「Good Luck, 名探偵」
『金田一少年の事件簿 黒魔術殺人事件』
"Good luck, great detective"
"The Young Kindaichi Case Files: The Black Magic Murder Case"
Another ten days until the new Gyakuten Saiban / Ace Attorney is out! Last time, I managed to clear the game and write a review on it in just two, three days, so let's see whether I can top that!
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo franchise, a new limited serialized series started last year. This series has ended now with the fifth installment, but boy, did it go out with a bang! I was quite happy when I first heard this series started, but to be honest; the stories were quite bland. While I usually post reviews of the newest Conan / Kindaichi Shounen volumes, I just couldn't find enough interesting to write about for the Kindaichi Shounen volumes, which is why I have only reviewed the first volume (which reminds me... I still have to read the 'new' Conan volume of three months ago). This last story, spread across the fourth and fifth volume, is different however.
For one, this story brings back the scale and atmosphere of the earlier stories. And I don't just mean that it follows the same basic pattern of the series (of course it does). But it also does its best to recreate the horror-like closed circle atmosphere of yore. It never gets as bloody and dark as the very first stories, but still, a man chopped in neat parts, served on the dinner table should count as dark, right? The setting of a cross-shaped mansion, complete with a rose garden (which is covered with poison) is also one of the more memorable settings of this long-running series. Which is quite a feat considering Hajime has been running around crime scenes for 20 years now.
The two locked room situations in this story are also surprisingly good! One involves a stabbed man lying on a rose petal bed in a room, with the petals placed all the way up to the (inwards opening) door, meaning the murderer couldn't have escaped from the door (and the windows were locked too). The second impossible situation is also fantastic and reminds of the large-scale tricks more often seen in the earlier Kindaichi Shounen series (though I have to admit that the Kowloon story of the 20th Anniversary series had ridiculously large-scale trick too...). What is especially interesting is that the second situation isn't really impossible. It's just that the witness who stood in front of the crime scene, is the murderer Takato and you have to choose whether to believe his testimony or not.
Lately, a lot of the Kindaichi Shounen stories have felt too gimmicky, by which I mean that stories either revolved too much around one trick, or that stories featured tricks / murders that didn't feel connected to the rest of the story. They were just there because they were, admittedly, good tricks, but not because they fitted in the setting. For a lot of the later Kindaichi Shounen stories, I actually can't remember which tricks belong to which stories, because they don't feel like they belong to each other. The two impossible situations of the Rose Cross Mansion Murder Case really fit the story setting however and feel as an organic part of the whole.
It seems like Amagi wrote this story as a proper ending of the 20th Anniversary series, but also as a set-up for future stories. At one hand, this final volume feels like a return to the style of earlier stories, in a full circle sense of things (though it is interesting to note that nobody dressed as Rosenkreuz ever appears, nor is there a legend / urban legend / curse / etcetera at work here). On the other hand, Amagi has planted some very significant plot points, that are bound to get picked up in future stories.
Anyway, great ending for a somewhat disappointing series. The 20th anniversary of Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo might be over, but I'm sure we'll see more of him soon!
Original Japanese title(s): 天樹征丸（原） さとうふみや（画） 『金田一少年の事件簿 ２０周年記念シリーズ』第４、５巻 (『薔薇十字館殺人事件』)
Coincidentally I've just written about probably the only Kindaichi comic I'll review ("Vampaia Densetsu"). I think at least the most ingenious part there is related to the story. But the whole setup is fairly forced of course.
ReplyDeleteI've only come across the larger story arc you write about here in one comic, "The Black Magic Murder Case" (whose core idea would be really weak even if it didn't depend on grossly improbable furniture arrangement). I'm generally not keen on this kind of larger story: when I read a detective story I want to read a mystery and not someone's mythbuilding; and series spanning story arcs tend towards soap opera. But from what you say, it sounds as though it does actually get somewhere here.
Actually, the Vampire Legend Murder Case is also loosely connected to Takato: the whole reason Hajime is on an extended trip (and lead to the hostel) is because he got a letter by Takato basically saying something was going to die there. But it's usually just Takato randomly appearing at the end of a story, revealing he was behind it all. And then escaping. I wouldn't say the Rose Cross Mansion story is much different, but there are some new plot points that seem significant.
