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The House Always Wins (Japanese: 家はいつも勝つ) is a Japanese crime drama television series created and written by Suko Jiro and directed by Matsunaga Ren. The series was broadcast for 10 episodes, from January 16 to March 20, 2025, on VEJ TV in Japan, as well as being simulcast on the streaming platform VEXcess internationally. The series stars Iseya Yusuke, Minami Takako, Takanashi Isamu, Nakatani Miki, Hongō Kanata, and Kamenashi Kazuya. The series' theme song, "Mixed Nuts" by Beom-Seok, was used for all 10 episodes.
The series follows Nakamura Kenji (Yusuke), a once-wealthy businessman who finds himself in over ¥3,000,000,000 debt to a drug gang following years of addiction. In order to pay off his debts, Kenji establishes a casino in the heart of Tokyo - the casino itself is rigged and Kenji aims to essentially rob its customers of their money in order to pay back the money he owes to the gang. Kenji has to balance his familial relationship with his nephew Takeshi (Isamu) and a romantic relationship with investigative journalist Tanaka Yumi (Miki), all whilst appeasing the gang's boss Kameki (Takako), the casino's sponsor company RyTemza and its CFO Taro (Kazuya), and attempting to avoid capture by the TMPD's special task force, led by Detective Saito (Kanata), who are assigned to investigate the disappearance of a journalist and, later, the casino as a whole.
Jiro wrote the script in 2021 under his company ESAI, but the company filed for bankruptcy soon after. He later joined VEJ in 2023 and pitched the script in mid-2024, where it was later greenlit for production. Principal photography ran from September to November 2024, in areas both in and around Tokyo. Japanese musician Sheena Ringo composed the series' soundtrack, whilst Beom-Seok, main vocalist of the South Korean boy group R3THR0, was selected to write and perform the series' opening theme song.
Upon release, The House Always Wins received positive reviews from critics. Its narrative, dialogue, characters, performances, cinematography, and soundtrack were all praised, whilst some criticism was levied towards the series' tonal inconsistency, realism, and editing. The series was a commercial success in Japan, averaging over 3 million viewers per episode: its series finale was watched by nearly 5 million real-time viewers, becoming the highest rated television drama episode in VEJ TV history. The series won the Galaxy Award for Outstanding Drama, and Takako and Isamu were nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Actor respectively at the Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix. The series' theme song was also a commercial success in Japan, peaking atop the Japan Hot 100, whilst its soundtrack received critical acclaim and peaked atop the Oricon albums chart upon release.
A once wealthy businessman at the technology company RyTemza, Kenji finds himself in millions of dollars worth of debt to a Japanese gang following drug addiction - although he is now sober, he never repaid his debts. Initially, not much is known of his past, but it is revealed later in the series that he had a prosperous career and mentored RyTemza's current CFO, Taro, and that his addiction began following the loss of his fiance, who tragically died. Kenji's large amount of debt is also later explained, as the head of the drug gang that he is indebted too repeatedly let Kenji delay his repayment indefinitely - this is due to the fact that Kenji saved the crime leader's daughter, Kameki, from being kidnapped. A morally conflicted character, Kenji cares for his nephew's wellbeing and genuinely falls in love with Yumi, and also feels obligated to defend Kameki, but he exploits all three of them also for his own gain and consistently manipulates Kameki by holding the time he saved her over her head.
Kameki is the current leader of the crime gang that Kenji owes money too, and the daughter of the man who was in charge of the gang when Kenji accumulated his debts. She did not choose to inherit the gang and it causes conflict amongst her peers who don't deem her a suitable leader, which is why she so quickly pressures Kenji to repay his debts. Kameki secretly believes she owes Kenji her life, which allows her to be manipulated. She is also deeply emotional but guards it with a stern appearance in order to seem like a strong leader.
Takeshi is Kenji's nephew. He is a juvenile offender and was kicked out of his parents' house, but after Kenji became sober and realised everybody can change, he took Takeshi in (this is all revealed part way during the series). However, Takeshi stays a borderline sociopath as he enters his 20s. Unbeknownst to Kenji (and the viewer at the beginning of the series), Takeshi has known Kameki for months and works as a hitman for the gang. He enjoys the criminal lifestyle and develops unhealthy attitudes towards women: in particular, Yumi (Kenji's love interest). Takeshi feels no remorse for his crimes and never tries to change, and outside of his criminal life is lazy and a slob.
Yumi is an investigative journalist working for the fictional Tokyo Report. Initially meeting Kenji at a gala in episode 1, hosted by RyTemza CFO Taro, she begins falling for him. She simultaneously begins investigating the casino following reports of a connection between the establishment and the disappearance of a journalist called Sayuri, and has to manage her personal feelings of love towards Kenji with the investigation. Yumi is always optimistic but never unrealistic, becoming more sceptical of Kenji and more willing to cooperate with the police.
Saito is a detective working for the Tokyo Metropolis Police Department (TMPD). Initially fast-tracked for promotions, Saito received a near-career ending leg injury in his mid-20s which brought his progress to a halt. Initially constantly overlooked by his boss, he is initially assigned to investigate the disappearance of a journalist named Sayuri, which leads him to discover a connection between her and the casino. He eventually wins the trust of his boss and is assigned as the head of the Casino Investigative Task Force, a group made to investigate Kenji's casino. Saito goes above and beyond in order to prove Kenji's guilt, shut down the casino, and revamp his career.
CFO of the tech company RyTemza, Taro is an earnest businessman, working his way from the bottom of the company at the beginning of his career. He was mentored by Kenji and attempted to get him into rehab before Kenji lost his job due to his drug addiction. Taro is happily married. He is overly trustworthy, persuading RyTemza's shareholders to invest in Kenji's casino, and turning a blind eye to allegations of crime out of blind trust for his friend. However, Taro begins to become sceptical of the bad press around the casino, and has to ensure Kenji manages shareholder expectations.
Production and release[]
Much like Kenji's character, Suko Jiro was inspired by the 2006 film Casino Royale to write a series that includes a casino as its main setting. Planning began in 2019, when Jiro worked at his own company, ESAI, but was shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic. When he returned to work in 2021, he officially wrote the full script.
Jiro never got the chance to produce the series with ESAI, as the company filed for bankruptcy in late 2021 following financial losses as a result of the pandemic. Jiro was unemployed for a year as he attempted to fix his relationship with his wife, which he states was strained as a result of ESAI's demise. The couple eventually divorced in 2023. Also in 2023, Jiro joined VEJ as a writer, initially helping to write episodes for the soap opera Aoi Michi, although he later pitched the script for The House Always Wins to executives. In an interview, Jiro explained:
"I didn't think it would actually work. But I woke up one day and thought to myself, 'If I don't try now, it may never happen'. And I knew the product was good, and I knew it would sell. But yeah, I didn't go in there expecting a yes. I was expecting a, sort of... 'get real, get back to work' response. I'm very lucky in that aspect."
Executives at VEJ read the script and instantly green-lit the series for production afterwards, giving overwhelmingly positive feedback to Jiro. Jiro's ESAI portfolio was a key factor when VEJ were calculating The House Always Wins' budget. Eventually, thanks to the monetary success of the network at the time, alongside a lack of live-action series being produced, Jiro was given a very high budget. When given a pool of directors to choose from - all of whom had read the script and wanted to be involved in the project - Jiro chose Matsunaga Ren, later explaining that Ren was one of his favourite directors. Although Ren is the official director, the pair often helped direct scenes together in order for both of their visions to be incorporated into the show.
Casting took place over January, February, and March 2024. Iseya Yusuke did not audition for the role, but was rather approached by Ren with an offer for a leading role. It was only the ninth television role Yusuke partook in. He stated he was drawn to the source material and felt confident working with Ren, with the pair having been friends for over 4 years. Takako and Isamu were selected in order to play characters against-type - Ren and Jiro explained this choice was done in order to subvert viewers expectations and raise the stakes of the story, as "anyone can be evil". Despite the fact their idol backgrounds played a factor in their casting, Takako's and Isamu's auditions were very well received by casting directors, as well as Ren and Jiro. Nakatani Miki was chosen in March, alongside Kamenashi Kazuya. Kanata Hongo was cast in February after only one call back.
Kanata's schedule disallowed him to film until September, so VEJ began building the program's sets, which took 3 months. Principal photography began in September and ran all the way to November of that year. All the actors in the series did their own stunts and fight scenes, save for specific occasions. Tons of explosives and pyrotechnics were used to replicate explosions and fires. An estimate of 500 or more extras were used during filming, playing casino guests, gang members, and pedestrians. Areas of Tokyo were sometimes sectioned off to allow for filming - these instances helped generate anticipation.
There were minimal script revisions, although the actors somewhat influenced the characters. Jiro stated that Takashi wasn't supposed to be predatory, but Isamu suggested it to him in order to truly emphasise how against-type he was being in the show. Ren revealed within an interview that Saito wasn't supposed to be disliked by his coworkers and boss when first introduced, and the idea was raised by Kanata. It has also been claimed that both Jiro and Ren were on the fence about whether to portray Kenji and Yumi's romance as earnest or simply a means to an end for both players, and that Yusuke and Miki's chemistry is what made them decide on the former.
Filming ended in late November. Editing had already begun in October as all episodes were filmed chronologically, and the final edit was done by the end of December.
Soundtrack[]
Sheena Ringo was one of many musicians asked to create the soundtrack, although Ren "had her in mind" from the beginning, according to Jiro. Initially, Ringo declined the role, but was later persuaded by her long-time producer Umi Inoue to compose. She accepted the role in June and was given the script and notes from both Jiro and Ren which helped guide her in making the soundtrack. The series' soundtrack is a mixture of noise rock, art rock, lounge music and jazz. Its experimental sound was encouraged by Ren, whose favourite album is Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana.
Beom-Seok, the main vocalist of the South Korean boy band R3THR0, was approached by Ren (and VEJ executives) in November 2024 and offered to write and perform the theme tune to the series, which Beom-Seok "hastily accepted". He recorded the song and music video in December whilst promoting R3THR0's Japanese debut, "Step And Go".
Series overview[]
No. in season
Title
Air date
Viewership (millions)
1
"Minimum Stake"
January 16, 2025
4.39
Kenji Nakamura is in ¥3bn debt to a drug gang led by Kameki, who is attempting to recoup the gang's financial losses after the sudden death of her father, the old gang leader who was seemingly too forgiving with Kenji. In the following days, Kenji devises a scheme - inspired by the James Bond film Casino Royale - to create a casino in the heart of Tokyo that generates enough money for him to not only repay his debts but also help the gang make money in the long-run. He utilises his connection with Taro, the CFO of a high-end technology firm called RyTemza, and blackmails multiple ex-colleagues and old friends into gaining a large sponsorship from the former and significant funds from the latter, all of which aids him and Kameki's gang in the creation of the casino. The building is constructed over 3 months, with help from Kameki via a construction firm the gang use as a money laundering institution. When Kameki begins to show concern that the casino will only lose the gang more money, Kenji divulges the plan's big secret: the games in the casino will be rigged to ensure the house never loses more than it gains. Taro invites Kenji to a gala he and his wife, Aya, are hosting, but later, as Kenji is getting ready for it, his nephew Takeshi, who lives with Kenji, stumbles into the house covered in blood, pointing a knife at Kenji when asked what happened and telling him to be quiet. Kenji attends the gala, meeting Taro's wife for the first time, where it is explained Kenji was the old RyTemza CFO who mentored Taro. Later on that night, an overwhelmed Kenji steps outside where he meets an investigative journalist called Yumi Tanaka, who writes for the Tokyo Report. The pair exchange words - and glances - before Kenji heads back inside. At the end of the gala, Kenji leaves to find Takeshi waiting for him in the former's car. During the drive, Takeshi shows a photo of the man whose blood was on his clothes, and explains he murdered him. He asks Kenji to be his criminal partner in the running of the casino. Kenji reluctantly agrees and the episode ends at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the casino, as Yumi watches on in the crowd of reporters.
2
"Beginner's Luck"
January 23, 2025
3.97
It's the grand opening of Kenji's new casino, and the place is swarming with both guests and the press. Yumi meets Takeshi and asks after Kenji, who is busy explaining to Kameki (via the phone) that the machines can't be rigged on the opening day as that is when the place will be under the most scrutiny. When Kenji eventually meets Yumi, he leads her round the casino by the hand and shows her its grand chandelier, suspended above the main hall. Yumi expresses her admiration of the chandelier before the pair exchange contact details. Kenji is later approached by a reporter called Sayuri, who asks a string of questions targeted at the legitimacy of the casino. Kenji manages to keep his answers brief and safe, but as Sayuri leaves, Takeshi walks up to Kenji and watches her walk away. After the casino has closed, the gang use a tunnel to swap out the genuine machines in the casino with rigged machines. As Kameki orders people around, Kenji watches on, triggering a flashback to a time when Kameki was nine years old and being kidnapped, although she is left unharmed following Kenji's intervention. Back in the present, Kenji returns home only to find Takeshi absent, and his phone calls go to voicemail after Takeshi sees the phone ringing and asks an unknown individual if he should answer. The next day, the success of the casino gives Kenji the confidence to ask Yumi out to dinner.
3
"Hitting The Jackpot"
January 30, 2025
3.56
Kenji arrives outside RyTemza and meets with Taro to prepare for his first meeting with the company's shareholders, with the pair walking past a missing poster for Sayuri, the journalist. The scene cuts to Kameki, insisting Sayuri;s body be properly disposed of, revealing that the disappearance is the gang's doing. The meeting is a success and to celebrate, Taro and Kenji head to a local bar, where the two begin reconnecting as Kenji explains he took his nephew in after his parents kicked him out of the house for being a juvenile offender, and Taro says him and his wife are looking to adopt a child. The pair eventually part ways, and Kenji spots Sayuri's missing poster as he heads to the train station, recognising her from the casino's opening day. That night, Takeshi cooks dinner for himself and Kenji - during the meal, Kenji brings up Sayuri and Takeshi says that he has simply heard she's gone missing. Kenji briefly suspects Takeshi's involvement but quickly shakes the idea out of his head. That night, Kenji and Yumi finalise their plans for their date the next day whilst Takeshi sits in his room and, via an anonymous messenger, is told the body of Sayuri is now completely disposed of. Kenji is stopped by police on his way to work the next day after witnesses claim Kenji was the last person to speak to her - Kenji confirms the pair spoke at the casino but their interaction was brief, and after offering to provide CCTV footage, the police allow Kenji to be on his way. After a fight breaks out at the casino and workers refuse to call the police under Kameki's orders, Kenji rings Kameki that night and demands that he have more autonomy as he is the mastermind behind the casino scheme. He then leaves for his date with Yumi which, after some delays, goes awry when the pair miss their dinner reservation. They opt to have a picnic by the river under the moon and stars, where they stargaze and eventually kiss. Meanwhile at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD), Detective Saito is working on the case of Sayuri's disappearance and raises his instinct that the casino is involved to his boss, who dismisses him. Eventually, he discovers from Sayuri's editor that she was working on an article about the suspicions she had surrounding the casino. After the date, Kenji returns home, only to find Kameki and Takeshi standing outside, telling him they need to talk to him.
