Antihero (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

1
The accused is found innocent.
Mr. Hiyama committed a crime.
He committed murder!
I struggle to understand
where your sense of justice lies.
Seeing him save an innocent person,
I was inspired to be like him.
I respect your decision.
However,
just as you will stick
to your sense of justice,
I will also follow my own path.
-Um
-Ms. Shiraki.
Do you have the details regarding
the Shinagawa injury case?
Um,
you mean Shoichiro Tomita's case, right?
I've placed them
in the shared folder for the other two.
I'll send them over later.
I'll appreciate that.
CLIENT: SHOICHIRO TOMITA
I saw the news.
You've been appearing on TV a lot lately.
It's a bit embarrassing for me, you know?
Could you at least shave cleanly?
Sorry about that.
NPO DOG SHELTER
WAN HAPPY
COURTHOUSE
As stated in the indictment,
this injury case took place on March 8th.
The location of the crime is the alley
beside CLUB 1000 in Shinagawa Ward.
The victim, Mr. Hirokazu Kudo,
exited the club at 11:45 p.m.
Immediately afterward,
a man shoved him from behind
and assaulted him.
The assailant was wearing a hoodie
and his face was concealed.
However, just before
Mr. Kudo lost consciousness,
he claims to have seen the face
of the accused, Shoichiro Tomita.
The decision to indict the accused
is supported by three factors.
Firstly, the victim's testimony
claims he identified the accused.
Secondly,
there is evidence of a heated argument
between the accused and Mr. Kudo.
My bad. Don't be so upset.
You don't want to escalate this.
Especially for your daddy's sake.
Multiple testimonies from club customers
support this claim.
We believe the accused's anger
toward the victim's behavior
motivated the assault.
We have also verified that there have been
similar conflicts between the accused
and the victim in the past.
Finally, the third factor
is the testimony provided by Mr. A.
He was the first to arrive at the scene
and also witnessed their argument.
Mr. A saw the accused
leaving shortly after Mr. Kudo did,
seemingly following Mr. Kudo.
About three minutes later,
when Mr. A left the club,
he saw the accused
heading toward the main street.
Suspecting that something
might have occurred between the two,
Mr. A headed in the direction
the accused had come from.
There, he found the victim
who had been assaulted.
-Are you okay?
-Mr. A promptly called for an ambulance.
And the victim
was transported to the hospital.
Mr. A's call was made at 11:48 p.m.
This is documented
by the Fire Command Center.
Therefore, we believe the accused
assaulted the victim
within this three-minute window.
This concludes
the prosecution's opening statement.
Next,
defense counsel,
present your opening statement.
I, Akizumi, of the defense counsel,
will deliver the opening statement.
The accused acknowledges there was
indeed an argument with the victim.
However, he maintains
his innocence in this case.
At the time of the incident
The accused received a call
from his friend, Mr. Tomoya Kida,
who had arrived to pick him up by car,
and so left the club.
He proceeded to the main street
and entered Mr. Kida's car
parked by the shoulder.
They then headed directly
to Mr. Kida's residence.
Both of their smartphones have records
of a call at 11:45 p.m.
The club's security camera footage
also captures the accused
answering his phone
and engaging in conversation.
Mr. Kida has also testified
that Mr. Shoichiro entered his car
immediately after the call.
This concludes the proceedings
scheduled for today.
The focus will be on assessing
the credibility of each testimony.
Cross-examinations for each witness
will proceed as scheduled
in future trials.
The son of Diet member Tomita, huh?
The public must be in an uproar.
They thrive on scandals
involving politicians and their children.
But I disapprove of how the media
only seems to push
for power limitation during such episodes.
Can you handle Attorney Akizumi?
There's no need to worry.
It's clear that Shoichiro Tomita
has committed a crime.
Besides,
I don't agree
with Attorney Akizumi's efforts.
To secure an acquittal for a murderer
That's something
that should never be allowed, right?
Yes.
DARK DONU
Is this okay?
Here's your change and receipt.
-Thank you.
-How's Mr. Akamine?
He seems conflicted about our policy.
He must have come here
with his own agenda.
You're right.
I suppose we'll wait and see for now?
Yes.
Tap your card.
