yes People who bully others. None of that group of Miyako's followers will have large roles but we will be seeing them often enough, the names of the main four girls are Tomiko, Hanako, Masayo and Tamami. That's them in the first screenshot below, Miyako is on the left and in the center of the second screenshot. Miyako is a very attractive teen and for now hates Saki with such a passion so a theme for the first half of the series will be of her trying to take Saki down. Of course Miyako doesn't know Saki is an undercover detective and had felt she returned to Takanoha Academy to take control of the female gangs which was not the case.

 Yasuyoshi Masuda as Sanpei Nowaki.... That's an odd name and don't recall ever seeing either of those before. Senpai wasn't at Takanoha Academy when Saki was enrolled there two years ago, when he first saw Saki in present times it was love at first sight for Senpai!!!! Who had no idea of Saki's past but was so enamored with her ultra coolness plus she was attractive. Unsure(doubt) if Saki will ever return Senpai's feelings of love but think he will become a trusted ally. By the third episode Sanpei has become friends with Saki, not best friends yet but he is her only one.

  

 Genji Kawai as Miyagawa.... Principal of Takanoha Academy and he probably won't be an important character but should be in most episodes, he's the older man sitting at the desk.

 Hiraizumi Sei as Numa Juzo.... PE teacher at the academy and also the home room teacher of Saki's. Juzo was strongly opposed to Saki being able to reenroll at the school but like all didn't know she was an undercover detective. He also works in  the guidance department and can be extremely strict though usually is fair to all except not at first towards Saki.

 The Mizuchi family.... just added these four characters in as they will be so very important for at least the next eight episodes. Least the three sisters will, doubt if we'll see much of the father but just in case we do added his name in here. We first met Ayumi in episode eleven, then Kumi in the thirteenth and the elder Mizichi sister Reimi in episode fifteen.

Yasuko Endo as Ayumi Mizuchi.... Though just seventeen in age when this was filmed in the show she was at least a year older than Saki. Ayumi comes from a very wealthy family and is the president of the Kanto Region Student Council Union among other things. Ayumi used that position to try and take control Saki's high school Takanoha Academy but that failed, she's Saki's most bitter enemy and also her toughest opponent. **** Checked up on the actress and read a very sad story, six months after this show ended Yasuko committed suicide and was just seventeen in age. Besides acting she was also about to begin a singing career at the time of her death which was from jumping out of a seventh story window. That death was very suspicious at the time and so many rumors began to spread about why the tragedy occurred but no one knew the real answer.

Natsumi Asano as Kumi Mizuchi.... I seventeen in age which is the same as Saki and is another sister who needs to be avoided! Though such a low life person Kumi is a very talented pianist and the competition she was in was the focus of episodes thirteen and fourteen. At the end of the 14th show she got into a scrap with Saki, Kumi's right hand and arm was injured so she'll be unable to play the ivories for a while.

 Hitomi Takahashi as Reimi Mizuchi.... We finally met the oldest sister in the fifteenth episode, she's just returned to Japan after attending college in America. Reimi is quite an attractive woman but also one you don't want to tangle with as she is so ruthless. And devious as she's vowed to take down Saki for hurting her two younger sisters and to me it's not Ayumi who is Saki's most dangerous opponent but Reimi! She has quite the setup at her father's office which is the top screenshot below, considering this drama took place in 1985 Reimi had some tech gadgets which are common today but were very rare back then.

Shigeru Kamiyama as Gouzo Mizuchi.... Don't think we'll be seeing much of him but his fortune is so key to the sisters enacting their revenge on Saki! Gouzo owns the Mizuchi Corporation and is supposedly the sixth richest man in Japan, his family never loses and often have to resort to such underhanded and violent measures to achieve that!

Previous recaps

 There will be some new storylines and characters added into the series as we go along so off course will add in any major characters and keep editing to the existing characters also. Have said in other dramas how in a way it could be easier to wait until the entire series has been finished or pick a certain show to wait until, say the midway point. Then you could go into one post and click on the links for each episode as doing it that way makes it so much easier to read plus this is the only was you can read them in order quickly as searching could take a while. You do see the characters in the first screenshot at the end of most of these kinds of dramas, ones where the story is ongoing. Those Hiragana characters spell out Tsudzuku which means To be continued and of course it means the story. After that screenshot is also the title of this current episode, in episode fifteen decided to no longer have videos for this series.