4
"Bluffing"
February 6, 2025
3.69
Kameki and Takeshi tell Kenji that they are working together, and that Takeshi is a hitman for the gang, although Takeshi says their deal has existed only since the casino scheme began. Takeshi confirms to Kenji that he killed Sayuri, triggering Kenji to kick the pair out of his house, telling Takeshi he no longer will allow a murderer under his roof. Takeshi says that Kenji only took him in so that his nephew would help him with crime, but Kenji tearfully exclaims he took Takeshi in to help him. The pair eventually leave. The next day, Takeshi is back into the house, apologising for his behaviour and guilt-tripping Kenji by saying he simply has trust issues after his parents kick him out. The pair agree that Takeshi can stay in the house as long as he stops killing. At the TMPD, Saito asks his boss for permission to go undercover at the casino - his boss gives an uninterested "yes" before moving on to talk to a different officer in a much more enthusiastic manner, but Saito doesn't let the fact he is overlooked get him down. He changes and goes to the casino, where Kenji knocks Saito over, causing him to drop his walking stick. Saito tries questioning Kenji but Kenji leaves to meet Yumi, giving Saito some money as an apology. Yumi and Kenji enjoy their date. At the warehouse, Takeshi tells Kameki he doesn't intend on stopping killing for the gang, revealing to the audience that Takeshi has actually been working for the gang for nearly a year, as opposed to a few months based off of what he told Kenji. Saito returns to the TMPD and rings Sayuri's editor to tell him to release the article she was writing about the casino posthumously. Kameki sees the article and hosts a gang meeting where herself, Takeshi, and Kenji argue about who is to blame for the Sayuri situation getting out of hand, which culminates in Kenji pulling rank over Kameki, only for her to pull a gun on him. Kenji guilts her about the fact he saved her life to get her to lower her gun, making her look weak in front of the gang. The next day, Taro visits Kenji, concerned about the Sayuri story, but Kenji re-assures Taro nothing will come of it and Taro gives Kenji his full support. After work, Kenji and Yumi go to Kenji's house where an awkward interaction between Takeshi and Yumi ensues as the former heads out to give the couple some space. Kenji then cooks a curry for Yumi who begins pressing him about the Sayuri situation. Kenji assures her he knows nothing about it and Yumi accepts the answer. The following day, Saito interrupts a meeting between his boss and his colleague to request a special task-force be made. with Saito at the helm, which will investigate Sayuri and the casino itself. Despite having overlooked him, Saito's boss is impressed with Saito's confidence and accepting Saito's request, admitting he underestimated him. The episode ends with Kenji heading to work, only to turn around and look behind him as he enters, where Saito is watching on, ready to close in.
5
"Poker Face"
February 13, 2025
4.02
Saito organises a meeting with the newly-established Casino Investigative Police Force (CIPF), outlining their mission to find a connection between Sayuri's disappearance and the casino. He explains plans for an undercover operation. Taro's wife, Aya, asks him about the Sayuri news story during breakfast, but despite his fears, Taro brushes it off. He does, however, later listen to a voicemail that reveals shareholders at RyTemza are demanding a meeting with Kenji. Kenji and Kameki have a dispute over how to deal with the Sayuri story, but after guilt-tripping her, Kenji assures her he will deal with it. He goes to lunch with Yumi and asks her if she could write a positive news story about the casino to offset the negative press, but Yumi takes offense to this suggestion. Kenji apologises quickly and the pair enjoy the rest of their date, but when Yumi returns to her work it is revealed she is writing a negative article about both the casino and Kenji himself. 4 undercover police officers enter the casino under Saito's orders, but their investigation is cut short when the casino's bartender spots an earpiece on one of the officers . Back at the TMPD, Saito is reminiscing about his career peak, when he won an award for "exceptional bravery in the line of duty" - a flashback shows him accepting the award without needing a walking stick. The flashback is interrupted when the 4 officers return to say their mission was a failure. Kenji meets Taro at the RyTemza headquarters, where Taro promises to stay on Kenji's side. Kenji partakes in a board meeting where he is grilled by shareholders and has to lie about having not been questioned by police in order to calm them down. Yumi is asked by her boss to utilise "inside sources" to further the research into her story (i.e. use Kenji). Kenji returns to the casino after the board meeting only to be met outside by Detective Saito who asks if they can talk. Kenji leads him inside and makes eye contact with Takeshi, giving him a glance that indicates he needs help. Takeshi nods to his uncle before leaving. Kenji and Saito enter the former's office and Saito begins grilling him, but the pair are interrupted by the fire alarm. As the pair evacuate, Kenji smiles to himself knowing Takeshi set it off, but is startled when, as he stands outside, the left side of the casino explodes. The flames trigger a flashback for Saito, where he snapped his right leg completely in half after falling through the floor in a building fire whilst chasing after a suspect, the injury being the reason he uses a walking stick. Kenji realises Takeshi may still be inside the casino and runs in to save his nephew.
6
"Up the Ante"
February 20, 2025
3.88
Saito calls emergency services whilst Kenji stumbles through the smoke-filled casino to find Takeshi unconscious and bleeding from the head. He picks Takeshi up and carries him out, before collapsing due to the smoke fumes. Yumi later visits the scene and comforts Kenji, who is worried about Kameki and Taro's reactions to the explosion. The next day, Taro meets Kenji to inspect the damage at the casino, where - via flashback - it is shown that Takeshi ignited a set of crates below a smoke detector but the crates exploded. Firefighters in the present confirm the explosion was caused by crates filled with spirits, but whilst they want to open an investigation into what ignited them, Kenji dissuades them, saying he does not want to press charges and will cover the damage costs himself. That night, a gang meeting at the warehouse devolves into an argument between Kenji, Takeshi, and Kameki, all of whom place blame on the others. It culminates with Kenji publicly humiliating Kameki by calling her a weak leader in front of the gang members, before leaving, prompting the gang to laugh at her. At the TMPD, Saito explains to the CIPF that he finds the entire explosion incident suspicious and wants the team to investigate Kenji and all elements of his life. One week later, the casino reopens with the room that exploded being cordoned off. Journalists continue to press Kenji about Sayuri's disappearance but he chooses to ignore them. Meanwhile, the CIPF report to Saito that Kenji was engaged, was the CFO of RyTemza, and was addicted to substances following the death of his fiancé. His relationship with Yumi is also discovered. With that, Saito sets off following up on leads. He speaks to Taro at RyTemza, although Taro remains loyal to Kenji. Yumi arrives at the casino to take photos for an article she says she's writing about how quickly the casino reopened. She takes a picture of the chandelier and kisses Kenji. She's later seen returning to her workplace where Saito is waiting for her, and reveals to her all about Kenji's ex-fiancé and his history of addiction. Yumi is shocked and Saito, realising he's rattled her, leaves, expecting her to place pressure on Kenji. At the casino, Kenji spots (via CCTV) Kameki and Takeshi meeting in the cordoned-off section of the casino and he heads there to get them to leave. Another argument ensues between Kenji and Kameki when the former arrives, and when Takeshi goes to take Kameki's side, Kenji asks how he can constantly ally himself with someone he's only known for 4 months, but Takeshi reveals to Kenji he has known Kameki for a year. When Takeshi tells Kenji he is the reason why Kameki was able to trace Kenji down and demand the debts be repaid - triggering the events of the series - Kenji is enraged and punches Takeshi, knocking him out, before leaving. He rushes home and empties Takeshi's room, throwing all of his possessions inside large black bin bags. Taro gets home from work and is greeted by Aya who tells him they are finally off of the adoption waiting list, causing the pair to tearfully embrace. Takeshi returns home only to find his stuff in bags on the street and the locks changed. Takeshi yells after Kenji through the door but Kenji simply tells Takeshi he will not have a traitor under his own roof, leaving Takeshi to maniacally scream and pound on the door with his fists.
7
"Go for Broke"
February 27, 2025
4.29
The episode opens with a lengthy flashback, beginning with Kameki at her recently-passed father's grave saying she cannot take over the gang from him and pleading for him to come back. The flashback skips forward to Kameki's first gang meeting where a gang member named Renji condescendingly wishes her luck before offering to give her money to incentivise her to forfeit the gang leadership position, but she denies. She's ignored during the meeting and members of the gang make sexual jokes about her, triggering her to leave, grab a gun from her office, and return, firing warning shots into the air and scaring the gang members into listening by saying she will shoot them next if they do not listen to her. That night, she is attacked on her way home by Renji who tackles her to the ground and threatens to sexually assault her, but she retaliates and eventually shoots him in the head. The flashback ends by showing how, the next day, Kameki strung Renji's body up in the warehouse for all to see, with a note attached that read "I'm serious". In the present, Kameki is reflecting on her struggles as leader at her father's grave, stating that Kenji is undoing all of her progress. Meanwhile, Takeshi (who is now homeless and dragging his bags of belongings through the streets) encounters Yumi who is heading to Kenji's to confront him over what Saito told her. The pair have an awkward interaction which ends after Takeshi makes a lewd implication about the nature of Yumi's visit to Kenji's and whistles at her as she walks off. Yumi arrives at Kenji's and tells him what she knows, demanding an explanation. Kenji explains his past to her: he was the CFO at RyTemza and was engaged to Mina, a woman he had met at university, but she was killed in a hit-and-run that sent Kenji down a path of addiction to alcohol and drugs and made him lose his job. He tells her he kept it a secret because he didn't want Yumi's perception of him to change, but Yumi is hurt and leaves. The next day, Taro and Aya arrive at the Child Guidance Centre and are told to complete the adoption process there has to be a court hearing with witnesses who can attest to the couple's stability, and a home visit. The couple then meet their prospective child who they have been paired with, a young boy named Kota. Meanwhile, Takeshi awakes in an alleyway after sleeping rough on the pile of his belongings and sets out to find shelter. At the casino, Kenji is rung by Taro who asks him to be a witness at the court hearing: Kenji accepts and as thanks, Taro invites him over for dinner in the near future. At the TMPD, Saito is asked by two junior officers for help with accessing CCTV footage of a man harassing women on the street - the man on the footage is Takeshi, who Saito recognises, and he reaches a breakthrough when searching police records to show that Takeshi is Kenji's nephew and has a criminal record. Kenji leaves the casino during his lunch and goes to the Tokyo Report HQ where he asks Yumi to hear him out and go to lunch with him. The pair go to a restaurant where they eventually reconcile. When he walks her back to her desk at work, he accidentally leaves his gloves when he goes to head home - when he returns, Yumi is absent, and when picking up his gloves he hits the computer mouse, activating the monitor to reveal to him the negative article Yumi is writing about him and the casino. Hurt and overwhelmed, he leaves before Yumi returns. Meanwhile, Kameki is complaining about a foul odor to gang members when Takeshi interrupts and asks to stay at the warehouse. He reminds Kameki of his loyalty: in a flashback it is shown that Takeshi offered up his uncle's address to Kameki when she said his name in a list of those who owe outstanding debts to the gang, and he assures her he feels no remorse. The scene cuts back to the present where Kameki accepts the prospect before complaining about the smell" Takeshi identifies the smell as that of a dead body. The pair find the source of the stench - it is behind a wall. Kameki breaks down the wall with a sledgehammer to reveal the body of Sayuri hanging from the ceiling, with a note (in direct response to Kameki's note placed on Renji's body) that reads "We're serious too".
8
"The Die is Cast"
March 6, 2025
4.53
9
"Bets Are Off"
March 13, 2025
4.71
10
"Down to the Wire"
March 20, 2025
4.95
Episodes[]
Episode 1 - "Minimum Stake"[]
Nakamura Kenji finds himself in a dingy warehouse, tied to a chair. He is greeted by Kameki, the boss of an organised crime group who Kenji owes over ¥3bn to. Kenji pleads to be let go, saying he simply does not have that kind of money, but Kameki threatens him by pressing a gun against his head and tells him that she isn't going to let him go without being repaid. Kameki blames her father for Kenji's financial woes: as crime boss, he repeatedly let Kenji fall further into debt without any plan to retrieve the money eventually, and since his sudden death, Kameki is now faced with the burden of recouping his losses. Kenji promises Kameki that he will find the money somehow, but it will take time. Kameki says they will meet again in 7 days.
Kenji is returned home by the gang, where he enters to find his nephew Takeshi asleep on the floor, surrounded by empty alcohol bottles. Stressed about how to regain the money, Kenji begins searching through old possessions to find things to sell - whilst doing so, he discovers a box of old DVDs, one of which containing the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. Kenji begins to watch the DVD whilst he clears up the mess Takeshi has made. By the time the living room has been cleared, and Takeshi has been carried up to bed, Kenji sits down to find himself midway through the movie, watching one of the film's poker scenes. Quickly, Kenji is inspired by the film to go to a casino himself and try to gamble his way out of debt.
The next day, Kenji begins to research local casinos but is dismayed to find there aren't any. Takeshi greets him in the morning, seemingly unphased by his heavy night of drinking the previous day, and Kenji explains he is trying to find a casino. Takeshi laughs and says Kenji has better luck trying to make his own. Kenji laughs the suggestion off at first, but soon begins to realise that perhaps creating a casino is the key to solving his financial woes. Kenji begins researching empty lots that he could build upon, and researching numerous social media profiles of men and women similar to his age.
One week after the opening scene, a van pulls up outside of Kenji's house, and masked gang members walk up to the front door, only to find Kenji standing in the doorway, dressed in a tuxedo. Despite being willing to go with the members, he is nevertheless hit round the head with a bat and knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, Kameki is pointing a gun at his forehead, complaining that she hasn't received a single yen from Kenji since their last meeting. Kenji assures her he has a plan that could not only bring him out of debt but continue to make the gang money for years to come - far more than they would otherwise earn. Kameki wishes to hear Kenji's pitch, but loses interest when he explains he will need a starting loan from her, and goes to shoot him dead on the spot. Kenji pleads with Kameki and tells her to remember why it is that her father was so lenient towards him: this seems to soften Kameki's aggression. Kenji tells Kameki he would "do the same thing again" if he had to, and asks her to trust him to save himself and her gang. Kameki reluctantly agrees, before walking off and signalling for other gang members to untie Kenji. Smirking, Kenji is set free.
The next morning, Kenji awakens to find ¥20 million in his bank account. Happy, but aware that this is not enough to start up a grand casino, Kenji gets to work utilising his connections from his past in order to have his vision come to fruition. Kenji is briefly seen on the phone before arriving at RyTemza, a technology firm based in Tokyo. He meets with Taro, the CFO of the company, where it is revealed the two have history together and that Kenji used to work for the company. Kenji pitches the casino idea to both Taro and RyTemza's board of directors, stating his belief that being the first high-end casino in Tokyo will generate high returns quickly. During his pitch, Kenji (somewhat) lies about already having a team ready and able to work - this team in question is the gang, and Kenji doesn't know if they will help him. Kenji also lies about deals being "in the works" with other companies to provide casino machines and interior design. Kenji states that he has always wanted what was best for the company, and that when he left he did so to avoid bringing the firm down with him. He assures the board that this is another instance in which he is acting in their best interests. Inspired by Kenji's natural charisma and impressive pitch, the board decide to help fund the creation of the casino and publicly sponsor it.
