WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for the Tokyo Vice season 2 finale.
The Tokyo Vice season 2 finale answered many lingering questions that went as far back as the season 1 finale. The acclaimed crime series has chronicled the rise of American journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) at the prominent Tokyo newspaper Meicho Shimbun and his investigation into the underbelly of the yakuza culture of organized crime. Along the way, Jake befriended fellow American Samantha (Rachel Keller) who developed from a glorified waitress and “ex-Mormon missionary turned yakuza gun moll” into a formidable club owner. Throughout Tokyo Vice, Detective Katagiri (Ken Watanabe) does his best to maintain the balance between the yakuza and the police.
Among the most compelling characters of Tokyo Vice’s cast is Sato (Shô Kasamatsu), an earnest and promising yakuza who rightfully becomes the new leader of his clan after a shocking death during the middle of season 2. No other character is more terrifying in Tokyo Vice than Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida), a relentless and power-hungry yakuza who would stop at nothing to harness as much control and authority as he can. It turns out, however, that making an enemy of his wise and wealthy wife, Kazuko (Makiko Watanabe), would lead to Tozawa’s ultimate downfall, as the Tokyo Vice season 2 finale ties up every loose end.
One of the biggest questions of Tokyo Vice season 2 was who destroyed the Yoshino tape that would have incriminated Tozawa and Vice Minister Shigematsu. Eimi had accused her boss Baku of starting an office fire at Meicho that destroyed the tape in Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 9, but the Meicho executive Ozaki came clean and revealed that he destroyed the tape. This occurs right after Ozaki congratulates Eimi for digging up evidence, through Jake and Katagiri, that they can use against Shigematsu.
Ozaki, who has hardly been a major player in the series, explains to a stunned Eimi that he destroyed the tape because running such a scandalous story would have led to the government “freezing out” Meicho, which wouldn’t serve their readers. He explains that with the uncovered documents showing payments to Tozawa, Shigematsu will remove himself from contention for Prime Minister. This leads to Eimi reevaluating whether she wants to accept a promotion at an organization that is so corrupt at the highest level.
Jake initially received the Yoshino tape on his doorstep at the end of Tokyo Vice season 1. Throughout season 2, there was no indication of who had left the tape for him to discover until Kazuko Tozawa revealed that it was part of her plan all along. Kazuko expressed that she was disappointed that Jake was unable to effectively use the tape and publish an article at the Meicho about it as she had intended. She had hoped that the publicity would have put her husband in check and could have prevented his death in the Tokyo Vice season 2 finale. She also subtly threatens Jake by saying she will not forget about it, which could set up more conflict in a potential Tokyo Vice season 3.
Tozawa was essentially ordered by all the yakuza gumi to do the only thing that would make up for his extreme betrayal of them as an FBI informant. In his final moments, Tozawa tried to rationalize his betrayal by saying he was establishing an advantageous relationship for all of the yakuza clans, not just him. It becomes clear when Kazuko appears and hands him a blade just how dishonorable his actions were and how irrecoverable his reputation had become. Tozawa is told by the high-ranking yakuza members that he has no honor, but abiding by their orders to take his own life in response to his treachery and deceit reveals he did carry some honor after all.
In many ways, Jake has been just as relentless as Tozawa in his attempts to stop him, partly from his feelings for Misaki but mostly because of his internal drive as an investigative journalist. Unfortunately, his actions have left the only two people who were close to him at Meicho in very difficult situations. Tin Tin survives the attack on his life but his first words upon regaining consciousness is, somewhat jokingly, reminding Jake how bad of a friend he is. This point is reaffirmed by Trendy, who is devastated that his FBI friend and romantic interest Jason could face legal action because Jake ratted him out for being a source. Jake explains it was the only way to push the Tozawa story along with Lynn Oberfeld, which is true, but loses Trendy’s friendship as a result.
Sato is sworn in as the new leader of the Chihara-Kai at the end of Tokyo Vice season 2, which is the best possible outcome for the yakuza who was thrown out of the clan by Hayama in Tokyo Vice season 2 episode 7. Samantha’s story also comes full circle because she is able to use the valuable real estate information she had planned to offer to Ishida in Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 5 to receive a payout from Kazuko. It appears that Samantha will finally be able to return the money she stole earlier in the series. As for Jake, he is already looking for the next story to break, showing that his obsessive work ethic has not faltered one bit by the end of Tokyo Vice season 2.
The final scene of Tokyo Vice season 2 rests on Katagiri, who tries to meditate and clear his mind of any intrusive thoughts for ten seconds. At first, it appears that the confirmation of Tozawa’s death will finally allow Katagiri some inner peace, but he breaks his concentration halfway through the mediation, indicating that he, like Jake, carries a similar obsessive work ethic. Everything feels in its right place at the end of Tokyo Vice season 2, which implies an overarching sense of closure to the series at large. Jake’s plans to run away on some romantic escapade with Misaki are thwarted when she reveals she wants a quieter life, but he doesn’t seem too distraught by her decision.
The brief scene in which Jake and Samantha share a reflective moment in the Tokyo Vice season 2 finale sums up their true characters expertly and highlights their stark contrast to the other characters in the series. For Sato, Katagiri, Tozawa, Eimi, and even Trendy and Tin Tin, this is their real lives that they are not trying to escape from. As for Samantha and Jake, they are both chasing excitement, adventure, and an escape from their pasts, which is a key element of their outlooks throughout the series. Both characters have been in over their heads from the beginning, inserting themselves into some very serious matters and taking advantage of others to achieve their goals. Katagiri’s final laugh, however, implies that he is somewhat the same, fueled by a desire to live a thrilling and purposeful life in Tokyo Vice.