[s1e2] No Priests Now

: The episode successfully balances multiple "co-protagonists," including Samantha and the intriguing Sato. The growing triangle between Jake, Sato, and Samantha starts to feel like the true center of the series. Critical Reception Highlights

: This episode "alleviates many concerns" about Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) as a lead. By showing him smiling, engaging with Yakuza members over sneakers, and even being humiliated at work over a "panty thief" story, he feels more like a lived-in, vulnerable protagonist rather than just a witness. [S1E2] No Priests

While the visual style shifts toward a more grounded realism under director Josef Kubota Wladyka, the episode excels by deepening the world beyond just one perspective. It moves away from the pure neo-noir feel of the premiere to explore the "transactional" nature of 90s Tokyo, where everyone has a price. By showing him smiling, engaging with Yakuza members