Now with a hefty sum that can be targeted towards production costs, Kenji rings Kameki and asks if she can dig up dirt on any of the people he had previously been searching up on social media. He later is seen driving to rural Japan, where he meets an ex-colleague, before instantly blackmailing her with photo evidence (provided by Kameki) of her using recreational drugs. Her husband - a famous politician - would have his career ruined if the photos came out, so she agrees to may Kenji a large sum of money in order to avoid the images from being leaked. A montague shows Kenji talking to multiple other people previously seen via social media profiles, and it is implied he is also blackmailing them in order to secure funding.
One week on from his last meeting with Kameki, she and Kenji are talking on the phone, discussing how to get planning permission to build the casino. Kenji says he has an idea. The next morning, he and Takeshi head to the bank, where the pair meet with banker Laura, an American woman who struggles to speak Japanese. Takeshi manages to communicate effectively with her, and flirts with her in order to distract her from Kenji deleting files of his previous misdemeanours off of the bank's records. Eventually, planning permission is approved, and the casino begins to be built.
Kameki does eventually offer Kenji gang members to work on building and running the casinos, along with a construction company she uses as a money laundering front. In a timelapse, the next 3 months of building work is shown, as the casino becomes a fully fledged outer-building. More and more workers begin to join the project, as Kenji also attracts labour from legitimate sources in order to not alert the authorities to any suspicious activity. The interior begins to be built, decorated with velvet carpets, brown and gold wallpaper, grand chandeliers, and retro-styled furniture. As the casino starts coming together, Kenji feels pride, and is confident enough to go to Kameki himself. He meets her by a riverbank, where Kameki begins to express her doubt about the casino and doesn't seem to see how it will make her much money, especially when RyTemza has a 20% cut of the profits. Kenji explains that he kept the main part of the plan secret, as to avoid any of the workers accidentally leaking anything, but that him and Takeshi have figured out a way to rig all of the games in the casino to ensure the customer loses. Kameki doesn't seem to believe it is possible, but Kenji re-assures her, telling her "there's a reason why people say 'the House always wins'".
As the casino nears completion, Taro visits from RyTemza to congratulate the efforts of the construction team and Kenji for bringing his vision to life. As a celebratory gift, Taro invites Kenji to a gala he and his wife are hosting. Kenji, worried he may run into one of the co-workers he blackmailed to secure the casino's funding, initially seems reluctant, but Taro tells Kenji "it's my way of paying you back for everything. Everything you taught me. Everything you made me." Kenji agrees to go to the gala with him.
On the night of the gala, Kenji is getting ready when Takeshi stumbles into the house with blood on his hands and face. Kenji steps away from Takeshi and asks what happened, but Takeshi says he doesn't want to talk about it. Kenji presses forward with his questions regardless, prompting Takeshi to pull out a knife from his pocket and point it towards Kenji, yelling at him to be quiet. Afterwards, Takeshi retreats upstairs, saying that Kenji is "just like them". Upset, Kenji leaves to the gala.
At the gala, Kenji meets Taro's wife, before explaining to her that Kenji was his mentor when he first joined RyTemza many years ago. Kenji smiles and makes idol conversation with the party-goers, but he is too focused on his prior interaction with Takeshi to truly immerse himself in the evening. Overwhelmed by the party, filled with wealthy individuals, Kenji takes a breather outside, where he meets a woman similar to his age trying to fix her broken heeled shoe. Kenji offers to help, and she introduces herself as Tanaka Yumi, a journalist for Tokyo Report, an investigative newspaper. Kenji quickly becomes aware of the fact that his connection with Kameki's gang could end him up in prison if revealed, and he attempts to leave the conversation soon after Yumi reveals her occupation, but as he goes to leave she compliments his suit. Kenji turns around and smiles, before telling her that it was his father's. Yumi laughs and tells him her dress was her mother's, so now the pair have something in common. They stay looking at each other until Kenji eventually heads back inside.
Once the party ends, Kenji leaves only to see Takeshi standing on the other side of the road, leaning against Kenji's car. Kenji approaches to Takeshi, who says he will drive Kenji home. In the car, it is mostly quiet and tense, until Takeshi pulls over on the side of the road and hands Kenji a photo. In the photo is an image of a young man: Takeshi explained he killed the man in the photo earlier that day. Before Kenji can say anything, Takeshi tells him he wants to be Kenji's partner in crime and run the casino together. Kenji refutes the idea, but Takeshi states that Kenji is too soft to do it on his own, also stating "I know why you took me in". Kenji takes a deep breath, before agreeing. The pair shake hands - the scene then immediately cuts to Kenji and Taro shaking hands outside the completed casino. Kenji is given a big pair of scissors, and goes to cut the ribbon in front of the paparazzi. As he cuts down on the ribbon, the camera flashes absorb the screen, before. the scene is filled with silence when the ribbon is eventually cut in two. Kenji hands Taro the pair of scissors, before turning to the crowd and lifting his arms into the air, where the audio finally returns and cheers can be heard. In the crowd of photographers, Yumi can be seen holding a camera in front of her face, also smiling.
Episode 2 - "Beginner's Luck"[]
The episode opens in a dark alleyway, with a little girl's cries being heard. Sitting on the sidewalk, crying, is a 9-year-old girl, and kneeling in front of her is Kenji, holding her hands. Kenji tells her, "its going to be okay. They’re gone now", before the girl hugs him. The scene then cuts to Kameki staring off into the distance, as the crying girl echoes in the background - it is made evident that the flashback is from Kameki's childhood. Kameki is standing behind a storage container, as multiple gang members bring out large boxes. Kenji walks up to her and asks if she needs anything. She pulls out a cigarette from her pocket and replies, "Results".
Following the opening sequence, the episode moves to the casino, where it is the first day of operations running. Journalists are crawling the area, and Takeshi is greeting people at the front door. Yumi appears and shakes hands with Takeshi, before asking after Kenji. Takeshi tells her he will get Kenji for her, and asks her to wait by the door. In Takeshi's absence, Yumi begins greeting people. Meanwhile, Takeshi walks into Kenji's office within the casino and finds him talking on the phone - presumably to Kameki - explaining that he can't have the machines rigged on opening day or it will arouse suspicion. He also assures the caller that they won't make a loss by doing this, and that the money will be generated soon enough. After the call ends, Takeshi asks Kenji if the alterations to all the casino machines have been completed, and Kenji confirms. Takeshi seems, if only for a brief moment, in awe of Kenji, who explains his time at RyTemza helped him learn a lot about electronics. Takeshi then tells Kenji that Yumi is waiting for him.
Kenji approaches Yumi at the front of the casino and the pair shake hands. He asks her if she has had time to look around the casino, but she says she's been too busy greeting the people at the front door. He laughs, and offers his hand to her - she accepts, and Kenji leads her further into the casino. He shows off the numerous attractions available, including slot machines, black jack, roulette, and poker - the latter three of which are run by androids provided by RyTemza. Yumi takes many photos and tells Kenji his efforts are impressive - he blushes and thanks her. Yumi is also taken aback by the interior design of the casino, being particularly moved by the large glass chandelier in the centre of the casino. She tells Kenji that its beautiful, and he does not verbally respond, but instead looks at her endearingly. She returns his glance, and he asks her if she'd like to have dinner with him sometime. She smiles and agrees, passing him her business card, with her phone number attached. Afterwards, Kenji and Yumi separate.
As the sun sets on the casino’s opening day, Kenji is asked by a journalist named Sayuri to answer some questions, to which he obliges. The first question asks about Kenji’s inspiration in deciding to open a casino, which Kenji explains was due to having watched Casino Royale. Sayuri laughs, before asking about how Kenji secured the funding for the casino. Kenji tells the interviewer that his friends from RyTemza, and other colleagues, were able to help sponsor him - a lot of it was also funded by himself. Sayuri laughs again, this time unsettling Kenji. She then asks him how the casino is going to regulate its machines in order to safeguard the legitimacy of the establishment, but before Kenji can answer, yelling can be heard from behind the pair - Kenji turns around to see a young man having won a jackpot. He returns a smile to Sayuri, before saying ‘You can see it for yourself. This casino is for the people.’ The interviewer squints, before thanking Kenji for his time. As she walks away, his gaze lingers on her, having been alarmed by her line of questioning. Takeshi approaches him, and asks if she was bothering him. Kenji tells her it’s nothing and walks away, but Takeshi continues to stare at the woman.
That night, once everybody has left the casino, plans to move the rigged machines into the casino are set into motion. The casino uses a single tunnel which connects to a warehouse a few blocks away, and Kameki leads the gang members in moving the large number of machines as Kenji watches on. As the movement continues, he watches Kameki order everybody around, and he begins to zone out and think back to his past. The scene moves to a flashback - the same from the beginning of the episode - but this time from a different perspective. It shows Kenji walking along the street, his face covered in blood (presumably from being beaten up by the gang as a result of his debts). He suddenly hears a girl crying, and a low, male voice yelling, and is instantly alerted. Kenji runs to the sounds of the voices, where he sees two masked adult men dragging a young Kameki across the floor and towards a van. Without hesitation, Kenji runs towards the two men and begins fighting them. He manages to avoid a knife attack from one of the men, disarming him in the process and taking the knife for himself. He stabs the other man in the side of the stomach - the man falls to the floor. Having his partner-in-crime injured, the ex-knife owner picks his accomplice up and puts him in the van, before driving off. Kameki begins to burst out crying, so she sits on the sidewalk. Kenji kneels down to her, and tells her “It’s going to be okay. They’re gone now.” The scene cuts back to the present as Kenji smiles, seeing how far Kameki has come. Kameki pauses and turns to Kenji, having felt his gaze on her.
Kameki approaches him and asks for a final guarantee that this plan will work. Kenji assures her it will - he explains that the slot machines are rigged to only give a jackpot worth less than the total amount an individual has used on the machine, turning a profit for the casino. He also tells her that the black jack and poker games are rigged, as the android dealer has knowledge of where the cards sit - again, these games are not unwinnable, but only reward players less than what they have used to bet on the game. The roulette machine has a magnet that ensures the ball does not stop at any of the spaces players have bet on. All other games that are based on code use the same rigged algorithm that the slot machines do. Kameki explains her worries that the general public will catch on too quickly, but Kenji assures her that they won’t. “It’s simply the nature of casinos that people have come to terms with”, he tells her. “It’s simply common knowledge that the house always wins”. Kameki looks into Kenji’s eyes, before turning around and saying “Fine, but if this doesn’t work, your head is mine”. With that, she walks off.
At 4AM, the changeover of machines has been completed. Kenji heads home to find the house empty. He looks for Takeshi, but does not find him. He rings Takeshi’s phone number, and the screen cuts to Takeshi, looking at the ringing phone screen. He looks up at an individual and asks if he should answer, but the shadow of the individual simply shakes their head. He lets it go to voicemail, and when Kenji sees this, he rolls his eyes and goes to bed. The next morning, he goes to the casino for work, where hundreds of people rush in when the doors open. He watches on, seeing the unknowing victims fall into his trap. Smiling, he realises this really could save his financial situation. His eyes travel upwards from the slot machines to the Grand Chandelier in the centre of the building, reminding him of Yumi. He goes to his office and picks up her card, before dialling her number. When she picks up, he asks her to dinner at the end of the week, to which she accepts. Smiling once more, he puts the phone down, and sits in his chair. The camera zooms out, first of the office, then of the casino, to show the exterior of the building.
Episode 3 - "Hitting The Jackpot"[]
Kenji wakes up to the sound of his 7:00 AM alarm ringing. After turning it off, he brushes his teeth and gets ready. He puts on a navy blue suit and heads to work via the Tokyo subway, getting off in the city centre and being greeted outside the station by Taro. Taro asks Kenji if he’s feeling ready about his first shareholder meeting, to which Kenji smiles and nods. Taro shakes his hand and laughs, before the pair head towards the entrance of a tall, modern skyscraper. As they walk, they pass a signpost with a missing persons poster on it. The camera lingers on the initially out-of-focus poster, before zooming in to reveal the woman on it is Sayuri, the interviewer from the previous episode.
After the opening sequence plays, the scene cuts to Kameki, sitting in a warehouse office behind a desk, with three large, brawly men standing opposite her. She asks them if Sayuri’s body has been completely disposed of, but none of the men answer her. She asks the question again, slamming the desk, to which one of the men reply that they have yet to dispose of her body. Kameki is enraged, asking why it hasn’t been done when she’d ordered them to do it days ago. Silence once again ensues. Kameki sighs, realising she probably already knows the reason as to why they didn’t listen to her. She subsequently explains to the men that she is their boss - she is the boss of the gang - whether they’re personally happy with it or not, and thus they must listen to her. One of the men retorts that he doesn’t remember her father being this bossy, and in anger, Kameki draws a gun from an open desk drawer and shoots a warning shot. “Dispose of the body today, or else I won’t miss next time”. With that, the three men leave. Once they’re gone, Kameki sits down and places her head in her hands.
At RyTemza, Kenji is sitting outside the shareholders’ office, twiddling his fingers. Taro comes out and invites him in, and when Kenji enters, he sees a dozen men all dressed in black - arms crossed. Kenji inserts a USB drive into a laptop situated at the front of the room, and selects a powerpoint which then projects behind him. There, Kenji explains the profit the casino has already made, and the rate of return the shareholders can be expected to see at the end of the first month of running. He also projects the first quarter profits the shareholders will be making, and additionally cites over 40 articles about the casino that mention RyTemza by name, explaining the promotion RyTemza are receiving by association. The shareholders seem pleased, and Taro grins at Kenji after the presentation.
Afterwards, Taro takes Kenji to a local bar, where the pair grab beers and talk about their personal lives. Taro asks about Takeshi, Kenji’s nephew. Kenji explains that Takeshi had gone down a dangerous and reckless path in his teenage years, and that his sister and brother-in-law finally reached breaking point and kicked him out. Taro seems stunned, but Kenji explains that by that point he was sober, and realised everybody is capable of change, so offered to take Takeshi in. Taro smiles and grabs Kenji’s shoulder, telling him he’s an inspiration and hopefully Takeshi will be on the right path now. Kenji smiles and nods, but when Taro goes to order another drink, his smile friends as he begins to doubt whether he should’ve agreed to let Takeshi partake in the casino plan. Kenji then asks about Taro’s life - Taro says his wife and him are looking to adopt after they discovered he was infertile, a decision which took a lot of careful planning. Kenji congratulates his friend and wishes him luck during the process. Taro tells Kenji he’s glad the pair have reconnected after so many years (with the conversation indicating the pair have had prior heart-to-hearts) and Kenji reciprocates the sentiment.
