From Japan to Toronto: Learning about the Great Detective in a Digital Age

Is it already the end of July?  Time passed by this month in a blink of an eye! Some of you know that for the past few weeks, I’ve been incredibly busy starting up an online teaching and learning service called Japanese for Nikkei with a colleague here in Toronto. I will blog more about our initiatives as we draw closer to launching the website and pilot course! So, stay tuned for exciting updates about our collaborative project! 

In other exciting news, I am so happy to report that I successfully managed to organize an international “mini-symposium” featuring guest-talks by Yuichi Hirayama and Yumiko Shigaki of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club at our Bootmaker’s meeting, which took place earlier this month.

This month’s story meeting featured Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Dancing Men,” one of my top ten favorite stories! In tribute to this story, our Meyers, Mike Rainer created an almost impossible code for us to crack based on… you guessed it, the dancing men “alphabet.” Here’s the code again. I’ll reveal the answer at the end of this blog! The session began with a very interesting video about Conan Doyle’s creation of the code, which I’ve linked below. Consider watching it as it gives clues about how to crack the code! This was followed by a special birthday announcement from the “Queen” herself for Doug Wrigglesworth who turned 80! Celebrating a birthday during the pandemic isn’t ideal, but there are ways around it thanks to technology! 

But let’s get back to the guest speakers! Drumroll, please!

Yuichi Hirayama is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the editor of The Shoso-in Bulletin, a member of Bootmakers of Toronto and Sherlock Holmes Society of London. He is a translator who studies Japanese classic detective stories and also a dentist, who has a waiting room designed after Holmes’s study! (I definitely want to see that one day!). Yumiko Shigaki is a collector of Sherlockian goods and has been a member of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club since it was established in 1977. She currently serves as the club’s secretariat. Both Yuichi and Yumiko gave talks related to their area of specialization. Yumiko’s presentation gave us insight into the world of Sherlock Holmes in Japan as she showcased some of her very valuable and interesting Sherlockian souvenirs. These included, but were not limited to, a replica of the bronze statue of Holmes, snack packages depicting Holmes and a series of limited edition Sherlockian goods created by the Japanese Society. During the Q & A, I remember a question was asked about why Sherlock Holmes in Japan appears so “cartoonish.” One reason, according to Yumiko, is that the detective is quite popular for children. Yuichi added to this by telling us that it is not uncommon to see adaptations of Sherlock Holmes made for children and that Conan Doyle’s works were in fact used as an English textbook for students in Japan. Yuichi too has a collection of rare books that any book collector would envy! What was most memorable about Yuichi’s presentation was the game he played with us, which I will call “Guess the Story,” where he showed us the front cover illustration of books and had the audience guess the title. Some of them were quite challenging but they were all really fun and amusing!

The meeting ended with a quiz, a song and a really interesting paper by Thelma. To know absolutely everything that happens at the Bootmakers meeting, I really recommend you to subscribe to Canadian Holmes as it keeps a detailed record of our meetings! It’s also filled with lots of interesting facts, essays, and other writings by fans, academics and so on, who have dedicated their lives to the study of Conan Doyle and his stories. 

BUT WAIT! THE BLOG DOESN’T END YET! 

Soon after the Bootmakers meeting, I joined another meeting with the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club, and little did I know, but I was in for a treat. The activities of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club are published in Japanese, but for those who are not able to read Japanese it will forever be shrouded in mystery. The most effective solution to this problem would be to learn Japanese, but all jokes aside, I would like to share my experiences with you because I think what they did at the last meeting was so cool, which justifies staying up till 4 am (due to the time difference).

The JSHC hosted something called “Holmes Contents Royal Rumble.” 

What is it THAT you ask?

I was so incredibly lucky to receive the complete digital collection of Shoso-in Bulletin. Learm more about it here. (It was like Christmas). Thank you Yuichi and George!!