-Thank you.
-Mr. Matsunaga
Next in line, please.
-How would you like to pay?
-By cash.
Mr. Kudo was shoved from behind
into this alley.
So, this is where he was assaulted.
He sustained
a compound fracture in his left arm.
Head injuries too.
My apologies.
I was occupied with another case
and only saw the details this morning.
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound accusing.
I'll be heading inside first.
Right.
As mentioned in the report,
there are no cameras outside.
Mr. Kida's car was parked over there
after a right turn.
There were no cameras capturing
vehicles on that street either.
Can you believe there are still cars
without dashcams?
Can I see the cameras
at Mr. Kida's apartment?
Here.
This is it.
It's clear that Mr. Shoichiro and Mr. Kida
passed through the lobby at midnight.
It's about a 15-minute drive
to the apartment from here.
If they left at 11:48 p.m.,
they'd have 12 minutes.
They could compensate
for the three minutes by rushing.
You know
Yes?
Mr. Shoichiro is the client.
People who get to hang out here
must be living it up.
Are you jealous?
No.
That's a stereotype.
It's like assuming
all attorneys are intelligent,
which isn't accurate.
People might appear
to be enjoying themselves.
But they could be concealing
enough stress to snap
and beat someone to death at any moment.
That's just how humans are.
My apologies for the delay.
Thank you for your time.
I'm Mikami, the manager.
What brings you here today?
The victim Mr. Kudo?
Yes.
We've heard he was verbally abusing
Mr. Shoichiro Tomita.
Do you know if Mr. Kudo has been
treating others in a similar manner?
He has.
To be frank,
maybe because he runs his own company,
he's quite proud.
It's not a large company though.
Whenever he meets someone
seemingly more important
I'll try to collect
more negative gossip about Mr. Kudo.
It could help undermine the credibility
of motives and testimonies.
Right.
Let's begin interviewing
the regulars tomorrow.
Mr. Akamine?
Um right.
Here's the information I've collected
about Mr. Kudo over the past few days.
He's regarded by many
CLUB 1000 customers as a troublemaker.
They've testified that his verbal abuse
and boastful remarks
are a daily occurrence.
There may be more than one person
who holds a grudge against him.
Akamine, do you have something to say?
No.
I'll look into the crime scene further
before the next trial.
If we can find information
on the real culprit,
it should greatly aid
in solving this case.
Right.
You do that.
I will.
The assault took place here
And Shoichiro got into the car here.
But
HARAGUROYA
Lucky them.
This is the car.
It really doesn't have a dashcam.
Maybe it was removed after the incident.
Who are you?
Well
I was just admiring the car.
Excuse me.
You're still here.
I have to prepare
for the defense team meeting next week
regarding the food poisoning case.
You have a lot on your plate.
So, any compelling evidence?
No.
I couldn't find any.
Mr. Akizumi and the prosecution
have conducted investigations already.
-It's only natural that
-Ms. Shinomiya
Who do you think is the real culprit
in this incident?
We have the victim and Mr. A
as two eyewitnesses.
Are you saying Mr. Shoichiro did it?
I'm saying simply exposing
Mr. Kudo's personality
isn't substantial evidence.
This is Mr. Akizumi. He must have a plan.
Ms. Shinomiya,
why are you so obedient to him?
Because I want to understand
his viewpoint better.
THE SECOND PUBLIC TRIAL
On the day of the incident,
Mr. Shoichiro Tomita, the accused,
claimed he was insulted by you.
Is this true?
No.
The manager and regulars of CLUB 1000
have testified that you have previously
caused disturbances with other customers.
Is this correct?
I've been involved in some disagreements,
but I've never caused any big trouble.
A brief investigation revealed
at least four incidents
in the past two months.
I don't recall.
You don't? Even though you caused them?
Your Honor.
The intent
behind his questions is unclear.
Defense counsel,
clarify the intent behind your questions.
You claim not to recall events
from the past two months.
How then can you give a clear account
of the incident from a month ago?
I was assaulted.
It's natural that I remember that clearly.
The incident took place late at night.
Wasn't it dark?
There was light from the club.
And this light allowed you
to see your assailant's face clearly?
That's right.
Where was this light?