When Taro and Kenji say their goodbyes, Kenji leaves the bar and walks towards the station, this time spotting the missing poster of Sayuri. He stares at it, recognising her, before remembering she interviewed him at the casino. He shudders, but doesn’t seem to think more of it. When he gets home that night, Takeshi is cooking in the kitchen, and greets Kenji, saying he’s made scrambled eggs. Kenji laughs and asks why he’s making that for dinner, but Takeshi says its one of the only things he knows how to cook. Kenji is shocked and promises Takeshi he will teach him more recipes, and Takeshi smiles before saying “that sounds like a threat”. After cooking and serving the eggs, the pair sit down at the dinner table, eating and making casual conversation. After dinner, Kenji asks Takeshi if he remembers that one interviewer from the casino’s opening day, describing her blonde hair and hazel eyes as discerning features. Takeshi nods and says her name was Sayuri. Kenji asks how Takeshi knew, but Takeshi just says he’d heard she’d gone missing. Kenji squints and asks Takeshi if he’s telling the truth, and Takeshi gives a big smile before making an “mhm!” sound. Kenji’s eyes follow Takeshi around the kitchen as he cleans up. The scene cuts back to an episode 1 flashback of Takeshi being covered in blood, before cutting back to the present. Kenji shakes his head as if to snap himself out of considering Takeshi’s involvement, before thanking Takeshi for dinner and heading to his room.
When he gets in, he takes out his phone and rings Yumi. Yumi answers and the pair finalise their date plans for the next day. She shares her excitement and he reciprocates, before wishing her goodnight and ending the call. As he sleeps, the camera pans out of his room and into Takeshi’s. Takeshi is sat on his laptop, messaging an unknown individual. He asks: “has it been done?”, to which the anonymous individual on the other end confirms “yes. There’s no trail left”. The camera zooms into his face, as Takeshi’s expression twists into a sinister smile.
The next day, near the casino, Kenji is stopped on his way to work by the police. He is taken aback, but happily obliges in their line of questioning, which revolves around Sayuri. The police state that witnesses claim Kenji was the last person to see Sayuri before she disappeared. Kenji confirms that he did indeed talk with her at the casino’s opening event, but their interaction was brief and he watched her walk out. He offers to take them to the casino to provide CCTV footage, but the police seem satisfied enough with their questioning and allow Kenji to be on his way.
Concerned, Kenji goes to the security office himself and finds that day on tape. He watches the footage of himself and Sayuri talking, but before he can reach the point where she leaves, security burst into the office telling Kenji a fight has broken out. After frantically pausing the CCTV playback and exiting out of the video file, he heads downstairs to see a large crowd gathered under the central chandelier. Two of the casino workers (who are actually members of the gang) have stepped in to hold the two opponents back from each other. Kenji asks one of the workers to call the police, but the worker says that’s not a viable option. Kenji looks at the worker confused, before asking whose orders he’s acting upon, and the worker says Kameki. Kenji grits his teeth, and tells the worker to remind Kameki who she owes her life to, before going to ring the police himself. However, before he can, both individuals are already being escorted out of the casino. Kenji watches on, becoming aware that he seemingly lacks control within his own casino. Because of the fuss, he forgets about the CCTV footage.
That night, he calls Kameki, although she does not pick up and the call goes to voicemail. He tells her that he is the mastermind of the casino project, and unless she wants her gang to fade into obscurity, she needs to stop micromanaging his every move and allow for him to have some autonomy. With that, he hangs up and heads back home, where a brief montague shows him getting ready for his date. He wears a black shirt, with the top two buttons undone, along with a pair of black jeans and black boots, a pearl bracelet, and his hair gelled back. With that, he messages Yumi that he’s leaving to get to the restaurant. He gets to the train station, only to find that it has been closed due to a water-works incident, so he opts to get the bus instead.
In another part of Tokyo, a man, in his early 30s, is sitting at a desk, dressed in a blue shirt. Somebody walks up to him and tells him that his “boss” wants to see him. With that, the man stands up and grabs a walking stick leaning against his desk, before following the man into his boss’s room. After being asked to sit down, the man’s boss refers to the man as Detective Saito, and it is revealed they both work for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD). Saito’s boss asks for a progress report on the investigation into the disappearance of the journalist Sayuri. Saito tells Sayuri that they spoke to witnesses on the last day she was seen, including Kenji Nakamura, who is seemingly the last person she spoke to, but the leads came up empty. However, Saito says he thinks there is more than meets the eye in regards to the casino. Saito’s boss nods, but warns Saito of being too overly ambitious, stating, “There’s not much point in it anymore”. Saito looks irritated at this, but nonetheless thanks his boss for his time, and walks - with his stick - back to his desk.
Meanwhile, Kenji’s bus is repeatedly delayed, spending too long at stops as a result of issues on the metro system. By the time the bus reaches his stop, he is over 40 minutes late - he has communicated this with Yumi, but is nonetheless panicked. When he arrives outside the restaurant, he sees Yumi sat outside and apologises to her profusely, but she ensures him there are no worries. The pair enter the restaurant, but are told as a result of the delay they have lost their reservation. Yumi goes to protest but Kenji acknowledges his mistake and the pair leave. Yumi says that the reservation policy is silly, but Kenji comforts her and says he has a better idea. The pair run to a convenience store and buy bags of snacks and some bread, and then run into a homeware store where they buy a picnic blanket. The scene cuts to the Sumida Riverbank, where the pair giggle and talk as they reach their destination. Kenji places the picnic blanket down and the pair sit and eat their snacks. Yumi talks about her hectic work day, including her overbearing boss and snarky male colleagues, and Kenji empathises with her, stating his work day similarly made him feel powerless.
At the TMPD, Saito receives an email in his inbox: it is a reply from Sayuri’s editor at the paper she worked for. Saito initially asked why Sayuri was at the casino in the first place, and Sayuri’s editor replies, explaining Sayuri wanted to follow up on some “suspicions” she had regarding the seemingly random establishment of a major casino in the city, especially with a “unknown name” at the helm of the project. Saito leans back after reading the reply, tapping his feet on the floor. Clearly, this new piece of information has triggered certain thoughts for the detective.
With the stars in the night sky, Yumi and Kenji lie on their backs and stargaze, pointing out different constellations. Eventually, the pair sit up again after realising how much time has passed by. Kenji asks Yumi if she enjoyed herself, and Yumi smiles and blushes, saying she had an amazing time, and that it is the best first date she has been on. Kenji smiles, and the pair slowly lean in, before kissing. After the kiss, the pair briefly look at each other longingly, before kissing once more. As they continue to kiss, the camera pans up to the night sky, before panning back down as a transition to Kenji walking home from his bus stop. He checks his phone to see that Yumi has sent a message confirming she got home safe, and thanking him for the date. He smiles at his phone, before looking up to see Kameki and Takeshi standing outside his front door, waiting for him. “What’s going on here?” he inquires. “We need to talk to you”, Kameki responds. Kenji seems baffled. “We? Who’s we?”. Silence ensues, so Kenji asks again. “Takeshi…?” Takeshi looks at his uncle, his face unmoving. Kenji looks on at the pair, before the camera shows all three of them standing, staring at one another.
Episode 4 - "Bluffing"[]
The episode picks up where its predecessor left off, with Kenji, Takeshi, and Kameki standing outside the former's house. After a few moments of silence, Kameki tells Kenji they should head inside, so Kenji opens the door and Takeshi and Kameki follow suit. They sit down in the kitchen, where Kenji demands to know what is going on. Kameki said she received Kenji's voicemail, so she feels the need to make the situation between them clear. She reveals that her and Takeshi have been working together, with Takeshi acting as a hitman for the gang. She uses this fact to intimidate Kenji by telling him he's outnumbered 2 to 1. Kenji is outraged at this revelation, throwing the kitchen table up into the air as he jumps up from his seat. He goes to ask Takeshi how long this has been going on for, and Takeshi tells his uncle that the deal between himself and Kameki began when the casino scheme first started. Gritting his teeth, he leans in to Takeshi's face and asks him who he has killed. Takeshi smirks as he tells Kenji he killed Sayuri. Kenji is once again in shock. He walks to the other side of the kitchen before telling the pair to get out. Takeshi is upset by this, but Kenji tells him he will not house a murderer under his roof. Takeshi says he only thought Kenji took him in to help him with crime, but Kenji tearfully explains he took his nephew in to help him get back on a good path. Takeshi laughs and calls Kenji weak, but Kenji says, although he may be weak, his house is his house and Takeshi is not welcome. He looks to Kameki and orders her to leave. "In your gang, you can do what you want. But not under my roof." Kameki looks down at the table, seemingly feeling guilt as a result of the events that have transpired, so she stands up and takes Takeshi by the collar, before the duo leave the house. After they have gone, Kenji begins to cry.
When Kenji wakes up the next morning and heads downstairs, he is shocked to find Takeshi back in the kitchen. Takeshi apologises for working for the gang, and pleads with Kenji to let him stay in the house, manipulating Kenji by drawing upon his trauma in regards to being kicked out by his parents for committing crimes, and telling him he's had trust issues since then. Kenji, feeling sorry for his nephew, sternly tells Takeshi that he can stay in the house, so long as he stops committing murders. Takeshi nods and thanks Kenji, before hugging him awkwardly. On the way to work, Yumi rings Kenji and the pair plan a lunch date, where they plan on going to a nearby café. He tells her he's looking forward to seeing her, and she laughs, reciprocating the sentiment. The pair plan to meet outside the casino, and once the call ends, Kenji heads into the casino for another day of work.
At the TMPD, Saito asks his boss for permission to go undercover at the casino and ask Kenji some questions, as it seems Sayuri was looking into him and he seems to be the last person to see her alive. His boss seems disinterested with Saito, and gives a blasé "yes", before ending the conversation midway through to speak to a fellow male detective. Saito watches on as his boss's demeanour lights up when faced with a different officer. Whilst he is hurt, he doesn't let it phase him. Saito then gets changed into plain clothes and leaves the police station.
Eventually, he makes it to the casino and heads inside in order to find Kenji, but by this point, it is lunchtime and Kenji is trying to find Yumi outside the casino. Kenji bumps into Saito, knocking the latter's walking stick out of his hand. Alarmed, Kenji rushes to pick the stick back up and hands it to Saito. Saito uses this opportunity to ask Kenji some questions, beginning with praising Kenji for creating the casino, to which Kenji thanks him. Saito then asks Kenji how he managed to build it so quickly, but Kenji is too pre-occupied with searching through the crowd for Yumi. As he has not yet gotten a reply from Kenji, Saito says "Hello?" to attract Kenji's attention again. Kenji looks at Saito and apologises before saying he is trying to look for someone, subsequently handing Saito a ¥1000 note as an apology for knocking his walking stick over. With that, Kenji walks off, rendering Saito's undercover mission a failure. Saito realises he will have to resort to other methods in order to get Kenji's attention.
Eventually, Kenji finds Yumi walking towards the casino. When the pair meet, they hug, and Yumi apologises for being late. Kenji assures her it is no worries, and the two head to a café. During their lunch date, Kenji tells Yumi about his interaction with a "young man with a walking stick", and Yumi explains that he is a good person for giving the man money. The pair talk and joke around during their lunch break, before parting ways with a goodbye kiss. On the walk back to work, Yumi smiles to herself, and the camera cuts to Kenji, who too is smiling.
Meanwhile, in the warehouse which the gang are currently operating out of, Kameki and Takeshi are talking in Kameki's office. Takeshi tells her that Kenji agreed to let him stay so long as he stops killing. Kameki says she's gutted to lose her "trusty" hitman, and Takeshi replies, saying "I've been doing this for you for nearly a year... what makes you think I'd stop now?" It is revealed to the audience that Kameki and Takeshi seem to have been in cahoots for a significantly longer period of time than the casino scheme has existed for - and thus, a longer period of time than when Kameki initially kidnapped Kenji and demanded the debts be repaid. Kameki says she's going to the toilet, and asks Takeshi to wait in her office. As she walks around, she overhears two gang members talking. Wanting to listen in, she stops behind the corner of a wall and eavesdrops. She hears the pair disregard her as a leader, with one complaining that the role of gang boss was simply "handed to her on a silver platter" following the death of her father, and the other insinuating it looks weak for a woman to be leading their gang. Initially, Kameki is hurt, but soon her face fills with anger. She storms back into her office and tells Takeshi that, if he's not going to stop killing, she's got a new job for him, implying she wants him to take out the two gang members she had overheard. Takeshi smiles upon hearing that he has another opportunity to kill.
Back in the TMPD, Saito is on the phone to Sayuri's editor at her newspaper, where Saito says the best way to assist the police team is to release the news that she was investigating the casino when she went missing. The editor doesn't seem to understand what purpose this will serve, but Saito assures him that this is part of the method to find Sayuri and bring her back safely. Her editor subsequently obliges, and a montage shows multiple journalists at the company finding photos and writing the article, which eventually releases with the headline "Missing journalist found to be investigating new Tokyo casino hours before disappearance!"
Kameki is on her computer when she begins to see the news story circulating on social media. Someone in an anonymous chat on what appears to be a criminal network asks her if she's responsible. Outraged, she instantly picks up the phone and calls an emergency meeting. The scene skips ahead to the meeting itself, taking place within the warehouse. As dozens of gang members crowd around Kameki, Kenji, and Takeshi, Kameki explains that the casino is generating bad press. Kenji presses for an explanation, and Kameki explains that Sayuri - a journalist who the gang had "disposed of" - was investigating the casino before she died, and this fact has been revealed to the press, who are now reporting on it. Kenji is angry, and simply responds with an aggressive "What?". Kameki assures Kenji that Sayuri's body has been disposed of and won't be found, but Kenji blows up in her face and tells her that is not the point. He accuses Kameki and Takeshi of being stupid and reckless, acting impulsively and jeopardising the whole plan. Kameki demands Kenji not speak to her in that way, but Kenji is finally sick of being treated as inferior to her. "This is my casino!" he yells. "You answer to me!". In a flurry of anger, Kameki pulls out a gun from the jacket she is wearing and points it at Kenji's head. Kenji laughs and says, "Oh I see... this is how its going to end?". "Don't push me", Kameki replies. Kenji treats her threat as immature, and tells her how she plans on sleeping at night knowing she killed the man that saved her life. "That was years ago..." Kameki says, struggling to make eye contact with Kenji. "And what have you done to repay me since then?" Kenji replies. Kameki begins to tremble as she lowers her gun, before Kenji leans in and demands he be treated with more respect. He then walks out of the meeting - on his way out, he tells the gang to sort out the negative press as soon as possible. The gang members watch on as their leader has just been undermined, with some smirking, as if expecting it to happen. Soon after, Kameki also walks out.
