Boss
If you were looking for the video game concept, try Boss Battle instead.
A Japanese live-action series. Osawa Eriko returns home after having worked in America for several years. Back in Japan she becomes the boss of a division that is filled with misfit detectives. This series ran in 2009 and consists of eleven episodes. The second season was released two years later.
Tropes used in Boss include:
- Abusive Parents: There are quite a number of them.
- A God Am I: The villain in episode 2 refers to himself as 'God'.
- Alone With the Psycho: Osawa ends up in this kind of situation a couple of times.
- Asshole Victim: Quite plenty.
- Badass Grandpa: The killer in Season 2's episode 4, who's also a Handicapped Badass.
- Big Brother Instinct: Masaki Shougo towards Manami-chan.
- Brilliant but Lazy: Kimoto Mami. Will take a taxi instead of walk for ten seconds.
- Casanova Wannabe: Iwai Zenji is one of the rarer gay examples.
- Catch Phrase: "We have a case". So much that it is noted when she doesn't say it.
- Chekhov's Gun: Yamamura's lame-looking "bulletproof" helmet actually works!
- Hanagata's iron plate in Season 2's Episode 2, used by Iwai two episodes later to protect himself from a stab.
- Chekhov's Gunman: The villain of Season 1's Episode 1, whom Osawa seeks advice from regarding a complex bomb in that season's last episode.
- The Chessmaster: Osawa has quite a few tricks up her sleeve.
- Cool Old Guy: Oyama Genzo, who keeps his calm all the time. Even though he was targeted with an explosion and then kidnapped.
- Cop Show
- Date Peepers: In Season 2, Episode 8.
- Doesn't Like Guns: Katagiri Takuma, who has good reasons for this. He finally gets over it in Season 1's episode 8.
- Drowning Pit
- Embarrassing Old Photo: Osawa playing a thief named "Heisuke-san".
- Everybody Is Single: Except for the boss. Though that relationship has its own issues. They finally break up at the end of Season 1.
- Katagiri manages to find a girlfriend in Season 2. He has to break up with her too.
- Evil Counterpart: Kogure (in Season 2's Episode 7) to Hanagata, Numata to Osawa.
- Faking the Dead: Nodate in the last episode.
- Five-Man Band: Osawa's subordinates:
- The Hero: Katagiri Takuma
- The Lancer: Yamamura Keisuke
- The Big Guy: Iwai Zenji
- The Smart Guy: Kimoto Mami/Tadokoro Sachiko
- The Chick: Hanagata Ippei
- Sixth Ranger: Kurohara Rika
- Gold Digger: Yamamura Keisuke is so gullible that he falls victim to this as well as other types of money scams many times.
- Handsome Lech: Nodate Shinjiro
- Hates Everyone Equally: Kimoto claims to be this.
- Henpecked Husband: Chief Tanba is hinted to be one.
- I Love the Dead: The second Angel Killer.
- Keet: Hanagata Ippei.
- Knife Nut: Some of the villains, like the one in Season 1's episode 2.
- Magical Database
- Morality Pet: Manami-chan to the killer of Season 2's Episode 9.
- The Man Behind the Man: Takakura, the Big Bad of Season 1, is actually manipulated by a secret organization ran by Morioka, Osawa and Nodate's old friend. Then it turns out that even Morioka is manipulated as well, by Rika's old man.
- Misfit Mobilization Moment
- The Mole: Nodate pretends to be this. It turns out to be another cop.
- Tadokoro in Season 2, then she undergoes a Heel Face Turn.
- Only Sane Man: Osawa seems to be this, but only because all the others are so weird.
- Pet the Dog: The villain of Season 2's Episode 9 is probably the most prominent example so far, as he takes care of a little girl whose Abusive Parents are among the ones he killed.
- Psychopathic Manchild: Numata Yoshimi.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Some of the villains.
- Shooting Gallery: The body parts that the different detectives aim at tells you a lot about their personal issues.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Katagiri has no choice but to break up with his girlfriend as he is a detective, and her father is found out to be a murderer's accomplice.
- Title Drop: The detectives call Osawa "Boss".
- Trickster Mentor: Nodate.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Morioka and Rika's father, who believe they are doing what's best for their country.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Masaki Shougo. While he has no qualms killing Manami's mother, who had nothing to do with his tragic past, he has a sort-of brotherly love for the little girl, who reminds him of his Dead Little Sister.