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Furuhata Ninzaburo

Furuhata Ninzaburo

1994•1h 0m•8.9/10
DramaCrime

Ratings

🎬TMDb
8.9/10(20)

Furuhata Ninzaburō is a Japanese television series that ran periodically on Fuji Television from 1994 until its final episodes in 2006. It was written by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani and is often referred to as the Japanese version of Columbo. The series is a police detective drama starring actor Masakazu Tamura as Furuhata Ninzaburo and Masahiko Nishimura as his stereotypically bumbling sidekick, Shintaro Imaizumi. The program aired weekly and featured a guest villain each time, usually a famous talent in Japan. Pop-stars like SMAP, television hosts like Sanma Akashiya and even sports figures like Ichiro Suzuki have been featured on this program. It was one of the most popular television dramas in the history of Japanese television, having spawned several seasons and TV specials.

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Production

Fuji Television Network

Language

JA

Status

Ended

First Aired

April 13, 1994

Last Aired

January 5, 2006

Networks

Fuji TV

Created By

Koki Mitani

Where to Watch
Region US · Lang EN
US
No providers available for this region.
Seasons & Episodes
Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.
Season
Message from the Dead
E1
Message from the Dead
Air date: 1994-04-13
On a dark and stormy night, Chinami kills her business partner in her remote manor house in the hills. Then the doorbell rings. As luck would have it, it's none other than Inspector Furuhata seeking refuge from the rain.
The Moving Corpse
E2
The Moving Corpse
Air date: 1994-04-20
After killing a woman in a hit and run, a famous Kabuki actor decides to kill the only witness, a theatre security guard, and stage it to look like an accidental fall. Only Furuhata Ninazburo is not convinced.
The Laughing Corpse
E3
The Laughing Corpse
Air date: 1994-04-27
Furuhata is called to a scene where a woman has just killed a burglar but a chicken in the oven and a cigarette in the bin make the wily inspector suspicious.
The Killing Fax
E4
The Killing Fax
Air date: 1994-05-04
An action-packed night is in store for the police department after a famous writer's wife is kidnapped and he is tasked with delivering the money by the fax-using kidnapper. However, a grammatical question niggles at Furuhata.
The Dirty King
E5
The Dirty King
Air date: 1994-05-11
Shogi 8-dan Yonezawa is no match for Furuhata Ninzaburo after murdering the overseer at the Ryujin Tournament.
The Piano Lesson
E6
The Piano Lesson
Air date: 1994-05-18
Furuhata Ninzaburô gets involved in the drama surrounding an elite musical academy when he begins suspecting a fierce piano teacher of murdering the school's headmaster.
Rehearsal for Murder
E7
Rehearsal for Murder
Air date: 1994-05-25
During a rehearsal, a beloved samurai movie star kills the despised studio executive. Was it an accident or murder? Furuhata Ninzaburo investigates.
Murder Express
E8
Murder Express
Air date: 1994-06-01
A trip should be enjoyable but Dr Nakagawa's trip was ruined when he realized he was being tailed by his wife's private eye. He decides to kill the nosy gumshoe on the train home but unfortunately for him, Furuhata Ninzaburo is on board.
Broadcast Murder
E9
Broadcast Murder
Air date: 1994-06-08
During a live broadcast, a TV psychic desperately in need of validation pretends to find a corpse of a man he himself had killed earlier. The only person in the audience not convinced is Inspector Furuhata.
The Contradictory Corpse
E10
The Contradictory Corpse
Air date: 1994-06-15
A politician's secretary murders his boss and the boss' mistress staging the scene to look like a murder-suicide. However, one of his victims survives and is taken to the hospital for recovery.
Sayonara DJ
E11
Sayonara DJ
Air date: 1994-06-22
Furuhata and Shintaro are assigned to bodyguard a radio DJ who's been receiving threatening messages. However, the DJ turns out to be the killer with a devious plan and a watertight alibi.
The Final Greeting
E12
The Final Greeting
Air date: 1994-06-29
What happens when the killer you are hunting is your superior? Furuhata is about to find out after he begins suspecting the legendary Superintendent Kogure of murdering the man who killed his daughter.

Cast

Masakazu Tamura

Masakazu Tamura

古畑任三郎

Masahiko Nishimura

Masahiko Nishimura

今泉慎太郎

Takashi Kobayashi

Takashi Kobayashi

向島音吉

Masanori Ishii

Masanori Ishii

西園寺守

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