The next day, whilst at work, Kenji gets a visit from Taro, his friend and RyTemza CEO. The pair shake hands, before Taro asks to go to Kenji's office. The pair sit, before Taro says he and the shareholders have seen the news stories circulating around Sayuri's investigation of the casino. Kenji nods and says it's an unfortunate situation. Taro agrees, but then expresses his concern that this will harm the casino's long-term success, as now there will be a stigma surrounding it. Kenji assures Taro that there is no real connection there, and that the story will blow over soon enough. However, Taro tells Kenji that the shareholders don't share that perspective. He then asks if Kenji can see it from his point of view, given Kenji's previous background with drugs and crime. Kenji is taken aback by this, and uses the opportunity to play victim, saying he's hurt that Taro would use his past against him when he himself knows how much Kenji has been through. Taro is instantly struck with guilt and apologises, telling Kenji he trusts him 100%, and that he will try his best to reassure the shareholders that the negative press will go away soon. The pair once again shake hands, before Taro leaves.
After work, Kenji meets Yumi, and the pair once again embrace. He asks where she wants to go for dinner, but Yumi surprises him by asking if she can see his house. Although torn, he eventually decides to take her to his residence. On the way, he messages Takeshi telling him he's bringing a guest over and asking Takeshi to leave the house. Takeshi replies with a thumbs up, but seemingly does not leave in time, as by the time Kenji and Yumi reach the house, they run into Takeshi leaving. An awkward interaction ensues as Kenji reluctantly introduces Yumi to Takeshi, his nephew. Takeshi comes up with an excuse for leaving the house, saying he's going to meet his girlfriend at a train station, and so he moves out the way to allow Kenji and Yumi to get into the house. As Yumi walks inside however, Takeshi's eyes linger on her, creepily. Kenji closes the door on Takeshi.
Kenji cooks a curry for dinner for the pair. He serves it up and Yumi eats it, stating it is flavourful and filling. The pair laugh and joke around as they discuss embarrassing things they've experienced - one story involved Yumi being locked in the toilet at work and her boss having to help get her out. After dinner, as Kenji is washing up, Yumi looks down at the ground, seemingly hesitating about something, before standing up and walking over to Kenji, who is by the sink. There, she asks Kenji is she can ask something serious. Kenji stops washing up momentarily and assures her she can ask whatever she wishes. Yumi asks if Kenji knows anything about Sayuri's disappearance. Kenji looks down at the ground, feigning being hurt, before telling her "So you believe I know something too?". Yumi instantly apologises, but Kenji smiles and says it's okay - for its only natural she should be suspicious. However, he reassures her he knows nothing about the situation, insisting the only interaction he ever had with Sayuri was on the casino's opening day. Yumi seems satisfied with the answer, once again apologising for asking. The pair then kiss.
The next day, Saito once again walks into his boss' office, seemingly unannounced, startling his boss who is talking to another detective. When his boss demands to know what this interruption is about, Saito explains that there is something suspicious about the casino that he believes will uncover the truth about what happened to Sayuri. He tells his boss he knows where he stands - he is simply an injured puppy in the eyes of higher ups. But he assures his boss he only has the interests of the TMPD in mind. With that, he requests he head up a special task force with full clearance to investigate every aspect of the casino. His boss, though initially shocked, begins to smile, before standing up and shaking Saito's hand. "I underestimated you", he tells Saito. Saito's request is accepted by his boss, and Saito walks back to his desk smiling to himself.
The next morning, Kenji once again heads to work whilst on the phone to Yumi, with the pair making light conversation. Once he reaches the casino entrance, he says goodbye to her and ends the call. He goes to walk in through the front door, but freezes before entering and turns around, looking into the distance behind him. Although he cannot see it, within a building opposite the casino stands Saito, watching on at Kenji and the casino, ready to start closing in.
Episode 5 - "Poker Face"[]
The episode opens inside the TMPD, where Saito is holding a meeting with the newly established Casino Investigative Police Force (CIPF). Saito tells the officers sitting down in front of him that he is the head of the team, and subsequently explains their mission: they will investigate every element of the casino to see if they can find a connection between the establishment and the disappearance of Sayuri. Saito vows to do finish the job Sayuri started and bring about justice for her. He outlines an upcoming undercover operation, selecting 4 police officers during the meeting who will be the ones going undercover. Afterwards, he ends the meeting. As the officers get up and leave, one approaches Saito and says "Welcome back", before smiling and walking off. Saito watches the officer leave, before smiling to himself with pride.
After the opening sequence plays, the scene opens on Taro, who is sitting in his lavish dining room, drinking orange juice and reading a newspaper. The article he is skimming through is about Sayuri and the casino. Taro's wife, Aya, walks in to the dining room and greets her husband, before grabbing some cereal and sitting down next to him at the dinner table. Taro asks her how she's feeling, and she says she's a lot better than earlier on in the week, where she had a cold. She swiftly moves the conversation along to the Sayuri story, asking Taro if he thinks it will cause issues for him and RyTemza. Taro freezes for a second, before looking up at Aya and smiling, reassuring her that there is nothing to worry about - the casino has been a success with the shareholders and Taro's job is looking as secure as ever. He kisses her before going to his room to get changed, but once reaching his wardrobe, his smile fades as the anxiety surrounding the Sayuri story washes over him. His phone buzzes, notifying him he has a voice mail. As he gets into his suit, he plays the voicemail, sent from his assistant at RyTemza who tells him the shareholders are demanding a meeting with Kenji as a result of the bad press the casino is receiving.
Meanwhile, at the casino, Kenji and Kameki are inside the former's office. The pair are discussing how best to quell the rumours surrounding Sayuri's disappearance, in order to take eyes off of the casino. Kameki proposes that the gang send a "warning" to other news outlets by killing another journalist, but Kenji berates her, accusing her of having a violent mindset that leaves the casino scheme vulnerable. He says that her attitude towards threats to the scheme (i.e. murder) is what has gotten them into their current, messy situation. He wastes no time to make Kameki feel more guilty about the ramifications of Sayuri's murder. Kameki stands in silence, too in her own head to properly fight back against Kenji's manipulative tactics. Kenji sees an opportunity to remind Kameki of the man who saved her, so he walks up to her and puts his hand on her shoulder, promising her he will deal with the bad press. Kameki shrugs Kenji's hand off, and Kenji subsequently tells her he's taking his lunch break.
Outside the casino, Kenji and Yumi once again meet for a lunch date, kissing and embracing upon seeing each other. The pair hold hands and head to a ramen bar, where they sit down and talk. However, the Sayuri issue seems more prevalent than before. Yumi raises it and asks how Kenji is dealing with the stress of the negative attention the casino is getting. Kenji goes to say he's fine, but realises he can use this situation to his advantage by gaining Yumi's sympathy. He holds her hand as he tells her he's struggling mentally. Yumi's face drops, and she vows to always be there for Kenji, as best she can. She asks if she can do anything to help, and Kenji looks her in the eyes and asks her to write a positive story about the casino. "What?" Yumi asks. Kenji explains that a positive story may negate the bad press and alleviate the stress he's experiencing, but Yumi seems offended by this prospect and lets go of Kenji's hand. She gives him a suspicious glance and explains she can't risk compromising her journalistic integrity. Kenji, realising he's made a mistake, instantly apologises to Yumi for suggesting such a thing, explaining that emotions simply caught the better of him. Yumi soon begins to smile again, and the pair spend the rest of their lunch break sharing ramen and chatting.
The pair say their goodbye at the casino and Yumi heads back to work, getting into a lift with a male coworker who gets uncomfortably close to her. Yumi simply stays quiet until she reaches her floor. Then, she gets to her desk and turns on her computer, where the audience see that - on her screen - Yumi is writing an article about the casino and its connections to Sayuri's disappearance. Yumi is contributing to the bad press Kenji is so desperate to get rid of. Her eyes skim over the phrase "a casino full of inconsistencies" and a look of guilt covers her face, as she worries about hurting Kenji.
Outside the casino, 4 plain-clothed police officers are standing and talking, waiting for a radio transmission from Saito. It eventually comes through on a hidden earpiece each officer has. Saito explains to the group their aim is simply to speak to the front-of-house workers within the casino and see if they can gain any useful intel. He emphasises that they shouldn't draw attention to themselves or give of the impression they are interrogating any of the workers. With that, he wishes them luck, and the four head inside.
They begin walking around the casino, which seems busier than it has done in previous episodes. Despite the overwhelming noise and movement happening within the building, the four men seem focused on the task at hand. They soon split up and head to different areas of the casino. One of the men goes up to a worker at one of the casino's mini-bars, and orders a Martini. Soon, he begins talking in a friendly manner to the bartender, before asking how the bartender found out about the job - using a cover story that he too is looking for a job. The bartender, who is a member of the gang, has to quickly bluff and conjure up a lie. He tells the police officer that he found out about the job opening through a friend of a friend. A woman sits down next to the officer at the bar and asks for a bottle of beer. The bartender grabs it but, as he leans over to give the woman her drink, he spots the undercover officer's earpiece and realises it's indeed a plain-clothed police man. He explains to both the officer and the woman that he has to check storage to see how much spirits are left, and quickly leaves the situation.
The bartender soon rushes to find Kenji, going to Kenji's office only to find it empty. He then turns around and sees Kameki standing by the door of the office, asking what he's looking for. The bartender asks if Kameki has seen Kenji anywhere: she narrows her eyes upon hearing this and questions why he's asking. The bartender says there are undercover police officers inside the casino, and that - if only for a brief moment - he spoke to one of them. Kameki is instantly upset that the bartender wasn't looking for her, but rather Kenji, and this reinforces her fears that the gang would rather have Kenji as their leader than her. However, realising the severity of the current situation, she pushes her worries to one side and reassures the bartender that the undercover police officers won't recognise any of the front of house staff as she made sure none of them were on the police database. Additionally, she says to act natural and not give out any unnecessary information, implying the officers will soon give up and leave. The bartender thanks her and leaves the office, leaving Kameki standing on her own.
In the TMPD, Saito is decorating his new office he has been given by his boss as a result of becoming the head of the CIPF. As he places things on shelves, including a rubix cube and a snowglobe he picks up a glass award with his name on it. He looks at it, and the scene transitions to a flashback, depicting the day he received said award. The flashback is partially obscured by camera flashes, as Saito walks onto a stage - without a walking stick or any issues with movement - and shakes hands with a medal-adorned police officer. He takes the award and begins to give a speech, thanking the TMPD for the recognition of his (to quote the award name) "exceptional bravery in the line of duty". The sound of applause consumes the flashback, as Saito's speech becomes muffled, before his office door opening snaps him back to the present. The 4 undercover officers walk back into his office and explain their mission was unsuccessful - they weren't able to get any relevant information from any of the workers. Saito tells them not to worry - he'll just have to take matters into his own hand. He then puts his award on his shelf.
Kenji's absence at the casino during the undercover police operation is revealed to be because he instead was travelling to the RyTemza building. Taro meets him in the building's reception and the pair, as always, shake hands, with Taro thanking Kenji for coming on short notice. As they head up the building via a lift, Kenji asks what the meeting is about. Taro, not able to sugarcoat the truth, tells Kenji the shareholders are becoming worried that the bad press surrounding the casino is endangering their investments. Kenji listens and nods, but doesn't know how to respond. His face begins to twist with worry, so Taro motivates Kenji by promising he'll be by his side no matter what, and to simply put on a poker face when talking to the shareholders so that he doesn't seem weak. Kenji smiles and thanks Taro, calling him a good friend. When the shareholder meeting begins, Kenji attempts to put the board's mind at ease by reassuring them there is no credible connection between Sayuri's disappearance and the casino, but he is then pressed by one of the shareholders, who ask if the story that Kenji spoke to Sayuri on the day she went missing is true. Kenji reluctantly confirms it is, and Taro looks down at the ground in response. "Well, there's your connection!" the shareholder says. Kenji swears that there is no credible evidence out there that supports the idea the casino and Sayuri are in any way connected outside of her journalistic endeavours. When another shareholder asks Kenji if the police have spoken to him about the incident, Kenji grits his teeth and decides to lie. "No, they haven't", he tells them, an answer which seems to somewhat satisfy them. After the meeting, Taro tells Kenji he did well. Kenji smiles and thanks his friend for his unwavering support.
At Yumi's work, she is called into her older male boss' office. She sits down, where he then tells her there are rumours that she is in cahoots with Kenji Nakamura, the man who has created the new Tokyo casino that has been featured so prominently in the news. Yumi denies this, so her boss laughs. He says either way, he has a request. He asks if she can use an inside source (Kenji, although this isn't overtly stated) to further her research into the casino and strengthen the article so it outperforms similar articles from different companies which released before. Yumi looks conflicted as she doesn't want to go behind Kenji's back, but her boss tells her if she can do this, there could be a promotion in it for her. Yumi looks down at the ground, and the scene ends before her answer can be revealed.
Kenji returns to the casino following his RyTemza meeting, only to be met outside by Detective Saito, dressed in his full police uniform. Saito's appearance startles Kenji, but he tries not to let his shock show on his face. Saito says he's at the casino on official TMPD business and that he would like to ask Kenji some questions, solely to aid with this investigation. Kenji reluctantly obliges, and Saito gestures for Kenji to lead him into the casino. The pair walk into the hustle and bustle of the ever-so-popular casino, and whilst they are heading to Kenji's office, Kenji spots Takeshi wandering around the casino. He stares intensely at Takeshi, hoping to catch his glance - this works, and the two make eye contact. Wanting a way out of the situation with Saito, Kenji gives Takeshi a knowing look, as if to say "do something". Though the pair may have their differences, Takeshi does understand his uncle well, and gives a nod in reply to Kenji's glance before rushing to do something that allows Kenji to make an escape.
Kenji and Saito enter the former's office, and Kenji sits behind his desk with Saito choosing to remain standing opposite. Saito takes out a notepad and begins asking questions. He first asks what Kenji knows of the journalist Sayuri, to which Kenji says all he knew before the news coverage surrounding her disappearance began is that she was a journalist who briefly spoke to him during the casino's opening day. Saito pries for more information, but Kenji earnestly tells him that's all he was aware of - other than what has since come to light and become common knowledge. Saito writes down notes and proceeds to his next question: asking Kenji how he came to run the casino. Kenji explains the casino was an idea he had after watching the film Casino Royale, but Saito interrupts and specifies he wants to know how Kenji managed to procure the necessary funds to establish the casino. Kenji says he utilised old connections alongside a sponsorship from the company RyTemza, which his friend Taro worked at. Saito squints and asks how the contracting work, planning permission, and building of the casino were all completed within months. Kenji interjects and asks what Saito really wanted to speak to him about, stating he thought the conversation would be about Sayuri. Saito nods and says it is. The pair stare at each other suspiciously, as tension rises. Soon, the tension is broken by the sound of the casino's fire alarm. Saito is visibly startled by the sound - something Kenji picks up on - but Kenji simply stands up and explains they need to evacuate the building. With that, the pair leave the casino.
As they are walking out, Kenji smiles to himself knowing that the fire alarm was Takeshi's way of getting him out of the situation. The commotion from within the casino is overwhelming, and Saito gets knocked to one side by a panicked visitor, nearly losing his balance having his walking stick hit. Kenji reaches out and grabs Saito's arm so he doesn't fall over. The pair eventually reach the outside of the casino, where it seems practically all of the workers and visitors have made an escape. Kenji seems calm as he knows it's simply a drill triggered by Takeshi, but as he scans the crowd, he cannot seem to find his nephew. Saito begins to continue his line of questioning, asking Kenji how he secured planning permission so quickly, and hired such a large team of staff seemingly instantaneously, but before Kenji can respond, the left side of the casino explodes. Flames are spewed and parts of the casino wall fly through the air. Saito stares at the flames from the explosion, triggering another flashback which depicts Saito, able-bodied, chasing after a suspect through a burning building whilst a fire alarm rings. All of a sudden, Saito falls through the floor, which collapses as a result of the fire. As he impacts the floor, his right leg completely snaps in half - the gruesome visual displayed to the viewer. Saito cries out in pain, before the scene returns to the present, with Saito continuing to look at the flames from the explosion. He grips his walking stick, and it is implied the incident in the flashback is what has left him with reduced mobility and reliant on a walking stick.
The crowd erupt into shock and begin to step back from the casino. Kenji notes that the flames don't seem widespread at all, and that the explosion only seems to have affected a small area. However, he then realises that Takeshi may still be inside. He begins to walk forward, and Saito asks where he is going. Kenji responds that his nephew is inside the casino, and hurries into the building. Saito watches on, before whipping out his notepad and writing down the fact that Kenji and members of his family seem to have a connection to the casino. Saito then looks back up to see the figure of Kenji walking into the smoked filled casino and subsequently disappearing out of sight.
Episode 6 - "Up The Ante"[]
The episode opens on Saito, standing outside the casino. Realising he can no longer pry Kenji for information, he decides to ring emergency services and make the situation a priority. Meanwhile, inside the building, smoke has filled the entire area. The shadow of the grand chandelier in its centre is one of the only shapes that can be made out. Kenji stumbles in, yelling out for Takeshi, repeatedly walking into objects (such as a blackjack table and a slot machine) and coughing frequently. Although his yells initially sound calm, they become more frantic and desperate as smoke continues to plow into the casino and Kenji's state worsens. Soon, he sees an orange light and, believing it to be the cause of the fire, runs towards it.
He soon enters a flame-filled room, although the fire is contained to one corner and does not seem to spreading. Lying down on the floor, bleeding from his head and unconscious, is Takeshi. Kenji yells his nephew's name out once more and rushes to his aid. He cannot seem to wake Takeshi up but the gash on his head seems relatively minor. Kenji picks Takeshi up and throws him over his shoulder. As he goes to leave the room, he looks at the flames once more, and sees the fuel for the fire is a pile of crates. "Idiot..." Kenji mutters to himself. He didn't expect Takeshi to actually cause a fire as a distraction. Kenji walks out of the room and back into the smoke-filled main hall. He continues to stumble and his vision worsens. As well as this, he is struggling to hold up Takeshi. Kenji begins stumbling and hyperventilating as the smoke inhaled begins to trigger side effects. His knee becomes limp and he falls onto it, before coughing up phlegm. With no choice but to continue, Kenji tries his best to resist succumbing to the smoke. Eventually, he finds the exist due to there being a bright patch within the smoke. He stumbles out of the main entrance of the casino, before coughing up more phlegm and falling unconscious, dropping Takeshi in the process. Without warning, paramedics instantly run up to him, and the camera zooms out to show that emergency services have arrived on the scene, and evacuated casino-goers are being escorted away.
The scene fades to black, before transitioning via a TV turn-on effect to a news report at the scene of the casino. As the reporter explains a section of the casino exploded, the camera pans away from her (and away from the perspective of the news broadcast) and moves over to Kenji, sat on a step in a fire blanket. Yumi appears and runs towards him, calling out his name. When she reaches him, she sits down and kisses him, before telling him she came as soon as she heard what had happened. He gives a half-hearted smile to her. She asks if he is okay, to which he replies he is, but he is simply putting on a brave face. She puts her arm around him and he places his head on her shoulder, as he begins to tear up. He is not traumatised by the event, however - he is scared about what the reaction from both Kameki and Taro will be.
The next day, Taro walks out of the metro station next to the casino and is greeted by Kenji, who was waiting for him. As always, the pair shake hands, before Kenji leads the way to the casino site. On the walk, Taro says he just wants an idea of the cost of the damage so that he can keep his shareholders in the loop. Kenji responds, telling Taro he understands. Taro asks if Kenji is okay after the incident, and Kenji nods, saying he was shaken when it happened, but has mostly recovered. Taro also praises Kenji for going into the casino to save his nephew, which elicits a sombre response from Kenji, who simply says "Thanks" whilst looking down. When the pair reach the casino, firefighters are examining the burnt area, and most of the building is cordoned off. Taro whistles in shock. "Still", he tells Kenji, "It isn't so bad". Kenji nods, and says the repairs shouldn't take long, and as the fire didn't spread the casino should be up and running in no time.
Taro turns to Kenji and asks what actually happened. As Kenji stares at the burnt room, it triggers a flashback. After the explosion, Kenji and Takeshi headed home in silence. Once they entered, Kenji blew up at Takeshi, asking him what he was thinking. Takeshi tells his uncle he had no idea his actions would have caused an explosion. Kenji demands an explanation as to what Takeshi actually did. Takeshi explains he wanted to trigger the fire alarm but felt it would have been suspicious if the fire alarm had gone off for no reason, so decided to set fire to some crates near a smoke detector. He explains that the crates - unbeknownst to him - were filled with spirits, which caused the explosion, throwing Takeshi back. He tells Kenji that he cannot remember anything else after that. Kenji sits down, exhausted by the events of the day. He tells Takeshi he's glad he is safe, but that it was a reckless stunt. Now there will be an investigation into the cause of the explosion, and they may find out Takeshi is responsible, which endangers everybody involved in the scheme. Takeshi replies, "Oh well, what's done is done", and walks upstairs to his room. Kenji watches on, bewildered at the lack of remorse his nephew is showing. The scene cuts back to the present, telling Taro that crates of alcohol were ignited by what looked like a faulty wire. The pair are approached by firefighters, who corroborate Kenji's claim that the boxes were ignited, but fear it may have been arson. Kenji speaks to the firefighters and assures them he doesn't want to press charges, and will happily cover the costs of the repair himself without the need for investigation. The firefighters seem apathetic and agree with Kenji - thus relieving him of the risk of having Takeshi's actions exposed.
That night, Kenji arrives at the gang's warehouse, where a bunch of other gang members, alongside Takeshi and Kameki, are situated. He walks in and Kameki laments him for being late, but he doesn't give into temptation and argue with her, simply apologising instead. Kenji then tells Kameki and the rest of the gang what happened. After his explanation, Kameki looks at Takeshi in anger, before calling him reckless. Kenji supports Kameki, berating Takeshi for his impulsive nature and explaining that - if the fire department wasn't so lazy - the casino could've been investigated and would have been in serious trouble. Takeshi gets defensive, being ganged up on by two of his accomplices, and places blame on Kenji for allowing a police detective to enter the casino. Kameki, who was unaware of this as Kenji had left it out of his explanation, asks for Kenji to elaborate. Kenji explains a Detective named Saito arrived at the casino and wanted to ask Kenji some questions - Takeshi interjects and tells Kameki that Kenji gave him a look that suggested he needed an escape, which is why he set fire to the crates in order to trigger the fire alarm.
Kameki's anger shifts from targeting Takeshi to targeting Kenji. She calls Kenji crazy for simply allowing a police officer who is investigating the casino to wander in, but Kenji says that if they barred Saito from entry it only would have escalated things and made the situation worse. Additionally, Kenji spins the situation and tells Kameki and Takeshi that neither of them have the right to be angry that Kenji let Saito in, when the only reason Saito was investigating the casino in the first place is because the pair of them murdered Sayuri without second thought. Kameki and Takeshi both take offence to this, with Kameki telling Kenji he is ungrateful to the woman that gave him a second chance when he should have been shot on the spot. Takeshi tells Kenji he should respect the gang leader, but Kenji simply looks at his nephew, baffled by this comment. He tells Kameki that she should look at the profit made by the casino before attacking him, and calls her a weak leader, before leaving the warehouse. The gang members all look at each other awkwardly, before somebody at the back of the crowd yells to Kameki, "Are you going to take that?". Kameki freezes, before walking off. Takeshi follows, and the gang members laugh at what they view is a weak leader. One of them utters the phrase, "I wish her dad never left this gang to her".
At night, at the TMPD headquarters, the CIPF have a meeting. Saito stands in front of the crowd, explaining the situation surrounding the casino explosion. He says he feels something is suspicious about the entire ordeal, and explains that for the next few days, the task force's main priority is to launch a full investigation into Kenji Nakamura: who he is, where he lives, who he knows, and what his past entails. The task force nod before rushing off to begin their work. Saito walks from the meeting room to his office, and before walking in, looks back at his task force, before smiling with pride. The scene fades to black.
The words "One week later" are displayed on the screen. and the scene fades up to the reopening of the casino following the explosion. The re-opening is televised and once again attended by a multitude of journalists. Kenji thanks RyTemza and the casino customers for their unwavering support during the casino's temporary closure, and says that, as a reward, the casino pledges to match the first ¥15,000 bet in the establishment, which triggers cheers from the visitors waiting to enter. As Kenji walks over to open the doors, a journalist yells out, "Do you know what happened to Sayuri?". This catches Kenji off-guard, but he simply turns away and continues walking. He reaches the main doors, and claps his hands, as workers open them and the crowd rushes in. As the journalists walk towards him, Kenji gets scared and scurries into the casino, eventually reaching his office, where Kameki is waiting. She tells him the casino don't have the money to match anybody's bets, but Kenji once again insists she look at the data that details the profit being made by the casino, assuring her they will make back their loss by the end of the day. Kameki looks at him suspiciously, but simply nods her head, deciding to trust him, at least on this occasion.
Meanwhile, at the TMPD, inside the same meeting room, the CIPF have reconvened with information on Kenji. Saito sits at the front of the room and asks each member of the task force to provide one piece of information they found. The first officer tells Saito that she discovered Kenji used to work for RyTemza. She provides an old photo of a young Kenji and Taro shaking hands at a business event, explaining Kenji used to be the CFO. Saito says he knew something along these lines, and asks if she managed to find out why Kenji left the company. The woman nods before showing a photo of Kenji at a bar. She explains that it seems there are reports that Kenji fell into alcoholism and that is what ultimately lost him his position at the company, but she doesn't know what prompted it and if the addiction is still ongoing. Another officer interjects, saying he found information that may hint as to why Kenji turned to alcoholism. The female officer sits down and the male officer stands up, showing a photo of a young Kenji and a young woman, holding hands. The man explains that, from his investigation, Kenji was engaged to the woman in the photo, but it seems she died when they both were in their early 30s, which would coincide with Kenji falling into addiction and leaving RyTemza. Saito congratulates the pair and says that the information may be useful to place pressure on Kenji. Another officer chimes in and says that if applying pressure is the CIPF's priority, they may be able to do it through Yumi Tanaka, a journalist for Tokyo Report. A photo is shown of the pair kissing outside the casino, and Saito looks at it as his face twists into a smirk. He tells the force they have done good work, and to keep digging for a little while longer whilst he puts this information to good use.
At RyTemza, Taro is reading some documents in his office when his phone rings. He answers it, and his receptionist is on the other line, telling him that Detective Saito of the TMPD wishes to speak with him. Taro's expression turns into one of worry, and his hands begin to tremble as he tells his receptionist to send Saito up. Saito walks into the lift and is taken up to Taro's floor. Taro greets Saito at the elevator and walks him to his office, where the pair both sit. Taro asks what he can help Saito with. Saito explains the TMPD are looking into the disappearance of Sayuri, a journalist, and he believes there is a connection between that incident and the casino which RyTemza sponsors. Taro rolls his eyes and leans back, telling Saito that he has already read all the papers documenting the story. Saito asks if Taro has any additional information, but Taro scoffs and says "additional" implies that there is already information of use, which there is not. Saito says that isn't true - there is a connection between Sayuri and the piece she was writing about the casino, and the last person known to see her alive is Kenji. Taro grits his teeth and decides to stand up for his friend, telling Saito that there is a severe absence of evidence to even imply Kenji has any part to play in Sayuri's disappearance, before accusing Saito of attempting to simply defame both Kenji's character and the casino. Saito looks at Taro with a vaguely annoyed expression, surprised at his loyalty to Kenji. Saito then proposes that perhaps, given Kenji's history of alcoholism, it is unwise to trust Kenji so much, but Taro shakes his head. He tells Saito that Kenji is now sober, and is his friend, and that nobody should have their past held against them. He points at Saito's walking stick, and Saito looks down at it, before looking back at Taro. He goes to ask more questions, but realises that Taro's loyalty will prove the interrogation a waste of time. With that, he thanks Taro for his time, and leaves the building.
Back at the casino, Kenji runs outside to meet Yumi, standing with a camera in her hand. She smiles when she sees him and the pair embrace, before Kenji asks what prompted her surprise visit. Yumi explains she's doing a piece on how the casino managed to re-open so quickly, and wanted to take photos for her article. Kenji smiles and tells her he'll lead the way, and the pair hold hands as they enter the casino. Yumi takes photos of slot machines and the virtual blackjack games, before arriving below the grand chandelier that is suspended over the casino's main hall. Yumi watches on in awe, just as she did the first time she saw it. "It's still as beautiful as ever", she tells Kenji. Kenji smiles and tells her she's more beautiful. Yumi looks at Kenji in the eye, and for a second she seems to have a guilty expression upon her face, but it disappears and she kisses Kenji.
After the casino visit, Yumi heads back to her workplace, but when she enters the lobby of the Tokyo Report main building, she sees Detective Saito waiting for her. Saito introduces himself and says he simply has a few questions to ask about the casino and its owner, Kenji Nakamura. The pair find an empty room to sit and talk in within the building. Once one has been located, Saito begins to ask Yumi about how she met Kenji: Yumi asks Saito why it is of relevance, and Saito says that it would simply help with their inquiry into the disappearance of Sayuri. Yumi tells him the pair met at a gala hosted by Taro, the CFO of RyTemza. Saito nods, before asking what she thinks of Kenji as a person. Yumi blushes and says she thinks Kenji is kind and compassionate, respectful and thoughtful, but Saito watches her every move, analysing her as she explains her affection for Kenji. He interjects by asking if she isn't put off by the feeling of being "second best". Yumi looks confused, so Saito elaborates: does she not feel insecure that she may not be able to fill the gap his dead fiancé left? Yumi freezes as she hears this, not knowing Kenji was ever engaged, nor that his fiancé died. Saito sees her confusion and, realising she wasn't told, decides to press further in the hopes that she will confront Kenji about it, applying pressure. Saito asks Yumi how she didn't know, as surely Kenji must have explained what triggered his alcoholism. Once again, Yumi is taken back, having not known Kenji was, or is, an alcoholic. Saito smirks before apologising, saying he has said too much, before wishing Yumi a good day and leaving. Yumi walks back to her desk in shock, not being able to compute the secrets Kenji has kept from her. When she reaches her desk, she turns on her computer to reveal the article she is writing: it is not about the casino's reopening, but instead is titled: "Kenji Nakamura and His Casino: The Enigma of a Man and of an Institution”. The look of guilt from earlier on once again washes over her face.
