Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Holmes of Kyoto
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rahzel rose
 Subscriber Posts: 828 |
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I am fully committed to this romance train we’ve found ourselves on. I really liked the bit at the end where Kiyotaka unconsciously slipped into informal speech (under his breath?) when Aoi gave him the cookies since she had been thinking earlier about how he’s always formal with her.
I’m also really impressed with Ishikawa’s acting in this show. He’s doing a great job with all the different facets of Kiyotaka’s personality and the switching back and forth between accents. He’s been a treat to listen to. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11431 |
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I can't believe how clumsy they made that infodump. Why did they give all that dialog to Kiyotaka instead of Izumi, so we could hear it along with him and Aoi without suffering through an idiotic "as you just finished telling me two seconds ago..." recap?!
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rahzel rose
Subscriber Posts: 828 |
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To be fair, it’s actually the same mansion from the previous family party. The inside was just set up differently. My slight disappointment was because I wanted Ensho and Kiyotaka to actually fist fight just to end their silly conversation. I said it before, but at this point I’m just in it for the romance, so I don’t really care about the “mysteries” anymore. I have to wonder if they work better in the novels, though . . . |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
 Posts: 2619 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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I actually almost mentioned that in the review. I'm definitely questioning the quality of the adaptation in terms of fidelity to the original just because it seems so silly to have all of these classic mystery references (the puzzles, the names, etc) and then not have actual mysteries. Fair point about the party venue.  But they really do seem to attend a ridiculous number of parties!
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 9878 Location: Virginia |
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@Princess_Irene
To do the show justice, all the best mysteries since the Holmes books have had more world building and more character development than mystery. The period when the writer would step back and offer the "Dear Reader" a chance to solve the mystery is long gone, and not much missed. Even in something as iconic as The Thin Man they spent a lot more time running around Manhattan's high society and drinking (lord there was a lot of drinking) than solving the mystery. Even Dorothy Sayer's later and best novels told you more about the life in an ad agency, Oxford University or rural England then they did about a silly mystery. Those books that did focus entirely on the mystery, especially such things as John Dickson Carr's locked room stories tended to be stilted with cardboard characters. It was especially bad with short stories. The main characteristics of Sherlock Holmes were his acute powers of observation and his encyclopedic store of knowledge about whatever the plot required. I think this show does well on those terms. if this show had concentrated on a "mystery of the week" it would have been less enjoyable. |
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2619 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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I suppose that's true, Alan45. I like a balance of both aspects, really - I think Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery series does a good job with that - or mysteries that really delve into the psychology of the characters, like some of the Poirot novels or Christie's Ordeal by Innocence and And Then There Were None. But looking at the genre as a whole, you're right. We have to really like and understand the detective and their world almost more than the puzzle.
Out of curiosity, do you have a favorite in the genre? |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 9878 Location: Virginia |
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Oh, Lord what a question. I was given books for my 10th birthday in 1955 and have read for pleasure ever since. If I had to pick a single title out of all those read I would pick Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers. The mystery itself is silly and unlikely and the deceased is no loss. However, Sayers puts the final touches on characters she has been building for a dozen or so volumes and provides a charming picture of pre-war rural England. All of Sayer's novels are good and her later ones, Murder Must Advertise, The Nine Tailors and Gaudy Night are superb.
On the other side, I would recommend Edmund Crispin's The Glimpses of the Moon and Buried For Pleasure, well, all of Crispin, actually. Also there is Robert Bernard's Corpse in a Gilded Cage. Beyond this, I would simply recommend Authors or series. Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo's Martin Beck mysteries, Jan William van der Wetering's Amsterdam Cops, James McClure's Kramer and Zondi stories set in South Africa, Aaron Elkins bone detective Gideon Oliver. From current authors I would suggest Donna Leon's Venice novels and Andrea Camilleri's Sicilian novels. From the pulp period there is, of course, Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. For a Gentleman Thief I prefer Leslie Charteris' Simon Templer of the Saint Series. That started in the English pulp era and lasted into the modern era. For spy novels I would recommend the Tommy Hambledon series by Manning Coles. Especially Drink to Yesterday and A Toast to Tomorrow. I should point out that the Sherlock Holmes books are not A Conan Doyle's best work. I much prefer his historical tales such as Micah Clarke or The White Company. His Round the Red Lamp is fascinating stories of life as a young doctor in the late 1800s. If you can find a copy, try his Through the Magic Door his discourse on the joys of reading. |
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yuna49
 Posts: 3804 |
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I have to add P.D. James to any list of distinguished mystery writers.
