Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the HBO show Tokyo Vice.
HBO's Tokyo Vice introduced audiences to well-written characters like Emi Maruyama and Hiroto Katagiri, who each have their roles to play in the dangerous world depicted in the miniseries. The show is based on a 2009 memoir of the same name and follows Jake Adelstein's journey as an investigative journalist in Japan.
To succeed or simply survive on the show, the characters have to be smart about every decision they make. They sometimes risk their own lives to make bold choices that align with their goals, some of which aren't exactly for the greater good. As viewers eagerly wait for the highly-anticipated final episode of the underrated show, it's the perfect time to think about which characters have been the most intelligent ones so far.
Polina is Samantha's reliable best friend who's always there for her, no matter how messy her situation gets. Little did fans know that Pol was dealing with problems of her own as well, as she has been tricked into enormous debt by a predatory men's club in the city.
While she can't be blamed for becoming the victim of the well-known club, she also hasn't shown that she can make smart choices in her career and personal life. She often just goes with the flow, which has unsurprisingly landed her in deep trouble.
Trendy and Tin Tin provide some much-needed comic relief in the stressful office environment Jake is often in. The duo serves as his trusty sidekicks, often helping him research his stories, even if it means doing it without their supervisor's approval.
However, the pair will usually follow whatever the boss says when given direct orders. They're more interested in advancing their careers by playing by the rulebook instead of doing something groundbreaking like Jake. It's not too far-fetched to say they likely wouldn't be able to be as reckless as Jake, which is a shame considering they're probably intelligent enough to keep up with his pursuit of dangerous stories.
Miyamoto is a dirty cop who brags about bending the rules to his advantage. He's smart enough to enter a deal with Tozawa that helps make him richer, but not quite intelligent enough to realize the weight of the repercussions.
Fans were likely satisfied to see Miyamoto feel fearful during a tense conversation with Tozawa where he realizes he has bitten off more than he can chew. He falls for Katagiri's trap when he fails to see that the police's threat to arrest Tozawa was nothing but an elaborate ruse to catch the traitor in the force.
Samantha is a strong and independent woman who tries her best to distance herself from her past by carving a life of her own in Tokyo. She brilliantly starts building a club of her own behind her boss's back, and for a while, things seemed like they would work out according to her plan.
However, things start to unravel when Sam fails to grasp how challenging it is to start her own business in the country. She undermines the Yakuza's role in her industry, which endangers those close to her like Sato. Her most recent moves have been more reckless than smart, which is likely disappointing for fans who were rooting for her.
If there's one thing Sato is incredibly smart about, it's his role in Chihara-Kai, which has drastically changed since the start of the show. By following traditions, keeping his head down, and defending his oyabun, he has risen through the ranks and improved his standing in the group.
As intelligent as he is about his career as a criminal, he's quite reckless and impulsive when it comes to his personal life, particularly with his romantic relationship with Sam. Sato recklessly murders Sam's stalker, risks his position in the Yakuza by breaking protocol to look for Pol, and more, all for his girlfriend. He's thankfully realizing that this is the case and will hopefully pivot before it's too late.
At the center of the limited series based on a true story is Jake, who continues to learn that he doesn't know enough about the country he's in and the Yakuza's role in it. The investigative reporter often toes the line between bravery and recklessness in his attempts at advancing his career, and lately, he has been falling on the wrong side of that delicate balance.
He has shown that he can be smart, like when he strategically befriends Sato to gain access to the Chihara-Kai. That said, he has repeatedly disregarded advice from more knowledgeable characters like Maruyama and Katagiri, which can be frustrating for viewers. Fans can only hope that he is learning fast enough to get ahead of any repercussions for his risky mistakes.
As the leader of a Yakuza gang, Tozawa is expected to make the right decisions for the betterment of their group. Lately, most of his choices have been for the goal of expanding into Tokyo, which is a dangerous mission considering it's not part of their territory.
Tozawa is smart enough to bend or even completely abandon traditions to achieve his goals quickly, but not quite intelligent enough to evade consequences. Not only is the police force aware of his illegal actions, but he also botches a crucial assassination attempt on Ishida, which puts him in a bad position among other Yakuza leaders.
Unlike Tozawa, Ishida understands the value of tradition and respect. He knows that other Yakuza leaders will take his side if they see that Tozawa is bending rules while he is not, so he makes an effort to hide his attempts at undermining the rival gang's power, like when he uses Jake's voice to go against them.
Ishida is less reckless and makes more well-thought-out decisions, which is how he's able to keep his gang on top. Fans may recall how he masterfully solves the issue with the traitor among the Chihara-Kai, preventing his own death in the process. Of course, as smart as his decisions are for his gang, they're terrible for the citizens of Tokyo, who continue to struggle under the Yakuza's iron grip.
Maruyama is a badass journalist who has made a name for herself in the male-dominated field. She's incredibly intelligent, as seen in the way she presents new perspectives when Jake comes to her with questions about his news stories.
More importantly, Maruyama understands the way the country works, which includes what the industry is like. She knows that sometimes the best option is to keep her head down instead of risking an important story. This is how she's able to sneak crucial headlines into the paper, just like she does with her story about how women are being ignored and murdered in Tokyo.
Without a doubt, Katagiri is the smartest character in Tokyo Vice. Fans immediately learn that he's brave when they first meet him, as he doesn't hesitate to investigate gang-related crimes despite being pressured not to by his colleagues. He then shows audiences that he's smart when he pieces together what's going on between the Yakuza groups, taking it further by predicting and then trying to prevent a full-blown gang war in the city.
It's easy to see why Jake turns to him when he needs advice or wants to learn more about the country and its unspoken rules. His years on the job help inform his measured decisions, which all contribute to his greater goal of maintaining the peace and protecting civilians in the process.
