Tokyo Vice – Season 2 Episode 4 “Like a New Man” Recap & Review

Like a New Man

Episode 4 of Tokyo Vice’s Season 2 begins with a meeting between Ishida and Katagiri. The two men have immense mutual respect. They are honourable and ethical men. As a mark of that feeling, Katagiri warns the Yakuza boss about forthcoming operations. The task force is serious and organized crime will not be able to live on for long. Ishida, however, remarks that Nagata underestimates the importance of the institution. It is what keeps the system running smoothly. My mind harkens back to Heat, and although the two sets of men aren’t directly comparable, their dynamic is similar.

Jake and the other Meicho reporters are instructed by Baku to exclusively pursue the Yakuza story. The police have yet to disclose the charges under which the arrests are being made. Jake confronts Katagiri but Nagata cuts him off. She is in charge and the task force must be solely focused on its mission. Meanwhile, Kaito’s recent experiences have changed him. He feels Hayama wants the best for him, despite Sato’s warnings to stay away from him. This conflict will surely lead to something actionable since they already dislike each other.

Ishida and the other bosses meet to discuss these new developments. However, the meeting is interrupted by Tozawa’s presence, which surprises everyone. He brings up how Chihara-kai has been stealing his territories, making Ishida look bad. It was a calculated move by Yabuki and Tozawa to invite the Chihara-kai to take their properties in order to give this appearance.

The two men privately discuss the way forward. Ishida tries to calm matters and stick together…but Tozawa is unconvinced. He is singularly focused on his selfish interests and becoming even more powerful. Ishida prepares for war, sending Hayama and Sato to Nagano. Ota, a former Chihara-kai member, will give them a batch of guns, which the Oyabun now sees fit to use. 

Due to Baku’s hesitance to allow Eimi to become a part of the investigation, she suspects he has ulterior motives. Shingo, her partner, finds it surprising but wouldn’t put it past him.

Sato and Erika’s closeness is growing. He is also comfortable with Dai-chi and vice versa. However, Erika’s guard goes up when she learns that Samantha and Sato had a prior relationship. She talks to her directly about it and Samantha is honest in her feedback. Erika’s previous husband was a Yakuza member, which makes her vary in proceeding with this relationship.

Jason Akai, the guy from the US Embassy, meets Trendy for drinks. They go together to a gay bar, hinting further at the possibility of this becoming a romantic engagement.

Jake receives a call from Misaki, who tells him about Tozawa’s return. Somehow, the man is healthier again, “like a new man.” She wants to escape her old fate, indicating that she might try to run away. Misaki also breaks up with Jake, saying that he needs to stay away from the crime boss. Katagiri advises Jake to stay away but his own circumstances could also use some caution. The next morning, he receives an envelope with photos of his children. This is a warning for him to stop his pursuit of the task force’s objectives.

In a candid conversation with Shingo, Eimi lays bare her family history. Her parents now live in Korea and were dismissive of her brother, Kei. She was settled in Chicago but left everything to be with Kei when his mental illness became worse.

Jake meets with Sawada, the Yakuza’s lawyer, the next day. He reveals the charges, which confuses Jake.  It is a big scoop for the papers. But what’s even more fascinating to him is seeing Tozawa in the lobby. Instead of staying away, Jake follows him all the way to an exclusive building where he isn’t granted access.

Ota and Hayama’s prior friendship makes Sato uncomfortable. The situation gets more complicated when Ota says that the guns will be delivered the next day. They will have to stay the night. However, due to the excessive drinking and the fickle nature of the men, Hayama inadvertently ends up killing Ota. To get rid of all evidence, he lights the house on fire, absconding with Sato.

Samantha visits Ohno’s house. His feelings for her are clear but Sam remains focused on the task. She does manage to take pictures of the documents but doesn’t have enough time to put Ohno’s briefcase back in place. After the romantic evening is over, Ohno discovers her betrayal. But Samantha’s fortunes remain undecided in this episode.

The episode concludes with a meeting between Tozawa and Chairman Nakahara. We saw the latter in the previous season when Tozawa was made to beg for an apology from Ishida for the attempted assassination. However, the scales of power have changed. Tozawa asks him to step aside and when Nakahara rejects his offer, the crime boss reveals that he has bought out his men.

Jake, who is anxiously pacing outside the building, is mortified when a body falls to the ground with a thud. Although we don’t see the face, it is presumably Nakahara.

The Episode Review

I am absolutely loving the new season. Every episode till now has progressed the story and the characters in a way that is not only better than the first season but also complimentary. Tozawa’s return is the trigger that will infuse even more momentum into the storytelling. This even potentially sets up a showdown between the police and the Yakuza, something we haven’t seen until now. The relationship between characters is becoming more complex and navigating the intricate outcomes is more rewarding.

Episode 4 treads wastefully on a few things, though. Jake’s pursuit of Tozawa is frustratingly anticlimactic. The execution is wayward and doesn’t go with the rest of the episode. Samantha and Ohno’s back and forth also came to a timid end. The gestation period of this dynamic seemed longer from a distance and it would have served the show well.

Kaito’s arc also seems hastily pushed to a foregone conclusion.