First off, the last episode is not available on nyaa and the link at the mare_zora discord is not for the JPTVTS version and I had to get it from JPTVTS. It is also available from avistaz.
+ What I liked about Tetsu no Hone is that people I thought were bad turned out to be good and people who appeared good turned out bad. Well, its more different shades of grey.
+ Tetsu no Hone is about people trying to survive in this industry that's is corrupted.
+ The twist at the end of episode 4.
+ The pacing is great.
THE BAD
- They tried to do way too much with Tsuchiya Tao's story with Mukai Osamu. Nothing about her relationship with Kamiki and Mukai worked.
- On a side note, I can't believe Mukai Osamu signed on for such a minor role.
THE MEH
= The offices were very sparse and did not feel worked in. Maybe its budget problem or maybe its because they were filming with covid19 started spreading.
= I don't get Shibata Kyohei's character Manzo. In the beginning he goes about how Japan will never improve if bid rigging and then you find out he's the pupeteer. I get that he is stuck in the job of his own making but I cannot reconcile his portrayal and words with his deeds.
On a side note, the dude looks sickly thin. I hope he is alright cause he was awesome in Lady Joker.
= Too much of Kamiki's job is just telling all sorts of people to keep cutting costs when they are at their wits end. I don't feel like I got to see him do any nitty gritty work.
I am happy I didn't hate it like the NHK one but a bit sad it didn't reach its potential of a must watch jdorama. Still, it has manage to maintain the WOWOW level of quality which means its still better than most jdoramas. Watchable.