At the casino, Takeshi is walking around when he receives a text from a burner phone in his pocket. The message is from Kameki, who tells him to meet her in the cordoned off area of the casino. Takeshi asks why they have to meet there, and Kameki says it's the only place that's private. Takeshi turns the phone off and walks to the area. When he gets there, Kameki is already waiting. She turns to him and says they need to have a talk about how to control Kenji in order to stop him making her leadership look weak. Takeshi asks why he should care, but Kameki assures him the gang won't let her pet project (Takeshi) stay if they get rid of her.
Meanwhile, in another part of the casino, Kenji is sitting in the security room, watching the screens for signs of police officers as a voicemail from Taro plays, explaining Saito turned up at RyTemza. As he scours the cameras, he spies Kameki and Takeshi standing in the cordoned-off portion of the building. Kenji is visibly annoyed that the pair seem to be talking in private in a room that neither of them should be in, so angrily walks out of the room to approach them. When he reaches the cordon, he ducks under it and lifts it over his head simultaneously in order to get past.
Kenji eventually walks into the room, abruptly interrupting Kameki and Takeshi's discussion. Kenji tells the pair neither of them should be in the room, but Kameki asks Kenji to leave them alone as they are having a private meeting. Kenji angrily slams his fist against the wall of the room and tells Kameki that he owns the casino - it is his private property, and thus Kameki has no right excluding him from a private conversation inside of it. Kameki is angered by Kenji's words, and retaliates by telling Kenji as long as he's still in debt, all of his assets - including the casino - belong to her, and thus she can act however she pleases inside of it. Kenji laughs at her and asks what she has achieved by acting however she pleases. Kameki responds that she's achieved a hell of a lot more than Kenji did at her age. Kenji tells her to remember why she even reached that age in the first place - it is because he saved her life. This stuns Kameki, but before her silence can become noticeable, Takeshi interjects. He tells Kenji that he should back off of Kameki, as she is their leader. This proves to be the final straw for Kenji, who blows up in frustration. He shouts at Takeshi, asking him why - despite Kenji being his uncle - he always, without fail, sides with Kameki in disputes between the two. Takeshi says he's trying to stay neutral, but Kenji responds "neutral my ass!". He asks how Takeshi can be so blindly loyal to a woman he has known for 3 months, but Takeshi stops him by correcting him. "12 months", he tells Kenji. "What?" Kenji responds. Takeshi repeats himself. "12 months".
Kenji takes a step back. He's been stunned into silence and is at a loss for words. "How? You told me... you told me you got in contact with her only when she first approached me demanding the money". Kameki walks towards Kenji, empowered by his state of vulnerability, and tells him that Takeshi was known to the gang thanks to connections inside his juvenile detention centre, and that they approached Takeshi around a year ago in order to have him do odd jobs for the gang. which eventually turned into hit jobs. Kenji stares at them both. "So, you knew her before all of this?" Kenji asks, baffled. Suddenly, a harrowing possibility hits him. He walks slowly towards Takeshi. "Takeshi..." he begins to ask, as his voice trembles. "Did you tell Kameki how to contact me. Did you tell her where we lived. Is that the reason this whole casino scheme started?". Takeshi begins to smirk, smug and arrogant. He stares at Kenji directly in the eye and nods. The betrayal hits Kenji hard. His own nephew, who he truly wanted to help, endangering Kenji's life. "You little..." Kenji clenches his fist and instantly right hooks Takeshi with all of his might, the fury of the past few months fuelling the punch. Takeshi falls to the floor, unconscious, and bleeding. Kameki runs to him to ask if he's okay, whilst Kenji storms out of the building. When he reaches the cordon again, he tears through it.
Kenji races home in a fit of rage. He opens and slams the front door shut, before racing up to Takeshi's room. The door is locked, so Kenji knocks it down by running into it four times. When he begins to look around the room, the amount of evidence of crime and substance use is more than he can bear. Packets of drugs are strewn across Takeshi's desk, bed, and floor, along with empty alcohol bottles, a gun, and a machete. Kenji scolds himself for his naivety, wondering how he ever thought he could reform Takeshi. He runs downstairs, although the camera stays inside Takeshi's room. Kenji soon re-appears with bin bags, and begins angrily swiping all of Takeshi's possessions into the bags. His bed-sheets, his weapons, his drugs, his clothes. All of it is thrown with little care into a sequence of black bin bags. A chopped-up timelapse shows the entire room being stripped of all possessions.
Meanwhile, Taro pulls into the driveway of his house, before reading a text message on his phone from one of the RyTemza shareholders, thanking Taro for keeping them updated with Saito's investigation into the casino and Kenji. Taro looks guilty for having shared the information. He leaves the car and opens the front door of the house, where the smell of a roast dinner hits him instantly. He calls out for his wife, Aya, who races from the kitchen, dressed in an apron. He kisses her and asks how her day was, and she says she has a surprise for him. She leads him into the kitchen she has prepared a roast dinner for the pair. The table is decorated with atmospheric candles. Taro smiles with pride and thanks his wife for putting so much effort into it. He asks her what the occasion is, and she holds both his hands before telling him: the adoption agency rang, and they're off the waiting list. Now is their time to get ready to adopt. Taro instantly tears up over this news, his dream of having a child coming true. The overwhelming joy negates all the negative aspects of his day, and he embraces Aya as the pair begin to sob with tears of joy.
At night, when Takeshi reaches his home, he finds a pile of bin bags out on the street. After inspecting them, he realises they are bags of his belongings. "Oh no you don't!" he mutters to himself, taking angry strides towards the front door and going to unlock it to confront Kenji. However, he cannot get the door to open - his keys are no longer working. "No way..." Takeshi utters once more. Suddenly, he begins angrily slamming his fist on the front door. "You changed the locks, you bastard!". The banging continues until Kenji yells in such an assertive voice it renders Takeshi briefly immobile. "Silence!" he exclaims. When the banging stops, Kenji walks up to the other side of the door to talk to Takeshi, although he doesn't open it. Takeshi asks what has gotten into Kenji, and Kenji tells him he is sorry, but he is no longer allowing Takeshi to live in his house. Takeshi begins to argue back, but Kenji cuts him off, explaining that he is no longer allowing Takeshi to act behind his back and betray him - at least not whilst Takeshi is under his roof. Takeshi asks Kenji if he's being serious, and Kenji confirms he is. Instantly, Takeshi's demeanour changes, and he begins to try and guilt Kenji into letting him stay. He tells Kenji how hard it was being kicked out by his parents the first time around after leaving juvie, and that he doesn't want to suffer through that again. Kenji, however, simply tells Takeshi it's too bad. Kenji says he no longer cares about Takeshi's struggles. He tried before, but no longer. He says he understands now that Takeshi will never change, so recommends he move in with Kameki, or another gang member, or whoever, but that they will no longer be sharing a residence. Takeshi tries to argue back again, but Kenji asserts that this is his home, not Takeshi's. He tells Takeshi to leave the property and not come back, before walking away back into the house, leaving Takeshi maniacally screaming and slamming on the door.
Episode 7 - "Go For Broke"[]
The episode opens on a dark and stormy night, with rain falling on the ground. Kameki is stood in a cemetery, standing over a freshly dug grave. She mutters the word "Father", implying this is a flashback scene soon after her father's burial. As she stands over the grave with her fists clenched, she asks him why he has left her the gang. "Why have you placed this burden on me?" she cries out. "I can't do it... I can't". Her voice becomes weaker as the rain intensifies. Kameki drops to her knees in the cemetery, before beginning to sob. As the camera zooms out, she can be heard whispering, "Please come back", as she places her hand on her father's headstone.
After the opening sequence plays, the flashback continues. Now at the warehouse, the gang members are gathering in the centre, waiting for Kameki to speak to them. Around the corner, Kameki is battling with nerves, when all of a sudden a broad man with buzzed hair comes round the corner. "What can I help you with, Renji?" Kameki asks. Renji tells her he simply wants to wish her luck for her first gang meeting. He continues, saying she must know it won't go well. Kameki asks how Renji can be so sure of that, and Renji says everybody is thinking it - the girl who stole their gang from them is not a leader they're prepared to respect. Kameki scoffs, but Renji says he feels bad for her - he doesn't want her to get hurt. He leans into her face and tells her he has a proposition: he can convince the gang to give her a large sum of money if she chooses to forfeit the gang leadership and give it to one of the men, who Renji states have earnt the role of leader after working for her father for decades. Kameki apologises but says she is not going to accept such a deal: her father trusted her with the job. As she goes to walk past him, Renji aggressively grabs Kameki's wrist. She turns to look at him, and the pair make eye contact. Renji is caught off guard by her resistance to his intimidation, and lets her wrist go.
Kameki walks into the main room, where all the gang members are murmuring. She attempts to get their attention by stating out loud that the meeting "has commenced", but the murmuring continues with nobody listening to her. She repeats herself, but once again there is no acknowledgment. "Is anybody going to listen to their leader?", she yells out in aggravation. A silence ensues, with one of the gang members yelling out that a "pretty mouth" like hers is no good for talking. Another chimes in saying they have a better use for it, and this is followed by jeering. Kameki begins to tremble and anger, and subsequently walks off, leaving the group of men to laugh.
She walks to her office, opening the door and slamming it behind her. She leans against it and takes a deep breath, before walking towards her desk and opening a drawer - inside it is a gun. She grabs it and loads it, before walking back out. She walks back to the rest of the gang, and the closer she gets, the louder the murmuring gets. She walks in front of them and is once again ignored: that is, until she points the gun up into the air and shoots it. The bullet ricochets off of the roof of the warehouse and smashes into a window, breaking it. The loud noise startles the men, who look at Kameki in shock as she stands, arm in the air, gun in her hand. "Now that I've got your attention..." Kameki says, "you should know that, if anyone tries to disrespect me again, the next bullet will be in your heads. Understood?". Silence follows, with most of the gang subdued into subordination. Renji stands in the crowd and gives a sly smirk.
That night, Kameki is dressed in a coat and is walking back from the warehouse. As she walks hastily, she hears a cough from the shadows in front of her. She slows down as Renji appears from the shadows, and the she then stops in her tracks, with the pair standing opposite one another. "So here's the almighty gang leader" he says to her, mockingly. Kameki tells him to let it go and tries to walk past, but he grabs her by the arm again. He tells her that she doesn't look so strong now. She's just another woman at night. She glares at him with more fear in her eyes than she did before. "Do you know what men like us do at this time of night?" Renji sneers. He loosens the grip on her arm and Kameki brushes him off and begins to speed-walk away, but he grabs the back of her collar and pulls her backwards into him. She screams out in fear, and Renji responds by covering her mouth with his hand, before throwing her on the ground. "THIS is how to be a real leader", he says, as he goes to forcefully remove her jacket with one hand whilst the other creeps up her leg. The fear consuming Kameki is ever-present in her eyes, but she closes them for a moment, and when they re-open, there is only anger and fury in them. She knees Renji in the ground, causing him to fall back, before throwing herself onto him and turning him around so that he is now laying on the floor. He attempts to lunge upwards at her, but as he lifts his head, she takes her right index finger and sticks her sharp nail into his eye, causing him to cry out in pain. "I warned you." Kameki says, as she pulls out the gun from her pocket and sticks it into Renji's mouth. Renji struggles, but there is nothing he can do as Kameki pulls the trigger and shoots him in the head. His struggling stops as his body goes limp, whilst Kameki trembles with shock and adrenaline, having killed her first person.
The next day, the gang are once again headed to the warehouse, making sexual jokes about Kameki and predicting how long she'll last as leader before she eventually throws in the hat. They reach the building and enter, but as they reach the main area of the warehouse, they stop in their tracks to see Renji's body, hanging from a rope in the warehouse, a bullet-hole through his head and dry blood around his eye. On his body is a handwritten note from Kameki that simply reads, "I"m serious." The gang watch on in shock, and their lewd comments fall away as silence consumes the building.
In the present, Kameki is once again stood by her father's grave. "What should I do?" she asks to him. She tells him that she had gotten everything under control. She'd scared the gang members into submission and earned their respect. She'd hunted down those who were in debt to the gang to prove she meant business. But now, she says that Kenji is undoing everything she has worked hard to build. She says he continues to challenge her authority and makes her look weak, and she says she fears that seeing his will trigger the gang members to fall back into their old mindset and lose all respect to her. "This is your fault" she says to her father's grave. "Why did you put me in this situation?". The camera once again zooms out as Kameki stands over her father's headstone.
In the streets of Tokyo, Takeshi is dragging multiple bin bags of his along the ground after being kicked out of Kenji's house. He wanders aimlessly in the dark, the contents of the bags clattering behind him. He spits onto the ground, and then looks up to see Yumi. Yumi is on her way to Kenji's house, and locks eyes with Takeshi. The pair both stop in their tracks and look at one another - Yumi in confusion, and Takeshi in sinister joy. Yumi slowly approaches Takeshi and asks if he's okay. Takeshi laughs and says "Sure, why not?", a response which unsettles Yumi, once again stopping her in her tracks. She asks him what happened, and he tells her to ask Kenji himself - that is, "if you have enough time for talking in between what you're heading there for". This suggestive statement makes Yumi uncomfortable. She gives a disgusted look and continues on her walk. Takeshi twists his head and whistles at her behind her, before turning back and laughing to himself. He then continues his directionless walk.
Yumi arrives at Kenji's house and knocks on the door. Sitting on the other side of the door is an exhausted and emotionally drained Kenji, who yells "Go away, Takeshi" at the door, not realising who is behind it. Yumi announces herself and says she needs to talk to Kenji, which catches him off guard. He jumps up and opens the door, apologising and letting Yumi in. He goes to hug her but she walks past him, and proceeds to ask him why Takeshi is wandering around on the streets. Kenji looks down and says he kicked him out. Yumi asks why, and Kenji says he can't say, and asks she not talk about it. Yumi rolls her eyes and says she can add it to the lists of secrets Kenji's been keeping from her. Confused, Kenji asks her what she means. Yumi glares at him and tells him she knows about his past. Kenji is stunned and silent, partly out of shock, and partly out of confusion, so Yumi elaborates: she knows about his dead ex-fiancé, and she knows about his addiction. Kenji defensively asks who told her. She responds by saying Detective Saito came to her work, a name Kenji physically recoils upon hearing, and told her himself. "That bastard..." he mutters under his breath. Yumi says this isn't about Saito: this is about him, and she demands transparency. Kenji nods, and says he'll tell her everything, so the couple sit down at the kitchen table.