DeleteHaving started my trip with Japanese detective fiction with Conan, I'm quite used to mythbuilding, and it can be a good thing if done well. Hajime's fight with Takato feels a bit dragging though, as there's usually nothing new; with Conan we're at least fed new developments every X volumes. For a (relatively) short example of it done well, you might try Tantei Gakuen Q from the same team behind Kindaichi Shounen
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI've read the entire Kindaichi series, including this latest entry. I do agree that the original series had the best cases (Vol 1-27), and the follow ups were mostly good (The Russian Dolls especially). The third series stories, I agree have been hit or miss. My question to you is, do you feel any of them were memorable? (The Jail Private School case, for example)
The Rose Cross Mansion case was undoubtedly the best of the 20th anniversary stories, I agree. But wouldn't you say the Human Eater Laboratory Case was also great (I saw you gave the first volume a good review, so I'm surprised you didn't mention the case)? Did the events of the second volume change your mind?
Of the third series, I really liked the cram school one and consider it one of the best stories of the whole series. The third opera story was a bit lacking, but still, it's an Opera House story, so it gets bonus points for that...The rest was mostly traditional Kindaichi Shounen; not bad, but not the best part of the series.
DeleteOf the 20th anniversary series, the lab story was OK, but the Kowloon story was..., well not horrible, but it was obviously originally written for the live action TV special. It just felt too different from the rest of the series (even the Hayami Reika kidnap case).
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have read the entire Kindaichi series, and I agree with you that the File Cases were really Still the BEST lot of them all. On the New Series, I think It started off Well, with The Vampire, Opera, and School Gates Hell...after this 3 stories, the next series plummeted badly. Until now, the 20th Series...But I did find Kowloon Treasure interesting..as we never could predict the killer in that!
Here, the Volume is until no.3 so far..Im still waiting for 4th and 5th to be published. Do you have any idea what lies beneath in the aftermath of the 20th series.? I thought this series will run for a few years, at least....not just a year.
Well, it's not over yet! Kodansha released the Kodansha Manga Box iOS app, where you can read the new spin-off series Takato Shonen no Jikenbo (indeed, a series starrring Takato). And I think a new 'reguar' series has either started recently, or will start soon.
DeleteThanks for the info buddy. Well, haha...a story about Takatoo.? Well, something different isn't bad either, right..? Well, you are based at Japan, so whatever you get to read, is very in Advanced. As in Malaysia here, we only get the manga approximately 6 months after release in japan. The 3rd volume of the 20th series just released end of last month..So, i do hope you could update me what's the new Kindaichi manga title when it releases there mate...deal?
ReplyDeletehello there....is there any Latest Kindaichi release after the 20TH Series??
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply! There's a young Takatoo Youichi series running in Kodansha's (free!) app Manga Box and the new series "Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo R (Returns)" should still be running (it started in November IIRC).
Deleteokays buddy. Sorry for the late reply too...Here I am still waiting for Kindaichi no.4 to be released...I guess it will be next year when Kindaichi New series releases here...haha
ReplyDeleteI have just downloaded the manga app. I would like to know what is the title of the latest Kindaichi Series R case....Let me know the new title k, and pls send your review on the latest series.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Kindaichi R will be final series of Kindaichi Case Files. I mean, we probably see Takato and Hajime final conclusion. Hajime and Miyuki finally engaged. and considered to Fumiya Sato's age, she probably not be able write long running manga anymore.
ReplyDeleteKindaichi first 27 volumes will forever be best series of Kindaichi of course. but don't mean others are bad. I don't expect it should be fanfastic as much as these files. I think Rosenkruez case is pretty strong and memorable case and bring back my faith that Kindaichi will make a great case like it usually did before.
Other third series I like is 3rd Opera and Kenmouchi case, I think because culprit past stories are pretty sad.
Ps.I really interest about Takato's half sister. I hope she will re-appear again. she's such an interesting charater.
With the Takato spin-off, the Rosenkreuz case and the live action, they do seem to have been pushing Takato quite a bit lately, so yeah, there might be something 'big' coming up. I doubt it will end with something really conclusive though: it'll probably be an open-ended one like the Tantei Gakuen Q ending, or the first season Kindaichi Shounen ending ('we solved the biggest case up until now, so we can rest for a whole, but we'll leave plenty of room open for future adventures").
Delete(Personally, I think the one shot season (Vampire~Game Mansion) was the best of the whole series though :P)