Although I’m not living in Japan anymore, I do still get media news updates of what’s coming out on television and this upcoming drama piqued my interest – especially as I am a sucker fan of both the tantei (探偵; “detective”) and keiji (刑事; “police detective”) genres. Scheduled to air on Thursdays starting from July 7th (7/7) this year, Octo ～Kanjou Sousakan Shinno Akari～ (オクトー ～感情捜査官　心野朱梨～; “Octo ～ Emotions Police Investigator Shinno Akari～”) has a pretty intriguing premise that could yield some interesting cases as an investigative drama.

As the tagline implies, both colors and emotions are a major focus of this drama. In the trailer, the first spoken line makes reference to American psychologist Robert Plutchik (1927-2006), who in about 1980 proposed the theory that emotions, much like how the primary colors red, blue, and yellow can be blended with one another and produce a vast diversity of color, there exist 8 fundamental emotions which can be intermingled with each other to create a variety of emotions. These emotions, in turn, like a hue circle can be classified according to color, which today is known as “Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel” (see below, left in Japanese from the series’ website, right in English) and is a theory that is applied in several fields including education and marketing.

This concept of human emotions being divided into 8 types is where the title of the drama is derived (Octo), as actress Iitoyo Marie (飯豊まりえ) takes on the female lead role of Shinno Akari, a police sergeant in the 1st Division, Violent Crimes Unit of Kanagawa Prefectural Police’s Higashikanagawa Station, who possesses the unique ability to see emotions as colors (following the Plutchik Wheel) of whomever she makes eye contact with. As such, she does her utmost to avert her gaze to avoid seeing these emotions, causing all those about her to mistake her for a misanthrope. Partnering up with her is Kazehaya Ryou, played by Asaka Koudai (浅香航大), a young male detective who was originally on the path to becoming an elite in the force, but after a certain incident was transferred to the Kanagawa Prefectural Police. This complicates matters for Shinno Akari as his emotions are almost painfully obvious.

Based on the concept that behind the motives for every crime there is an emotion, it will be interesting to see how this series will approach crime-solving, as well as how Shinno Akari’s ability will be portrayed and will manifest in terms of visuals. As is said by Iitoyo Marie at the end of the trailer:

It can be expected that the backstories of the different characters will also come into play. Especially the character Shinno Akari herself, as she gained her ability 15 years ago after an incident where her home was broken into and her parents were murdered by a man, who presumably still remains at large. One can assume that this may serve as a key part of the plot in future episodes.

Cast Features:

• Iitoyo Marie (飯豊まりえ) as Shinno Akari
• Asaka Koudai (浅香航大) as Kazehaya Ryou
• Yamanaka Takashi (山中崇) as Kumokawa Kouhei, Akari’s honest and sincere superior who both accepts and supports her ability
• Nishida Kouki (ニシダ・コウキ) of comedy duo Rarando (ラランド) as Nanjou Takahiro, Akari’s colleague who tends to meddle in the personal lives of others
• Hibi Mikoto (日比美思) as Kitamura Satoko, a junior police officer who does things at her own pace
• Matsui Rena (松井玲奈) as Shinno Shiori, Akari’s hospitalized older sister by 7 years, who after the incident 15 years ago has since lost all emotion and is unable to even speak
• Toyomoto Akinaga (豊本明長) as Shinno Yousuke, Akari and Shiori’s deceased father
• Usuda Asami (臼田あさ美) as Koumoto Yuuki, a close confidant to Akari, as well as a psychiatrist and Shiori’s attending physician who has determined that Akari’s ability has something to do with Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel and is studying her ability in order to help treat Shiori’s condition.
• Funakoshi Eiichirou (船越英一郎) as Hirayasu Mamoru, Vice-Chief of the National Police and candidate for Chief of Police next term, who issued a special order to have Kazehaya Ryou transferred from the National Police Agency to Higashikanagawa Station.