Once again, Police in a Pod delivers as episode 7 brought something new to the table. This time, we see the different types of charm and wit Fuji and Minamoto bring to the cases they are involved in. Following the release of episode 6, I was a bit worried that the series would have a fall-off due to the carefree nature of the last episode. However, Police in a Pod finally came back in full force.
During the first half titled Tailing Championship, the duos Fuji/Kawai and Minamoto/Yamada have been called by the narcotics division to assist in tailing a notorious drug dealer and her mistress. To cover up their operation, the narcotics division chief decided to have the duos switch partners in an attempt to give the impression of normal couples going on a date.
Of course, during the actual work, Kawai refuses to hold Minamoto’s hand, stating that she hasn’t experienced holding a man’s hand before. Meanwhile, Yamada is with Fuji and even with a pretty face, Fuji spits out some harsh words about how she hates jobs like this. Despite that, Fuji remains calm and does the job either way. He also promises Kawai that if they succeed in this project, they can apply for paid leave easily.
And just like magic, Fuji’s charm and wit come into play as they successfully report the drug dealer and his mistress using illegal drugs during their stay at a love hotel. For some reason, the show didn’t elaborate how Fuji and Yamada managed to catch them in action, but I’ll guess it’s just another day for Fuji and her wits.
For this episode, I’m starting to admire Fuji’s character more and more since even if her attitude is brash, she gets the job done. I get it, her wits are over-the-top for a typical police officer, but she’s a relatable character. Some of us curse under our breath for the type of work we do, but we do it anyway.
Meanwhile, on Smooth Talker, we see Minamoto interrogating the mistress who got caught during the drug raid. While the branch officer is doubtful of Minamoto’s interrogation skills, the chief police assured them that it’s something that Minamoto is good at. However, Kawai notices how Minamoto does it: he uses the art of casual talk to reel in the suspect. After days of interrogation, she finally gives in and confesses about the distribution of the drugs.
Minamoto’s charm was already evident during that shoplifter saga at episode 3, where we tackled focusing more on the humane role of the police. This time, we see it once again in action. As we know, interrogations don’t normally end well for both sides, but using a casual approach really focuses on the harsh truth as to why criminals are born: driven by societal factors, pushed by life’s difficulty and constraints.
Once again, this latest episode of Police in a Pod leaves us with a message that there is still hope among the police force to change ways and be more humane. Online discourse remains on the sad state of the police force, especially in Western countries, but I am hopeful that through this representation, change is still possible.
You can watch Police in a Pod on Funimation, Muse Asia, and Bilibili, and if you liked the series don’t forget to vote for it in our weekly poll.
All images via Muse Asia.
© Miko Yasu, Kodansha/Hakozume Production Committee
