tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post3052025976903051307..comments2024-03-27T22:32:02.739+01:00Comments on Beneath the Stains of Time: The Kindaichi Case Files: Demon God Ruins Murder CaseTomCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-6698524190664715642023-04-16T20:00:37.811+02:002023-04-16T20:00:37.811+02:00Thank you for the heads up, Anon! For now, Q.E.D. ...Thank you for the heads up, Anon! For now, <i>Q.E.D.</i> has priority, but I'll get to that Third Opera story eventually.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-56351098063727713372023-04-15T15:55:58.415+02:002023-04-15T15:55:58.415+02:00I think you'd be interested to know that the E...I think you'd be interested to know that the English translation for Third Opera finished recently!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-46865378429009454472023-01-20T12:39:49.768+01:002023-01-20T12:39:49.768+01:00Huh. I though I had already covered the Russian Do...Huh. I though I had already covered the <i>Russian Dolls Murder Case</i>, but it was the <i>Doll Island Murder Case</i>. Recommendation noted! You can expect me to return to <i>Q.E.D.</i> in a month or two. This time, I'll try to go on without long gaps between them. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-21907981833464572062023-01-20T10:54:36.009+01:002023-01-20T10:54:36.009+01:00I notice that you mention here that you plan on re...I notice that you mention here that you plan on reading/viewing the Third Opera Murder Case next, and I feel that you should know that the anime movie adaptation completely removes one death from the story, which is a pretty big change. I agree with the reccomendations given for Kenmochi the Killer and Yukikage village, and would also venture to suggest Russian Dolls Murder Case, which I think is one of the better cases in the Case Series.<br />Hope to see you go back to reviewing Q.E.D., as I did like those reviews!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-36225936993569806952022-12-16T21:46:15.603+01:002022-12-16T21:46:15.603+01:00I don't know why Kenmoichi the Killer is consi...I don't know why <i>Kenmoichi the Killer</i> is considered an unpopular choice, but you're definitely the first one to recommend it. And, on that account alone, it goes on the list. But also approve with your number 1 and 2 picks.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-30250408761443565252022-12-16T21:40:25.764+01:002022-12-16T21:40:25.764+01:00You sure know how to end a recommendation. You had...You sure know how to end a recommendation. You had me tempted there for a moment, but have to return to <i>Q.E.D.</i> sometime. But, like all recommendations, I'll keep <i>Yukikage Village Murder Case</i> in mind for the next time I decide to dip back into the series. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-55834595124751657122022-12-15T11:45:46.856+01:002022-12-15T11:45:46.856+01:00Seconding Yukikage Village.
I am far more critic...Seconding Yukikage Village. <br /><br />I am far more critical of Drifting Firefox Murder Case than you were in your review of that one because as far as anyone is concerned, that one was just a far inferior rip-off of Yukikage Village which was written almost 20 years earlier, in literally every single aspect. <br /><br />Yukikage is a sombre story about coming of age and the fragility of childhood dreams and fantasies that would have still functioned even without murders. The who is brilliantly-clued, with all the crucial hints littered about everywhere in disguise as mere set dressing during the character interactions. The fatal clue is connected to the crime through a well-thought out piece of ratiocination also. The how is wonderful, with its multiple false solutions that chain into each other sequentially, and my God, I sincerely hope that the actual solution is original and hasn't been seen before, because it's possibly my favourite ever for this particular class of impossibility. In fact, this entire case, with its multiple false solutions, likable and well-characterised suspects, and inevitably heartbreaking ending evokes Brand more than anything.<br /><br />The motive is hot garbage though so there's that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-67882414594522512622022-12-15T11:26:55.577+01:002022-12-15T11:26:55.577+01:00Glad to see you enjoyed the locked room in this on...Glad to see you enjoyed the locked room in this one as much as I did. Demon God Ruins is probably the best-hidden culprit in all of Kindaichi, (ROT13) abg bayl orvat na hayvxryl xvyyre gurzfryirf ohg nyfb orvat fuvryqrq ol abg bar ohg gjb boivbhf Xvaqnvpuv zheqreref (Rqbtnjn naq Fngfhxv). They still had multiple clues pointing to them as well, which makes this a standout for the franchise as far as "who" is concerned.<br /><br />Third Opera House is good, but I definitely wouldn't rank it as a series best for a number of reasons, the primary one being that none of the impossible solutions really wowed me. It lacked that magical element which separates the great impossible crime tales from the merely solid ones, but that's just my opinion. I have other criticisms of it too but those get into spoiler territory.<br /><br />After you get to that one, I would recommend Kenmochi The Killer next. Very unpopular opinion, but this is my 3rd-favourite Kindaichi overall ever behind Rosenkreuz Mansion in 1st and Prison Prep School in 2nd - and if just one element of the plot was changed it would have been number one and one of my top 5 stories in the entire genre. I have a lot of love for this one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-11650807706544351132022-12-08T16:59:04.632+01:002022-12-08T16:59:04.632+01:00Like I said in the comment above, Third Opera Hous...Like I said in the comment above, <i>Third Opera House</i> is likely my next stop in the series and really hope it measures up the <i>Second Opera House</i>. One of the best and most enjoyable Kindaichi's I've read to date. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-16062187507399300712022-12-08T16:54:16.786+01:002022-12-08T16:54:16.786+01:00I'll get to them eventually, but Third Opera H...I'll get to them eventually, but <i>Third Opera House</i> is likely going to be next. The second one is a series classic! TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-91091735344240010572022-12-08T16:51:32.553+01:002022-12-08T16:51:32.553+01:00"I mean, there wasn't a lot of good in th..."<i>I mean, there wasn't a lot of good in the first seven, it's not hard to be "the best" of them. :P</i>"<br /><br />"<i>I think HEADLESS SAMURAI is unequivocally the best so far...</i>"<br /><br />So... we agree (sort of) after all? I believe the same rule of thumb applies to "onyybba pbecfr" as to string-trick and booby traps: it all depends on who's doing the writing and plotting (i.e. who has the right idea and skill to execute it). I can see why you didn't like "The Arrowmont Prison Riddle," probably the execution scene overtaxing your credulity, but I can think of two stories with "onyybba pbecfr" tricks that are pretty good. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-5948705015641408272022-12-08T09:38:16.988+01:002022-12-08T09:38:16.988+01:00I'm glad you enjoyed the Demon God Ruins Murde...I'm glad you enjoyed the Demon God Ruins Murder Case. I think you still have a couple of good Kindaichi titles on your TBR pile: Burial Franc Murders, Third Opera House, etc. Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-3387806607697857512022-12-08T02:53:07.493+01:002022-12-08T02:53:07.493+01:00Out of the ones left, I liked 'The Third Opera...Out of the ones left, I liked 'The Third Opera House Murder'. 'Yukikage Village Murder Case' is pretty decent as well, and the tone is slightly different than other Kindaichi stories. I also liked the trick in 'Amakusa Treasure Legend Murder Case' (must be read before 'Snow Spirit Legend Murder Case' as the later spoiled the former), although there are Japanese-dependent codes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-25527909411217426442022-12-08T01:07:47.173+01:002022-12-08T01:07:47.173+01:00I think NO NOOSE IS GOOD NOOSE is pretty decent, b...I think NO NOOSE IS GOOD NOOSE is pretty decent, but also look at what it's sized-up against. What am I going to say is better than it? LAKE HEIREN? MUMMY'S CURSE? DEATH TV? I mean, there wasn't a lot of good in the first seven, it's not hard to be "the best" of them. :P <br /><br />I think HEADLESS SAMURAI is unequivocally the best so far, but I still didn't like the obvious and goofy locked-room trick, but the clues identifying the culprit are absolutely fantastic! Some truly bold stuff there I'd go as far as to compare to Christianna Brand, love it. <br /><br />As for MAGICAL EXPRESS, I've seen "onyybba pbecfr" a few times before, most notably Arrowmont Prison Riddle, and I didn't like it there either. Call it a personal hang-up if you will, but "onyybba pbecfr" is just a type of trick that I consider fundamentally too corny and silly for me to enjoy no matter how well-written the story surrounding it is. Even in a series in a medium in a genre that enjoys comically convoluted murder plots, "onyybba pbecfr" is just a step too far off for my personal tastes. <br /><br />Also, I read Amagi's GHOST MANSION MURDER CASE and thought it was pretty... eh. Still love PRISON PREP SCHOOL, though, which I read in Japanese! And I'm currently reading BLOODTHIRSTY CHERRY BLOSSOM, which I have on good authority is nearly as good as PRISON and ROZENKREUZ!<br /><br />I do like the SHORT FILES series, though. They're obvious as get out, but the tricks at least have some hint of imagination and originality which makes hem fun even when I figure them out immediately. With their focus on "tragic misunderstandings between lovers", school clubs with years old accidents that may or may not be murder, and a general de-focusing of impossible crimes, I can see that KINDAICHI CASE FILES - SHORT FILES, may be an ancestor of DETECTIVE CONAN... L. Stumpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-72094958171698416532022-12-07T23:28:21.062+01:002022-12-07T23:28:21.062+01:00How can you think The Headless Samurai and The Mag...How can you think <i>The Headless Samurai</i> and <i>The Magical Express</i> are overrated by the Kindaichi fanbase when you ranked <i>No Noose is Good Noose</i> as the best of the first seven cases? After that "high point," those two feel like newly uncovered masterpieces from Seishi Yokomizo himself, but I don't think we're going to agree on which point of the Kanari period is the lowest in the series. I don't seem to be able to find common ground with anyone on the Kanari issue. Whether I liked something he wrote or hated it. Typical. :)<br /><br />"<i>I'm starting to worry that maybe Kindaichi is simply not very good, or just not for me.</i>"<br /><br />Or maybe, just maybe, I was right from the beginning and Kanari is the problem. Why is everyone so reluctant to admit Kanari just is not a good writer and plotter of detective stories? So, if you continue to struggle, I recommend you skip to the cases Amagi wrote before deciding if the series is not for you. It did wonders for my perception of the series!TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-60132374406645020742022-12-07T22:15:17.806+01:002022-12-07T22:15:17.806+01:00I said it on my blog, but it's worth repeating...I said it on my blog, but it's worth repeating here. I thought HEADLESS SAMURAI and MAGICAL EXPRESS were fine but a little overrated by the Kindaichi fanbase. I didn't like the impossible crime of HEADLESS SAMURAI, but I did like the decapitation plot. MAGICAL EXPRESS I liked even less, as I simply detest the core mechanic used to pull off the impossible disappearance (something I've seen done multiple times and I dislike every time I see it. I understand it's plausible, but it's very corny in a way that makes it impossible for me to take seriously and enjoy). I'm starting to worry that maybe Kindaichi is simply not very good, or just not for me. I'm still working through the series though, about halfway through the original run, and I'll keep this story in mind.L. Stumpnoreply@blogger.com