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2619 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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I'm a bit behind you, but was handed my first chapter book (The Strange Disappearance of Arthur Cluck) in 1986 when I was seven years old and that was that.
You have excellent taste! I agree that Busman's Holiday is one of the best Sayers, and I do enjoy some Hammett and Chandler. Because I was That Teenager I actually read Conan Doyle's non-Holmes books first, and you're right, they are better. What are your thoughts on Mignon Eberhart and Ellery Queen? I'm partial to the former, though for the latter I prefer the old radio shows to the print works. Another favorite of mine is Baroness D'Orczy's Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, and I enjoy Anna Katherine Green's books as well. I think The Affair Next Door is my favorite of her works. I do think that Holmes of Kyoto is more of a cozy than anything else in its approach to mystery. That's not a bad thing, but I feel like it's been having trouble reconciling its urge to be more Conan Doyle and its cozier aspects. I suppose the best way to put it is that I'm frustrated with it as a show. |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 9878 Location: Virginia |
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I know I have read some of Mignon Eberhart's novels, most likely back in Junior High. However, I honestly don't remember the titles. I suspect I read what was available at the local library and wasn't interested enough to track down more. Weren't they more suspense than mystery or am I confusing them with someone like Shirley Jackson?
At one point, I tracked down all of the books written by Ellery Queen and read them, including the ones that did not have Ellery as the detective. Those books were written over a long period. They started out very much genre standard. Improved into fascinating psychological studies (The Wrightsville Murders) and eventually tapered off into the inconsequential. I've never heard any of the radio dramas. Eventually I realized I was unlikely to reread any of Ellery Queen and traded them all in to a used book dealer for others to read. Oh, something I omitted from my prior list was Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee mysteries set in ancient China. I think the title of Holmes of Kyoto caused false expectations. The only thing Holmesian about Kiyotaka is his observational abilities and his grasp of the human nature behind his findings. His grasp of Japanese and other art details is more appropriate to his upbringing and occupation than the vast store of miscellaneous trivia that Holmes was supposed to have. The mysteries, few as they are are mostly a background to a rather charming romance story. On a side note, I've watched a couple of times Kiyotaka's explanation of why his last name is converted to Holmes and I'm not sure I follow it. It seems to be part Japanese word play and part bilingual pun. |
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vonPeterhof
Posts: 729 |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 9878 Location: Virginia |
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Thanks, I see where I got lost. They are translating one character and pronouncing the other to arrive at the Japanese pronunciation of an English name.
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Princess_Irene
ANN Reviewer
Posts: 2619 Location: The castle beyond the Goblin City |
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She did write some that were more suspense, but her early (1930s) books are pretty classic mystery, especially her Sarah Keate series. She's very hit-or-miss for me...as is Ellery Queen. If you're interested, you can listen to the radio shows on archive.org. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11431 |
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Shouldn't this be a review for 10 and 11, with two rating widgets?
So glad you mentioned that. I was going to comment on it last week, but while waiting for the review I forgot. They really did look disgruntled to say the least. Man, they are really pounding away at the black coffee = adult, aren't they. In FLCL Alternative, they've been using spicy in a similar way, but examining what it all means rather than just taking it as a fact of life, as Holmes seems to be doing. |
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rahzel rose
Subscriber Posts: 828 |
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I really enjoyed episode 11 because it was so over the top. I'm surprised that Rika actually shot the guy (even though it was a rubber bullet, I'm assuming,) but it was quite satisfying.
Also, if we're already into February, then Aoi will be graduating from high school in about a month or so. Hopefully feelings will finally be talked about then because at this point I'm ready for somebody to say something. |
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