Here it is! My favorite anime of 2020. It's been a rough year, but we finally got a genuinely good anime that's not Interspecies Reviewers! This is something I can actually recommend to my offline friends and they won't just laugh awkwardly and say, "Um...Really dude?".
Moriarty the Patriot is both a surprisingly faithful Sherlock Holmes adaptation and puts a new spin on familiar characters at the same time. Sherlock Holmes and Watson besides looking weirdly bishounen act exactly like they do in the books. A lot of dialogue is lifted directly from the source stories. All the minor supporting cast from Ms. Hudson, Lestrade,
...
the Baker Stree Irregulars, are all portrayed very accurately. As you could guess from the title, the character that they changed the most is Professor James Moriarty. In this series he is still a cold, calculating, master criminal. He's still a math professor by day who moonlights as a criminal consultant that orchestrates crimes from behind the scenes. However, his motivations are different. Moriarty grew up homeless and starving with a sick younger brother he had to care for. He holds a deep anger and resentment towards the British aristocracy and especially those that believe themselves above the law due to their social status. Moriarty wishes to help the poor and downtrodden gain revenge on nobles that have deeply wronged them but can't be punished because they own the courts. Moriarty's ultimate goal is to bring about radical, revolutionary change that will dismantle the strict caste system of Victorian England.
So basically this is an anime that combines the cat and mouse games of Death Note with the class struggle of Rose of Versailles, topped off with a generous helping of EDGE. This is a pretty damn violent and brutal anime, although it calms down a little after the first 4 episodes. At one point, Moriarty convinces a rich kid to murder his snobby little brother in cold blood, then kill his parents for being assholes towards the servants. In the beginning portion, Moriarty got to the brink of going full Elfen Lied, but the show wisely backed off a bit. I'm glad the director or whoever read the room and realized it's not 2004. I'm also glad that the show remembered that Moriarty is still the villain despite ultimately good motives and also refrained from demonizing Holmes and Watson to try make us cheer for Moriarty easier.
People will quickly compare this version of Moriarty to Light Yagami, but I will actually go on record saying this Moriarty is vastly superior to his bishounen prototype Light. For one thing, Moriarty genuinely cares about his younger brother and isn't purely a selfish, evil asshole with a God complex. It also helps that Moriarty's worldview and goals make a LOT more sense than Light's.
Let's look at 1880s England when this story takes place. According to historians, over 25% of the population lived in dire poverty and this percentage was even higher in London. Over half the population was hungry and didn't have enough food to eat. The wealthy benefited from the blatantly exploitative East India Trading Company and British South Africa Company, but how much of this wealth trickled down to the average Briton? Not enough. From 1873 to 1896, Great Britain suffered from a 23 year Great Depression! Unemployment and crime were absolutely rampant. The wealthy lived in 3 story, 100 room manors in the countryside while the majority lived in squalid apartments dying of cholera and tuberculosis. If those 2 didn't kill you, the air pollution would certainly finish you off. There is a reason that Charles Dickens became the national author and voice of the people during this time. For the majority, living in England REALLY sucked in the 1800s. Moriarty's anger at this societal injustice makes perfect sense in context. Was he justified in murdering a small child who was only trying to copy his snooty mother? Of course not! James Moriarty is not a nice man. However, he's an interesting and compelling villain.
Now let's look at our boy Light. It's 2000s Japan and crime has never been lower. Japan is one of the most peaceful countries in the world. Wealth per capita isn't quite at America's level, but Japan is a genuinely great place to live. Light's crusade to establish a paradise by killing bad people makes very little sense. Even Moriarty realizes that just killing a few bad people won't fix England. Moriarty wants to expose the crimes these nobles committed after the police investigate the deaths and hope these exposed crimes lead to a social revolution among British voters. Light is an idiot's idea of a genius. Nobody with an IQ over 100 would ever believe that a magic book could solve the world's problems by killing a select few bad people. Let's look at a country that actually has problems such as Afghanistan. 20 percent of the people know how to read and only 5 percent can read an international language like English. Maybe 1 percent have computer savvy and can code. Overpopulation is putting immense strain on aging infrastructure. Corruption is a societal wide problem at every level. The leading job is making opium and having to grease the palms of violent warlords who want a large cut of your opium profits. Religious extremism has brewed to insane levels. Even if religion was removed entirely, the country's largest ethnic group, the Pashtun, want independence to establish their own state. They utterly despise every other ethnic group in the country, to the point that the majority are very happy to support the Taliban so long as a Pashtun state will result. If you think Afghanistan could be made a paradise by killing 5 people, 50 people, 500 people, or even 5,000 people then you're a complete idiot. So in summary, Moriarty is a believable and interesting villain, unlike Light.
