Shoushimin Series

I was never planning to write a review for this series, and at the very least not until it had finished. I don't understand the critism being thrown at Shoushimin Series; it's unique, has fantastic characters and can convey exactly what it needs to in the span of an episode.

I write this at episode 3, with the fourth being delayed by a week. As of now, I can confidently say that the 2 main characters are good. I think they are a pleasure to watch with their quirky character dynamic and almost an underlying feeling of "something about this is strange". Kobato and Osanai strive ... to be "ordinary" which in itself leaves a mystery right there... why are they not already? They're not robots with no ability to make interesting conversation, or even a lack of personality. To the people I speak about this show with, we all find them genuinely interesting with obviously plenty to unravel about their character in the future.

The second main "problem" I see complaints about is the simple mysteries themselves. It's entirely subjective whether what is presented each episode interests you or not. However it's important to understand that this show currently does not strive to plot out a mystery to see who's going to blow up earth, but instead simple dilemmas that allow us to have a extremely fun way of seeing character dynamics and personalities with no speaking at all. Just because a whole episode was a mystery on how Kengo made his hot chocolate, does not make it worthless. We saw the thought process of each one allowing them to interact, and it showed the viewer that even such a stupid outcome as Kengo just being an idiot: you don't need a complicated murder story or straight out telling me what a character is like to have me understand what I need to understand, I can just be shown through fantastic story telling.

Are these stupid problems a good setup for a central theme and conflict? Well... yes. Who the fuck cares if you wanted the next Sherlock Holmes, that isn't the story we're telling. Shoushimin Series has just put out a 3rd episode and you're telling me this is objectively bad because well uhh... I said so. If you hate dialouge, move on. The likes of Monogatari have shown us that lengthty dialouge sequences like this can be fantastic story telling. There is life in this show and it's being thrown straight at you - you just can't read!

Most of all, if you already dislike the show you could atleast try to stop bashing what it's gone above and beyond on. A unique choice to go with a 21:9 ratio that pairs fantastically with the mood and atmosphere the show creates. Not just a great OP but an incredible ED, everything that just screams potentital is right here. So do me a favour, let it air. Give your opinion later.

The score below is not the one I would like to give just yet, but I have to until the show finishes airing and I can delete this review.

Based on the evidence, as of episode three , I am deducing that this will be my favourite anime of the season.
That the story revolves around solving mundane puzzles while a deep and compelling mystery builds around them is a good indicator of craftsmanship. Mix in characters whose motivations are themselves mysterious, who are clearly extremely talented detectives and yet so deliberately resisting their own genius and fighting the blatant call to adventure and I predict a solid story with rich pacing and delicious details throughout.
I love classic detective stories and loved Hyouka so ... I'm probably an ideal viewer but I highly recommend this to all lovers of subtle storytelling.

Shoushimin is pretty much in the same vein as Hyouka, so if you liked that series, you'll probably like this. Shoushimin is subtle in how it handles its characters and scenarios. Rather than having a major overarching driving plot that's obvious from the beginning, it takes an approach where each seemingly-disconnected mystery pushes things forward a little bit, telling us more about the characters, their circumstances, backstory, and where they're going from here. Hyouka does this too. What Shoushimin offers on the surface even if you're not really invested yet, is great sound, breathtaking cinematic visuals, and a relaxing pace that invites the viewer to ... be present in the moment and take it all in. Already, though, it's clear that there's more beneath the surface than what first appears, especially with regards to the main characters.

The biggest downside for me is that the main cast is much smaller, focusing almost entirely on the two main characters with very little development for the others so far, though that may change with time. The writing can also come off as a bit convoluted and heavy-handed sometimes, but in general I think it's alright.

So honestly, it makes no sense to me that this is getting so much hate. It's slow, yes, and I'd expect that the average anime viewer probably wouldn't be into this, it's just inherently a style that's not for everyone. But Hyouka was slow too, and took a good few episodes to feel like it was going anywhere meaningful, and Hyouka fans seem to be acting like this is somehow different. I'll join the other Shoushimin believers in saying give it time, currently we're only 5 episodes in and IMO it took around that long for Hyouka to click too. And I wouldn't be concerned about the fact that it's only 10 episodes, it adapts two novels so the pace is basically the same as Hyouka, and if it catches on, I imagine there's a chance the rest will be adapted in the future.