Turnabout Memories - Part 14

"I have to go over everything that's happened. I have to remember" 

Another Code R: Journey into Lost Memories

 

 

I always post a 'let's look back at the most interesting mystery fiction of this year' post around Christmas, but it turns out this year, Christmas falls on my usual update day of Wednesday, so... this week, the 'list' post will take the place of my usual review post! Anyway, while I have been updating each week as usual and have read some really cool books this year, it's also been a rather hectic year for me privately, so I have to admit I have been mostly been doing the bare minimum for the blog, which meant basically no editorial posts this year, and also barely any games discussed. I had been visiting Japan for a longer period earlier this year too, which resulted in some really cool experiences like going to the Detective Conan 30th Anniversary exhibition and also visiting some of the publishers behind the books I worked on and their editors (and also meeting some great people, some of those meetings being really surprising personally because I didn't *they* were working there...), but those were also not really things to be writing about extensively here because it was partially private, partially work... But as always, I always have a huge stock of reviews waiting to be published, so even a few months of barely reading/writing is hardly noticable on the blog itself. But no fears, I will continue writing about Japanese mysteries, both new and old, here *at least* once a week, so if you're interested in detective fiction from the land of the rising sun, I hope you'll be here next year too. Have a nice Christmas and a great new year!

The Best Project Outside The Blog! In 2024!

The Labyrinth House Murders

 

Better known as the self-promotion category! And because Ayatsuji's The Labyrinth House Murders is the only book I worked on that was released this year, it shouldn't surprise anyone this was my pick for this year. After the reprint of The Decagon House Murders by Pushkin Press, I was approached to work on The Mill House Murders, and fortunately, that also led to me working on the third book in Ayatsuji's seminal series. This third entry has always been a personal favorite, due to my own interests in Greek mythology, due to the crazy labyrinth-layout of the house and the incredibly tricky set-up of the story. Translation-wise, it also presented some challenges, which I addressed in this post here, so please read it after reading the book. There's already a listing for The Clock House Murders available and it's mentioned in The Labyrinth House Murders, so it's no secret anymore The Clock House Murders is now planned for a release next year, and that I am working on it too, and that is perhaps the best book in the whole series when it comes to the pure mystery, so look forward to it!

 

In less joyous news however, you may have heard John Pugmire of Locked Room International passed away. As Locked Room International was mostly run by him alone, it seems unlikely you'll see new translations by me published via Locked Room International. I got my first opportunity to work as a translator thanks to John and Locked Room International, so I will always be grateful to him. There was actually a book we were working on before he passed away, so I can only hope it will be released one way or another in the future.

Most Interesting Mystery Game Played in 2024 Category

No Winner 

 

Attentive people might have noticed it already, but I discussed awfully few games this year on the blog.  That's partially because I have played fewer games in general this year, but it's mostly due to me not actually finishing the games I have started this year. The recent re-releases of the original Hayarigami trilogy and Kamaitachi no Yoru X3 are cool, but I'm nowhere close to finishing them, and the few games I have discussed this year on the blog, even if not bad per se, are nowhere near the level I'd actually call them the 'best' in anyway. I'll try to be better next year and play more games like a good child!

 

Best Set-Up! Seen in 2024!

Deisui Hadagi Kirisaki Jiken ("The Case of the Torn Hangover Underwear")

 

Besides some conventional story set-ups for a mystery story, I have come across quite a few more original/surprising ones this year. The concept of murders occuring on a warship sounds like one you'd see more often, but I had not encountered one until Okamoto Yoshiki's debut novel Hansen Gunkan no Satsujin ("Murders on The Sailing Warship" 2023). A murder occuring inside a Gundam cockpit (Mobile Suit Gundam WEARWOLF) and murders happening inside a game dungeon (Sword Art Online Alternative: Mystery Labyrinth - Meikyuukan no Satsujin) were also concepts that drew me in immediately. But perhaps the one that surprised me the most genuinely, would be the mystery presented in Imamura Masahiro's short story Deisui Hadagi Kirisaki Jiken ("The Case of the Torn Hangover Underwear"), found in the prequel short story collection to Shijinsou no Satsujin (AKA Death Among the Undead). The mystery here revolves around... the detective waking up with a hangover, and realizing he's not wearing his underwear anymore. But he can't remember why. It's such a silly set-up, but it is used for a proper mystery, and it all... just works. For some reason. That is why I love the mystery genre, it can be about murders, but it can also be about underwear.

 

Best Title of 2024!

Combustible Substances

 

Sometimes, a title alone can draw you to a book. Some of the books I read this year had pretty cool titles. I love "Oedipus Syndrome" (Oedipus Shoukougun) for example because it sounds like something ominous. "Torture of the Fallen Angels" (Datenshi Goumonkei) sounds absolutely metal and Ten Commandments (Jikkai) is very simple, but it can really invoke so many images and ideas for a mystery plot. It's basically the reason why I ended up picking Combustible Substances as the winner for this year. It is a very basic and simple phrase, but it just... tickles the mystery-oriented mind, allowing you to imagine all kinds of scenarios. 

Best Cover

Tokushinkan Satsujin Jiken ("The Murder Case in the Blasphemy Mansion" 2023)?

 

This wasn't even a contest: I just wanted to make sure this cover appeared on this blog a second time! I mean, come on, just think of all the books you read this year. Does even one of those books have a cover that comes close to how amazing this cover is? It fits the title perfectly too, because of course you'll have a Baphomet idol in a place that's called the Blasphemy Mansion and the coloring really sells the atmosphere they are going for. I have to admit: my interest in this book was derived 99% from this cover alone: I only check a fraction of the books Seikaisha releases, and some of them are not the type of mystery I usually read, and if I had only gone by the summary of the book, it was likely I would have skipped it because of the cosmic horror implications, but I am glad the cover convinced me to buy it anyway!

 

Best Post I Accidentally Deleted And Had To Rewrite Completely! In 2024!

No Winner

 

Fortunately, last year was an exception...

 

Best Post I Had To Write With One Hand Because Of A Broken Elbow! In 2024!

Detective Conan volume 106

 

Hopefully, this year is an exception...

 

Best Adaptation Seen in 2024!

Jukkakan no Satsujin (The Decagon House Murders)

 

I haven't written a post about the Hulu adaptation of The Decagon House Murders yet, but I did actually watch all five episodes the very day they started streaming it on Japanese Hulu, and it was excellent. The book was long thought to be nearly impossible to adapt in a visual format, and while a few years back, a manga adaptation was released, that is still a very different thing from a live-action drama adaptation. The director, who in the past had worked with author Ayatsuji (and Arisugawa) on the show Anraku Isu Tantei, however pulled off the impossible and made a genuinely amazing adaptation of the book and I'd want to recommend everyone to watch it. Ellery is deliciously obnoxious in this adaptation, while I honestly can't imagine anyone else anymore as Shimada than the actor Aoki Munetaka. I believe the show is for now exclusive to Japanese Hulu, so I hope they'll release it internationally too...

What's also fun to mention is that the day after the show started streaming... I met with Ayatsuji himself. I had travelled to Japan and Ayatsuji was kind enough to meet with me, and it turned out the one day he'd be available, would be the day after the show started. Which was one reason why I binged the show, though I have to repeat the show was really well done, so I was hooked either way. But because of that, I had the luxury of actually discussing my thoughts on the show with Ayatsuji himself the day after...

 

Two days ago, they announced a follow-up adaptation for next year, though they haven't said what book yet. I have my suspicions though...

The Just-Ten-In-No-Particular-Order-No-Comments List

- Shoujo ni wa Mukanai Kanzen Hanzai ("An Unsuitable Perfect Crime for a Girl") (Houjou Kie) 

- Lindongzhiguan ("Coffins in the Cold Winter") (Sun Qinwen)

- Suiri no Jikan Desu ("It's Inference Time") (Norizuki Rintarou, Houjou Kie, Abiko Takemaru, Tanaka Hirofumi, Kitayama Takekuni and Ibuki Amon)

- Kitarou Tanjou GeGeGe no Nazo ("The Birth of Kitarou ~ The Mystery of GeGeGe") (film based on work of Mizuki Shigeru)

- Jirai Glico ("Glico with Landmines") (Aosaki Yuugo)

- Kiguu ("Coincidentialea") (Yamaguchi Masaya)

- Salome no Guillotine ("Salome's Guillotine") (Yuuki Haruo)

- Ina no Gotoki Nieru Mono ("Those Who Are Sacrified like the Shunned") (Mitsuda Shinzou) 

- Il noma della rosa ("The Name of the Rose") (Umberto Eco)

- Karasu ("The Crows") (Maya Yutaka)