The animation is done by Production I.G. who also made Vinland Saga, my favorite anime from last year. Those guys are on a role! The animation and character art are honestly pretty damn great! I never found the CG distracting and most of the time I never even noticed it at all. It's depressingly quite rare when I can say that about an anime made in the last 5 years!
The OP is cheesy as hell, but the soundtrack largely does its job. It's not a standout, amazing OST but it also never distracts the audience away from the action. It's perfectly serviceable.
The series direction was handled by Kazuya Nomura, whom I previously have praised for his work on "Run with the Wind" just last year. This guy is a solid director and I will be looking forward to his future projects including of course the Moriarty sequel!
Overall, this is a really fun anime! If you're big fan of Sherlock Holmes, you absolutely can't afford to miss this one. Even if you don't like Sherlock Holmes, I would still probably check it out. I was very worried after the first few episodes. I thought this series was going to land right on its neck, but it surprised me and absolutely stuck the landing! Nearly everything about this series was well executed in addition to being highly amusing each and every week for the last 11 weeks! Anime of the Year. Check it out!
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Moriarty's Patriotism
Japanese: 憂国のモリアーティ
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
11
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Oct 11, 2020 to Dec 20, 2020
Premiered:
Fall 2020
Broadcast:
Sundays at 23:53 (JST)
Producers:
Mainichi Broadcasting System, Shueisha, Yomiuri TV Enterprise, Bandai Namco Arts, Bandai Spirits
Licensors:
Funimation
Studios:
Production I.G
Source:
Manga
Demographic:
Shounen
Duration:
23 min. per ep.
Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
Statistics
Ranked:
#4362
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#524
Members:
458,492
Favorites:
7,804
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 68 / 108
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Your Feelings Categories Dec 20, 2020
Here it is! My favorite anime of 2020. It's been a rough year, but we finally got a genuinely good anime that's not Interspecies Reviewers! This is something I can actually recommend to my offline friends and they won't just laugh awkwardly and say, "Um...Really dude?".
Moriarty the Patriot is both a surprisingly faithful Sherlock Holmes adaptation and puts a new spin on familiar characters at the same time. Sherlock Holmes and Watson besides looking weirdly bishounen act exactly like they do in the books. A lot of dialogue is lifted directly from the source stories. All the minor supporting cast from Ms. Hudson, Lestrade, ... Nov 1, 2020
Moriarty the Patriot is an anime that focuses on the class disparity during the days of the British Empire. This show focuses on the antagonist of Sherlock Holmes and tells the story from his point of view. I liked this show because of the brilliant soundtrack, artful cinematography, creative characters, and use of juxtaposition to convey a flawed sense of justice.
This anime has an banger soundtrack. Both the OP and ED should not be skipped. The OSTs that play during tense moments really add to the creepy vibe, especially when William is about to do something terrible. It is great that this show does ... Nov 1, 2020
Forgiveness is overrated. You have the big bad villain that killed the whole town, wanted the world turn into darkness and fucked the protagonists wife and the protagonist doesn't kill villain because "that would make him just as bad as him". And everyone is fine after it all and go on to get some mcdonalds or something. It is boring to see a peaceful end to everything. That's why I am happy Yuukoku no Moriarty exists.
The anime is an adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes story we all know, but this time it focuses on the antagonist. James Moriarty is a professor in good ol' ... Dec 20, 2020
Anyone who is familiar with mystery and detective stories probably heard of the name ‘Sherlock Holmes’. However, how many are familiar with his future nemesis, William James Moriarty. An anti-hero. A mischievous mastermind. A cunning strategist. A living psychological weapon. Those are just a few ways to describe such a person.
