The Summer 2023 Anime Preview Guide

Undead Murder Farce

It's the end of the 19th century—a vampire's wife is murdered, and the detective known as the "cage user" is called in to solve the crime. But there's more to the detective and the curtained birdcage he carries...after all, when solving a case involving a monster, it might just take one to know one!

Undead Murder Farce is based on Yugo Aosaki's Undead Girl Murder Farce novel. It streams on Crunchyroll on Wednesdays.

Note: The ANN Preview Guide Team were given advanced screeners for Undead Murder Farce and can share their impressions of the first two episodes.

I wish there were a more elegant way to put this, but the manga for Undead Girl Murder Farce is batshit insane. You get a taste of that in the two episodes of its anime adaptation, but by rearranging the order of events, some of the lunacy is lost. The manga starts with the events of episode two, then goes back after the vampire case to explain where Aya and Tsuguru's partnership began. It works both ways, but I prefer the manga's take on things because it makes for a more immediately intriguing tale. And frankly, the manga does a better job of hiding the truth about Aya being a severed head in a birdcage, even if the cover art spoils the surprise. Starting the show knowing all about her takes away some of the fun.

Comparisons aside, this is still absolutely wild. The opening theme gives us a taste of what makes it that way – see if you can spot Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, and the Phantom of the Opera, among other characters from 19th and early 20th-century literature. Then consider that one of the vampire children is named Raoul... not to mention a mysterious Englishman with an "M" on his cane who is behind both the theft of Aya's body and the creation of Tsuguru as a half-oni. This takes place in a world where fictional characters are real, nicely indicated by the dates and the statement that vampires began to be persecuted after the death of Dracula. The on-screen text tells us that it's 1898, and Bram Stoker's novel was published in 1897. That ups the stakes for the Godard family, whose matriarch has just been stabbed through the heart with a silver stake because it speaks of the increased danger vampire families in Europe face. Aya is Comte Godard's best hope because, as an immortal being herself, she's the least likely to be prejudiced against his family simply because they're vampires.

The show, thus far, is a little too self-conscious in its presentation. It deliberately uses theatrical staging for its scenes, which feels overly edgy, especially when all that's happening is Aya and Tsuguru talking. There is some striking imagery (mainly in the opening theme). The framing of scenes tends to be positive, with plenty of clues that require pausing and taking a closer look or breaking out the French or Dutch dictionary to double-check. If you read French, the book opens beside where Comtesse Godard was found is worth pausing for. Historical accuracy isn't as good as the literary references. I don't care how remote it is; a noble's castle in 1898 ought to have gaslighting at least, and Shizuku's lack of petticoats is weird. But this may be just the right sort of insanity to keep you coming back. There is one instance of animal cruelty in episode one, but it's brief. So, if you're looking for a mystery replete with literary references that will make you say "WTF" a lot—it's worth checking this out.

For most folks, I'm sure Mamoru Hatakeyama's name is synonymous with his adaptation of Kaguya-sama: Love is War. Yet to me, he'll always be the wizard that made a masterpiece out of the horny zombie romcom called Sankarea: Undying Love. So having him back in the weeds of bawdy, somewhat trashy horror and mystery is like welcoming home an old friend, and in the first two episodes of UMF, he's more than made good on his return. This show is dripping with style, delivering a captivating and ostentatious introduction to an immediately engaging story.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this premiere's style is vital to its success. The story here is solid, certainly, but it's also an extremely talky script that could easily have turned into a plodding bore in the wrong hands. The vast majority of the first episode is our two leads just talking to each other, explaining their backstories and various supernatural circumstances while exchanging witty banter. Plenty of anime have tried for that and fallen flat due to lackluster direction, but here it's engrossing. The visuals can warp, becoming abstractions of the characters' emotional states. There's liberal use of split screens and perspective shots that, along with a focus on body language, allows the characters to express as much through silence as they do through dialogue. A premiere that is 90% talking shouldn't feel this breezy, and yet I was shocked when the end credits started.