It was a competition among members of the Club to showcase their favorite Sherlockian adaptation or story. In short, members who participated had a maximum of five minutes to pitch the reasons why/how their selected work is either Sherlockian, interesting, or both. There were several memorable ones:  one of the members dressed up as a zombie to talk about a zombie adaptation of Holmes, there were two others that talked about Sherlock Holmes video games, one which I wrote an article about, which you can read here. It was just so fascinating to see and hear about the various ways in which Sherlock Holmes remains relevant and popular in Japan.  

Being able to connect with International Sherlockians is always so rewarding. If you or someone you know is interested in delivering a special talk about Sherlock Holmes around the world, please reach out to the Bootmakers!

By the way, did anyone crack the code? The answer is “Welcome Bootmakers to another exciting story meeting.” 

The Not So Secret Life of Sherlockians

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If you’ve ever wondered what Sherlockian societies do during their meetings, then this blog is for you! I’ll be talking about 3 meetings that I attended this month and provide you with links so that you can find out more info and consider joining! The game is on!

Because we still live in this time of global pandemic, all meetings were hosted online through Zoom. Virtual meetings can’t replace the experience of in-person ones, but I appreciate the creative ways in which the Sherlockian communities make Zoom meetings just as engaging and fun!

1. On Saturday June 6, The Bootmakers hosted their first online video conference story meeting:The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, featuring guest speaker, Mark Jones who gave a really fascinating talk about Black Peter. He’s also the co-host of Doings of Doyle podcast, which you can access here. The lecture was followed by a fun quiz and song by Karen Campbell and a story wrap-up by Doug Wrigglesworth. Next month’s meeting will feature guest talks by members of the Japanese Sherlockian society!! Take a look at the poster for more details on how you can join in on the fun and consider signing up to become a member!

2. On Saturday June 13, I attended my first webinar meeting hosted by the Scintillation of Scions. The program for this two-day event was jam-packed with fun things to do and see. There was a virtual happy hour that took place on the 12th, and although I couldn't attend the “breakout room bars,” I did enjoy some of the Sherlockian cocktails on my own time--especially The Blue Carbuncle (mmm). I also really enjoyed the fascinating talks by everyone. You can access the full program on their website, including recipes to the cocktail I mentioned and more! Stay tuned to register for the 2021 annual symposium that’ll happen in Maryland here.

3. On Sunday June 14 (Japan time), I also attended my first meeting hosted by the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club! Due to the time difference between Toronto and Tokyo, I ended up staying up till about 4:00 am, but the meetings are held only once a month and it was definitely worth it. Yumiko Shigaki, who is a collector of Sherlockian goods, showcased some very interesting and some very rare things from her collection. She has an enormous collection of pins, and I was thrilled to see that she had a Bootmaker one (time for me to get one too!). You can check out the society’s homepage (in English). The meetings are held in Japanese. The thing that I was most impressed by was the number of youth/”young” people who are part of this society--it sure was a promising sign for the future of Sherlockians. 

I understand that during this time of socio-political unrest, asking you to join a literary circle might seem counterintuitive and insensitive to the lives being affected by the pandemic (both Covid-19 and the pandemic of racism and hate). The Sherlockian societies that I belong to are inclusive and inviting--at least, from my own personal experiences--but much more formative work can be done to increase diversity in terms of membership. If you have any suggestions or comments, please reach out to me here and let’s start a conversation. 

My Top 3 Sherlock Holmes and Mystery Anime!

As I’m in the midst of writing a paper on Sherlock Holmes in Japanese popular culture for Canadian Holmes, Journal of the Bootmakers of Toronto, I thought I’d share some of my favorite anime adaptations of the Great detective, as well as some mystery anime that I’ve recently finished watching. Since the province is still under lockdown, at least in Ontario, I encourage you to watch them online or purchase the Blue-ray & DVDs!

