In Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi and River's Edge, both leads are willing to do odd jobs for hire. In Mahoro, they call themselves benriya, while in River's Edge they are private investigators. Ultimately, investigative skills are used by both casts to get to the bottom of a job/mystery, which often involves helping the downtrodden, criminal, and rejects of society. Additionally, both dramas can be described as having gritty undertones, while still keeping it light by infusing that quirky humor the Japanese are known for.
