New Cases for Judge Óko

Following on from the successful stories about Judge Ooka, introduced to Czech readers by the leading Japanologist Věna Hrdličková, are eight new cases. These also confirm the wisdom and foresight of the Japanese judge, who can unmask any villain and decide every court case justly.

Ooka Tadasuke was a real historical figure. He lived in Japan at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, and because the laws of that time were too strict, he often had to circumvent them with his ingenuity. He rejected torture, demanded that every accusation be supported by evidence, and took mitigating circumstances into account. In doing so, he won the hearts of ordinary Japanese people and became part of their stories. The tales about him, whether real or fictional, are still told today.

The character of Judge Ooka also inspired Czech filmmakers to create the successful television film Rozsudky soudce Ooky (The Verdicts of Judge Ooka).