"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, Mr. HOLMES..." - [ MORIARTY THE PATRIOT ANIME REVIEW ]

 

    Sherlockians have always known the nemeses of Sherlock Holmes, we’ve read about him, met him in tv shows and movies. Each time we were at the edge of our sits as we got to know the man that could match Sherlock with wit and mind. The fight between good and evil started with them, the spy vs. spy as they chase one another until the final climax in, “The Final Problem.” Yet, we have a twist here in this new adaption, while the world of anime has always been opened.

    This one is for our Sherlockians that enjoy anime as well. You see this isn’t about the story of Sherlock Holmes and his brilliant mind, no it's far more intriguing than that. This is the story of Moriarty and his three brothers, Louis and Albert, their path is clear to them, a way to break down the nobles and lower class.

Review

    The opening “DYING WISH”, is performed by Tasuku Hatanaka, and can we say that the song fits so perfectly with the opening animation. While we have seen such wonder twist and turns during the opening, you can tell that it is showering each character of who they are. The split between the darkness of these characters and the light that is being overshadowed by them. 

    This isn’t just the story of Sherlock Holmes, no this leap off the ledge of an anime focuses solely on Moriarty and how he becomes a criminal consultant for those seeking revenge. Moriarty, as always, matches the intelligence and matching deduction skills of Sherlock. However, using those skills to burn the world and bring down the upper close down a peg from their mansions and high horses.

    William James Moriarty is an orphan adopted into nobility who wants to break the class divide and mete out justice against the rich for their treatment of lower classes. Class disparity is the main theme of Moriarty the Patriot. Early episodes have him helping lower class people enact revenge against the rich that “got away with it.” For example, he helps a tailor kill the nobleman who murdered children, including the tailor’s son, for sport.

    The immediate difference those familiar with the original Moriarty will notice about this version is his conversion into that of a bishounen. Professor Moriarty was far from handsome, caring about intellect over vanity. Holmes described him as hunched over, balding, and with sunken eyes. It is weird seeing Moriarty as a simpering pretty boy. The appearance change is of no importance to me. In fact, he looks as I would expect for an anime. His character matters. And this is where Moriarty is a pale imitation of his inspiration.

    In the backstory episode of him as a child orphan with his sickly brother, it tries to make him look smart and benevolent by giving advice on all sorts of things to commoners, but it comes across as forced and condescending for a kid. He’s a know-it-all that happens to know exactly everything to advise these stupid commoners. 

    The only bit that worked was him advising a group of bank robbers on dirt around the bank. The explanation is that he read a lot at the grand library. Firstly, an ability to riddle off a bunch of facts for “life hacks” isn’t a sign a genius (and has nothing to do with what made the original Moriarty a smart villain). Second, the Victorian lower class weren’t dumb. It’s up there with the myth that medieval peasants never bathed. Moriarty the Patriot needs everyone else to look like idiots so that Moriarty can prove his “genius”.

    Also, while knowing the data helps with horse racing betting, it isn’t as sure as he makes it out to be. If you could win 80% of the time…just think for a second.

    As an adult, they tone down the know-it-all aspect of Moriarty, yet we never witness an instance of actual genius from him. Original Moriarty avoided getting his hands dirty and preferred eliminating people through “accidents.” He was a schemer, not a hitman. Holmes described him as a spider at the centre of a web. This iteration is so unlike the original in appearance, personality, motivation, and methods that I don’t know why they called him Moriarty (commercial familiarity aside). If he weren’t called Moriarty but this were still a Holmesian story, I would never guess who he is meant to be. His plans rely on stupid opponents.

    I have read the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes and seen a dozen different adaptations, some with greater departures from the source material than this yet still delivered. I would have to go back through the archives to be sure, but I’m confident Moriarty the Patriot is the weakest series to utilise the great detective that I have consumed.

    These stories of Moriarty’s life with his brothers show that even if we turn the other cheek, we might do it with a side of murder and blackmail. What a way to start a new beginning with some blood on their hands. While there would be no Moriarty without Sherlock swooping in to try and save the day. While we do see him coming in a bit later into the anime, we do see that cat and mouse play as the story continues on. 

    

    Again, we do see the retelling of Sherlock stories coming forward, that lovely arrogance and wit are still beautiful to watch. Oh, we know already how this will go as they cross paths many times during the anime, their devilish smirks when they believe they have gotten the better of the other.

        Oh, the games they play together, and yet, they can still put aside their grudges to team up and seek a bigger and eviler villain in the story. It can’t always be about those two, others have to push them to their limits to open the world up to the darkness that stirs in the shadow. Moriarty the Patriot is an anime that will keep you guessing on what they will do next, the schemes, and the mastermind behind them all. What a story that is being told!