Voice

We all know what CSI TV series is all about, a team of CSI division solving "fancy" (well you can call it fancy or extravagant considering the amount of brutality thrown in the murder scenes especially in the later seasons) murder cases with their hi-tech gadgets and scientific methods. Well, Voice is definitely inspired by CSI as this dorama is too (you'll see a CSI tribute in one of the student's room), about revealing the last moments of the dead, which they call it the 'voice' of the dead, and bringing closure to those who are left behind.

There are differences between CSI and Voice. I'm a fan of CSI series. But Voice certainly makes me see CSI genre from a different angle.

Like CSI, most of Voice's cases start with the case of unsolved death. The victim died in the quiet manner, often with not even a blood splatter, unlike what we often see in CSI. And it's not about drug dealer or some serial killer running rampant. The deceased are often ordinary people like us, with family who wonder why they die that way and the team of the university forensic medicine try to solve the mystery and give them understanding to what had happened that led to the tragic ends. You are unlikely to find murder cases in Voice and definitely no serial killer or anything fancy in CSI genre manner.

While CSI shows us all the technology available to extract DNA etc, Voice does not show anything hi-tech or eye-popping gadgets in it. At most, they will show the starting of an autopsy and no blood, inner parts pulled apart at all. What they found out is all discussed in their conversation with very little of charts and DNA test results graphic that we are used to see in CSI.

But what will pull us to watch Voice and keep watching it, is the story. In CSI, we are often too fascinated with the capability of the CSI team to reveal the crime that we forget about the victim. In Voice, the team focus themselves towards the victim, what's the story behind their deaths. Daiki explores the mystery by talking to the victim's loved ones, searching the surroundings and finally putting together all the puzzle and coming up with the story of the last moments of the decease.

A reminder, this is J-Dorama. If you like to see any actions involved, go back to watching CSI and CSI-Miami. Voice will definitely jerk your tears away. I started crying every time I watch the episode especially after episode 3. You'll be touched with all those heart warming stories ranging from the love of a husband, the sacrifice of a mother or the loyalty of a friend that unfortunately leads the unwanted ends.

For Dorama fans, this dorama is definitely a must watch! And off course, because this is a J-dorama, you'll find the faces all look familiar. That's right! Daiki is Mine from Nodame Cantabille; and Ryousuke is Nakatsu from Hanakimi. You'll also see Teppei in Nodame and Hanei in Kamen Rider. This is the world of J-dorama, yeah!

FYI, the OST is by GReeeeN. It's very uplifting to hear this song after each of episode closure. A very smart compact dorama, especially in this moment of economy downturn!