Yuukoku no Moriarty

During the late 19th century, Great Britain has become the greatest empire the world has ever known. Hidden within its success, the nation's rigid economic hierarchy dictates the value of one's life solely on status and wealth. To no surprise, the system favors the aristocracy at the top and renders it impossible for the working class to ascend the ranks.

William James Moriarty, the second son of the Moriarty household, lives as a regular noble while also being a consultant for the common folk to give them a hand and solve their problems. However, deep inside him lies a desire to destroy the current structure that dominates British society and those who benefit from it.

Alongside his brothers Albert and Louis, William will do anything it takes to change the filthy world he lives in—even if blood must be spilled.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

James Moriarty, William Main

Saitou, Souma Japanese

Holmes, Sherlock Main

Furukawa, Makoto Japanese

James Moriarty, Albert Main

Satou, Takuya Japanese

James Moriarty, Louis Main

Kobayashi, Chiaki Japanese

Moran, Sebastian Supporting

Hino, Satoshi Japanese

Porlock, Fred Supporting

Uemura, Yuuto Japanese

Watson, John H. Supporting

Ono, Yuuki Japanese

Holmes, Mycroft Supporting

Yasumoto, Hiroki Japanese

Ms. Hudson Supporting

Asumi, Kana Japanese

Inspector Lestrade Supporting

Komatsu, Fuminori Japanese

Sabat, Christopher Producer

Cook, Justin Producer

Maeda, Toshihiro Producer

Morihiro, Fumi Producer

Reviews

Aug 15, 2024

Will2miNB

Recommended

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 ... but also a man with a clear vision: to destroy the British aristocracy, which has built its power and wealth on the oppression of the weak. The anime delves deeply into the moral complexities of right and wrong, showing how justice, in Moriarty's hands, becomes a double-edged sword, justifying extreme acts in the name of a greater good.

The characters in Moriarty the Patriot are deeply developed, each with personal motivations that make them memorable. Moriarty is not merely a criminal; he is a man driven by profound empathy for the oppressed, making him both a fascinating and tragic figure. His accomplices, including his brothers and various reimagined historical figures, add further depth to the plot, creating a web of alliances and conflicts that captivate the viewer.

Visually, the anime is a treat for the eyes, with a meticulously crafted Victorian setting that reflects the dark and oppressive atmosphere of an era dominated by social disparity. The animation in the action scenes is fluid and well-choreographed, maintaining the narrative tension at a high level.

A particularly notable aspect is how the anime balances the psychological introspection of the characters with the tension of their criminal endeavors. Their internal struggles and the difficult decisions they face make the story compelling, without ever becoming predictable. Each episode offers a continuous reflection on the themes of justice, morality, and sacrifice, prompting the viewer to question the true cost of vengeance.

In conclusion, Moriarty the Patriot is a work that not only reinvents an iconic character but does so with such depth and care that it becomes a must-watch for those who love intricate and morally ambiguous stories. It’s an experience that challenges expectations, offering a fresh perspective on what it truly means to be a "villain."

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Sep 26, 2024

Curlybrace101

Mixed Feelings

If there's one thing I dislike the most in fiction it is when something pretends to be much deeper than it actually is.

Moriarty the Patriot is about vigilante justice cleansing the streets of Britain (hence the patriotism) of those filthy nobles who abuse the lower class. The problem is that its criticism of the classism in the Victorian era is extremely shallow. It's very skin deep the way it just says nobles are bad and the poor are good without any sense of nuance or examining how this system came to be, how it stays in place, or how precisely it works---and certainly not the ... way to go about effectively dismantling it.

Any criticism of the class system boils down to "it's bad because they exploit people" and the conclusion drawn is to kill people who do that.

Obviously murder is wrong and running around killing nobles is not going to abolish the nobility. It simply does not work that way. You and I both know this. I don't think Moriarty the Patriot knows this, though.

Okay, I'm being a bit unfair here. I doubt the author of the manga actually supports murder, and I can see the argument that we aren't supposed to agree with Moriarty's serial killing because he is a villain protagonist. However, with his character being so clearly designed to be ogled by the women in the audience and the way his core values are propped up as correct, it's difficult to tell if I am actually supposed to disagree with the way he executes these values.

I love a good villain protagonist, but if their reasoning and way of thinking isn't complicated and nuanced, nor are they looked down upon by the narrative for the reasons they are wrong, then what's the point?

Also, for being a cat-and-mouse detective game, the rival character isn't introduced until episode six. There are actually 24 episodes in season one total, but I still find to be much too late. Someone can drop this due to the three episode rule without knowing this is meant to be about psychological warfare and the inherent eroticism of chasing another man.

And the rival I am talking about is, of course, Sherlock Holmes, and as a literature student and long-time fan of the detective genre, I must say I really don't understand why this is an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. While Holmes and his companions are true to form (if meant to be "new" and sexy, which I'm not a fan of), this incarnation of Moriarty (who is, again, the main character) has essentially nothing in common with his literary original. He feels more like an original character if anything. Remove the name Moriarty and you're unaware this is meant to retell stories from the Holmes canon until episode eight.

The show is very well made and engaging to watch (I can't say I was ever bored) but it's the anime equivalent of a pastry: it's beautiful, well-made, and tasty, but it's just empty calories.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Feb 10, 2021

Dogkid

Not Recommended

Time and time again Sherlock Holmes has been re-imagined, re-invented, modernised and so on. But often times, when set in the particular historical period the original novel is set, people forget the effects of the time period small intricacies.
(as well as read and pay attention to the source material, but then again Sherlock name sells, seen by how much people venerate this anime lol)

Moriarty is a incredibly interesting character in the novels, however he was not given a lot of focus.

Here the anime had a chance to explore his character and...well choose to play the "Noble bad, poor good" card as his motivation. ... Which frankly for a character such as Moriarty is lacking(as in not strong enough for him to trouble himself).
He's a genius like Sherlock, so he must have an even stronger motivation to push him to be the 'Napoleon of Crime'. Even if he did want to change the situation of the lower classes, crime is the least favourable thing, as often it hurts more those of which that do not have the means to defend themselves.

The characters look great in the show, I do like their design but they lack strong motivators to follow Moriarty so blindly.
The villains are often so dumb and easy to control that Moriarty is just a genius because he is surrounded by idiots.

They butchered Sherlock's character too, I won't get into detail but it's worth seeing (he looks good but meh much too easily played by Moriarty).

Fandom for this is often only simping for the looks of the show rather than the content, people aren't thinking too much about how some of the 'logic' is often very questionable.

P.S. On Ep 8 - Police constables hats have Queen Elizabeth II's initials not Victoria's (and that's priceless aha)

I've watched and found it a very ok show, definitely not the best of the best but good when there wasn't anything else too thrilling to watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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	Poll: Yuukoku no Moriarty Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Nov 15, 2020	81 replies	by 3miL »» Nov 20, 4:28 AM
	Poll: Yuukoku no Moriarty Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Nov 8, 2020	96 replies	by 3miL »» Nov 20, 4:05 AM
	Which of the original Holmes stories did this show adapt? Curlybrace101 - Sep 24	2 replies	by TheSoundOfQin »» Sep 25, 9:07 AM
	Poll: Yuukoku no Moriarty Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Stark700 - Oct 25, 2020	120 replies	by RaizelSandress »» Sep 17, 10:42 AM
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