‘Tokyo Vice’: Who Is Polina & Why Did Samantha Name Her Club After Her?

‘Tokyo Vice’ Season 1 introduced us to the world of intrigue surrounding Japan’s Yakuza criminal circles and the way things operate. Some people learn to play the game, and some are swallowed by the darkness never to be seen again. In other words, you either sink or swim. Polina was one of the characters who was caught up in the machinations, and eventually met her demise under mysterious circumstances. Let’s see who Polina was and why was she so important to Samantha.

Polina came to Japan with the dream of being a model

Polina was just another expat in Japan just like Samantha was, but she initially arrived in Japan to make it as a model. When that failed she, like Samantha started working as a hostess in clubs that Yakuza often frequented. If you’re not familiar with the hostess’ job, to put it simply, hostesses are supposed to make people spend as much money as possible in the establishment, and they are often entertainers for the night. It’s kind of a “morally gray” job, but it is what it is. Polina was aware that Samantha was saving money to start running her own club, and the two were generally best friends in this alien land and they were just trying to make ends meet.

Despite being in similar positions Polina and Samantha had different personalities and Polina was always more unwilling between the two to play by the Yakuza rules, which would eventually lead to her death.

Polina dated Akira but she was in reality being used

Polina eventually started dating Akira, a male host of a different club where Tozawa had a share in the ownership. Despite working the same job Polina was unaware that Akira was playing her. He used her in order for Polina to spend incredible amounts of money on buying him gifts and frequently spending a lot of money in his establishment.

On their three-month anniversary, Polina, Akira and his friends started drinking in his club and Polina was “coerced” to buy rounds and rounds of expensive drinks, drinking the night away. Akira wasn’t actually celebrating their anniversary he was working, but Polina was at the time unaware of that. When it was time to pay the debt, Polina had no money and she was forced to “work” on a sex cruise on the boat called Yoshino in order to pay off her debts. It was only later when Sato threatened Akira that it was revealed that this was something that Akira often did.

He would seduce women and the women would start spending ludicrous amounts of money on him. They would eventually be unable to pay off the debts and they would be “sold” into sexual slavery and prostitution as chattel. Soon after celebrating their 3-month anniversary, Polina disappeared without a trace last seen entering a limo.

Polina was killed on Yoshino by accident

Despite Samantha, Sato, and Jake looking for Polina she seemingly disappeared without a trace. Akira at some point approached Samantha and claimed that Polina was kidnapped and that the captors demanded 10 million yen in ransom. Samantha handed him the money, which left her unable to pay the last installment of her club payment, she was forced to enter into a deal with Ishida.

It wasn’t until the final episode that Polina’s ultimate fate was revealed. After she got into a massive debt at the club Polina was approached by Tozawa’s men and led to a ship called Yoshino. She was forced to take part in a sex cruise, forced to repay her debt by sleeping with wealthy Japanese businessmen. One of the clients was extremely violent toward Polina and she defended herself.

While she was defending herself one of Tozawa’s men entered the room and accidentally beat Polina to death. This was revealed on a tape that was left on Jake’s doorstep.

Samantha named her club after Polina

In the second season, we see Samantha in a devastated condition after she learned of Polina’s death. We also see Samantha naming her highly successful club “Polina” after her late best friend. Polina’s death also served as one of the motivations for Samantha to contact her old friend Erika. Polina’s story was a tragic one but it opened Samantha’s eyes to the fact that the Yakuza scene is extremely dangerous and no matter how small of a player you are, you can always find yourself with a target on your back.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!