Kenji explains that he met a woman at university called Mina, who was the love of his life. The pair were together for nearly 10 years and were engaged. He said he knew he wanted to marry her, a statement which makes Yumi uncomfortable as she thinks about Saito's comments about her being "second best". He tells her that tragedy struck when she was involved in a hit-and-run. They never caught who did it. Kenji tears up as he speaks, and Yumi's eyes fill with sympathy. Kenji says that the event ruined him. He was the CFO at RyTemza, but to cope with the grief of losing his fiancé, he became addicted to alcohol and drugs - the latter of which Yumi was unaware of. She questions him on it, and he says he's so ashamed. The addiction made him lose his job and his apartment, and his family and friends distanced themselves from him. He looks her in the eyes, however, and promises her he is sober, and has been for over 5 years. He's rebuilt himself from the ground up, made new connections, gotten back into the world of work, and that the casino is a perfect symbol for his growth. Silence follows, until Yumi asks why Kenji never told her. He explains that he never thought he'd find love again after Mina's death, and that when he met Yumi he didn't want her to think poorly of him if she heard about his past. He tells her that he's sorry for not revealing it sooner, but Yumi, who begins to tear up, says she needs to leave. She stands up and walks out the front door, leaving Kenji to cry alone in his kitchen.
The next day, Taro and his wife Aya arrive at the Child Guidance Centre to discuss the next steps of the adoption process after being taken off of the waitlist. They meet Akari, their Guide, who shakes hands with the pair and takes them to his office. After everybody has sat down, Akari explains that the centre has managed to find a compatible match between the couple and a child, news which causes both Taro's and Aya's faces to light up with joy. Akari smiles, seeing the happiness of the couple, but tells them that there are some steps that are necessary before the adoption can be finalised. First, the couple will meet the child. Then, a court hearing will take place in a Family Court, where the couple must bring witnesses who can attest to the financial and emotional stability of the couple, and prove, to the best of their ability, that they will be good parents. Finally, a home visit will be carried about by a neutral third party (so, not Akari nor the couple), to ensure that the house is fit to raise a child in. If all of these steps are passed, then paperwork and preparation are the final steps before completing the adoption process. Aya smiles and squeezes Taro's hand whilst Akari asks if everything is clear. The couple nod, and Akari smiles before telling the couple it's time to meet their prospective child.
On the walk to the playroom which Akari explains the child has been brought to, he tells the couple that what they're doing is admirable, given the stigma surrounding adoption in the country. Taro thanks Akari and says that the love they are willing to share with a child in need of parents is stronger than any judgement they may receive from others. Once they reach the playroom, Akari knocks before the trio enter to see a childminder playing with a young, 4-year-old boy. Akari tells both parties to introduce themselves to one another. Taro and Aya introduce themselves, and the child - named Kota - follows suit. Taro asks what Kota is playing, and Kota says he's trying to build a lego tower, inviting the couple to join him. Aya looks at Akari who nods to let them know they can play with Kota, and the pair sit down on the floor is the camera pans out.
Elsewhere, Takeshi's eyes open abruptly, and he sits up whilst the camera cuts to a wide shot, showing him sitting on the pile of possessions he was dragging around, with the bags inside a dark alley only being lit up by the morning sun. Takeshi yawns and rubs his neck, being achy after a rough night's sleep. He rubs his hands through his damp hair, realising it must have rained, as pipes in the alleyway are dripping with water. He looks down and realises he simply cannot live like this. He takes out his phone, presumably to ring Kenji, but when he goes to turn it on it has no battery. Takeshi sighs and puts his head in his hands, before getting up and grabbing the bags, walking out of the alleyway.
At the casino, Kenji enters holding a takeaway cup of coffee from Vine Tree Café Tokyo (a reference to VESK's Seoul Sisters) and slowly wanders around the main hall. As per usual, the casino is bustling, and Kenji looks relieved that everything is running smoothly. Also soothing him is the absence of both Takeshi and Kameki. More relaxed than the previous night, Kenji walks upstairs to his office and sits down, before his phone rings. He answers, and Taro is on the other line. The pair greet each other formally, before Taro tells Kenji he has good news: the Child Guidance Centre has officially matched himself and Aya with a prospective adoptee. Kenji's mouth expands into a wide grin as he gives his earnest congratulations to his good friend. Taro thanks Kenji for the good wishes, saying it is a major relief of anxiety and stress on both him and Aya. He then proceeds to ask Kenji for a favour: as Taro and Aya need witnesses at the court hearing, he asks if Kenji would be willing to attend. Kenji smiles to himself and gladly agrees, telling Taro he wants to help in any way he can. On the other end of the phone, Taro tears up and thanks his friend, proceeding to invite him over for dinner later that week as a token of their gratitude. Kenji says he's more than happy to come.
Meanwhile, at the TMPD, Saito is on break and is wandering around the building. He walks past a young woman speaking to two young uniformed police officers. One of the officers spots him and calls him over. Saito walks up to the three and asks what the situation is. One of the officers explains that the woman is reporting a homeless man harassing her on the streets last night. Saito wants to know why he has been called over, and the other officer asks if there's a way to access surveillance footage to see if the incident was caught on camera. Saito explains that it depends on where the incident took place, but when the victim provides the name of a highly-surveyed street, Saito says it can be possible. The scene cuts to the woman, the two officers, and Saito in Saito's office, looking through camera footage from the night before on that street. Saito continues to skip through the footage until the woman asks him to pause. He does right at the time the the incident is captured, and a simple zoom-in and enhance identifies the perpetrator as none other than Takeshi. Saito squints, and realises he recognises the man from somewhere, but he cannot pinpoint where. He asks the officers and the victim to wait outside whilst he skims through his personal files and recently viewed files on the police database, all of which are connected to the casino. He lands on Kenji's page and slowly analyses it, before seeing a tab named 'familial connections': he expands it to see an image of Takeshi, instantly triggering a flashback to Saito seeing Takeshi at the casino the day of the explosion. Takeshi is listed as Kenji's nephew. Saito leans back in his chair, surprised to find Kenji's own family are working at the casino. A further surprise lies ahead for Saito, as when he clicks on Takeshi's file, Takeshi's criminal record is flagged. Saito's eyes begin to dart around the screen as he realises Kenji having a criminal nephew working at his suspicious casino may provide a link to Sayuri's disappearance. As he scrolls through Takeshi's file, he is once again shocked to see that Kenji is listed as Takeshi's legal guardian. He returns to Kenji's file to find no mention of this. Realising that this could be a major breakthrough for the case, he stands up, grabs his jacket, and leaves the office to head to the casino.
Back at the casino, Kenji leaves his office and tells a member of staff that he's going on his lunch break. He leaves the casino, and heads to the Tokyo Report headquarters in order to speak with Yumi. On his way, he tries to ring her, but it goes to voicemail, and it is implied (given how quickly he hangs up) that she has not answered any of his calls since the night before. He reaches the entrance of the building and, for a second, hesitates walking in, but decides to do it and speaks to the receptionist, where he asks if he can speak to Yumi. The receptionist calls Yumi down, but when she arrives, she simply tells Kenji he should leave. Kenji pleads for her to hear him out: he never meant to upset her, he simply didn't want him to be defined by his past. Yumi seems torn: on the one hand, she is upset, but on the other, she does feel sympathy for Kenji's lived experience. Kenji asks her out to lunch, and says he just wants to talk. Yumi nods her head in agreement, before asking the receptionist to clock her out and going back upstairs to grab her coat.
At the gang's warehouse, Kameki is standing with a group of men either side of her. She is telling them about a foul odor coming from near her office. She explains it has been present for a few weeks at this point, but initially she just thought it was damp. Now, however, the smell is becoming unbearable and making her feel sick. One of the men jokes that maybe she is just on her period - Kameki decides to shrug of the comment and asks the gang to identify the smell as soon as possible. The men agree and the group disperses, just in time for Kameki to turn around and see Takeshi standing behind her, bin bags in hand, damp with rain. She asks him what he's doing there, and Takeshi admits - although embarrassed to do so - that he needs a place to stay, and was wondering if she would let him stay in the warehouse. Kameki responds with a deeply confused look.
Yumi and Kenji have headed to an italian-themed café for lunch. Yumi struggles to look at Kenji, prompting him to once again apologise for not telling him about her past. He explains to her that the struggles he went through - Mina's death and addiction - are the defining features of the hardest period of his life. He explains how hard he worked to become sober, to improve his outlook on life, to get a new house, and to form new connections with people. He simply didn't want his past to taint her perception of him. Yumi says it never would have, and Kenji shares his gratitude, but asks her to see the situation from his perspective: after having lost everything due to the events that transpired, he finds it reasonable that he'd be paranoid about her knowing in case history would then repeat itself. Yumi finally looks at Kenji with a sympathetic look on her face. She says she understands him, and that she's sorry for making him feel worse about the situation: she simply was hurt she had to hear everything from Saito instead of Kenji himself. Kenji holds her hand and asks if they're okay, prompting Yumi to smile and nod. She does, however, take her hand away as she explains she is concerned that Saito - having reached out to Yumi - isn't going to stop prying into Kenji and the casino. She says she's worried about him, and wants him to be honest with her, but Kenji promises her Saito will not find anything in his investigation.
Back at the warehouse, Kameki and Takeshi are in the former's office. Kameki inhales through her nose before reacting to the foul smell she had been complaining about, before asking Takeshi why he wants to stay in the warehouse. Takeshi tells her that Kenji has kicked him out of their house and changed the locks, rendering Takeshi homeless. Kameki turns her back on Takeshi and tells her she is not his mother, and that she has no responsibility for what happens to him. Takeshi clenches his fist, but seemingly not in anger: instead, it is in desperation. He pleads with Kameki, promising that he will sleep in an empty room, staying out of her way, and doesn't need looking after. She turns back around and faces him as he asks her to remember how loyal he has been to her. Kameki's eyes lock with Takeshi as the scene fades into a flashback.
The flashback shows Kameki leading a gang meeting inside the warehouse one night. She explains to the gang members that the gang itself has to repair its reputation after her father tarnished it with his "softness". She brings out a list of names, explaining they are the names of individuals who have the most outstanding debts to the gang, and that she wants to go after every one of them, recoup their losses, and show the world that they mean business. The gang members look on, captivated by Kameki and seemingly viewing her as more of a leader than they did when she first became one. Takeshi himself is also sat in the crowd, right at the back. Kameki begins listing out a series of names, including Kenji Nakamura, which grabs Takeshi's attention. After the meeting, the gang members disperse. Kameki walks to her office, and Takeshi runs after her, before reaching her and saying he has some information about one of the names she read. Kameki looks at Takeshi with curiosity. "Go on...", she says. Takeshi explains his uncle is Kenji Nakamura: the pair live together. He says he's willing to give her his address and any other information she so desires. Kameki is surprised by Takeshi's cold words. She asks him if he feels bad snitching on his family, but Takeshi simply smirks, before telling her there is no place for feelings like those in the gang. Kameki smiles, before the flashback cuts back to the present.
Kameki's face turns from one of irritation to one of sympathy, as she apologises for her harsh words and dismissive behaviour. She agrees to let Takeshi stay in the warehouse. She explains to him she'd be more accommodating if it were not for the smell in the warehouse that is driving her crazy. She asks Takeshi if he can smell it, and Takeshi sniffs, before telling Kameki that it is not an ordinary smell. Kameki asks him to elaborate, and Takeshi's mouth twists into a smirk as he tells her it smells like a body. Kameki is shocked, and asks Takeshi if he's being serious. He responds by telling her that he is relying on her for shelter, and he wouldn't lie. "A body in the warehouse?" she mutters to herself. She snaps out of her trance and tells Takeshi they have to find the body, leading the pair to rush out of the office.
Kenji walks Yumi back to the Tokyo Report headquarters, before asking if he can use the staff toilet before he leaves. Yumi agrees and the pair head up to where her office is, where Kenji takes his gloves off and places them on Yumis desk, before using the toilet and returning to Yumi. Yumi says she's glad the pair sorted their issues out, and Kenji reciprocates the sentiment, before the pair kiss and embrace. With that, Kenji says goodbye, and walks away. As he reaches the lift, however, he realises he has left his gloves on Yumi's desk, so he heads back, only to find Yumi is not there. He sees the women's toilet door close, and realises she has gone to the toilet, so decides to grab his gloves and leave without bothering her. When he goes to grab his gloves, however, his hand brushes Yumi's computer mouse, and the activity turns on her monitor. The screen activates to reveal to Kenji the article Yumi is writing about him. His eyes scan the page, seeing the photos Yumi took of the chandelier, as well as photos of Kenji himself. He reads a line of the article which describes Kenji as "an unconvincing charade" and steps back in shock amd hurt. He soon hears the staff toilet flush and reacts quickly, turning the computer screen off and heading back to the lift, holding back tears as he believes Yumi is simply using him.
Kameki and Takeshi are standing outside a blank wall. Takeshi knocks it before assuring her the wall is thin, unlike many of the other walls in the warehouse. Kameki tells him the smell is definitely the strongest in this specific area, and he responds by saying the source of the stench must be behind the wall. "Only one way to find out" Kameki says, before picking up a sledgehammer leaning against the wall (that the pair had presumably walked around with beforehand). She counts herself down from three before smashing the wall with the hammer multiple times until there is a giant, gaping hole. The camera perspective switches to inside the room, looking at Takeshi and Kameki through the wall, both of them squinting before their expressions turn into looks of horror and shock. The camera switches back to the outside of the room zooming into the room via the hole, and as the dust clears, a silhouette can be seen hanging by a string. Soon, the silhouette is visible: it is the body of Sayuri, the journalist that Takeshi killed and that the gang had sworn they'd disposed of. On her body lies a handwritten note, reading "We're serious too", and the episode ends on Kameki's face, struggling to process the scene she is witnessing.
Critical reception[]
Viewership[]
VEJ TV had established itself as a network that licensed third party programs and had become a key player in the animated television scene. Thus, the announcement of The House Always Wins instantly garnered press attention for its difference compared to VEJ's usual output. The series' premiere aired to just under 4.4 million viewers, a record for a series opener on the network. It's viewership initially dropped gradually over the first 3 episodes to its low-point of 3.56 million viewers, but as interest in the series grew, so too did viewership.
Entering the middle of the series, promotion of the program increased through adverts, posters, the success of its theme tune, and television appearances from its stars. The series' 5th episode garnered 4 million viewers for the first time since the premiere, and again from its 7th episode onwards. Viewership significantly rose over the course of the final 4 episodes of the program, with its finale peaking at 4.95 million viewers, becoming the highest-rated drama episode for VEJ TV.
The show was VEJ TV's most-viewed program over the entire course of its run. Additionally, it consistently ranked in the top 3 most viewed programs in Japan, although fellow VEJ TV program Chart Rulers dominated the top spot as it had done for over a year and a half beforehand. It remains VEJ TV's most successful drama series to date.
International viewership via VEXcess was also high, with the series becoming significantly popular in North America. It was the second most-streamed program on the platform in 2025, behind VESK's Seoul Sisters - third place, Law Law Law, lagged significantly behind the pair. It is the most viewed VEJ TV original series on the platform.
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