Furuhata Ninzaburō

The series was created and primarily written by Kōki Mitani, one of Japan's most prominent screenwriters and playwrights, known for his work on comedic stage productions and television dramas. It aired on Fuji TV beginning in 1994, with multiple seasons and special episodes produced over the following years.

Like Columbo, Furuhata Ninzaburō uses an inverted mystery format in which the audience witnesses the crime being committed at the start of each episode, then watches the detective unravel the culprit's carefully constructed alibi. Furuhata, played by Masakazu Tamura, similarly uses apparent absent-mindedness and casual conversation to corner his suspects, echoing Peter Falk's iconic Lieutenant Columbo.

The series ran for three seasons on Fuji TV between 1994 and 1999, plus several special episodes that aired in the 2000s and beyond. Each episode typically featured a different celebrity guest star as the murderer, giving the series a distinctive rotating-cast format that drew major Japanese actors and entertainers.

Masakazu Tamura portrayed Detective Furuhata Ninzaburō, bringing a understated, almost eccentric charisma that became the show's signature. Tamura, who came from a famous acting family (his brothers were Masaki and Ryo Kurosaki, also actors), was so closely identified with the role that the character became a cultural touchstone for Japanese audiences.