Episode one .... Episode two .... Episode three .... Episode four

Episode five .... Episode six ... Episode seven .... Episode eight

Episode nine .... Episode ten .... Episode eleven .... Episode twelve

Episode thirteen .... Episode fourteen .... Episode fifteen .... Episode sixteen

Episode seventeen .... Episode eighteen .... Episode nineteen .... Episode twenty

             

 This episode had a rating of 9.6% which was the lowest of the series and I had wondered why? Baseball is very popular in Japan so thought their championship series was going on but that didn't begin for almost two more weeks. October 10th was the air date for this episode, on the fifth there was an earthquake in the Tokyo area that had a reading of 6.2 so could that have been a reason for the low rating, can't think of anything else. Mention that for this series had begun to hit it's stride about ten episodes ago and most shows have been better than the previous one as the ratings were inching upward until this episode. Plus this was the conclusion of a two part story which had so much mystery, intrigue and set itself up for what may take place in the final two episodes. Sure you read the above post and I do say that often in recaps, it is essential to know what's been taking place or what's written in this recap will mean nothing to you. 

 We did learn a bit about the circumstances surrounding the death of Saki's father Toshiya, he was murdered over eleven years ago when Saki was six and committing the crime was her mother Natsu! Who is sill in prison for the murder but because Saki has helped the Dark Agency out on so many cases it appears the director Shirei will make sure Natsu is not executed. Shirei did jog Saki's memory about her testifying in court and she did say there was one other man in the room when Toshiya was killed, Saki never saw the actual murder. Two of the three judges didn't believe Saki's testimony but Shirei did and still does, it also appears at least one of those judges was corrupt along with the prosecutor. So time is running out for Saki and Dark Agency to find out the true details of the murder, Shirei felt the Mizuchi family father Gouzo was that mysterious man at the scene of Toshiya's murder. As you know the Mizuchi Group, led by the oldest daughter Reimi, has a goal of ruling all of Japan and how is in the previous recaps. So if Shirei and Dark Agency want to bring Gouzo and his family to justice it has to be now as Reimi has scheduled a press conference at Takanoha Academy, that's a high school she and her sisters now control along with others in the Tokyo area. At the press conference Reimi will be announcing plans for the brainwashing of Japan's youth but of course brainwashing won't be mentioned but instead how morals need to be more like those of the Mizuchi family. Saki, Jin and Sanpei had broken into the school and subdued many of the guards, Saki had been secretly listening to the plans of Gouzo, Reimi and some other fiends who were meeting in the director's office. In the final ten or so seconds what took place is right above, Saki had been attacked by a man twice her size and she was no match for him, could this episode begin off with the death of our heroine Saki????

 However as this 22nd episode began it wasn't Saki who was defeated and lost her life, instead it was that massive goon who is in the top screenshot. Saki didn't use power to defeat the man but instead her own agility and had never seen her use such deft moves until now. Saki was able to flip out of this monster's grasp while at the same time pulling out her powerful Yo-Yo, he was zonked in the head a few times and was out for the count! That took all of twenty seconds which is why there weren't more screenshots, that huge thug also had been in an episode of "Shoujo Commando Izumi" that aired two years later and was so similar to this series. Saki then dashed into the director's office, Reimi had left for that press conference which is in the second screenshot. Which was fine to Saki as it was the father Gouzo she wanted to have a showdown with and it was a long scene. During this scene there were a few other events taking place around Takanoha Academy and this scene with Saki would cut away to them at times. But first let me explain everything that took place between Saki and Gouzo for it will make the entire story easier to understand, then will get to what else had been taking place. However will add in one thing for it was key, Saki's Dark Agency handler Jin and her best friend Sanpei had broken into the school's communication's room and subdued the guards. The pair then were able to tap into the director's office via the intercom and transmit the entire conversation between Saki and Gouzo to the school. Needless to say everyone was shocked with what Gouzo confessed but of course he had no idea the conversation was being broadcast live.... and taped!