Welcome to a world where crime, corruption, and class system dominates the society. Watching Yuukoku no Moriarty feels like an old school mystery thriller with the good and bad folks. In their society, what separates from those that are drunk with power and those who seek to make the world a better place? It’s a ... Nov 1, 2020
Moriarty the Patriot is a breath of fresh air and is truly a hidden gem.
Those of you who have read/watched Sherlock Holmes will be familiar with who Moriarty is and if you haven't then you will get to know about him while watching this show. So what is Moriarty the Patriot about? Well it's about Moriarty and his "perfect crimes". From the first episode we are given a hint at Moriarty's character and true intentions and if I'm being honest Moriarty reminds me of Lelouch, the way he has been portrayed is very similar to that of Lelouch. SPOILERS WILL START FROM HERE. Story - 8 Moriarty till now ... Dec 19, 2020
Even when you think that there’s nothing worth it during a season, you find animes like Yuukoku no Moriarty to contradict you.
Class differences. A concept that is old but that does not stop being an instaured matter nowadays; less harsher today, but still present. Despite this idea is a classic one, I really enjoy watching this controversial topic, and even more when is well managed. And what I like even more about Yuukoku no Moriarty is the way the main characters are not politically correct. They are not the perfect elite guys that sow justice and that fight for the poverty’s rights. No, they take ... Dec 20, 2020
{From the perspective of someone who has never read the Holmes’ series}
“Catch me if you can Mr. Holmes” - William James Moriarty Unless you’ve been asleep during English class as I have or just have been living under a rock (again like me), you’ve definitely heard of Sherlock Holmes. But in case you actually don’t know who or what Sherlock Holmes is, “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” is a collection of twelve short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle published in 1892 featuring the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes trying to correct social injustices by offering a new, fairer sense of justice, all written in the first-person narrative ... Dec 29, 2020
PLS READ IF WILLING TO WATCH THIS OR JUST TO CONSIDER MY REVIEW! ✓✓✓ (SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD)
Firstly i just want to asseverate how much i adored this anime. It verily fulfilled my expectations and ended in a nice cliff-hanger. Now let us get to the details, EP 1 firmly opens up and gives us a worrying case where there might be a lunatic who is infatuated to torment little children, lurking around. This rumour spreads and we are introduced to the main characters, James Moriarty William and his brother. Right after his introduction, I immediately knew that Moriarty was someone of high status and prestige, ... Nov 1, 2020
If you like dark humour and a good psychological thriller, this may be your kind of anime
Coming to this series, I thought it would be another generic Sherlock Holmes knock off that would portray Professor Moriarty as another horrible villain and Sherlock Holmes as the all good, embodiment of god with an otherworldly intellect. When I did watch it I was happy to see the change in pace, portraying Moriarty as a sympathetic villain with a point of view most people would actually be for. The beginning is dark, gritty and perfectly sets the tone for the anime. The OP is amazingly animated and the ... Dec 20, 2020
Sherlock Holmes. One of literature’s most iconic characters. Whenever people think detective, one of the first things people will think about is Sherlock Holmes. The man has just been integrated into our popular culture and will most likely never fade from memory. Yet, I have never really gotten into Sherlock Holmes material and adaptations with the exception of BBC’s Sherlock (Because come on, that show was brilliant). Of course this time last year, we had an anime adaptation of Sherlock Holmes called Kabukichou Sherlock. I watched 3 episodes, got bored, dropped it and never looked back. Now a year later, we have a new adaptation
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Dec 20, 2020
Perhaps I might be biased on the topic of this particular anime, since I have grown up with the stories of Sherlock Holmes and I've always made it a priority to check out every type of adaptation I would encounter. That was the exact reason why Yuukoku No Moriarty caught my attention - i hope my affliction with the franchise could make for my opinion to be considered valid.
As it turns out, I found myself not disappointed at all after finishing the first season; the interpretation of the characters was one I have never seen before which allowed me to feel a very different type ... Dec 20, 2020
I thought talentless nana is ending today , turns out it was the first cour of Moriarty the patriot is the one actually ending , so i decided to do a small review about it .
