In truth, the plot of 'Legal High' wasn't complicated. Experienced viewers could often predict where the story was headed.
But why did this drama earn such high praise in Jing Yu's past life?
Naturally, it was because of how well the character Komikado was written.
Sometimes, a well-loved drama isn't remembered for its intricate plot, but for a single unforgettable character who steals the audience's heart.
It's like 'Pirates of the Caribbean' — same script, but if someone other than Johnny Depp had played the lead, who knows how it would've felt?
Jing Yu's Great Zhou version of 'Legal High' certainly had a different cast, but he worked hard to restore the spirit of Masato Sakai's original portrayal through his casting choices. The result?
Not identical — but equally brilliant, each version with its own flair and humor.
That's why fans who initially tuned in just to see cameos from 'Fate/Zero' characters quickly forgot all about that after twenty minutes of 'Legal High'.
"I swear, Komikado is such a sleazeball!"
"The way he pretended to play the violin, while actually using a speaker to blast music and just mimed the motions—so shameless!"
"But he's hilarious! Every little thing he does is over-the-top. Who is this actor?"
"Not sure. I heard he was some unknown third-rate actor, and out of nowhere, Jing Yu-sensei chose him for the lead."
"Jing Yu's casting instincts are insane. This guy's the kind of lead I've never seen before, and yet from the first scene, I was laughing nonstop."
"I hereby declare: we can safely enjoy this show. No way this one turns into a depression-fest. If this ends tragically, then no drama is safe."
"My stomach hurts from laughing. Why is Komikado like this? I want to be just like him when I roast people."
"I laughed so hard I cried. The way he dunks on everyone—it's therapeutic. I want to roast my boss like that!"
The first twenty minutes of 'Legal High' introduced the main characters. After that, the case began.
The young man viewers initially believed had been "wrongfully accused" by the police had, in fact, been coerced through leading interrogation. Even the witness testimonies were swayed by the police.
All the witnesses admitted they weren't sure whether the suspect had been sitting on a park bench that day or not.
After all, it had been a whole year. Who could remember whether someone spent a day zoning out in a park?
But the police had guided the witnesses into saying they didn't see him there. That testimony became a key factor in his conviction.
Just as Lin Wen thought Komikado would start using logic and reason to expose the flaws in the Japanese police procedures within the drama…
He pulled a stunt.
The heroine, Mayuzono Machiko, desperate to save the wrongly convicted young man, sold her family's land and scraped together 30 million yen to pay Komikado's lawyer's fee.
Before audiences could even criticize Mayuzono for being a saintly pushover, Komikado immediately pounced on the money.
No money? Get out.
Money? Let's work.
Komikado, taking a page from the police playbook, decided to play dirty, too.
He bribed a reporter to paint the young man as a kind-hearted soul unjustly framed. Then, he approached the witness:
"If you help clear the name of this falsely accused young man now, you'll be hailed as a civilian hero—someone who stood up to injustice. Your wife, your kids, your friends—they'll all see you in a new light."
Watching this, Lin Wen was floored.
She thought the police were already bad enough, but Komikado was playing at an entirely different level.
"Is that even legal!?"
"Why not? Memories are fickle. The witness wasn't already sure. With a little suggestion from Komikado and some self-delusion, of course, he'd change his testimony."
"Would this work in real life?"
"Probably not this easily. But it's a drama—it needs tension and entertainment. A 100% realistic legal show? That'd be boring. Might as well go watch real court trials. Still, good legal dramas walk a line. They can bend realism, but they can't break logic. So far, this one's balancing it well."
"Exactly. I don't even care about the case anymore—I just want to watch Komikado be outrageous. He's hilarious."
On screen, Komikado faced off with the arresting officer in court.
He relentlessly attacked the officer's improper procedures—
How could a conviction based on flawed methods be trusted?
The plot advanced rapidly, pulling Lin Wen's full attention.
The courtroom debate was full of twists and turns—
Fake testimonies, misleading arguments—both sides played dirty.
Eventually, the big confrontation came: Komikado vs. the officer.
"You just wanted to raise your case closure stats and prove yourself as an interrogation expert. That's why you coerced the boy into confessing, didn't you?" Komikado demanded.
The officer's temper boiled over.