 This was a longish scene with many flashbacks to what took place 11-12 years ago, almost all of the dialogue was from Gouzo as Saki didn't say much and didn't need to. A dozen years ago Gouzo Mizuchi was a wealthy man but not at the level he is today, he's currently the sixth richest man in Japan. Gouzo talked about some of the shady activities he did back then such as being a loan shark but just to those who were wealthy/powerful and fallen on hard times or needed to keep dirty money a secret. Gouzo had worked in unison with some politicians and a prosecutor which did shield him from ever being arrested and his wealth grew so massive quickly, Gouzo also branched off with more illegal activities. That quick rise in power and wealth drew the attention of a youngish journalist who became so curious about Gouzo and any crimes he may be committing, that man's name was Toshiya Asamiya and he was Saki's father... or was it Gouzo! Saki's mother Natsu worked as Gouzo's personal secretary at his Mizuchi Group company which was his main business outlet, she had started there a little over a year before Saki's birth. Natsu soon became the object of Gouzo's attention(desire!) but at the time he was married, no mention has ever been made of who the mother was of his three other daughters. As it shows above Gouzo told Saki during this encounter he craved Natsu so much he ended up taking her by force and think that was the only time the creep had his way with Saki's mother. Nine months later the birth of Saki took place so of course Gouzo figured she was his fourth daughter, shortly after the attack on Natsu is when she married Toshiya. That screenshot at the bottom above is from when Saki was six in age and for the first time Natsu told her husband the sordid details of what Gouzo had done!

 During this scene also in the director's room with Saki and Gouzo was the prosecutor Yazaki. He was the one who had tried and won the case against Natsu and was a powerful figure working with Gouzo all these years, he was forgotten about until the end of this scene. Shortly before Natsu had revealed to her husband Toshiya the way Gouzo had forced himself on her Toshiya himself had met a few times with the dastardly man! Gouzo had heard of the story Toshiya was writing, that could not be published or else it would mean the end of Gouzo's expanding empire! The man had tried a few times to bribe Toshiya to not publish the massive article and to give Gouzo the manuscript, each time Toshiya refused the bribes which were quite large. A few nights after his final meeting with Gouzo Toshiya's wife Natsu had confessed about what the creep did and though it incensed Toshiya immensely he held his anger in check. However Natsu was so consumed with guilt for what if their daughter Saki wasn't their own child?! Natsu had blamed herself for allowing the rape to be committed and had picked up a sharp and long kitchen knife to end her life, this scene is right above and as mentioned it's the story Gouzo had been telling Saki. Gouzo had been viewing this secretly from the shadows and didn't reveal himself until later when Natsu had passed out, she never knew this fiend was there! Saki knew some of this from the Dark Agency director Shirei but even he didn't know all that took place such as who was the true killer of Toshiya? An out of control Natsu attempted to stab herself but Toshiya was able to wrest the knife away from her but that was only the beginning of this tragic scene.

 What Saki had said in court was true as a man had entered the family's apartment, a six year old Saki never saw his face but knew he had a burn mark on his chest. She didn't see who killed her father at the time but didn't need to as an arrogant Gouzo boasted it was he who had done the cruel act with of course not realizing the whole school was listening to his story! When a semi crazed Natsu had tried killing herself because of the shame she felt knowing Gouzo may be the father of Saki she had been stopped by her husband Toshiya, Natsu's anxiety level was so high she ended up passing out. A few seconds later appearing out of the shadows was Gouzo who calmly picked up the knife and was ready to end her life! Toshiya knew exactly why and begged Gouzo not to as he would give this demon that manuscript on the story he was about to publish about the Mizuchi Group and it's evil partners that included some judges, prosecutors, high ranking police officers and even a few politicians. That publication would destroy so many lives and that's a good thing as the corruption needed to stop!

