Skip to main content

Ansel Elgort is a man in a new land in Tokyo Vice trailer

Next month, HBO Max is taking viewers into Japan’s criminal underworld in Tokyo Vice. This new crime drama is based upon journalist Jake Adelstein’s 2009 nonfiction book Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan. Ansel Elgort is portraying Adelstein in the series, and if the first trailer is any indication, he isn’t exactly welcome in Japan.

In the trailer, Jake is belittled by many of his colleagues, who dismiss him as a “foreigner.” However, he does find a mentor of sorts in Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), a detective in the Tokyo Police Department’s organized crime division. Hiroto knows all of the ins and outs of this world, but Jake may be biting off more than he can chew, especially when Hiroto warns him not to write about certain events.

Tokyo Vice | Official Trailer | HBO Max

It also appears that Jake will make some headway on the other side of the law while speaking with a few members of the yakuza. The criminals also seem to be amused by Jake’s presence, but there’s only so much they are willing to tolerate. And if he throws a spotlight on their clandestine activities, it probably won’t go well for him.

Aside from Hiroto, the only person who offers Jake any kind of welcome is Samantha (Rachel Keller), an American hostess who also has ties to the yakuza. She may even be one of Jake’s information sources, and possibly his lover as well. The one thing they seem to really bond over is the realization that going home to America isn’t an option for either of them.

Ken Watanabe and Ansel Elgort on the poster for Tokyo Vice.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ella Rumpf also stars in the series alongside Rinko Kikuchi, Hideaki Ito, Show Kasamatsu, Tomohisa Yamashita, Shun Sugata, Masato Hagiwara, Ayumi Tanida, and Kosuke Toyohara.

J.T. Rogers adapted the series for HBO Max. The first three episodes of Tokyo Vice will premiere on Thursday, April 7. Following that, two new episodes will debut every Thursday until the season finale.

Editors' Recommendations

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
All the Saw movies, ranked from worst to best
Billy the Puppet from the Saw franchise.

This weekend, Saw X is out in theaters and the latest sequel is keeping the legacy of Jigsaw alive. Or we could call it a "midquel" if you prefer, because the film's story is set between Saw and Saw II. Since the first movie's debut in 2004, Saw has proven to be one of the most resilient and best franchises in horror alongside The Conjuring and Insidious. Not even killing off the main character has prevented Lionsgate from revisiting Jigsaw and his apprentices again and again. The movies have even made Jigsaw's puppet, Billy (pictured above), into one of the franchise's most iconic creations.

Now that Saw X has arrived, this is the perfect opportunity to rank all 10 of the movies in the Saw franchise. There's definitely a dramatic drop in quality from the worst film to the very best. But it's also worth saying that Saw X offers some promising signs that the filmmakers may have finally recognized why the franchise was floundering and come up with some ideas as to how it might continue beyond its 20th anniversary next year.
10. Saw V (2008)

Read more
The 10 most popular shows on Max right now
A promotional image from HBO's Savior Complex.

The latest update of the 10 most popular shows on Max has arrived, and for the third week in a row, the original animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake is No. 1 on the list, thanks in large part to a fresh episode of the show. However, this week marks the first time that three of the AMC+ shows on loan to Max have dropped out of the top 10. So Killing Eve, Interview with the Vampire, and Gangs of London are out, while TLC reality shows like Welcome to Plathville and Sister Wives are in. That really puts the Discovery in Warner Bros. Discovery.

This week's biggest addition is the HBO documentary Savior Complex, which debuted at No. 3. Meanwhile, the racy British dating show Naked Attraction remains near the top spot at No. 2. Never say that sex doesn't sell, because it clearly does. As of September 29, these are the 10 most popular shows on Max right now.

Read more
Where to watch the 2023 Ryder Cup: live stream golf for free
Logo and trophy for golf's Ryder Cup.

The most exciting golf tournament in the world heads to Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup. The competition between Team United States and Team Europe will be held at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. Team United States is the defending champions, having won the 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.

The Ryder Cup is a three-day tournament with 12 golfers from the United States and 12 golfers from Europe. The first two days are dedicated to foursomes and four-ball matches, all featuring two players from each team. Day 1 and Day 2 follow the same schedule: four foursomes matches in the morning and four four-ball matches in the afternoon. The third and final day consists of 12 singles matches to determine the champion.

Read more