The Melancholy of the Transformer Interviewer

Shirakawa Jiro is a genius author. At the age of 15, his novel won the top prize. He has written 99 mystery novels as a trick genius since then. Shirakawa is tackling what would be his milestone 100th novel, but he has not been able to write anything and this has gone on for more than three months. Aonuma Kiryu is a genius interviewer who is able to get people to loosen their tongues. Shirakawa who takes pleasure in being a fake, has become the transforming interviewer Aonuma Kiryu in order to listen to what people say. He has no interest in the truth but seeks a real case which he had found through the internet as subject matter for his 100th novel. It is the unsolved Tulip Murders in which the grotesque abandoned corpses of two housewives were followed by yet another murder one year later. Together with a pretty editor, Shirakawa heads to the town where the cases occurred. As Aonuma, he gets close to the hidden truth with his formidable powers of deduction.

Directed by —, The Melancholy of the Transformer Interviewer leans on a strong ensemble — Majima Hidekazu, Machida Marie, Yuichi Nakamaru — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about mystery titles of 2013.