To begin, the genre of Holmesian anime (anime that adapt stories and characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes) is not new. In fact, it can be traced to the revival of the authentic school of Japanese detective fiction, which sought to restore classic puzzle mysteries and tales of ratiocination such as by Edogawa Rampo and Yokomizo Seishi. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the majority of these stories were being published as novels, but also in the form of manga (Japanese comics). Although mystery manga were perceived as something less than their novel counterparts, they were immensely popular and widely read by the masses. Some of the most iconic mystery/detective anime from the 1990s such as Meitantei Konan (translated to Case Closed in North America) are adaptations of their manga originals. Additionally, I’d argue that the number of original, or stand alone mystery anime series has increased since the early 2000s. One great example is Kabukichō Shārokku, (Sherlock of Kabukichō) produced by Production I.G.

(c) Production I.G.

1. Kabukichō Shārokku (2019) | Sherlock of Kabukichō

If you like classic mysteries mixed with a bit of vulgar comedy and a lot of unexpected twists and turns, then, this anime is for you! Kabukichō Shārokku is probably one of the most intriguing adaptations of Sherlock Holmes to date. This anime series is well-researched, which is evident in its careful attention to details from Doyle’s original stories and characters, as well as BBC’s Sherlock (i.e., season four). It also draws inspiration from Rampo’s boys’ detective stories. This anime hasn’t been translated yet, and I’d imagine that it would be quite a feat to do so, as there are numerous Japanese cultural references, sexual innuendos, use of slang and jokes that would lose their impact and nuance in English.

While a lot of great things could be said about the anime, one of the most fascinating aspects of Kabukichō Shārokku lies in its fusion of neo-Victorian and “noir-esque” elements within a culturally distinctive sekaikan (world). The representation of Sherlock Holmes, (whose facial features remind me of Jeremy Brett) embodies this cultural fusion, who solves mysteries through rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of storytelling (kind of like a one-man show). The anime also hosts a number of iconic characters from the Holmesian canon, including Mrs. Hudson, but don’t expect to encounter a sweet and modest housekeeper. In the world of Kabukichō Shārokku, Doyle’s characters are playfully rendered in, sometimes, very unexpected ways.

Mrs. Hudson is not only a flamboyant bar owner, but also the ring leader of a group of crime fighters, including Sherlock Holmes, who all compete to solve mysteries to win cash prizes from her (him?)—you’ll have to watch the anime to figure that out yourself. Or see the character profile here.

Some of you may already know that Kabukichō is a reference to the entertainment and red-light district of Tokyo, Japan. More specifically, this anime is set in the East End of Kabukichō, drawing a parallel to the East End slums of Victorian, London, which was notorious for its crimes—most notably the Whitechapel murders committed by the infamous Jack the Ripper. So, it’s no surprise that the first twelve episodes of the anime revolve around a series of gruesome murders (committed by Jack the Ripper) and involves Holmes and his gang solving a number of cases that lead them to the killer. The latter twelve episodes focus on Moriarty’s gradual rise as a criminal mastermind that culminates in his epic mind game with Holmes. 

Overall, I really appreciated the depiction of Holmes in this anime. He may not be a faithful representation of Doyle’s, but that’s what makes Holmes of Kabukichō so interesting. He has his quirks (he loves to eat sweet and savory things together), he has his odd moments and he is a master detective, but the anime also depicts a more human and slightly more vulnerable version of Doyle’s Holmes.

For more info about the show, and its franchise, check out their homepage and Twitter.

(c) Studio Seven. You can watch this anime on crunchyroll!

2. Kyoto Teramachi Sanjō no Hōmuzu (2018) | Holmes of Kyoto

If you want to learn about Japanese antiques and the rich cultural history of Kyoto, then, this anime is for you! What I love about this anime is how it re-imagines Doyle’s characters to tell a very curious story of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Originally published as a series of light novels in 2015, Mochizuki Mai’s works have now been adapted into manga and anime. 

