Are you a fan of the gripping crime series Tokyo Vice? If so, you are probably wondering if there will be a third installment following the shocking finale of the second season. Well, you’re in luck because the creator of the Max series has, at last, opened up on the matter.
Note: SPOILERS for Tokyo Vice’s Season 2 finale can be found below.
As followers of this crime drama series may recall, Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida) aspired to be the sole supreme oyabun (leader) of the Japanese crime syndicate. However, he met his violent end at the hands of himself in the Tokyo Vice season two finale, capping off his dreams.
Following the terrifying cliffhanger finale of season 2, many viewers were left wondering if the story would continue. The good news is that a third season is officially in the works, as confirmed by the creator.
Tokyo Vice Creator Talks Shocking Death in Season 2 Finale
The highly regarded second season of the Max original series Tokyo Vice showed multiple yakuza clans engaged in a bloody struggle for control of Tokyo’s criminal underworld in the late 1990s. At the center was Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida), the leader of the Tozawa clan, who controls the Japanese government and major news media outlets while ruthlessly murdering any opponents who refuse to submit to his ascent to power.
Investigative journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), seasoned police detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), and rival yakuza boss Akiro Sato (Show Kasamatsu) are vying for Tozawa’s position.
In an exclusive interview with THR, showrunner, executive producer, and creator, J.T. Rogers, along with director Alan Poul, dissect the intricacies of season 2, and share their ideas for a potential third season.
Rogers, who gained popularity with his play Oslo, revealed:
“Well, the honest truth is that I planned for that to happen literally years ago when I was writing the show. The question was not, did he have to? The question was, if he is going to meet his end, what is a realistic, cinematically exciting, plot surprising, but also in the culture of the yakuza at that moment, realistic way, and reason why he would take his own life?”
In the interim, Poul emphasized that the program is a work of “fiction”. He continued, saying:
“But also remember, the show is fiction. So when we talk about authenticity, it’s what possibly could’ve happened, what doesn’t feel like it is based on a misunderstanding of the culture. But it’s also not a documentary, because it’s a crime drama..”
Furthermore, the creator disclosed that they have ambitious plans for the next season and that viewers can anticipate even more plot “twists and turns”.
Updates on Tokyo Vice Season 3 Plans
So, what can we expect from Tokyo Vice season three? Without overly giving away anything, the creator teased that the new season will explore the shadowy corners of Tokyo, looking at the intricate connections between crime syndicates, law enforcement, and journalists. J.T. Rogers shared with THR:
“Well, we would love to make a season three. As you know, we have to see how all the tea leaves play out and all of that. I have a whole story ready to go and other than it being called Tokyo Vice, I’m not going to tell you anything. I’m not going to give myself away. But it will be full of twists and turns.”
That being said, one of the things we discovered in season one—and Rogers himself, as the show’s creator and writer—was that Tokyo is, in fact, a “main character”. He added:
“The city itself is a main character, so we actually wanted to be even more on location in season two.”
Thus, Rogers’ last chuckle suggests that he is motivated by exploring an exciting and hidden truth in Tokyo Vice…. in the next season!
Both seasons of Tokyo Vice are streaming on Max.