In the alley beside the club.
I see.
Your Honor, to clarify
the witness' statement,
I would like to present a video
taken at the crime scene.
But the evidence
hasn't been examined yet, right?
What is it?
I received permission from Mr. Mikami,
the manager of CLUB 1000,
to recreate the situation
of the crime scene at the time.
Prosecutor, your stance?
I will examine it,
then provide my opinion.
We filmed this at the same hour
as when the incident occurred
and recreated the situation.
The camera replicates the perspective
of Mr. Kudo, the victim.
Mr. Kudo, after leaving the club,
you walked toward the alley,
is that correct?
Yes.
You claimed you saw
the accused's face at this moment.
Wait.
It wasn't this dark when I was assaulted.
There was a light!
There was indeed
a motion sensor light at the crime scene.
However,
according to Mr. Mikami, the manager,
on the night of the incident,
the light was broken and didn't work.
That's impossible!
It was clearly noted
on the fixture list as well.
Three days after the incident,
the sensor light was replaced.
That's too convenient
A moment, please.
It may not have been as dark
when the incident took place.
But you can't prove
it was brighter either, can you?
I saw what I saw!
This man assaulted me!
By the way, what color is the hoodie
worn by the man playing the culprit?
Huh?
It's black.
Are you sure?
Our perception can be deceiving.
And memories are shaped
by bias and preconceptions.
If we're not careful,
we could invent a culprit
who's actually innocent.
We're back.
-We're back.
-Welcome back.
If you had told me,
I could've assisted as well.
Mr. Akizumi wanted to let you
focus on your other case.
-And let Mr. Akamine investigate too.
-No.
Mr. Akizumi
Will you secure
another acquittal for a criminal?
You didn't tell us
about that video in advance.
That's because Mr. Mikami was bribed
to testify in your favor, right?
When the crime took place,
the light should've been working fine.
But
Seiji Tomita paid him off
to testify in our favor, didn't he?
Seiji Tomita?
You mean Mr. Shoichiro's father?
And to conceal that,
you kept the video from us.
The fixture list too.
Shoichiro probably bribed him
to make their stories match.
Even the car had a dashcam,
but you told him to remove it!
Hmm.
That's a good theory,
fitting for an attorney.
And
what's your basis?
It resembles the previous incident.
Previous?
Before joining this office
I was assigned
to Shoichiro Tomita's injury case.
But even then,
his father, a member of the Diet,
used money to cover up his son's crime.
It was a case of injury,
much like this one.
Stop it!
You're going too far!
I tried desperately to stop him!
It wasn't me.
It was Shoichiro!
The next day,
the police showed up at my home
and suddenly arrested me.
Everyone who was there said I did it!
Later, one of his friends told me
that Shoichiro's father
was throwing money around
to make the people involved
change their testimonies.
But the friend was too scared
to come forward and testify.
That's why
No. Try to get a lesser sentence.
Why?
Because we're dealing
with the son of a politician?
Shoichiro is the one who did it!
The office I worked at
was put under pressure,
and I was removed from the case.
The decision.
The accused is sentenced
to two years in prison.
The execution of the sentence
will be suspended for five years
from the day it becomes final.
Wait!
Mr. Matsunaga is innocent!
Spectator, quiet down.
Your Honor, please review this document.
I order him to leave!
They'll use money to cover up
anything inconvenient to them.
That's what politicians do.
Shoichiro is using his father
and laughing about it as we speak.
You're aware that Seiji Tomita
is making people change their testimonies,
and yet you took on this case.
What's your purpose?
That's why you started the investigation
with doubts about the client,
Mr. Shoichiro.
I understand your point.
But that's not a theory.
It's just wild fancy.
Baseless fancy
doesn't hold up in the legal world.
Do you have evidence that Seiji Tomita
was distributing money?
Or that Mr. Mikami accepted the money
and altered his testimony
to fit the narrative?
Well
If you can't substantiate your claims
with evidence, it's just baloney.
The fact that Mr. Matsunaga was convicted
isn't the fault of Japan's justice system,
your law office, the court,
or even Diet member Tomita.
It's on you as the defense counsel.
The outcome of a trial
decides the fate of the client.
That's why we attorneys
must dedicate our lives to winning them.