 So at the scene it was Gouzo who stabbed Toshiya as not to take a chance in seeing that story published, he wiped off his fingerprints and put the knife in a passed out Natsu's hands. Gouzo then kicked over the stove which ignited the fire, Saki had begun to view the events around this time and watched Gouzo quickly flee. As I've said many times Natsu was tried and found guilty for the murder, she truly believed she had killed Toshiya but now after over eleven years the true facts have been revealed! With Gouzo's narration of the horrific story concluded he realized Saki couldn't live and the prosecutor Yazaki threw the man a rifle, had forgotten he was there. Right then Gouzo unbuttoned his shirt a bit and Saki noticed the burn mark in his chest so that was another bit of proof that Gouzo was at the murder scene. An enraged Saki drew out her powerful Yo-Yo and nailed Gouzo hard a few times with it, he staggered and fell while dropping the rifle. Which was picked up by Yazaki but this wimpy man was no match for the undercover detective(Deka) Saki who snatched it away from him just as Jin, Sanpei and some police officers entered the office. There was no use in Gouzo denying anything as Sanpei had taped his entire ranting or actually confession, Gouzo would be going to prison for the remainder of his life! But there was no way he could allow that to happen and you can see what took place in the bottom screenshot above. It's a pistol Gouzo had calmly taken from his desk, a few seconds later Gouzo ended his life. Meanwhile the two sisters Ayumi and Kumi had been arrested and dragged from Takanoha Academy along with some other of Gouzo's partners in crime. But not taken away was Reimi who at the press conference had heard every word of her father's tale and was so furious with him! So furious think she was glad when he pulled the trigger and Reimi slipped away from the school but will be seen twice more before the show ends.

 Final segment, what took place is in the above screenshots and first five below. I do try to explain most things but can't get to all as these posts would be much longer so viewing the screenshots do help you follow the story better. That second segment had a smallish third paragraph and it's the first time it's happened in this series but I really needed to explain as much as possible and couldn't leave anything out. During that long confession/ranting from Gouzo a few other things were going on at the high school. The teacher Numa and his remaining students did help out Jin with taking out many of the Mizuchi Group guards, he was the only staff member to have believed in Saki during this long ordeal. That's him below a week later as Takanoha Academy has returned to being a normal high school though for now without Saki. As mentioned many other high ranking Japanese citizens were also arrested and the Mizuchi Group appears to have met its end or has it? For as you can see above Saki tracked down Reimi and found her at the main office, the two had a brief reunion and a crazed Reimi said it was her dream since being a child to rule Japan! Now that Saki has foiled Reimi and her family's attempt at that why bother living(?!), she opened a secret compartment and soon a few bombs detonated! That brief scene is right above and Saki fled for her life, it appeared what took place was the final time we'd ever see Reimi as the office was caving in but no so which sets it up for a thrilling final two episodes.

 Now that everyone knows the truth about Toshiya's murder his wife Natsu has been released from prison, that scene too is above. Natsu had been filled with so much shame for thinking she killed her husband which is why she could never meet Saki during those prison visits. Plus Natsu revealed that she thinks despite what Gouzo claimed Toshiya is Saki's biological father and to both it really didn't matter at this point. At that reunion you can see the Dark Agency director Shirei saying Saki's services are no longer needed and she can go back to being a normal seventeen year old but did he speak too soon?! Saki is back living with her mother, she's still expelled from Takanoha Academy and not sure why as it's been proven she's never committed any crimes. A visiting Sanpei told Saki not to worry as the next day a meeting would be held to reinstate her which could happen in the next episode. Much more could also take place and at this point there was less than a minute to go in the show. While Sanpei was at Saki's new house he, the mother Natsu and Saki somehow heard an eerie voice out of nowhere that sounded like a threat! It was and the voice belonged to Reimi who somehow survived that bomb blast and fire, she can't go to Hell without taking revenge on Saki and the episode ended on that note!!!! WOW, what a show that was and to me was the top one to date. So much took place in just 23 1/2 minutes and needed to add an extra paragraph in which is so rare for me. Two more shows to go and it'll be hard to top what took place in this episode but know it'll be a thrilling conclusion. Will have those final pair of recaps within the week and I am going to miss this series so much(!), there's plenty more screenshots below to help you follow the action a bit better.