Well, I think we have our first unabashed bubble show of the season. This second episode of Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes was pretty solid on the whole, but it didn’t close the deal. In terms of execution I would call it something of a mixed bag, though it certainly looked great (perhaps surprisingly so, given the studio and staff behind it). This is a series I definitely want to like well enough to cover for many reasons – the thinness of the season overall, the fact that it’s set in Kyoto, and that it was one of my few sleepers picks for starters. But you can’t force this sort of thing.
Mystery series in the anime medium can be a funny thing, in that the mysteries are often the weakest thing about them. The best of them tend to be adapted from novels, especially older ones, but writing good episodic mysteries on a weekly or monthly basis is really, really hard. Often a series is able to compensate with strong characters or clever comedy, and sometimes that’s enough. My feeling after this episode (I won’t judge the premiere on this scale, as it really didn’t introduce a mystery plot) is that Holmes is indeed best when the focus is on Kiyotaka and Aoi – there’s a nice flinty edge to Kiyotaka, and they rubs off on their relationship in an entertaining way. But the mystery itself didn’t do much for me.
That mystery involves the naming of the Saio-dai, the stand-in for the role of the ancient imperial princess in the monthlong (May) Aoi festival, held near the Kamo Shrines. Any time you can get Horie Yui involved you’ve got a head start in my book, and she plays Miyashita Saori, the college student chosen for the honor. It’s an expensive one – incurring costs of something of the order of ¥10 million – but extremely prestigious in Kyoto society. Saori’s younger sister Kaori is a classmate of Aoi’s, and it’s clear from the moment the two sisters and their mother walk into the antique shop that they play some sort of role in the mystery of the threatening letters Saori says she’s found in her bag.
Again, as mysteries go this one didn’t rock my world. There are really two main criteria for anime mysteries – how well are they crafted as mysteries, and how much does the audience care about them one way or the other? I’d say this one was fairly indifferent on both fronts – again, the truth wasn’t hard to suss out and I didn’t much care about any of the principals. But Aoi and Kiyataka investigating it together was fun (and beautifully drawn), especially when Kiyotaka teases Aoi a bit. They have a nice chemistry, and the world inside the doors of the shop strikes me as quite an interesting one – more so most of the mysteries that will lure the protagonists out of it will be, I suspect. How all that balances out will probably determine whether Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes is a keeper or not.
Rita
July 17, 2018 at 11:16 amI’m with you on the fact that the sort of ‘slice of life’ aspect of the show is more engaging than the mysteries, though I have a lower threshold (for obvious reasons as I don’t have to blog- otsukaresama Enzo) so as long as it goes back to that over time this will probably just be a relaxing show that’s sometimes alright and sometimes pretty good
Matheus
July 17, 2018 at 6:32 pmGuardian Enzo, will you comment on “Revue Starlight”? Could you comment weekly on this show?
Guardian Enzo
July 17, 2018 at 8:44 pmThat’s an interesting one. I know it’s Kinema Citrus, and supposedly great visuals. But I avoid idol shows not just as a matter of taste, but on principle, and every time I’ve tried otherwise I ended up regretting it.
I’ll probably end up checking out an episode when I get some time, but as to blogging it, I would say that’s pretty unlikely. Sorry!
Matheus
July 17, 2018 at 9:19 pmWow, I understand, that’s a pity, Is there any way I can finance at least one first impression? The anime seems to be more than just an idol show.
Guardian Enzo
July 17, 2018 at 9:31 pmWell, like I said, I’ll probably check an episode out and if it impresses me, I’d likely blog it.
Er – “finance”?
Matheus
July 17, 2018 at 9:41 pmOh, ok. I hope you stay haha. Oh yes, I don’t know if you do this but I saw that other critics accepted requests for some money so I asked, sorry if I said something wrong. I really admire your work, you are incredible.
Guardian Enzo
July 17, 2018 at 10:01 pmOh – that’s what you mean, OK!
Well, that’s kind of you but here’s the thing – I never took “commissions” to write specific stuff or anything like that. Never wanted to be beholden to cover something if I wasn’t feeling it, as that’s surefire bad news IMHO.
That said, I’ve never been bashful about mentioning that running this site costs me a fair bit of money and even more time. If you even felt inclined to support it on a general basis I’d certainly never say no – Patreon, Paypal, whatever (links are in the sidebar, heh). But as far as taking your money to blog a specific show? That wouldn’t feel right for any number of reasons.
karma
July 18, 2018 at 9:27 amI was also misled by descriptions in places like ANN or RC, which frame Revue Starlight as yet another idol show. It’s directed by long time collaborator of Kunihiko Ikuhara, and (without spoiling too much) things become a lot stranger during the second half of the episode.
Matheus
July 17, 2018 at 10:07 pmAh, understood! Really, what I said was not very cool. :/
I will certainly help, you deserve it. Sorry if I wasted much of your time with my bullshit.
Guardian Enzo
July 17, 2018 at 10:30 pmNo, not BS at all – it’s nice of you to offer, really. I just wanted to be clear on why I prefer not to go that route.
Guardian Enzo
July 18, 2018 at 10:23 pmWell, I tried Revue but… Sorry to say, it’s just not for me. I get that it’s not a stock idol series but it probably doesn’t help that I’m not much of an Ikuhara fan, either. It certainly has style but that’s about all I could say for it on the positive end. Not my cuppa.
By all means, keep recommending stuff to me – sometimes I end up liking it. I’ve found good shows that way.