Of course, the direction alone wouldn't save a script that didn't have its own charm, and thankfully that's more than up to snuff here. Tsugaru and Rindo are charming, fascinating leads who play well off one another, equally playful and macabre, and constantly conversing in a way that can only be described as murder-flirting. Tsugaru loves getting a rise out of people, playing the fool or the troll whenever it suits him, and Rindo plays along with him quite well while still wrangling him whenever they need to get back on track. Episode two establishes their twisted version of the Sherlock-Holmes dynamic, and my favorite bit was when Rindo began listing off her deductions while instructing Tsugaru to count them off on his fingers, seeing as she doesn't have any. Gags like that, along with indulgent moments like Tsugaru swapping immortal spit with Rindo's disembodied head (for medical purposes, of course!), keep the mood light, ensuring there's indeed some of that titular farce to complement all the murder.

I do have one potential misgiving about the show: the mystery format. Anime, especially ones adapted from novels, absolutely love mysteries, but many of them in recent years have flopped when trying to tell one. Far too many of them get caught up in trying to be surprising or ensure the audience can't figure out the truth too soon that they turn into jumbled or aimless wastes of time that smugly grin at the screen over how clever they think they are. I don't think UMF will go in that direction since the first half of the vampire murder mystery does a great job of building tension as Rindo puts together actual clues rather than intuiting the answer by being a genius. However, it's still a worry in the back of my head that probably won't go away until I can see the resolution to this one.

That potential pitfall notwithstanding, this is off to a great start. It's moody, stylish, and consummately engaging on all fronts. From the animation to the voice work to the music, it's firing on all cylinders, and an easy recommendation for this season.

I was eager to check out Undead Murder Farce from the moment I caught its extremely intriguing previews, and I'm happy to say that, at least as far as the first couple of episodes are concerned, this one doesn't disappoint. For one, the basic premise is just too good to waste, where an alternate version of 18th-century Earth is filled will all of the local folk monsters and literary villains that history has to offer, leading to all sorts of interesting societal and personal implications, especially for our heroes. Tsugaru Shinuchi is the kind of snarky-but-deadly-yet-also-secretly-filled-with-emotional-torment half-demon that is destined to fill the fantasies and fanfictions of fans the world over, and he steals the show every second he's on-screen with his theatrical flourishes. Aya Rindo manages to make just as much of an impression, not just because she's a decapitated head living in a gilded cage and getting carried around by a faithful maid. Aya's long-winded and rhythmic diatribes evoke the best attributes of fiction's great sleuths, and her back-and-forth banter with Shinuchi is likely to appeal to fans of the densely written horror-comedy you'd find in one of the many Bakemonogatari spinoffs.

Put simply, this is one of those shows that seems to come from a solid lineage, adaptationally speaking, and the main things it needs to succeed are solid production values and confident direction. That's where Mamoru Hatakeyama comes in to work his magic, which anyone who's ever seen an episode of Kaguya-sama: Love is War will doubtless instantly recognize and appreciate. While Undead Murder Farce doesn't go anywhere near as buck-wild as Kaguya-sama does with its surreal and over-the-top visuals, Hatakeyama is still able to make the very long exposition dumps and dialogue exchanges feel entertaining and exciting to watch, especially when Shinuchi and Aya are going through the former's struggles with living as a half-demon in a world plagued with a fear of monsters, or the playful manner in which Aya goes about exploring the clues of the big murder mystery that gets set up in the second episode.

My only concerns about Undead Murder Farce come from whether or not I'll become as emotionally invested in the protagonists and their story as I'd like, given how much I appreciate everything else about the show. Heady mystery shows can sometimes suffer from a dearth of interesting characters because of all the plot and world-building they have to set up and execute for each new story that the main characters find themselves wrapped up in. Still, those reservations don't make me any less excited to check out the rest of this series to find out what kind of creepy and cooky shenanigans these monsters will find themselves wrapped up in next.

