Trick (TV series)

Trick comprises a comedic Japanese television drama and movie series (three seasons, four movies, and three feature-length TV specials), as well as associated comic books, novelizations and meta-fiction novels about a failed magician and an arrogant physicist who debunks fraudulent spiritualists. It stars Hiroshi Abe and Yukie Nakama and is shown on TV Asahi (digital TV channel 5). It was created by Japanese director Yukihiko Tsutsumi.

Although 23-year-old Naoko Yamada (Yukie Nakama) considers herself a beautiful and talented magician, she is continuously fired and constantly hounded by her landlady for the rent being late. Before firing her, her manager shows Yamada an ad for a physics professor, Jiro Ueda (Hiroshi Abe), a non-believer of all things magical, offering money to anyone who can prove to him that magic is real. Desperately needing the money, Naoko accepts the challenge, which is how she comes to meet Professor Ueda. Falling prey to her simple magic tricks, Ueda is impressed, and enlists the reluctant Naoko to help him uncover the tricks behind a local cult. Soon, they are debunking spiritualists. Eventually Ueda develops a reputation for solving supernatural cases, but his secret weapon is Yamada, who hates the work but needs the money.

The entire Trick series consists of three seasons, four feature films and three feature-length specials in total. The final installation, Trick The Movie: Last Stage, premiered in Japan on January 11, 2014, marking the end of the Trick series after 14 years. Presented in chronological order:

Season one introduces the main characters, as well as a would-be suitor for Yamada (this plotline will be abandoned after season one). The overarching plot is that a true psychic killed Yamada's father, and that person may be Yamada herself. Fraudulent psychics include: Big Mother (cultist, clairvoyant), Miracle Mitsui (makes things disappear), Kurosaka Miyuki (the pantomime killer), Katsuragi Koushou (clairvoyant, health guru) and the residents of Kokumontou (a.k.a. Black Gate Island).

This season has a more established atmosphere. Ueda has published a book debunking psychic power and spiritual phenomena, and is enjoying some fame. The villains include: Suzuki Yoshiko (fortune teller, time traveller), Fukami Hiroaki (clairvoyant), and Tsukamoto Emi (voice of divine punishment).

The surrealism and characterizations become more firmly entrenched. This season is named TRICK ～Troisième partie～ on the DVDs. Villains include: Shibakawa Genjou (commanding voice powers), "Slit" Mikako (teleporter), and Akaike Hiroshi (claims to fix anything, including people). The introduction of Detective Yabe's new sidekick, a proud and arrogant Toudai graduate. The last half of the final episode of the 3rd Season, the love-hate and unspoken relationship between Yamada and Ueda may look like it has entered a new stage.

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