This week, Arsene Lupin teams up with the Phantom of the Opera to steal a diamond, but they’ll have to get through Sherlock Holmes.
Highlights
- Undead Murder Farce is a literary thriller that incorporates a multitude of fictional icons into its new mystery, creating an enticing premise.
- Episode 5 establishes some of the most iconic literary protagonists as real people in the series, with Arsene Lupin, Erik (the Phantom of the Opera), Phileas Fogg, and Sherlock Holmes all coming together.
- The inclusion of these characters has the potential to enhance the story if handled well, and while there are concerns about fan service, the episode lays a tantalizing groundwork for the forthcoming episodes.
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Warning: This may contain spoilers for Undead Murder Farce, Episode 5, “The Immortal of London”, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
When it comes to the blending of classic literature and the supernatural, most anime fans point to Bungo Stray Dogs and yet, Studio Bones’ literary thriller has some competition this season. Not content to merely be a dazzling and well-constructed mystery, Undead Murder Farce has opted to pull out all the stops, including as many fictional icons as possible for a new mystery.
In the past three episodes, Rindo, Shinuchi, and Shizuku investigated the murder of Hannah Goddard, the mother of the vampiric Goddard family, discovering the culprit to be her son Raoul. With the case closed, Rindo learned from Lord Goddard that a certain man with an “M” engraved in his cane – the man she and Shinuchi were seeking – appeared not long before the murder.
The Phantom Thief Strikes Again
Where at first the charm of this alternate history lay in its cacophony of supernatural species, Episode 5 wastes little time establishing it as a meeting of iconic literary characters as well. Arsene Lupin has kidnapped the Phantom of the Opera, Erik, and propositioned him to assist the phantom thief with a job: stealing the Penultimate Night from Phileas Fogg’s mansion in London.
Erik thinks it’s an insane mission, especially with Sherlock Holmes operating out of the city, yet despite that, he accepts the job and the two set out to do the impossible. Within the first two minutes of the episode, before the opening credits have even started, four of the most iconic literary protagonists are established as real people in this series.
The inclusion of such figures didn’t entirely come out of nowhere. In Episode 3, Rindo even mentioned Holmes by name, ironically calling him a “weirdo.” However, this new arc truly rips the band-aid off, as it were, filling the cast with an abundance of big-named characters. These icons alone make for such an enticing premise that one might forget there are three protagonists whom the story is actually about.
Rindo and her two companions arrive in London, intent not only on helping to prevent the theft but to track down the mysterious man responsible for Rindo and Shinuchi’s predicaments. Anyone with a passing familiarity with Sherlock Holmes is likely to suspect that the main antagonist will be none other than James Moriarty. Such a notion is hard to dissuade when their first clue leads them to Moriarty’s arch-nemesis, Holmes.
After a misunderstanding, the cast finds themselves in the back of a police wagon, where Rindo and Holmes both exhibit their deductive skills when observing two crooks accompanying them. They have a good back-and-forth, and the episode does a good job of establishing them as equals. With a character as popular as Sherlock Holmes, there are certain expectations of their portrayal, but it’s a relief that he doesn’t steal the spotlight.
The Impregnable Fortress
To that previous point, one of the biggest concerns going into the latter half of this new episode was the worry that the inclusion of so many characters would hurt the storyline. The fact that they are there is certainly cool, but there’s a risk of forgoing nuance for the sake of fan service. Thankfully, this opening chapter of the new arc plays it safe and lays a tantalizing groundwork.
Upon arrival at the Fogg mansion, a general overview of the building is given, as is the number of individuals on-site, but the real gem is the underground vault housing the sought-after diamond. Whereas the previous story was a murder mystery, this story is about preventing a crime and therefore observing the surroundings with a keen eye.
The complex process for opening the chamber door and the potential entry points through which a thief might get in are essential factors to consider, but they aren’t the only clues. As is to be expected of this series, the directing is very methodical. In particular, the characters’ reactions to small, seemingly minute gestures are given focus consistently and frequently.
While only laying the foundations for the episodes to come, Undead Murder Farce has gone from one impressive mystery to another, this time leveraging the namesake of literary icons further. Time will tell if the application of such legends will prove more than fan service, but so long as the directing continues strong, the story can afford some inspired self-indulgence.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