You simply lacked
the commitment and skills necessary.
Mr. Matsunaga was condemned
to bear guilt because of you.
No matter how much you may regret it,
the fact that he was labeled
a criminal will never fade away.
If you can't come to terms with this case,
you're free to step away.
I won't.
If I uncover clear evidence
of Shoichiro's crime
before the trial concludes,
what will happen then?
Interesting.
It's against an attorney's regulations
to knowingly collaborate with a client
who provides
a highly illegal false testimony.
If you can uncover
that Mr. Shoichiro was lying,
I would also appreciate that.
However
only if such evidence exists.
They probably collaborated
with the club to work behind the scenes.
It's an affront to a fair trial.
Who knows?
But let's refrain from speculating.
What matters is presenting evidence.
Should I look into what's happening
with Manager Mikami?
No.
Reinvestigate the testimonies
of the customers instead.
Excuse me.
There was an injury case
in that alley on March 8th.
Do you recall anything?
Please, at least take the flyer!
There was an injury case in that alley
late at night on March 8th
HIROMACHI RIVER
HARAGUROYA
It's bad enough
that my son has been indicted.
And if he ends up being convicted too
All I've asked of him
is to stay out of trouble,
saying I'd have his older brother
take over my activities.
But did he listen?
The naughtier the child,
the dearer they become, they say.
Here.
I shelled out a hefty sum on his education
from elementary to university.
Maybe I should've been tougher on him.
He's such a handful.
But there's no issue with this case.
Your son is innocent, after all.
Can we trust you on that?
We've pretty much demolished
the victim's eyewitness testimony.
We just have to handle the other witness,
but we'll get it done.
Well,
I made the right call in hiring you.
Thank you.
However,
I'm concerned about something.
What about?
It's not a big deal, but
HIROMACHI RIVERSIDE
SHINAGAWA WARD
Planning to stay longer?
Yeah.
I'll make sure to lock up.
Thanks.
Good night.
HARAGUROYA
He was here until late last night again.
I wonder what he's up to.
Piping work
at fifth street Naka-shinagawa?
Yes. On the night of March 8th,
there was this truck at the site.
I'm trying to find it.
That's our vehicle.
-Could you come with me?
-Sure.
It seems there was a faulty pipe,
and they rushed over to address it.
How long did it stay there?
According to the records,
it came back at 6:30 a.m.
the following morning.
So I assume it was there the entire night.
I see.
Does the vehicle have a dashcam?
Of course, it does.
There's footage in that camera that
could provide crucial evidence for a case.
Could you please show me this data?
ATTORNEY SHUTO AKAMINE
The data?
You're back. How did your search go?
Huh? What's up with him?
You concealed the evidence.
There must be footage of Shoichiro
getting into Kida's car.
On the day of the incident,
the main street where Kida parked his car
was undergoing piping work.
However, there was a faulty equipment,
and this truck was sent there.
Don't you have the data?
I already handed it over
to the other attorney.
ATTORNEY MASAKI AKIZUMI
I'm impressed you figured it out.
Please show me the footage.
Is there a reason you can't?
The footage should show Shoichiro
entering Kida's car at 11:48 p.m.,
three minutes after he left the club.
If this gets out,
you'll lose the trial, won't you?
Fine.
I'll show you.
Let me fast forward a bit.
That's Kida's car, right?
Right.
This is the time the crime occurred,
at 11:45 p.m.
See?
He's not showing up.
He came.
As he testified, at 11:45 p.m.,
Mr. Shoichiro arrived.
Do you have any issues with the footage?
What about
Mr. A's testimony
of seeing Shoichiro leave the club?
That would be false.
Why?
Hiroshi Yamanobe.
That's the name of the man
known as witness Mr. A.
That day, Yamanobe witnessed an argument
between the two inside the club.
He saw this as an opportunity
because he was among those
who held a grudge against the victim.
Upon seeing the victim
and Mr. Shoichiro leave the club,
he immediately followed them
to frame Mr. Shoichiro.
He then assaulted Mr. Kudo.
Hold on a moment.
But he left three minutes after they did.
That would also be false.
The camera should show
Yamanobe leaving right after the two.