In Kyoto Teramachi, don’t expect to find a detective. In fact, the protagonist of the series, Kiyotaka Yagashira (aka Holmes) hates being called a tantei (detective) because he takes pride in his profession as an antique appraiser. In other words, Kiyotaka is the Sherlock Holmes of the “antiques world,” but once in a while he is asked to solve strange mysteries. Although Kiyotaka has astute observational powers, he often relies on intuition to crack cases and to differentiate fake antiques from real ones. Kiyotaka’s method of “detection,” I thought, was a radical departure from Doyle’s original stories (and to the genre of detective stories more generally) that emphasize the use of inductive and/or deductive reasoning to solve a mystery. Like Holmes, however, who was a Victorian/Edwardian gentleman, Kiyotaka upholds idealized standards of proprietary and decorum unique to Kyoto. He’s an ikemen kara sure to pull the heartstrings of many otome viewers.

The anime begins when, one day, Kiyotaka hires a high school student named Aoi Mashiro (the girl version of Watson) to help him run the antique shop. The 12-episode series follows their adventures together as they go around the city, appraising some of the rarest antiques. Of course, no Holmesian adaptation is complete without Holmes’s archenemy, Moriarty. In the anime, Moriarty, or Enshō, takes the form of a genius con artist and scammer, who produces and sells replicas of rare antiques. Will Kiyotaka find Enshō and stop him from a life of scamming? Or will Ensho outsmart the great detective, I mean, the great appraiser? And what becomes of the romance between Kiyotaka and Aoi? You’ll have to watch the anime to find out! Check the anime's homepage for more info!

(c) Funimation | Studio Lerche.

3. Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace (2016)

Last but not least, the third anime on my list is Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace, which is not a Holmesian adaptation, but an anime adaptation of the works of Edogawa Rampo and his boy detectives. This anime series was created as a tribute to Rampo (to commemorate the 50th year since his passing). If you don’t know who Rampo is, consider him as Japan’s equivalent to Edgar Allan Poe. He’s known as the godfather of Japanese detective fiction. Many of his famous stories such as The Human Chair (1925) and characters from his “juvenile” fictions featuring the boy detectives and the masked thief Nijū Mensō (The Man with the Twenty Faces) have been adapted in the 11-episode series. 

This anime is not for the faint-hearted. If you can handle horror, a little gore and the grotesque, this anime is for you. The first case, for example, involves the murder of a homeroom teacher whose body is dismantled and disfigured into a chair. But, thanks to Yoshio and Sōji, and with the help of the famous youth detective Akechi, the boys manage to solve a string of gruesome cases of murder and kidnappings.

For those familiar with Rampo’s boys’ detective stories you’ll either find Rampo Kitan intriguing or shocking, or both. The boy detectives of Rampo Kitan have shed their innocence and playful encounters with Nijū Mensō. And, Nijū Mensō himself becomes a symbol of vigilantism, which somewhat deviates from the original stories in which he once stated that he can’t stand the sight of blood. Nonetheless, this anime series weaves the world of Rampo’s works, re-centering boys as detective agents who expose the insufficiency of Japan’s judicial system, which perhaps, is a sorrowful reminder of the social injustices that continue to be committed against society’s most vulnerable—women, children and youth—in the real world. Overall, this anime captures the essence of the ero-guro aesthetics akin to Rampo’s fiction, and for those who like a slightly darker anime, you’ll definitely find this series entertaining. See the homepage for cool info about the series!

There are many, many more mystery anime that I could talk about! I just finished watching a series called Trickster: Edogawa Rampo "Shōnen Tanteidan" Yori (2016) and I’m currently enjoying a new anime series called Kitsutsuki Tanteidokoro (Woodpecker Detective's Office 2020). So, stay tuned for more! And, if you love mysteries, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Canada will resume their bi-monthly meetings online starting June 6th at 3:00pm! Message me, or check out the society’s website here on how to become a member!

Till next time, happy sleuthing!