As much as we appreciate the highs and lows of romantic dramas, the uncontrollable laughter of romantic comedies, and the twisty thrills of mystery tales, sometimes we just need a story that will transport us to a different universe, fill us with optimism, and leave us with a big smile on our faces. Nothing stressful and complicated, just bright and fun. If that’s what you need today, let me tell you that Fuji TV’s Usotoki Rhetoric perfectly meets that description.
Usotoki Rhetoric is an 11-episode adaptation of Miyako Ritsuโs manga of the same name, which aired in Japan from October to December 2024. The complete series became available on Viki (in Europe) a few weeks ago โ thankfully, as Usotoki Rhetoric is a delightful, warm-hearted, and captivating story that will surely bring some joy into your day.
The series is set in 1926 (the first year of the Showa era) and follows Urabe Kanoko (Matsumoto Honoka), a young woman who possesses a very special ability: she can hear when people are lying. The village where she was born doesnโt welcome her skills, however, and she decides to move to the town of Tsukumoya. There, she meets a broke young detective, Iwai Souma (Suzuka Ouji). Souma may be poor but heโs sharp-witted and has an excellent eye for detail. He soon realises that combining their skills might be the answer to their tough lives.
An absolute pleasure to watch, Usotoki Rhetoric proposes a straightforward tale that celebrates the beauty of kindness, trust, and belonging while reminding us of how complex even the most mundane of exchanges can be. Perfect in its own lighthearted way, the series counts on quirky characters portrayed by endlessly charismatic actors and a simple, cheerful narrative that naturally wins your heart.
This review is spoiler-free! If you don’t have time to read it all, why don’t you pin our summary at the bottom?
Extraordinary Characters in Ordinary Settings
Despite its Holmes-esque male protagonist and the fantastical powers of its female protagonist, Usotoki Rhetoric gets rid of complex mysteries and grandiose storylines. Souma and Kanoko are indeed two talented, eccentric individuals but, unlike most detective stories, their skills aren’t admired and praised. While Souma is dirt-poor and relies on the generosity of his neighbours to survive, Kanoko was ostracised as a child due to her abilities. And that’s the trick: the narrative of Usotoki Rhetoric chooses to focus on the ordinary despite the extraordinary nature of its protagonists.
Even when Souma and Kanoko are presented with a crime, the unravelling of the plot is always straightforward and its elements are anchored in everyday conflicts and universal emotions. Usotoki Rhetoric can be seen as a compilation of 10 standalone stories (episodes 4 and 5 need to be watched together) that blend mystery and slice-of-life, with just a sprinkle of romance. It’s Kanoko’s character arc that binds them all together, allowing the themes of the story to flourish and giving the series a harmonious unity.
Kanoko & the Concept of Honesty in Usotoki Rhetoric
Kanoko is a sweet, innocent young woman who believes her ability to detect lies can only hurt others. She arrives in Tsukumoya-cho full of scars, fears, and deep insecurities. It’s only once she meets Souma, who is happy to accept her just the way she is, that she starts looking at herself โ and the world around her โ with different eyes. Throughout the series, Kanoko meets people she can relate to, learn from, and bond with. Slowly, she becomes wiser, more confident, and more courageous. She understands that lying isn’t simply about being right or wrong and that every word we use to express ourselves carries the nuances of our personalities, desires, and needs.
It goes without saying that lying is the main theme of Usotoki Rhetoric, with each episode exploring a different facet of sincerity or insincerity. Alongside Souma and Kanoko, we examine the morality of lying: how we can lie because of love, need, or greed, how we can lie to save ourselves or others, or how we can lie to cheat, protect, and care.
Day after day, Kanoko sees that the truth can foster goodwill, respect, and understanding, but it can also hurt and discourage. Sincerity, as much as falsehood, can be used for good and bad reasons. As the need for honesty is a complex question, Usotoki Rhetoric reminds us that what really matters is our willingness to trust each other. As Kanoko establishes ever stronger ties with the people around her, she understands that having faith in others and believing that we always have each other’s best interests in mind is what sustains our relationships.
Beyond Lying: Trust, Belonging & Kindness
Beyond lying, Usotoki Rhetoric is a story about trust, about how important it is to have our voices heard and believed in, about how our relationships are ties of faith as much as they are ties of care. Then, we can also mention that relationships are incredibly important to the development of the series. It’s the relationships that Kanoko establishes that serve as a catalyst for her character’s arc, without which the series could’ve never effectively explored its themes.
Kanoko’s past, which is reflected in the excellent arc of episodes 4 and 5, illustrates the dangers of rumours and prejudice. It shows how humans develop an unfounded fear of what they can’t explain. It also depicts how far people are willing to go to eradicate otherness, and in doing so, erase people’s sense of identity and individuality.
Through Souma and the community of Tsukumoya-cho, however, Kanoko is given a sense of belonging and the freedom to be herself. She’s accepted and loved for who she is, which gives her a place where she can feel welcome and be of help to others. The supporting cast of Usotoki Rhetoric is just as charming as our two protagonists, creating this solid support system which Kanoko and Souma can rely on and giving us โ the audience โ a little found family we love to revisit episode after episode. They fill the series with energy, cheerfulness, and kindness.
And that’s where the heart of the show lies: Usotoki Rhetoric portrays the best of humankind. The story is so flooded with kindness that it drowns out whatever flaws we may have as a species, making it seem like there are infinitely more good โ than bad โ people out there. The universe of Usotoki Rhetoric may have its evils, but its virtues always shine brighter. This is how the show creates such an optimistic experience.
Is there a romance between Kanoko and Souma?
Of course, Kanoko and Souma admire, respect, and protect each other, and their relationship is an absolute blast. Matsumoto and Suzuka respond incredibly well to each other and develop a chemistry that starts off as adorable but becomes mesmerising as the episodes go by.
A romance between the two bubbles underneath each scene, but it never becomes the centre of attention. Actually, you could easily say that a romantic storyline doesn’t even exist in Usotoki Rhetoric as it’s only superficially mentioned in the last episode. But the show is so full of little yet extremely meaningful acts of care, glances, and conversations between the two of them that you can’t help but fall in love with Kanoko and Souma yourself and root for their relationship to last, regardless of status.
Technical Notes: Blocking in Usotoki Rhetoric
Usotoki Rhetoric also counts on an excellent score written by Yugo Kanno and Akihiro Manabe (which you can find on Apple Music), a wonderful theme song by eill (Kakumei Zenya, available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube Music), and enchanting production design.
However, my favourite aspect of Usotoki Rhetoric, which was directed by Nishitani Hiroshi, Nagayama Kozo, Suzuki Masayuki, Kawake Shunsaku and Iwaki Ryuichi, is the blocking. Blocking is the “organisation” of the shot, that is, where and how subjects are placed and move within the frame. Blocking in Usotoki Rhetoric is superb, allowing for a lot of deep compositions in which characters are placed in frames within frames and in dynamic geometrical patterns. Characters are often moving, guiding our attention, hiding and revealing facts and faces, and establishing different relationships within the scene.
Should You Watch Usotoki Rhetoric?
Proving that even the simplest of stories can be immensely entertaining, Usotoki Rhetoric might not have the most innovative or intricate of narratives, but it contains a gigantic heart. Souma and Kanoko’s everyday adventures are wonderfully immersive and comforting (and cute at times โ little Taro-chan, we’re all looking at you!). If you’re looking for something fun, heartwarming, and completely bewitching, then I’m sure that Usotoki Rhetoric is exactly what you need.
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