古畑任三郎 (1994): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1994, 古畑任三郎 is a drama and krimi series.

What it’s about. 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.

Who’s in it. 古畑任三郎 stars Masakazu Tamura as 古畑任三郎, Masahiko Nishimura as 今泉慎太郎, Takashi Kobayashi as 向島音吉 and Masanori Ishii as 西園寺守, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.8/10, 古畑任三郎 sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch 古畑任三郎 page.

If you liked it. Fans of 古畑任三郎 tend to enjoy Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan.