Forum - View topicShabake (TV).
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Edjwald
 Posts: 3509 |
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Shabake (TV) Source: Novel (ongoing @ 23 volumes, written by Megumi Hatakenaka, illustrated by Yū Shibata) Demographic: Animation Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures Genres: drama, mystery, supernatural Themes: crime, detective, Edo period, historical, mythology, serial killer, spirits Plot Summary: During the Edo period lives Ichitarō, the young owner of Nagasakiya, one of the largest stores in Nihonbashi. He has been physically weak since birth and is unable to go outside. However, Ichitarō is always surrounded by spirits such as Báizé and Inugami, who serve and protect him. One night, Ichitarō sneaks out and witnesses a murder. From that day on, a series of bizarre murders began to occur in Edo. With the help of the spirits, Ichitarō's search for the culprit begins. Air Date & Platform: October 03, 2025 (Friday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] |
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smurky turkey
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That was an interesting enough first episode. The animation is nothing special and the ''solving the murder of the week'' premise is nothing unique either but the supernatural being so involved makes me want to see more. All kinds of spirits appeared in the first episode and the bizarre murders being mentioned in the plot summary makes me wonder if it is going to be a mix of human and non human perps.
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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Episode 1
It was okay. I hope the pace picks up, though. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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2:
As of the second episode it seems to be a slice of life/mystery show with a slow pace. We got some new information and a few hints but not much actual case progress was made. Said case is more complicated than a simple nutjob on the loose with the victim's head being removed later in the night. As for Ichitarō, he sure must feel like a bird in a cage. A lot of people/spirits care for him but he is not allowed to do anything. People sure love to pass on secret notes in the show. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3509 |
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I really want to like this, and I don't dislike it, but it just seems to lack energy somehow. Still planning to hang in for episode 3.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#1-#2
If I didn't look at the adaptation synopsis, I would really struggle to figure out what the show is about. A lot of effort is dedicated towards expositing the protagonist's sickly condition, and the bargains his family made with the gods to ensure he was always protected despite constantly being at death's door. I suppose the title "Shabake" is a riff on Sherlock (as in Holmes), since the bake replaces the usual Japanese alliteration for Lock. So far, there's not much indication this is anything like the classic detective story, even if some features are hinted at. Ichitarou is a bird in a gilded cage, since his constitution is so weak even a sore throat can bring him under for weeks. Yet strangely enough, he survives diseases like measles in the Edo period which were lethal enough for healthier specimens than him. This combined with his supernatural sight having been assigned the typical protective guardians from Japanese mythology as his retainers makes him a very unusual protagonist, but there's a lot about him that we don't know, with the biggest question being what got him outside without permission to begin with which brought about the situation which is the trigger for the main storyline. His retainers Nichiki and Sasuke have "aged" together with him and now run the two wings of his family's conglomerate separately. Business is unsurprisingly good given their true natures and Ichitarou's kin having won protection for him through fervent prayer. Ichitarou chafes at his cotton wool treatment, but he also knows why everyone is so worried about him because he truly looks like he'll collapse from the nearest germ. Although cooped up in his grand mansion most days, he is never short of company since other spirits like the figure in the screen and the little apparitions keep him company. As for the murder which has triggered the imminent threat to Ichitarou's safety, our protagonist always comes up with the good questions regarding what he sees and hears from the local constable. He has to be bribed to divulge the information, but Ichitarou is sharp enough to notice discrepancies between the official account and what he saw that night. Not enough to know how significant this is since the show isn't exactly in a rush to reveal its secrets, but it'll be interesting to see how this pans out. As a period drama with supernatural elements, I really like the atmosphere this portrays. Tokugawa-era Edo with the traditional Japanese spirits seemingly integrated into its ecosystem, and with beings which usually don't get as much coverage in animated adaptations compared to video games. Most of the cast has been introduced based on the cover pic, so will the adaptation go full swing into what it's really about or will it tease viewers for one week more with further exposition? |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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The third episode is interesting in that it provides some new information about the murder while also making clear that several mysteries/questions are at play simultaneously. I am likely forgetting something but so far we have:
1: who/what killed the carpenter. 2: who/what removed the carpenter's head after death. 3: the carpenter's tools having been taken and sold piece by piece. 4: the pets in town getting beheaded, though I assume this one leads into the second point. 5: who Sasuke and Nikichi actually serve. 6: I suppose Ichitarō and his secret notes. That moment at the end with Byoubu got pretty real. |
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Gina Szanboti
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Yeah, that confrontation was pretty tense. And his comment about their eyes - had he not seem them like that before, or was he just reminding them to fix that before someone else saw?
I was also a little confused by his frantic hiding of the yanari during the mummy sale and his tea with the inspector. I didn't think other people could see or hear them, and the only reason he can is because he's a special boy blessed by Inari. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#3
The central mystery of the beheading doesn't really get going at all, because the adaptation is more than just a carpenter's beheading. The world it tries to portray gets more attention in its depiction than the mystery itself, which is not a bad thing since period Edo-dramas are more common for live-action adaptation than animated ones. Not only is smuggling in the Edo period a risky and rarely highlighted undertaking, the goods being smuggled took me by surprise. I'm not sure about the providence of the mummy, but getting it through Nagasaki was effectively the only way to get prohibited contraband from overseas thanks to the decades/centuries old Sakoku order. Good thing the protagonist doesn't need the item as a medicinal tonic and his guardians recognise this, but it is a merchant family first and foremost and they do not question why their customers buy such goods, only that there is a demand for it and they make money meeting it. The premise behind Ichitarou's detective story becomes clearer now: he uses the spirit world the same way Holmes would use the Baker Street Irregulars and Scotland Yard to gather information about a case. Being the heir of a successful merchant family takes care of the material demands from bribing the Shogunate investigators, while Nichiki and Sasuke have complete dominion over lesser spirits so they will acquiese to Ichitarou's requests for information from the wider world because he is too ill to get it for himself. The mystery behind the older brother he sought to find which got him involved in the case to begin with is also revealed. Ichitarou is the heir, but if he hadn't been born then his illegitimate older brother would have been first in line. Because Ichitarou has survived more or less into adulthood despite his weak constitution, his brother must learn a trade to survive or else scandal would befall the family. That said, his establishment is plagued by a serial killer of animals who has a similar modus operandi to the carpenter's beheading perpetrator. Too much of a coincidence, and it doesn't bode well that the human murderer is disposing of the tools the same way a modern day murderer would cover tracks in the most efficient manner possible for the time. Interesting how Nichiki and Sasuke are more than willing to destroy Byoubu Nozoki for the perceived transgression despite Ichitarou's pleas. Ichitarou has a point: they are very overprotective but strangely deaf to his request not to destroy a companion he has spent much time when he is bedridden. Tsukumogami by definition are their own masters, which is probably why they are more than willing to exert the hierarchical dominance as befits their supernatural status. This is very much in line with the societal hierarchy of this era, and it seems the pair failed to reveal who else they take orders from. Ichitarou might well have to find that out for himself, which will be some challenge since the pair are the most difficult to extract information from should they choose to hide it from him. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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4:
The show has an interesting structure. Yes, the previous episode did end with the question as to who Sasuke and Nikichi actually serve but I did not expect an episode long flashback. Said flashback was interesting in that it showed just how many spirits are in the town and that Ichitarō has always been a bit reckless. I wonder if the focus will now be on actually solving the case since it feels like the show put that mostly aside to introduce the characters for a few episodes. Not a complaint btw. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#4
First flashback episode of this adaptation, and it does a good job of fleshing out the background behind Ichitarou's main minders as well as the household they have now served for over a decade. It's interesting Ichitarou's grandfather has the ability to see and interact with spirits and enthusiastically welcomes them into his household. I expect the "Ogin" the spirits refer to is Ichitarou's ancestor, and the reason why Ichitarou and his grandfather can see spirits. Looking after her descendants would be expected, although I wonder what she did when alive that gave her so much authority over Japanese spirits after she passed over. Although Ichitarou's guardians effectively run the show at both ends of the merchant empire, it wasn't always like that and they've had to earn their authority through years of service in their human forms. Byoubu Nozoki not getting along with them also makes sense, since he's been there long before they did and is also familar with the Ogin who dispatched them. The art style of this adaptation also makes the distinction between regular humans and their transformed spirit counterparts. The spirits like the transformed foxes all have slanted eyes and exaggerated thin faces, whereas the humans are more rounded (although Ichitarou is also slightly exaggerated in both kid and adult appearances). Humanoid spirits are dressed very different from Edo humans, but their facial features don't have the same sharp angles that transformed spirits have. Although the main murder plot has taken a back seat for now, it's interesting how the shop owner is talking to the two minor spirits dispatched by Ichitarou's household. In other cases like the constabulary, they will hide themselves to keep up the pretence of a normal merchant family. It seems some inhabitants of Edo can see spirits, yet there's an unwitten rule which governs who the spirits can talk to safely without dropping the facade. A lot of the spirits featured in this adaptation aren't common ones seen in other franchises, so it's a primer for the uninitiated to learn more about Japan's indigenous supernatural culture. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 2808 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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My take on that was that because yanari are ayakashi who specifically relate to something humans hear (creaks and bumps in the house), they're more visible/audible to regular people, so there was a good chance the others would notice them. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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5:
I doubt that the actual killer has been caught with so many questions remaining but boy does Chogoro make a bad case for himself. He has a motive, is clearly agressive, is not in his right mind given that he wants to resurrect someone and it is stated there is just something off about him (though Ichitarou did say he is human). The show keeps surprising me in that the first half was another surprisingly tense segment and the second half being a heart to heart moment. I wonder if the first case will take most of the season to solve. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#5
It seems very sudden for the murderer which occupied Ichitarou's thoughts from episode one to be caught so soon, but all of the evidence along with the culprit's own confession have sealed the deal. Yet there are many questions remaining which Ichitarou cannot let go, and I'm guessing the central mystery hasn't ended with just the carpenter's beheading. For me, some of the unanswered questions include what Chogorou the vegetable seller was really after in Ichitarou's family business and how strong he was with a knife. Something is driving Chogorou to sniff out a buy in Ichitarou's family business, and it's definitely not the mummy. According to him, it's something in the cellar but he didn't get the chance to find it for himself. We don't know exactly why he wanted the mummy initially before unmasking it as a fake and going berserk, and I suppose that's where the story will head next after Nikichi's flashback. The other is how strong the vegetable seller was. Yes, it's a physical occupation hauling the produce around yet there's no way a vegetable knife can cut through a wooden board held by an invalid in one strike. Ichitarou believes Chogorou is human, yet for all he knows he could be one of those rare aberrations like an Oni who is supernaturally strong. Not sure if this is going to be covered after the next episode. The series is VERY good at portraying Tokugawa Edo though. The conversation between Ichitarou and Eikichi is the hard reality of the stratified society of Tokugawa Japan which persisted until isolation ended, and all members of this society are born into their roles and must master them at a much younger age than today. Oharu getting married off at 15 is standard for the time, while not having an apprenticeship at the age of 18 and being incapable of taking on the family business having undergone training since childhood would be a social death sentence for most in Eikichi's situation. The tragedy of this adaptation is so many of the characters portrayed have a mismatch between what they are skilled in and what society expects of them in the role they must accept before the age of maturity and live with until death claims them. Nikichi will get his opportunity to tell his story next week, and I expect Sasuke will do the same. As a murder mystery this adaptation doesn't serve the genre well because of the many detours it takes, but if you like the detours then it's an interesting portrayal of the past mixed in with the supernatural being almost a part of everyday life. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4997 |
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6:
If not for the mention of there being 23 volumes and counting I might have assumed that the entire series is one very long case with all kinds of side stories in between. As is I like the show but would also find it hard to recommend it to those looking for a detective tale. On the plus side, there is a certain unpredictability in that it can take surprising turns instead of solely following the current case. |
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