Hiroshi Tachi -- Dakishimete （抱きしめて）

When I first saw the above photo in the pages of a Myojo issue, I just thought that these guys were members of the yakuza instead of the police department, especially that grim-looking fellow on the left there. Then I read the title at the bottom of the photo "Abunai Deka"（あぶない刑事...Dangerous Detectives）.

I've known about the series since then for many years and even caught a few episodes. My impression was that this was the Japanese coming of "Starsky & Hutch" with a much better tailor. I didn't become a fan, but I couldn't deny that the two leads, Hiroshi Tachi（舘ひろし）and Kyohei Shibata（柴田恭兵）, cut quite the dashing figures. Of course, Atsuko Asano（浅野温子）was just plain smoking in the photo although her character in the show was a lot goofier. A couple of days before Xmas, my Vancouver friend, Michael, was kind enough to give me his DVD sets of "Abunai Deka" so I'm gonna have to set up a schedule to see the show.

Usually, Hiroshi Tachi is Noelle's territory. However, I came across this song by him on YouTube and found it in that same mold of rock n' blues that his even more famous "Nakanaide"（泣かないで）was back in 1984. As I told Noelle in that article, Tachi's appearance to sing "Nakanaide" on the Kohaku Utagassen in that year kinda helped me cement the image of the man...the dedicated detective who may not be the most upstanding citizen but he's on the side of the angels although he likes some of the devilish things in life.

"Dakishimete" (Hold Me) is actually not part of the "Abunai Deka" soundtrack but a song he performed and released in April 1990 as one of the theme songs for another show he was on called "Deka Kizoku"（刑事貴族...The Detective Nobility）. According to the J-Wiki write-up, the NTV program was inspired by the American NBC series "Crime Story" from 1986 which was notable for its long-term storyline, something that has become par for the course for TV series now here but was very groundbreaking decades ago. Tachi played ace detective Shunsuke Maki for the first part of "Deka Kizoku".

Tachi also wrote and composed "Dakishimete" which has that combination of guitar, slamming drums and slightly Asian strings. Perhaps Noelle can confirm for me whether this has been a trademark musical style for some of his other creations. Another observation from my part is that for some reason, the rhythm has me reminded of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me".  Listening to him, I can see him striding down one of the main streets of Tokyo in a slightly bedraggled but obviously expensive suit after a long night out and heading back to headquarters. Sleep is for losers, according to him. He may be tired, but he will still be protecting the city proudly, and that trumpet in the middle kinda puts the accent on that.

Another image I have of Tachi is that he probably treats the microphone as his lover. There is always that particular singer who cradles the head of the old-fashioned mike while he sings into it, and with Tachi, that would be the case here as well. However, he also has developed an even deeper growl to show and ask for that passion.

(Sorry but the video has been taken down.)

The above video is from a broadcast of NHK's afternoon talk show "Studio Park" in which some 10 minutes into the program, Tachi professes his affinity for the sweets, especially in this case, the very Japanese taiyaki. However, there was also an NHK English conversation seminar program featuring tarento years ago in which Tachi was a guest and showed some proficiency in the English language. In fact, I remember him distinctly saying that he and his family were Anglophiles to the extent that they used to have regular teatime in the late afternoon.

Yes, can you J-Drama fans ever imagine a young Tachi saying something "Please, Mummy, may I ask you for some more clotted cream?". Then again, one Humphrey Bogart (yes, that Bogie) used to appear in a few roles where he played the rich and spoiled guy about town very early in his career. So, perhaps, I can place Tachi as a J-Bogart?