Story 8/10 - Its a psychological shonen set in Victorian era England with crime drama elements in it where we follow in the first half moriarty a genius mathematician who calls himself a crime consultant , along with his siblings he is trying to change the social class system through crimes and manipulation . Its a solid story and my coup of tea , but similar to other shows with ... Nov 12, 2020
Of all the anime this season Moriarty the Patriot is without a doubt the most underrated, and is a must watch if you have any interest in mystery anime or Sherlock. I was a bit unsure of how this anime would turn out when I first heard of it as there are few Sherlock anime that are worth watching. Moriarty the Patriot is different from all of those in that it doesn't focus on Sherlock, but on his nemesis Moriarty.
Story: 10 The story focuses a lot on building Moriarty's character, and how he plots to make the world a better place one death at a ... May 22, 2021
Who doesn't like to watch good old Sherlock Holmes solving crimes with his unmatched intellect. There wasn't anyone who could have escaped from the hands of sherlock holmes. But there was a person who was trouble for even Sherlock Holmes, i.e, James Moriarty. This is the story about that man and what he did in his life.
To be honest it wasn't what i expected it to be. If you have watched Sherlock Holmes starring Benedict Cumberbatch or even the movies starring Robert D. jr then there's a high probability that you won't find this interesting. If you’re a die-hard fan of the classic literature of Sherlock ... Aug 15, 2024
Moriarty the Patriot is an anime that masterfully reinterprets the iconic figure of James Moriarty, famously known as Sherlock Holmes' archenemy. The series stands out for its ability to transform a character traditionally viewed as evil into a complex antihero with a clear mission: to overthrow a corrupt and unjust social system. Throughout the narrative, we are presented with the story from the perspective of this ultimate antihero, the one London doesn’t know it needs and, in many ways, doesn’t deserve.
At the heart of the story lies the theme of justice and revenge. James Moriarty, a brilliant mathematics professor, is not only a criminal mastermind ... Dec 20, 2020
I generally enjoyed many aspects of the show, but in fairness I have to point out a few problems that are holding it back and many people seem to have missed or overlooked.
1) The evil nobles are extremely evil and in a very obvious way. 2) The schemes and plots sometimes rely on predicting other characters' actions to a completely unrealistic degree. And the characters can perform impossibly accurate deductions based on very flimsy evidence. 3) Too episodic, though this improves later on. Let's go through these one by one. 1) The evil nobles are extremely evil, and the show makes sure that you are aware of it. They ... Dec 31, 2020
I'll start this with something no one has pointed out: The title.
"Patriotism" can be written in two ways: "Aikoku" (愛国: Love for one's country) and "Yuukoku"(憂国:concern for one's country future); what means the title con be understood as "Moriarty's concern for his country"... I know is a futile detail, but it basically tells us the whole tone of the story ahead. Specially since we have now 3 James Moriatys in the story... --- After this, this anime is pure premise… I like it, but exactly for the opposite objective of it: The story of Yuukoku no Moriarty is meant to show us the story of how James Moriaty became ... Dec 20, 2020
As a fan of Sherlock Holmes I was really excited to know about this anime, and I'm sure that everyone know the basics of Sherlock Holmes, BUTTTT this story is about Moriarty or at least the beginning, then it shifts toward Sherlock to end in a sweat place between the both of them, and it was done brilliantly.
The crimes and the smart people stuff you would expect to be in a Sherlock story is there here, and its not like solving the crime and discovering who did it is everything no no no, the story goes deeper, from Moriarty-sama's goal who would break ... Feb 10, 2021
"Crime is not the end; it is the means, Moran."
- William James Moriarty This anime could be taken politically. It could be interpreted as a question of universalism. Is it moral to erase a crime with another crime? Is vengeance the only way to clear the emptiness after losing someone dear to you? Will killing help the grief of the killed? This story is a spin-off of the famous Sherlock Holmes. However, the story sets off from the perspective of William James Moriarity, a genius of crime. Instead of the classic detective concept of showing the crime and then the process of solving it, "Moriarty the Patriot" does not do ... Dec 13, 2020
I'm really into Sherlock Holmes and I have to say that I was so excited with the whole mystery vibe. I don't know how to express my emotions so don't be harsh on me. It was enjoyable but it's not perfect, waiting for season 2. Here's my opinion on the anime.
Story 8/10 I like the story but could've been better from my point of view Animation 9/10 I really can't say anything bad about it, it's nice to look at. Sound 10/10 Fits really well with the whole mystery vibe, especially the op, and the voice acting is on par. ... |