Yakushiji Ryouko no Kaiki Jikenbo

I am a big fan of mystery stories, particularly those with an esoteric or supernatural element. Unfortunately it's not a genre that seem's to produce a particularly large body of material. So when one comes across an enjoyable example of the genre it is cause for celebration. I have to say I really enjoyed this show, the titular character Ryoko Yakushiji is extremely well realised and is certainly one of the main draws for the show as I see it.

As a slight tangent I find that anime and manga adapted from novel's (light or otherwise) is often of superior quality. I imagine this is because ... the pre-existing material makes for an excellent frame around which to construct a suitable representation in another medium. However, wankery aside, this series is well worth a watch if you enjoy mysteries. Most of the cases are presented as one-off encounters. But as the series progresses the over-arching background plot is revealed and most of the plot threads from earlier episodes are fully resolved. The animation quality is also quite nice, perhaps not as stunning as some big budget shows but it’s certainly above the "average" standard of animation one see's. The series is also (regrettably) only thirteen episodes long, so it’s not a huge investment in time to check it out.

Unfortunately for those wanting more Ryoko neither the light novel's or the manga has been translated. It's actually surprising how few light novels’ get translated into English considering how big they appear to be in Japan. And it’s not as if they're something like visual novels (which would appear to be sales kryptonite to the average western consumer). There are some fan translation projects going for the bigger light novel series such as Shakugan no Shana. But to be honest reading said fan translations too often feel's like rubbing sandpaper across one's eyes. I suppose prose is much harder for fan translators than dialogue.

Ryuko is a tall elegant investigator for the Tokyo Police, with no hint of the profession in her demeanor. She has an excessive need to buy the latest clothes and stay one step ahead of her coworker Yukiko Muromachi. Her assistant, Junichiru Izumida is (to my amazement) patient with her impulses but utterly oblivious of her passive love for him. I thought this series could fit into the romantic genre, but then again, maybe not. The plot is slightly repetitive but since there are only 13 episodes it isn't drawn-out, making it a good watch. The comedy surrounding Ryuko and Izumida is catchy and at ... times priceless. Ryuko has two french maids that are cute and very capable of operating modern weaponry. (what more could you ask for?) The opening song Thème Principal by katsu has a jazzy 007 feeling to it that will no doubt have you snapping your fingers to the rhythm. I enjoyed watching this Anime and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a short basic action series, with a touch of comedy and romance.

A mystery anime starring Yakushiji Ryouko a rich lawyer and her assistant.The two of them face some very mysterious cases on daily basis and with her strong attitude plus her assistant's help also they manage to solve every single one of them.

I like how though the storyline is simple,it manages to keep you watching it through the effort they put to solve these unnatural cases.Lively art plus realistic are some of the great parts of this anime.It also shows you how two totally different characters,a sparkling beautiful and powerful woman and a calm shy but strong man,can understand each and help each other flawlessly.