After Final Cut last month, a new J-drama goes under our X-ray: Miss Devil. A series on the world of work, but also on a heroine who is not cold in the eyes!
The plot although classic offers viewers the opportunity to discover a large Japanese company through a combative woman with a heavy secret and a new employee a bit naïve.
This review contains spoilers. To be read at your own risk.
Miss Devil
Original title: Missデビル 人事の悪魔・椿眞子
Gender: Comedy – Work
Country: Japan
Episodes : 10
Chain: NTV
Release period: April 14 to June 16, 2018
Synopsis :
Mako Tsubaki is a human resources consultant for the insurance company, Kyoa Home. Its job is to solve the various problems that affect it. His first mission was to train fifty new employees, but his methods were unusual. Hiroshi Saito will have to pay the price while learning on the job.
Main cast
Nanao Mako Tsubaki | Shori SATO [Sexy Zone] Hiroshi Saito (Summer Nude) | Yoshino KIMURA Chihiro Ito (Hiyokko) |
Eiichiro FUNAKOSHI Tomoharu Osawa | Toshiyuki NISHIDA Kanji Kitamura | Masato WADA Shuhei Okitsu (Kataomoi) |
Preventive measures
Miss Devil is a drama in a classic register since it contains the inseparable elements of a good Japanese comedy . Thus, we follow several characters within one of the oldest insurance companies in the country. The story, through Tsubaki, invites us to discover how it works. The character stands out for ordinary employees thanks to her very marked and authoritarian personality: she does not bear the nickname of Miss Devil for nothing! It is interesting to note the dysfunctions within the company and the methods put into practice, which are not always legal.
Tsubaki is tasked with destroying the rotten apples in the tree while Sato is put in charge of this dirty work under his command. The two characters very often oppose each other, their opinions converge, and yet, the final outcome leads to an objective choice. However, a mystery also keeps us in suspense, that of the past of the latter. The authors exploit the loopholes in insurance contracts and the fraud caused. We are well aware of the misfortune of the victim and of such a mistake. The subjects are distilled throughout the story without too much heaviness.
A big family
The series does not revolve only around our devil and the blue service, on the contrary, many characters find themselves trapped. If Tsubaki is the head of the evaluation department, she is not all-powerful. Mrs. Ito, the director of human resources does not hide from reminding her. A certain rivalry then set in, making it possible to develop the place of women at work. The team composed by Tsubaki is certainly crazy and caricatured, but offers a lot of humor. Whether it's the hacker, the mechanic or the accountant… They bring a little extra. The actress shows the full extent of her talent on screen by playing a female demoness, sexy, intriguing and touching. She holds the pitch with a master hand while forming a comedy duo with her comrade Sato.
The young man, meanwhile, brings the freshness and passion of youth. Her family story is also very important, being linked to the heroine. Throughout the plot, he grows up and realizes the reality of the world of work. The world around the insurance industry is interested not only in key services, but also in those that run it. For example, although the manager seems relaxed and detached, his office is far from having the desired appearance for his rank. It is easy to notice that behind this, he has other motivations especially when he invites his staff. His vision of a large family is commendable and his paternal side suits him rather well. Here again, camps are made and undone with the passage of time in order to disentangle the true from the false. And as often, it opens to meditate on the reasons of each while forgiving because to err is human!
User-friendly approach
The story does not necessarily shine by the originality of its synopsis, but there is a certain research brought to the choices of the actors. The fact of having two screenwriters on this project is to be emphasized because one being present in many comedies (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e …), as for the other, it goes straight out of its usual register (Garo). Moreover, Tsubaki's hasty kicks undoubtedly prove his desire for action.
The realization was entrusted to three people known in the field and there is not much to complain about. In terms of musical themes, we are not disappointed because they are numerous, mixing moments of tension, pressure and mystery while adapting to events. The cutting of the story is fluid because an episode ends each time with a reflection for the viewer. Finally, Tsubaki is a modern heroine who, behind a past that has bruised her, tries to discover what is hidden from her while accomplishing her mission of purging society!
The Japanese drama Miss Devil, does not really surprise, but remains a pleasant comedy dealing with subjects that speak to everyone and a controlled psychological approach. Was the devil as evil as he seemed?
Miss Devil trailer:
https://youtu.be/3to2f0X8lwM