Mr. Brain

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Mr. Brain is a Japanese television comedy drama aired on TBS in 2009.

Sypnosis by TBS (retrieved from wiki.d-addicts.com):

Tsukumo Ryusuke is a quirky, yet brilliant neuroscientist working for the National Research Institute of Police Science. Wielding a unique perspective and psychology, Tsukumo tackles the nation's most baffling crimes and scandals, going head-to-head with the most brilliant and twisted criminal minds. But his eccentricities and poor social timing can also aggravate people and circumstances, further complicating matters.


Tropes used in Mr. Brain include:


  • Amateur Sleuth: Tsukumo, who tends to get chastised by his boss for not concentrating on his "research".
  • Ax Crazy: Kanako in her "Shunsuke" persona.
  • Batman Gambit:
    • Tsukumo relies on the culprits' "natural reflexes" (caused by their brains) to expose them.
    • The culprit's schemes in the last two episodes.
  • Big Eater: Kanako in her "Shouko" persona.
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer: Tsukumo, a brilliant and eccentric neuroscientist.
  • Butt Monkey: Kazune.
  • Catch Phrase: "My name is Tsukumo, written as 9-10-9 in kanji numerals."
  • Chaste Hero: Due to partial brain damage caused by an accident, Tsukumo is totally clueless about Kazune's advances on him, and keeps wondering why he's in possession of a porn magazine in the first place.
  • Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The cleaning lady.
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The show has some very specific episode titles, including:
    • "Eccentric Neuroscientist vs. Beautiful Revived Ghost!!"
    • "Invisible Man Setting Up Serial Murders!!"
    • "Eccentric Neuroscientist vs. Beautiful Woman With A Split Personality!!"
  • Expy: Takegami is a manipulative cannibalistic murderer like Hannibal Lecter.
  • Fragile Flower: Kanako's original persona.
  • I'm a Humanitarian: In the second episode, Gackt's ham-tastic character Takegami Teijirou is a cannibalistic serial killer who considers eating human flesh to be the equivalent of eating beef or pork.
  • Insufferable Genius: Even though Tsukumo Ryusuke usually figures out the crimes long before anybody else, he is still considered insufferable by many of his superiors.
  • Giggling Villain: Takegami Teijirou.
  • Kids Are Cruel: Kanako's classmates ridiculed her request for accompanying her home, resulting in her kidnapping.
  • Large Ham: It's obvious Gackt is having a lot of fun playing a cannibal.
  • My Name Is Not Durwood: Detective Hayashida is frequently called "Rinda" by Tsukumo.
  • No Social Skills: Part of the reasons why many other scientists dislike Tsukumo.
  • Not My Driver: Happens to a victim in Episode 7.
  • Obviously Evil: Takei, who's bald and is frequently seen with a smug smile on his face. He's actually a case of double subversion of this trope.
  • Posthumous Character: Takegami Teijirou.
  • Psychotic Smirk: Takegami loves to sport this.
  • Real Song Theme Tune: "Jump" by Van Halen.
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Some of the culprits.
  • Shrinking Violet: Yuri Kazune, although she does have a few moments of assertiveness. Not that anybody listens to her when she does, though.
  • Split Personality: Akiyoshi Kanako suffers from this after being kidnapped and imprisoned for 15 years. Then it turns out there are actually no alternate personalities to begin with.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Tsukumo has his bananas.