Painless (2015) Episode 3

I am seriously on a role here folks! I really do like this drama because the mysteries keep piling up and it really is less a medical and more a drama. Detective Hayase is some kind of crazy! Criminal intent tendencies? Yes he does! (For cast and synopsis information see Episode 1)

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Episode 3
Aired October 21, 2015
Tameyori Eisuke and Kazue Inoue (Miyoko Asada) visit the grave of his late wife, Tomoko (Akiko Aitsuki). Kazue remains a cheerful supporter of a sadden Tameyori. At the police station, Detective Hayase Junichiro is visited by a former colleague, Shota Ichihara (Nobu Morimoto) of the police headquarters. He informs Hayase that the man he arrested three years ago, Yamato Shinozaki (Matsushita Kotaira), has been discharged from the mental facility that he resided at. Although there was no question that Shinozaki murdered the woman found in the parking lot, he was found innocent having been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and admitted to the psychiatric hospital.

Detective Hayase heads to the hospital just in time to see Shinozaki accompanied by her mother from the hospital. Shinozaki’s mother immediately recognizes Hayase and begins to say that her son’s disease was cured;
however, the next day Hayase is informed by Takeshi Ota (Toru Baba) about an attempted murder incident that occurred in the middle of the night. Again, the same M-O (modus operandi for those who don’t know) where a woman in her 20s is beaten in the face by a man and has been strangled. Detective Hayase asked if the victim’s fingernail was peeled off but Ota does not know this information.

Detective Hayase rushes to Dr. Tameyori’s clinic and discusses the case from three years ago as well as the one from Ota. He is convinced that the incidents are similar and it must be Shinozaki once again. Hayase says that even though Shinozaki was acquitted, he suspected that Shinozaki was faking the illness to use the law which prevents mentally ill patients from being found guilty for crimes. Detective Hayase wants Tameyori to see Shinozaki. Both Hayase and Tameyori go to Shinozaki’s house and when Tameyori looks at him, he immediately sees that “criminal intent”. This causes Detective Hayase to immediately start tailing Shinozaki.

At the clinic, Dr. Shirakami faces problems which his secretary questions why he has so much interest in Dr. Tameyori and he is addressing Ibata’s illness of “feeling no pain”. Satomi goes into distress and via text message, contacts Dr. Takashima to help her.

My Thoughts
It is not that often that a scene in a mystery/murder drama makes my skin crawl as much as watching Shinozaki using a pair of pliers to remove an entire fingernail from his victim…OUCH! This is probably the first scene that gave me pause; however, we hear about criminals using the law to their advantage like this all the time but for someone to take it to this extreme through the use of dangerous anti-psychotic drugs that have an adverse effect on your body was one scary thought. Add to that the fact that someone is definitely stalking poor Dr. Takashima BIG time to the point of now sending the pictures to her cell phone with the message “Always Watching” (Skin crawl scene number 2!).

But the big scene between Hayase and Tameyori came in the form of Dr. Tameyori seeing the “criminal intent” on Hayase which if you are watching isn’t a big surprise. From the very beginning, Hayase’s personality has been SUPER volatile! While we all understand his need to stop the criminal, the man takes putting the suspect down to a whole new level! I must admit, Ito Atsushi is doing a HELL of a job! The man stands about 162cm and he’s surrounded by other leads that are 10-20cm taller than him but his demeanor is so imposing! He really is playing this role! And can I say that Hayase’s Chief is sure one big A$$hole! So, the big question is “Will Hayase fall prey to his dark side?”

Side Note: Can Ibata can any creepier?