A storm is brewing in ODDTAXI, one whose clouds loom over every soul we’ve met so far. As episodes have stacked up, odd points of connection have emerged all across the cast, from Atsuya and Nikaido’s relationship to Yamamoto’s murky ties to Dobu’s employers. In a show that’s so thematically preoccupied with the alienation of the modern world, it feels like a kind of cruel irony that its cast are so oddly connected – not in such a way that they might comfort each other, but more in the way dominoes are linked yet separate, bonded only by their mutually assured destruction. A tragedy anywhere in our cast would send ripples through the entire ensemble; and with the danger ratcheted up to its current fever pitch, such a tragedy is beginning to feel inevitable.

Such a sense of unease is common in the noir traditions ODDTAXI draws upon. Rather than hoping for genuine salvation, noir heroes seek only to avoid the flood, and perhaps save an innocent or two along the way. Traditionally, the darkness of these stories was fomented in the ravages of post-war trauma; for ODDTAXI, the stratified, performative nature of social media and modern capitalism provide more than enough horror, allowing characters like Tanaka to drown in the dissatisfaction of modern living. In a world like this, clinging to the connections you can truly count is likely the best we can hope for – and with Odokawa demanding that Dobu let Shirakawa go, it seems like this show’s most precious bond might still be intact. I’m holding on hope for ODDTAXI’s painfully human lost souls, as we enter the second half of this magnificent production.

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Oh ODDTAXI, what a tangled web you weave. The lives of its disparate characters are now twisting together in all manner of subtle ways, even as their everyday experience promises nothing but isolation and disappointment. The eraser that Tanaka once coveted now rests in the hands of Odokawa, a gift from the mysterious Shirakawa. The dash cam footage of Yamamoto’s charge is now equally desired by Dobu, and may well solve the riddle of the mob daughter’s disappearance. And Mitsuya’s phone is presumably still lodged in Odokawa’s backseat, a glimmering key that may unlock the secrets of Yamamoto’s organization.

As a slow-burning mystery narrative, ODDTAXI is an airtight creation, using its focus on offhand conversations to gracefully seed all of its narrative turns. Clues pop up incidentally over the course of thoughtful, naturalistic dialogue, setting wheels in motions without ever drawing attention to themselves. The show is fascinating as a narrative puzzle box, yet all the more impressive for the fact that it isn’t even driven by that narrative.

Instead, the show burns most brightly during its rambling dialogues, full of character-rich personal details and poignant reflections on modern living. I could watch ODDTAXI’s cast grumble about their day for hours – with dialogue this insightful and authentic, it feels like a privilege to watch such vibrant, resonant characters in action. Good characters feel like people you could know – great characters remind you that we are all ultimately unknowable, recognizable sure, but capable of actions that feel simultaneously surprising and true to our nature. ODDTAXI is managing to soar on a narrative, character, and thematic level without shortchanging any of them, and I’m thrilled to see where it takes us next. Let’s get on board!

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