But
Well, the prosecution tends to ignore
evidence that's inconvenient to them.
After Yamanobe assaulted Mr. Kudo,
he played innocent and pretended
to be the first person at the scene,
then called an ambulance.
At least,
that's the narrative I've constructed.
Did you ever stop
to consider this possibility?
Maybe it's due to your previous trial,
but you're fixated
on this individual, Shoichiro Tomita.
Because of personal resentment,
you're unquestionably accepting
the prosecution's narrative.
You're overlooking objective facts
and attempting to convict this person.
Your actions are no different
from those of a criminal.
In fact,
your knowledge of the law
makes your actions even worse.
Deep-seated prejudices
and a half-hearted commitment to justice
lead to flawed judgments.
People like you end up
making false accusations.
THE THIRD PUBLIC TRIAL
I, Prosecutor Midorikawa,
will ask some questions.
According to evidence number 8,
as requested by the defense counsel,
you picked up the accused
in your car at 11:45 p.m.
Is that correct?
Yes.
Could it have been
after the assault took place?
That's impossible.
I made the call at 11:45 p.m.,
and Shoichiro arrived right after that.
The call records
have been presented as well.
Are you sure it was immediately afterward?
Is it possible you're mistaken?
No.
Objection.
Repetitive questioning.
Objection sustained.
Prosecutor,
please pose a different inquiry.
Your Honor,
to refresh the witness' memory,
I would like to present new evidence
and pose questions.
May I proceed?
I was unable to disclose it in advance
as it was acquired late.
However,
this footage is pivotal to the trial.
I ask that you permit this.
What is the content of this footage?
It captures the location
where Mr. Kida's car was parked
on the day of the incident.
Very well.
Defense counsel, your stance?
I defer to your judgment, Your Honor.
On the day of the incident,
at the main street where the witness
claimed to have picked up the accused,
there was ongoing piping work.
This footage is from the dashcam
of the truck stationed at that site.
Mr. Kida, can you confirm
that this is indeed your car?
Yes, it is.
It's 11:45 p.m.,
the time stated by the witness.
However, the accused has not yet arrived.
It's now 11:48 p.m.
This aligns with Mr. A's statement
that he exited the club at 11:48 p.m.
and saw Mr. Shoichiro.
Moments ago, you asserted
that you picked up
the accused at 11:45 p.m.
How do you explain this, Mr. Kida?
Perhaps the accused
requested you
to provide a false testimony?
That's not true.
Objection.
The prosecutor's statement
is merely speculative.
Objection sustained.
Your Honor, there is a crucial issue
that I would like to discuss
with the defense counsel and the court.
What is it about?
It pertains to the false testimony
mentioned just now.
I would like to discuss
whether it's feasible
to disclose this matter
during this session.
I will now play
the recently added evidence,
evidence number 20,
as requested by the prosecution.
This was provided by Mr. Gamo
from the pipe manufacturing company,
who also supplied
the video I previously presented.
Please watch the video.
-Please, have a seat.
-Thank you.
Here.
Let me cut to the chase.
This is your reward for providing us
with the dashcam footage.
But I can't
There's no need to fret.
Even if the prosecution comes knocking,
all you have to do is tell them
you didn't keep any records.
The truth is, this has happened before.
But if you accept this,
everything will fall into place.
Mr. Tomita can also orchestrate things
in your business's favor.
I trust you'll
The visitor is
the chief publicly paid secretary
to Mr. Seiji Tomita,
a member of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Kazuaki Kosugi.
From this,
we can see Mr. Seiji Tomita's attempt
to support his son's false testimony.
This serves as proof that he requested
the concealment of evidence
through his secretary.
Defense counsel,
do you have any rebuttal to offer?
After viewing the footage,
I was utterly shocked.
I had no idea that the accused
had conspired with his father
to conceal his crime!
Regarding this matter,
I will conduct further interviews.
And even consider
resigning from the defense
depending on the situation.
I'll handle the media, so I'll go ahead.
Mr. Akizumi.
That footage
You exposed my client's false testimony.
Thank you.
I don't understand.
When I saw the footage,
Shoichiro got into the car at 11:45 p.m.
The footage we were shown yesterday
was edited and false.
There we go.
