AKA Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes, this series is based on the mystery novels of Michizuki Mai. Set within an antiques shop that also houses a coffee bar, the customers of the store bring odd cases to young Yagashira Kiyotaka, who is also the son of the shop's owner and known as "The Holmes at Teramachi Sanjou".
Seeking to sell her late Grandfather's antiques in order to buy a train ticket to her home town, Mashiro Aoi enters the shop, and is astounded at how perceptive Kiyotaka is. Convincing her to keep the antiques and work for the money at the shop instead, the two form a master/student relationship as Aoi learns about antiques and new ways to look at the world.
The first thing that strikes about this show is just how pretty everything is. The soft focus and ambient lighting present an idealised worldview that borders on whimsey.
If the show has a flaw, it's that the first episode doesn't give much away. There's no real mystery to solve, bar the one Aoi brings with her, and showing off Kiyotaka's powers of deduction is fun, but played down to the point of almost (but not quite) being dull. Obviously we British types have seen lots of Holmesian homages, so it seemed a tad derivative to me.
But as with all things involving detection and clues, the skill is in the storytelling. These "first thoughts" pieces are always based on the first episode of a series, but with Holmes of Kyoto I really don't think it can be judged on this initial offering. It is "introductory" in every possible sense, and does a decent job of setting up the characters. However, what we really want are clever mysteries, and for those I think we really do need to see more.
With three episodes now online, my advice is to try episode two before coming to a decision. The possibility for a solid show is here, so I'll revisit Kiyotaka and Aoi later and give you an update.
Those looking for fast action, dramatic tension and epic battles may find themselves getting fidgety, but for fans of slow, considered storytelling, this one might just be for you. But unlike Holmes, just one look is certainly not enough for me to deliver an appraisal.
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