I'm happy I got to see the first two episodes of this one before writing up my thoughts—because my score for the first episode alone would have been quite a bit lower.

The first episode is nothing but world-building and character introductions—though, to be fair, both are interesting enough. We see a world where mythological creatures like yokai and oni exist but have been forced to assimilate into 1890s society or be wiped out.

In the case of Tsugaru, this means becoming a part of a kind of circus freak show—where he is forced to kill the few remaining inhuman monsters that get captured. On the other hand, a fully human-looking creature like Aya has passed as human and survived unscathed by the changing times. Of course, with her head cut off and no way to die, it makes sense that she is looking for a way to end it all before she becomes a mistreated curiosity like so many others. This forms a decent social commentary on prejudice, racism, and the sad fact that many people hate and fear anything they feel is different from them.

But while establishing the world and themes is important, the most important thing we learn is the motivations of our heroes. When it comes down to it, Tsugaru and Aya are the same—they have given up on life and are determined to die on their terms, if nothing else. Yet, when brought together, they discover that it is possible to regain what was lost and get revenge on the person who caused them their pain: the mysterious "M."

For all it does right, the problem with this first episode is that it does nothing to set up the status quo—to show what kind of show Undead Murder Farce will be going forward. Luckily, that's where the second episode comes in. Episode 2 introduces us to what the show truly is, a series of supernatural murder mysteries. For this first outing, we have Tsugaru and Aya solving a Transylvanian vampire murder mystery. What's next? A case involving Dr. Frankenstein and his monster? Perhaps a case involving Jack the Ripper? And it's not like it takes a genius to figure out who "M" actually is.

Regardless of what comes next, I am here for it. The setting is solid, the mysteries are creatively done, and the chemistry between Tsugaru and Aya makes every scene they share entertaining to the extreme. What can I say? The season is off to a strong start with this one.

And here we have it: our first legitimately good series of the summer season. Not that I'm surprised; it is, after all, directed by Mamoru Hatakeyama, the legendary director behind the incredible Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. (I know you probably know him better for Kaguya-sama: Love is War, but Rakugo Shinjuu is a masterpiece, and I will NEVER stop banging that drum, damn it!) It's also being produced by Lapin Track. While I know the studio has less to do with quality than the credited staff members, I'm willing to put my faith in the place that produced Sarazanmai, Wotakoi, and Uchitama. Add to that a script by the man best known for adapting Ryogo Narita's works and a staff full of veteran animators, and I am all in, baby.

The concept could easily lean into a grimdark presentation. The protagonist, Tsugaru, is a man who was turned into a half-oni in the Meiji era when the government sought to exterminate the country's supernatural beings in the name of modernization. Tsugaru survives by engaging in underground fights against other oni, yokai, and ayakashi, but the violent nature of his job means that his oni side will eventually overwhelm his humanity. However, as the word "Farce" in the title indicates, Tsugaru is far from a ball of pathos. Instead, he accepts his fate and even looks forward to it with a fatalism I can't exactly call "good-natured." His twisted nihilism makes him a far more interesting protagonist than any given scowling angst bucket.

More hit or miss is just how talky it is. The first episode (I opted not to watch the second screener, despite its availability, for personal reasons) offers some well-directed sword-fighting action. But a massive chunk of it is banter and exposition between Tsugaru and Aya. Hatakeyama's impeccable direction ensures that the visual interest level remains high with varying camera angles, creative paneling, and so on. However, not everyone will have the patience for the rapid-fire, back-and-forth between two characters unless it's punctuated by good, big punches. Plus, it's very dark. Most of the episode takes place at night, and parts of it were genuinely hard to see on my TV screen without closing the curtains and shutting out that bright July sun.

Undead Murder Farce has easily been the most attention-grabbing premiere of the new season, and judging by the laundry list of high-profile voice actors playing famous literary characters, it'll keep that energy up. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.