Why do such a thing?
I'm surprised he went
to such lengths for you.
Hello?
Explain yourself, Akizumi!
It became clear you attempted
to conceal your son's crime.
That is all.
I can't continue defending a client
who provides false testimony.
But you instructed me to!
However, I'm concerned about something.
What about?
It's not a big deal, but
It appears that Mr. Kida's car,
which picked up Mr. Shoichiro,
was recorded by a dashcam
at the construction site.
It seems a truck belonging
to a piping dealer was stationed there.
The prosecution isn't stupid.
I believe it's only a matter of time
before they uncover that footage.
Which dealer is it?
Tanimachi Pipes.
That's what you said!
That's why I instructed Kosugi!
Do you have any proof?
What?
Why would I instruct you
to buy the footage from them?
You're the one who also made them
record that footage!
I don't know what you're talking about.
I'm pressed for time, so please excuse me.
Hey! Akizumi!
-Mr. Tomita!
-Mr. Tomita!
-Mr. Tomita!
-Mr. Tomita!
Is my dad all right?
Are you worried about him?
He's still my father.
The parent-child bond is just a facade.
Children don't get
to choose their parents.
But you can choose
what you do with your own life.
In the trial for the injury case
involving the accused Shoichiro Tomita,
he has now admitted to his involvement,
which he had previously denied.
The prosecution is also emphasizing
that his father, Diet member Seiji Tomita,
directed the concealment of evidence.
Please review these.
It's all about Tomita, isn't it?
After all, he was the candidate
for the next Minister of Justice.
I just can't wrap my head around it.
Why did Mr. Akizumi
show me the edited footage?
Last time, you were shouting
from the gallery.
The gallery?
Your Honor, please review this document!
I order him to leave!
During Mr. Matsunaga's trial,
we were present too.
Mr. Akizumi was present?
Hold on, did Mr. Akizumi take on this case
to seek revenge for him?
Who can say?
But I imagine he wanted to make a point.
To not confuse the truth
with personal biases alone.
Where's Mr. Akizumi?
You've taken down not only the son,
but also his father.
I made the right call
entrusting this to you.
Thank you.
The downfall of Tomita,
who belonged to the Takemoto faction,
will likely please Mr. Kazaki
from the Okuda faction.
Power struggles are scary, aren't they?
It's been a while, Judge Seko.
Chief Prosecutor Datehara,
it's unusual to see you here.
Prosecutor Midorikawa,
you handled this case commendably.
It's just like you
to expose a politician's misdeeds.
Thank you.
I imagine you're both busy,
but I wish you the best of luck.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
I apologize.
You were aware
of Mr. Matsunaga and Shoichiro
from the beginning.
You were right.
I'd been looking at things
assuming Shoichiro was guilty.
It was inappropriate conduct
for an attorney.
Well, he ended up being guilty, though.
Regarding Mr. Matsunaga's case
I haven't given up yet.
I'll find incriminating evidence
on Shoichiro no matter what
and pursue a retrial.
That's why you came to this office, right?
Yes.
I heard you took on Shoichiro's defense,
which is why I joined this office.
I wanted to learn your methods
and help Mr. Matsunaga.
But
there are some things
I struggle to accept.
So I'll stay here and continue
to confirm things for myself.
To understand
why you secure acquittals for criminals.
I told you.
Follow your own path.
2021, 2020, 2019
Ms. Shiraki,
aren't there any records before this?
Why the interest in past case files?
I just
wanted to learn
what makes Mr. Akizumi so skilled.
You're quite enthusiastic.
But this is all we have.
This office was established
only five years ago.
And Mr. Akizumi
wasn't an attorney before that.
Really? What was he doing?
He was a prosecutor.
Mr. Shimizu, it's time.
Right.
Mr. Shimizu.
It's a pleasure
to finally meet you.
Subtitle translation by: Ai Matsuoka
Now, who should we bring down first?
Do you have an appointment?
It's difficult to speak out
against sex crimes.
It wasn't me.
Is he planning another dramatic move?
It seems he's beginning to realize.
You must pluck the tasty fruit yourself.
Maybe he has a purpose this time as well.
-Impossible.
-Mr. Akizumi is trying to use me.