Forget everything you think you know about the famous detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Indeed, in this adaptation, the characters, although bearing the names of the original characters, are far from resembling their namesakes. Immerse yourself in an entertaining adaptation with Kabukicho Sherlock !
Case File No. 221: Kabukicho
Kabukichou Sherlock is an anime consisting of 24 episodes broadcast on DNA. Produced by Production I.G, the series was directed by Yoshimura Ai (Dance with Devils) and written by Kishimoto Taku (Haikyu!! Ningyou Anime), Kido Yuichiro (Dr. STONE) and Ikeda Rintaro (Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari).
Kabukichô, east side of Shinjuku, also called the "light district", is the scene of sordid business… This is where there is an "investigation bureau" headed by Mrs. Hudson that is made up of unique detectives, including Sherlock, an amateur genius from Rakugo. The story begins when a mysterious murder occurs!
https://youtu.be/CyZLTR3JKHc
A successful adaptation?
This adaptation is very pleasant to discover. The basis remains the same, including the duo Sherlock Holmes / Dr. Watson as well as the duality between Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty. However, new elements have been incorporated. The beginning of the series, although dealing with murder investigations, is based primarily on humor. Over the course of the investigations, the atmosphere of the series evolves and becomes more serious, especially in the last episodes. Many twists and turns allow you to keep up the pace and not get bored. The surveys are entertaining and cover a variety of topics that are equally interesting from each other. In addition, in order to make surveys more attractive, they are presented in the form of competitions. Customers go to Pipecat, an investigation bureau run by Ms. Hudson. The first to solve the investigation, wins the bet. Nothing better for detectives to give their best. It also makes it possible to witness awkward and sometimes crazy moments. However, the plots are not very elaborate. The investigations are a bit crude and do not reflect the detective work that can be expected from the great Sherlock Holmes. Indeed, the various adaptations, especially cinematographic present us with an observant Sherlock, of great intelligence, also showing coldness at times. These character traits appear in the anime, but are not very exploited. The fact that Sherlock explains the outcome of the investigation via rakugo is original and appreciable. However, the solution sometimes comes much too quickly, the path seems logical, but here too, the explanations provided are too fast. This does not allow to fully enjoy the plot.
A colorful animation!
Regarding animations, the studio Production I.G does not disappoint us and offers us fluid animations with colors that adapt perfectly to the story. Indeed, depending on the scenario, bright colors can give way to more pastel tones, immediately softening the atmosphere. These graphics make us want to dive into the heart of the anime to visit a most intriguing neighborhood. Regarding the soundtrack, it blends perfectly with the scenario and allows us to dive deeper into the series. Finally, it seems important to us to discuss with you the opening of the series that we find very successful! As with the series, the opening begins in a light tone, then goes deeper as the seconds go by. The animation, color and music will make you want to discover the anime as soon as possible. https://youtu.be/oo9q1xj9P8M
Extravagant characters!
Let us now look more particularly at the characters. Indeed, in addition to being briefly introduced at the beginning of the anime, flashbacks take place in order to discover an important part of their past. However, we regret that flashbacks were not made for all characters. Indeed, two of the detectives did not benefit from it. However, this does not prevent you from understanding and appreciating the series. In addition, we regret that the characters of Sherlock and Watson have not been more worked. Indeed, their characters lack depth. The usual Sherlock madness is not really present. Some scenes are comical, but the character remains bland at times. Therefore, the character of Dr. Watson cannot show us his full potential since his position of "safeguard" cannot be fully accomplished with Sherlock. As for the other characters, we discover Mrs. Hudson in a new light. Indeed, the latter, although having the appearance of a woman, is a man. This seems to fit quite well with the Kabukicho district. Moriarty, on the other hand, is a young boy of about fifteen years, whose life is only really addressed at the end of the anime. As for the other detectives, they are not put on the front of the stage. Although usually having an episode dedicated to them, they do not hold a very important place in the anime and are sometimes relayed in the background, while their involvement could give a more intense meaning for some investigations. Here too, we are witnessing many twists and turns, sometimes obvious, sometimes surprising. The relationships between the different detectives and their acquaintances are equally interesting. In addition, we find emblematic characters from the universe of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but, unfortunately, these are not always very elaborate.
Kabukicho District
Much of the anime takes place in Kabukicho, but do you know this neighborhood? Kabukichō is a ward located in the east of Shinjuku ward, Tokyo. As presented in the series, the district is indeed the hottest district in Tokyo. Many love hotels or strip shows (places of prostitution) such as soapland have been opened. However, cinemas and restaurants are also present. The name Kabukicho originates from a traditional Japanese theater project called kabuki. However, this project never came to fruition. Kabukicho is not a district famous for its monuments, but some places are still worth visiting:
- Ichibangai-dori: A double arch in red neon lights marking the entrance to the main street of Kabukicho.
- The Samurai Museum: Discover all the paraphernalia of the samurai including katanas, bows, armor and many other accessories.
- Golden Gai: This mini-district, spread over four narrow streets abound with small typical bars with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
- Hanazono-jinja: A shrine dating back to the Edo period.
- Shinjuku Toho: A life-size representation of Godzilla's head is displayed on the building.
In addition, hundreds of themed bars are scattered throughout the neighborhood. Whether you are more of a fan of video games, fans of fictional or historical characters, you will be able to discover incredible and surprising universes!
Did you say "Rakugo"?
The great Sherlock Holmes regularly lends himself to rakugo, especially to reveal the outcome of his investigations. We tell you more about this Japanese art. Rakugo is a form of humorous Japanese literary performance dating back to the early Edo period.At first, rakugo could be played both on the street and in private. At the end of theeighteenth century, rooms reserved exclusively for rakugo were created. The storyteller, called rakugoka, sits on the stage, called kōza. Dressed in a kimono, the storyteller uses as accessories a folding paper fan called sensu and sometimes a cotton hand towel (tenugui). No décor or music is allowed. Without leaving the traditional kneeling position, rakugoka describes a humorous story. The story is divided into three parts:
- The prologue: the storyteller establishes contact with the audience and announces the story.
- The story: The narrative of the story usually includes dialogue between several characters.
- The epilogue: The ending is usually characterized by an unexpected fall, a pun, or a return to the beginning of the story in order to give it a playful ending.
Kabukicho Sherlock remains an entertaining and enjoyable series to discover. It will transport you to a world mixing action, drama and comedy. Are you ready to discover Tokyo's red-light district alongside our detectives?
