REVIEW: episode 2 - tabikurage tantei nikki

NOTE: I'm not fluent/proficient in Japanese, and I was watching this show without English subtitles. a lot of my personal remarks and observations about the show may or may not be accurate to the actual plot. 

REVIEW #3: Episode 2 

Content Type: TV Series 

Media/Franchise: Tabikurage Tantei Nikki (Handyman Fellow Jellyfish) 

• just to put it out there early, I'm massively in love with Mizue Kenta. he's my wife 
• I knew about Tabikurage Tantei Nikki because I found out that Kenta-kun and Mackey (two actors I greatly admire, thank you Hypmic stage play for introducing them to me) were a musical duo and even had a show together. so most of the time me watching this show is just saying "omg Mackey is so cool" or "*sighs lovingly* Kenta-kun is so pretty..." 
• Kenta-kun was indeed so pretty the entire episode. 
• I find the duo between Mackey and Kenta so heartwarming because it's like they found a friend and family with each other 🥺💗 there's so much angst behind Mackey seeing Kenta as his younger brother (whom he's still super distraught about btw, I'm interested to see more about his lore; the episode 3 preview hinted that we will be learning more!!) + Kenta not having a family and finding companionship with Mackey 
• Kenta was so so adorable when Mackey offered him the sandwich and he kept on saying "oh... it's delicious!!" while munching like a hamster (what with his cute puffy cheeks) ohhh my shayla 😭💖 
• I kinda find it funny that Mackey really walked over to a resting Kenta on the grass and crouched next to him and just. stared. like that's surely one way to spot a candidate for your found family 
• side note but I can't get it out of my head that Kenta's appearance in this entire show is just giving off Banri Settsu vibes. the hair length is accurate. the beeg sweaters and jackets is also accurate.
• I bet that scene where Mackey explains why he refers to his detective gig as "tabikurage tantei nikki" was so profound but GRRRR my stupidly limited Japanese vocabulary prevented me from comprehending such slayness 💔
• but I find it cute that Mackey keeps an aquarium of tiny jellyfish in his trailer. and oh the way his eyes lit up when he was rambling about the jellyfish!! 🥺
• the entire time Mackey and Kenta's heartwarming backstory was being narrated by Kenta there would be interspersed scenes of Kenta in a sauna. in a public bath. in an onsen. 
• LIKE HELLOOO I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE PLOT AND SOME OTHER PLOT DEVICE SHOWS UP ⁉️ it took me all of my willpower to look directly at Kenta's face when he was talking and not... at his loosely wrapped towel... or his body...
• we also literally had a scene of Kenta in a public bath IN THE PREVIOUS EPISODE holy crap this show is insanely milking the fanservice out of this man (I'm... not complaining...)
• Kenta's character is so so silly and playful like why is this tall boi just frolicking around like a child and pouting when he's impatient and scrunching his eyebrows when he emphasizes stuff. he's too cute I swear my heart exploded at least 9 times while watching this
• the scene where Mackey and Kenta were trying to figure out where a certain location was was so silly because they just spent a good long moment retracing their steps and muttering to each other "no no but west is that way!" like ok so now we know that being familiar with directions is not their strength as detectives (affectionately)
• naww because it was kinda cute when Kenta was innocently walking into shady territory and he accidentally stumbles upon dr*g users and he just. tensed up his shoulders and softened his voice like he was making himself even smaller (he was much taller than those dr*g users btw. he thinks he's a puppy 🥹)
• also love how immediately after Mackey just defends Kenta from those guys and knocks them out (YEAAHH LET'S GO MACKEY!!) while Kenta's just crouching at the side with wide scared eyes like pls I adore their dynamic <3
• it was also just funny how Kenta was talking to the guy from the rock band about his backstory with Mackey while they were chilling next to each other at a public bath 😭 the guy just looked so fazed at the beginning but he eventually liked the company I guess lol 
• anyway, that guy SHOULD'VE BEEN ME- *gets dragged off of the stage*
• I also found it kinda funny that the guy was moved by Kenta's story that he decides to go back home to his dad (which is the main objective of Mackey and Kenta's mission, anyway). but I like how they accomplished the task by making his heart soft hehe 
• I guess this is what's special about Mackey and Kenta as a detective duo?? like they both obviously have their technical strengths as detectives (Mackey being good at dealing with people + Kenta being tech-savvy) but ultimately, the core of each of their missions is helping their clients forge or reignite deep connections, whether with something, someone else, or themselves. and it loops back so well to the crux of Mackey and Kenta as individuals and as a duo, wherein they're both seeking for the meaning of family 💞
• loved this episode just as much as I loved the pilot! 😁 Mackey and Kenta's dynamic gives me all the warm fuzzy feelings and I'm excited to see how the plot will unfold (the episode 3 preview at the end looked highly intriguing 👀) also I'm simple-minded. being exposed to even more Kenta-kun content keeps my mind highly enriched and the happy chemicals flowing 😌