(CR) Kindaichi Shōnen no Jikenbo R (Kindaichi Case Files Returns)

[LightningZERO]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

If I'm not wrong, Kowloon Treasure was initially a novel story.

It was adapted into a manga story arc in the 20th Anniversary volume releases.

No, it was a new manga story arc, and was adapted into a new tv drama special last year iirc....

And the arc sorta sucks, Kindaichi series is no longer as good as it was, even the manga style feels different and lacks the creepiness

[Nightengale]

Thanks for the update. I only read the manga ( we both have the same source, no? Reading it in... Malay.) so I don't know the externalization that much.

Originally Posted by LightningZERO

And the arc sorta sucks, Kindaichi series is no longer as good as it was, even the manga style feels different and lacks the creepiness

The bicycle ruined Kindaichi.

Spoiler for manga reader:

IMO, the story started going downhill after the Gankutsuou arc, and when Kindaichi went out on his bicycle trip.

The stories subsequently lacked the strong punch of horror and dread that the old case files had... and even the stories lack the strong emotional impact and heart-wrenching sadness that filled the best Kindaichi cases.

I still remember the 2nd story arc, "Mummy's Curse" so vividly. The first gruesome death, the unexpected first victim, and the holy shit real killer reveal as well as how deeply emotional the backstory of the arc was... was the essence of Kindaichi's best.

I don't expect Gankutsuou level quality from Kindaichi consistently, but the current quality of the cases are a step below the average cases found in the first 26 cases.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Just saw the first episode of Kindaichi R. Oh god, that must be one of the worst episode premiere this season in terms of animation: derpy faces, jerky movements, and whatnot. I can’t really put my finger on it but the animation feels really cheap and lazy. Honestly, I don’t remember Tantei Gakuen Q’s animation being this bad and it’s been, what, nearly a decade since? I can't even tell which animation is better, the previous Kindaichi series in the 90s or this 2014 one, and that's a bad thing. Does the studio run on shoestring budget or something?

As for the story, yeah, typical Kindaichi: goin’ somewhere with Miyuki, encounters a case, Miyuki in danger, and so on. Just like what I expected, so no complaining about that.

[GDiddy]

So is Miyuki pretty much useless for the most part and is just there for fodder?

I get that this is an older series...or rather based on one, but still...

[BloodyKitty]

Originally Posted by GDiddy

So is Miyuki pretty much useless for the most part and is just there for fodder?

I get that this is an older series...or rather based on one, but still...

She is good at being an emotional support for Kindaichi whenever he is down (when some heartbreaking events affect his other friends or when he blamed himself for some bad things happening). Also Miyuki is said to be one of the best students academically in class, and in a few times she can show that she has better general knowledge than Kindaichi and can see some thing that Kindaichi couldn't. Outside of those few times she is just there, has almost nothing to do with the investigation and even gets in trouble a lot, which is kind of disappointing because the supporting characters have more well-written females.

[Meltyred]

Episode 2 felt pretty tense for me, was quite nice.
Pretty sure Kindaichi would break completely if Miyuki dies, hoping to see his rival actually try it.

[ndqanh_vn]

Originally Posted by BloodyKitty

She is good at being an emotional support for Kindaichi whenever he is down (when some heartbreaking events affect his other friends or when he blamed himself for some bad things happening). Also Miyuki is said to be one of the best students academically in class, and in a few times she can show that she has better general knowledge than Kindaichi and can see some thing that Kindaichi couldn't. Outside of those few times she is just there, has almost nothing to do with the investigation and even gets in trouble a lot, which is kind of disappointing because the supporting characters have more well-written females.

Well, she's the obligatory childhood friend/love interest in this kind of manga (and in most shounen written at this time) On the mystery side, she's the Watson in the story (a character with normal viewpoint, a bit dumber than the average audience etc...) Kindaichi has a format that strictly followed that classic type of mystery, so a constant Watson is needed. I never notice her as a character, but she served some functions to the story.

(For main female position, I always prefer the teen idol...but she won't get the guy, it's already too obvious)

The best thing about Kindaichi is always the mystery: very fair-play, very well written, very elaborated. They're excellent puzzles. The characters involved in each case all have interesting backstories. But the main stay (Kindaichi, Miyuki, the dectective whatever his name I forgot) did not have much character development. They don't need much. We're all here for the mystery.

That being said, I am surpirsed that they begin the season with this case: it's already adapted into a (not so good) live action. I thought they would try newer stories...

[BloodyKitty]

Originally Posted by ndqanh_vn

(For main female position, I always prefer the teen idol...but she won't get the guy, it's already too obvious)

Spoiler for previous series:

I also prefer the teen idol Reika. I like her personality, and besides Miyuki she is also a girl Kindaichi is somehow romantically interested in. Reika very obviously likes Kindaichi also. Their mutual attraction rivals Kindaichi/Miyuki in cases involved Reika. I just feel that one of the main things that gets in their relationship is well, Miyuki and Kindaichi always stay with each other in most situations, while Reika is an idol who hardly has time for herself, let alone meeting Kindaichi.

And I agree of everything you said about the series.

[Dwalin]

I hate Reika. Always been rooting for Kindaichi and Miyuki as for any other childhood friend pairing. For me, only childhood friend pairings have a special sort of tenderness, if the characters don't have childhood memories to share, the pairing just doesn't make me care enough.

[LightningZERO]

Ugghhh....I know this Hong Kong arc sucks, but the anime version is even worse. The plot moved at an extremely fast paced, one minute they are here, and the next they are far away....ah well, best we moved on from here. Hope the next arc will be great, looking forward to the Rose Hall arc.

[Dwalin]

Does anyone know if there are any translation projects active for the older series? There is a dvd with English subtitles made in Malaysia for the complete series, but if they are done like the previous 59-episode edition, it's almost easier to learn Japanese by myself

[Renchan]

None as far I remember, there was one but they dropped it mid-way.

[Meltyred]

Well..I kinda guessed the plot twist of this arc... but still those glasses still had the lens intact even after being sat on,lol wut.

[AC-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Meltyred

Well..I kinda guessed the plot twist of this arc... but still those glasses still had the lens intact even after being sat on,lol wut.

That is because the lens are not made out of glass-glass but plastic glass which is a lot more resilient, lighter and also doesn't spliter into 1000 of sharp shards when it falls down.
Glass is cheaper, though becomes incredibly heavy at higher dioptries

As for the plot twist

Spoiler for Theory about the Plottwist EP 3:

The person in the weelchair is actually Ran, and not Miyuki.
in the last episode Ran claimed to have woken up somewhere and reported to a police sation afterwards. While she might have indeed reported to them, we got no proof that she was abducted in the first place.
She isn't the detective so anything she tells you is to be treated very carefully and not to be taken as a 100% truth.

[kentasaiba]

Like the first series, you know the culprit in the first episode...

[kobester11]

I don't get it. Whats wrong with the animation? Its a kiddie anime folks. Plus, toei is only doing this for ratings and merchandise.

[Meltyred]

Well that was a short case.
Surprisingly enough joke character can't even kill a fatty properly.

[AC-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Meltyred

Well that was a short case.
Surprisingly enough joke character can't even kill a fatty properly.

Worst is that it wasn't even a proper mystery...

[Nightengale]

Kindaichi's adapting only the new post-Q stories, it seems.

[kentasaiba]

Rosenkreuz-Case last arc maybe?