Furuhata Ninzaburō

Plot patterns

The character of Furuhata

Looks and mannerisms

• He wears a black suit, usually over a black shirt but never wears a tie.
• He usually has awkward posture - he stoops at a 45 degree angle at the waist and carries his hands in front of his chest like a mouse on hind paws.
• Since he stoops, he tilts his head and looks up at the person he speaks to, rather than at eye level.
• His hair is shoulder-length but always excellently coiffed.
• He has a quirky way of speaking - he speaks in a halting, mumbling tone; elongates his vowels abnormally; uses the honorific, ultra-polite tense of Japanese when speaking and hums while thinking.
• He has odd "tics" like poking his forehead with his forefinger when thinking.
• The character had the rank of police lieutenant from the beginning of the episodes, and despite solving numerous murders over the next decades, the detective is still only a lieutenant.
• And he always thinks aloud in a distracted, stream of consciousness manner.
• Other idiosyncrasies appear frequently throughout the course of all episodes.

Shintaro Imaizumi

Other recurring characters

• Otokichi Mukojima - aka Otokichi Higashikunibaru, played by Tokyo Sunshine Boys member Takashi Kobayashi. Mukojima is a patrolman that often greets Furuhata at the scene of the crime. His first appearance is in Episode 2 and he is the only recurring character to have appeared in every season of the show. Mukojima is the subject of a long running gag in the show. Despite formally introducing himself in several episodes, Furuhata often forgets Mukojima's name. Furuhata tries to memorize it but by the next episode, has forgotten it. In a "Imaizumi Shintaro" skit, it is revealed that Otokichi adopted his wife's last name because he married into a Zaibatsu family with no male heir. FINALLY, Furuhata manages to memorize Otokichi's last name at the finale of Series 2. However, it is then that Mukojima reveals he got a divorce and changes back to his original last name - Higashikunibaru. Afterwards, Otokichi has to remind everyone that his name is now Higashikunibaru. Later, he reconciles with his wife and changes his surname back to Mukojima. In a " Final Series" episode, it is revealed that Mukojima is baseball superstar Ichiro's half-brother. In the Chugakusei Furuhata special - adult Mukojima is shown to have a son.

• Mantaro Kuwabara, played by Tokyo Sunshine Boys member Toshihito Ito, is a forensic scientist who works at the crime lab. He appears in some Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 episodes but was featured prominently in all of the Season 2 Imaizumi Shintaro skits. These skits often featured Kuwabara consoling Imaizumi after he vents his frustration with his treatment during the episode. Sadly, Ito died in 2002 of a brain hemorrhage
• Haga Keiji played by Shirai Akira, is a detective who has made several appearances in the series. His appearances include: episodes 14, 17, 25, 27 and two Shintaro Imaizumi skits. Haga has filled in for Imaizumi when the latter has been unavailable. Imaizumi and Haga are bitter rivals and extremely competitive with one another for Furuhata's attention. Haga is a much more competent than Imaizumi and Furuhata has said he would like Haga to replace Imaizumi as his partner. In the 1999 Special, Haga is now Head of the Detective Division, and he assigns Saionji to become Furuhata's new partner.
• Mamoru Saionji, played by Japanese comedian Masanori Ishii, appears in the third and fourth season of Furuhata Ninzaburo. He is a 'second' sidekick to Furuhata and a direct contrast to Imaizumi. Saionji is everything Imaizumi isn't. Saionji is serious, logical and competent as opposed to the silly, immature, and inept Imaizumi. Saionji is a huge admirer of Furuhata and emulates his skills as a detective. As the season progresses, he has become quite the excellent detective whose skills of observation and deduction nearly rival Furuhata's. Saionji is only 5'2" tall but has remarked he is the tallest amongst his relatives.
• Hanada is a character played by actor Norito Yashima who appears in several Series 3 episodes as well as the 2004 Special. He is a bystander who randomly appears when the detectives are at an impasse in their investigation. After overhearing the detectives' conversation, Hanada is able to accurately able to deduce the killer's motive or modus operandi. He is uncannily correct and disappears from the episode after he has made his point, leaving the detectives to find the hard evidence. He has appeared every time in different occupation. First, he was a waiter in a family restaurant, then a manager at a cafe, next a server in a pub, then a flight attendant, a taxi driver and as an employee in the Japanese embassy to Spain. He also appears for a few seconds in a brief non-speaking cameo as the flight attendant in the January 2004 "Imaizumi Shintaro" skit which aired right after Episode 39. In Episode 39, Hanada reveals that the flight attendant in Episode 36 and 2004 Imaizumi skit is actually his older brother.
• Matsuzaka the Stage Director played by Isao Nonaka. Matsuzaka has appeared three times in the Furuhata series. He first appears as the stage director for SMAP's show in Episode 26. He reappears as the stage director for the "Rakugo" performance in Episode 28. By the time he meets Furuhata again in Episode 33, he becomes exasperated - wondering if every performance he directs will end up in murder. Incidentally, Isao Nonaka appeared briefly in Episode 22 as a taxi driver driving Furuhata and the suspect to the bowling alley. It is not clear if the taxi driver might be Matsuzaka moonlighting in a different job.

  Episode list / Guest stars

Series 1 (1994)

Series 2 (1996)

Series 3 (1999)

Final Series (2006)

Special Episodes

Imaizumi Shintaro comedic skits (January 10, 1996 ~ March 27, 1996; Jan 3, 2004)

Young Furuhata Special (June 14, 2008)