Review: Hidarime Tantei EYE

I am currently watching Hidarime Tantei EYE. A pilot aired in October 2009, and the 8 episode follow-up series finished airing a few weeks ago.

Stolen synopsis:

Tanaka Ainosuke, a third-year junior high school student with a strong sense of justice, underwent a cornea transplant of the left eye. However, after that, he received news that his older brother, Yumehito, the donor of that cornea, had died in an accident. Furthermore, Ainosuke was shocked by the images in his left eye which he had never seen before. Deducing that these images were connected to his brother’s death, Ainosuke began to search for the truth surrounding the death of his beloved brother and only immediate family. But as the investigation progressed, Ainosuke discovered that Yumehito’s death had been fake and that he is actually the leader of an evil organization. This sets the stage for a clash of fate between the two brothers. Ainosuke, the young sleuth armed with a special left eye and Yumehito, the genius criminal who has carried out many criminal plots.

It’s completely unrealistic and fairly silly, which would be fine if it had some redeeming qualities. Ainosuke’s sidekick is his school nurse, a shollow woman with a spending problem who’s supposed to provide comic relief by succumbing to her weak will and dodging debtors. Occasionally she punches the main character in the face to jump-start the visions from his replacement eye.

As far as I can tell, no one is subtitling it. I can’t say I blame them for not bothering. The only reason I am going to finish watching it is because I already downloaded the whole thing.

Edit: It gets better towards the end of the show. The sidekick school nurse’s money problems become less of a focus. As the main plot comes out from behind the clouds of episode mini-plots, Ainosuke’s actor gets more chances to show that he has skill. I’m glad I’ve finished watching it. It’s still far from the best I’ve seen, but at least it drew me in some near the end.