"I've got years of experience. I can tell who's guilty with one look. From the start, I could see it in his face—he was a killer."
"Present your evidence!" Komikado shouted.
"Just look in his eyes—you'll know!" the officer shouted louder.
At that moment, Lin Wen shuddered.
The officer's acting was incredible.
But…
That's not how you solve crimes! Evidence matters!
You can't convict someone just based on how their eyes look, then coerce them into confessing.
Even machines make mistakes—how can humans be infallible?
But the moment that officer uttered that line, even viewers with zero legal knowledge knew—
The boy's conviction was going to be overturned.
In the fan group:
"So this is how wrongful convictions happen."
"Not saying all investigators are bad, but this overreliance on intuition leads to blind spots. Jing Yu-sensei's take on this is brilliant."
"This officer is an honest man, but his methods were flawed. You can't assume someone's a murderer just because they're an introverted nerd. Murder accusations require evidence!"
"Ironically, it's Komikado who's the real cynic—he uses the law as a tool to make money. He doesn't care about justice, just his perfect win record and his paycheck. But I like him anyway."
"So this isn't just a legal mystery—it's satire. It critiques flawed systems and social hypocrisy. I thought it was just a comedy—guess I was wrong."
"Visually, 'Fate/Zero' was better, but story-wise, 'Legal High' has way more depth."
"Of all the dramas airing in April's first week, 'Legal High' is definitely the best-written and most engaging."
"Can't believe Episode 1 is already ending… I feel empty."
"Let's wait for 'Natsume's Book of Friends' to go live on Qingyun Video and see which one wins summer."
"That old cop's better suited to be a detective—not a police officer!"
As expected, the young man was declared innocent by the end.
The fan group exploded with discussion.
Just when everyone thought this was a wholesome story about a wrongly accused boy saved by a kind-hearted lawyer—
The biggest twist of 'Legal High' hit.
Outside the courthouse, the boy who'd just been found not guilty ran into the arresting officer.
The cop, cigarette in his mouth, looked at the boy and Mayuzono with wary, resentful eyes.
He didn't say anything to the heroine, but the look he gave as he turned to leave—
Lin Wen immediately understood:
"I'll get you next time."
So persistent! The court had ruled him innocent, yet the cop was still clinging to it?
Lin Wen sighed at the officer's obsession.
But in real life, there are people like that—convinced they're right even when proven wrong. Subjective bias is hard to shake.
"That look…"
"Next time I'll kill you," the boy whispered, watching the officer's back with a chilling smile.
Mayuzono, who had sharp hearing and was just a few steps behind, heard him.
The camera zoomed out.
All three faced the setting sun—
Mayuzono's shocked expression, the boy's cold smile, and the lonely silhouette of the departing officer.
Lin Wen, along with viewers across the country, felt a chill down their spines.
The boy turned, quickly hiding his creepy smile as he noticed Mayuzono watching.
"You heard that? Just kidding. See you later, counselor."
He smiled innocently and high-fived her goodbye.
"Scared?" Komikado appeared beside her, expression unreadable.
"Afraid you let a monster go?"
"Do you think he did it?" Mayuzono asked, hesitating.
"Doesn't matter. Whether he's guilty or not is irrelevant to me. The prosecution lacked evidence. That's why he walked. That… is the law," Komikado said calmly.
"But… what about the truth?" Mayuzono asked in a panic.
"Don't flatter yourself. We're not gods. We can't always know the truth."
"Then what should we believe in?"
"Go find that out for yourself," Komikado said, his expression twisted into mocking amusement.
Episode 1 of 'Legal High' — End.
Lin Wen, and countless others watching the final exchange between Komikado and Mayuzono, fell completely silent.
Even the loudest critics in the fan group who were bashing the police officer earlier went quiet.
No one dared to speak rashly now.
Was the old officer's experience worth nothing?
He cut procedural corners to lock up someone he was 99.999% sure was a killer—was that wrong?
And the boy who got released due to lack of evidence—was he really innocent?
Was his sinister whisper just venting from being wrongly accused, or a glimpse of his true nature?
The drama did not answer.
But just like the saying goes—"a thousand people, a thousand Hamlets."
The show offered no conclusion, but every viewer had one in their heart.
And those unprovable thoughts became posts, blog entries, and endless forum discussions across Great Zhou's entire drama community.