Murder on the Orient Express (2015 Japanese miniseries)

Murder on the Orient Express (オリエント急行殺人事件 - Oriento kyuukou satsujin jiken - Orient Express Murder Case) is a 2015 Japanese miniseries based on the Christie novel Murder on the Orient Express. It was produced by Fuji TV and directed by Keita Kôno with screenplay by Kôki Mitani. The adaptation was a two-part miniseries broadcast over two consecutive nights from 11 Jan 2015-12 Jan 2015.

Synopsis
The story is set in 1933 on board an Japanese express train from Shimonoseki to Tokyo. Suguro Takeru, a Japanese detective who is eccentric just like Poirot and complete with moustache, manages to wrangle a berth on the sleeper. The train is stuck in an avalanche and then a murder is committed during the night. Suguro is tasked to investigate.

Comparison with original story
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
 * The setting is changed to Japan in 1933, on the "Orient Express" from Shimonoseki (extreme west of Honshu) to Tokyo.
 * All the main characters in the original story have Japanese parallels but have slightly different backstories They are all Japanese, as opposed to the original where they come from various countries. However, they do come from different walks of life. Suguro (Poirot) likens the passengers, from backgrounds to being at a modern Japanese trade fair.
 * The parallels are easy to identify because the initials are similar: Masuda Etsuo is Edward Masterman, or else they are phonetically related: "Kureta" is Greta, Noto is Arbuthnot.
 * The sleeping berth assignments are fairly similar except that Noto has been moved.
 * Otherwise the first part (covered in episode 1) concerning events on the train is fairly faithful to the original. Even snatches of conversation from the original text are reproduced.
 * All the key plot elements of the original are depicted:
 * Suguro overhears Noto and Maiko and their "not now ... when it is all over" conversation.
 * Suguro is sent off by a army officer at Shimonoseki after solving a case at some military establishment
 * He can't get a berth but Baku (Bouc) gets one for him
 * He bunks in Heita (Hector) the first night and then gets his own (Baku vacates his berth for him)
 * The set up for the killing is highly accurate: an avalanche, groaning, Todo says it is a nightmare (this is the same as the 1974 Finney adaptation but not in the book). Later Hatori rings the bell and complains about a man in her room. Late at night Suguro also sees a woman in a red kimono with a dragon motif walking the corridor. Prior to the killing Todo had received threatening letters. Todo also tried to employ Suguro. Suguro turns him down because he doesn't like his face just like in the original.
 * The clues left are also similar: handkerchief with initial N, pipe cleaner, watch stopped at 1.15, sleeping draught in glass. The ash is treated in the same way with hat frames supplied by Hirudegawa (Hildegard) and reveals the name "Goriki".

Cast
''Note: IMDb lists Japanese names in Western style as given name-family name. However the names here follow Japanese naming convention with family name-given name. This format is easier when searching on the internet.''

Parallels are in brackets.


 * Nomura Mansai as Suguro Takeru (Poirot)
 * Matsushima Nanako as Baba Maiko (Mary Debenham)
 * Ninomiya Kazunari as Makuuchi Heita (Hector McQueen)
 * Anne Watanabe as Countess Ando Ryoko (Countess Helena Andrenyi)
 * Tamaki Hiroshi as Count Ando (Count Rudolf Andrenyi)
 * Sawamura Ikki as Noto Iwao (Colonel Arbuthnot)
 * Ikematsu Sosuke as Hazama Saisuke
 * Yagi Akiko as Kureta Sonoko
 * Aoki Sayaka as Hirudegawa Sumiko
 * Fujimoto Takahiro as Hotoda Tamio
 * Takahashi Katsumi as Baku (Bouc)
 * Kobayashi Takashi as Masuda Etsuo
 * Sasano Takashi as Dr. Suda
 * Fuji Sumiko as Mrs. Hatori / Awashima Yachiyo
 * Kusabue Mitsuko as Marchioness Todoroki
 * Nishida Toshiyuki as Miki Buichi (Pierre Michel)
 * Sato Koichi as Todo Osamu / Kasahara Kenzo
 * Kichise Michiko as Goriki Soneko
 * Ishimaru Kanji as Goriki Taisa
 * Kuroki Haru as Miki Sayuri
 * Aijima Kazuyuki as Obata Wataru Army officer at Shimonoseki (Lieutenant Dubosc)
 * Kobayashi Seiran as Goriki Seiko
 * Fukami Motoki as Shimizu
 * Yamadera Koichi as Mr. Pine

Train compartment chart
Miki the conductor is on a bench in the corrider. Dr Suda was in the general carriage (seats only). Baku gave up compartment 6 for Suguro.