Tokyo Vice: Be My Number One - Season 02 - Episode 02 - RECAP

Action is about to kick in, certain events happen during episode two that will setup whats coming next, both Samantha and Jake just can't stay away from the Tokyo Mafia even though at times they try. Samantha recently open her own club where girls host high profile men and after two months of been open is starting to have several troubles that she know about although its the first time she have to deal with them as a club owner specially when it can become a problem something she needs to avoid been in business with Chihara-Kai and that is exactly whats going on for her, money is missing and is starting to be notice.

On episode two in my opinion there is only one thing towards the end that might be a big deal in the future but the rest is probably just the setup for whats coming next reason why for me Samantha, different than on episode one; took the show with all the troubles at Polina Club, Jake, Hiroto and Sato are basically just cruising at the moment.

Lots of bikes are been stolen in Tokyo to the point that it has been notice by police and the population, might not be a mayor problem, probably an easy type of news to be cover, a good catch for someone who is a reporter but wants to stay away from anything murder or high profile crime related.

Samantha club is doing very well although not all the girls seem to have a lot of experience but nothing mayor at the moment just a girl who doesn't properly manager her alcohol, over all the club is doing great, better than expected and she seem to be sharing those gains with her girls to keep them happy an motivated.

There is always a bad apple and in this case its her most profitable girl who has been taking from her, they don't go into details of how she has been doing it, consider this series is situated around the 80's so they didn't have that much tech to manage a business, probably most people still manage cash during those times so who knows if the girls charge clients cash and then pass on the tab to the house? point been is that Samantha fired Claudine her number one girl who threaten to take her clients with her, drying up Samantha's business but she is very proud and wont let that happen, that is why she goes to her very first Mama-San, ex manager at the first club she work for, asking for help to keep clients happy and having things running.

Jake has really step up his game at work, he is right now one of the best writers at the Meicho to the point that he is now given the privilege to decide what story to pick from the ones Meicho choose to develop, different when a reporter had to look for stories. After what happen to Jake for been chasing the Yakuza story he is trying to keep distance, he was given two options, stolen bikes or murder in a lake, he choose the stolen bikes story, low profile.

At Chihara-Kai, Sato is feeling better and Hayama has return after serving seven years in Fuchu, I assume prison. Hayama seem to have a higher profile on the organization and manage things the old way, more hardcore to Sato's taste but when been involve with the Mafia you cant be soft, everything is manage around respect and fear, not he Sato way, this start to generate certain differences between them as they are both send out to the street to collect and take over territory Tozawa invade recently.

Jake visits Samantha but not a friendly visit exactly, after some cheap chat he ask her for help with his Stolen Bikes story, she drives a bike, very good looking one and since she has contact with Chihara-Kai probably had some one who knows about the stolen bikes business, he was lucky because he did got to the gang that is stealing a lot of high profile bikes, they are more valuable when sold per parts, looks like production is falling short and cant keep up with the demand of parts for older bikes.

This is one of those events that I think its a juicy one for the series, Sato's brother is burning money some how, what Sato gives him is not enough, right now Sato is starting to hustle again but by no means he is rich so yeah probably he is not giving out large amounts to his brother who ask if he can work with him. Sato agree but told him straight away, one deal and that's it, no CHIHARA-KAI for him. I think this opens the door for in the future Sato brother bee part of Chihara-Kai too or be involve in the gang war, Sato has a large inventory from a sneaker store and wants to sell it through internet, his brother is kinda disappointed because has nothing illegal to do with, he wants some action too.

Episode two has very little to do with Hiroto, detective have been put on hold at the Complain Department, he is only taking reports from "Yakuza" crimes, just random people complaining about what ever but blaming Yakuza. After episode one I really though he was into something when he went rogue on Vice Minister but there is a big gap in time between both episodes. Hiroto is not in danger anymore, nor his family so he ask his wife to come back from the country side who answer back "why don't you retire and we stay here", he did not see this coming. Hiroto was offer to be part of new task force who at first he turn down because of the procedure Shoko Nagata in charge wanted to implement, goes against Hiroto ways of keeping things in balance rather than eradicating Yakuza, Shoko wants to cut Yakuza heads, after his wife proposition to retire his only way to get back in action and not retire is to accept Shoko offer and join her task force.

This are only a few of the important scenes and points I notice during the series, everything seem to be calm down, there is a big gap between episode one and two in terms of time, Sato is back, Samantha club is done and two months rolling. I didn't like how the Vice Minister story ended, I really though with Hiroto going all bad cop on him they will keep digging but that hole story died after the tapes were destroyed.