Sherlock Hound | |
Japanese Blu-ray cover art | |
名探偵ホームズ (Meitantei Hōmuzu) | |
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Genre | |
Anime television series | |
Directed by |
|
Produced by | Yoshimitsu Takahashi |
Written by |
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Music by | Kentarō Haneda |
Studio | |
Licensed by | |
Original network | |
English network | |
Original run | 6 November 1984 – 21 May 1985 |
Episodes | 26 |
Anime film | |
Sherlock Hound: Blue Ruby Chapter and Treasure at the Bottom of the Ocean Chapter | |
Directed by | Hayao Miyazaki |
Written by | Sunao Katabuchi |
Studio | Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Released | 11 March 1984 |
Runtime | 46 minutes |
Anime film | |
Sherlock Hound: Mrs. Hudson The Hostage Chapter and Aerial Battle at the Strait of Dover Chapter | |
Directed by | Hayao Miyazaki |
Written by | Sunao Katabuchi |
Studio | Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Released | 2 August 1986 |
Runtime | 46 minutes |
Sherlock Hound (名探偵ホームズ, Meitantei Hōmuzu, lit. "Famous Detective Holmes"[1]) is an Italian-Japanese anime television series produced by RAI and Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Based on the character Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, almost all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic dogs.[1] The show featured regular appearances of Jules Verne-steampunk style technology, adding a 19th-century science-fiction atmosphere to the series. It consists of 26 episodes and aired between 1984 and 1985.
The series was a joint project between Japan's Tokyo Movie Shinsha and the Italian public broadcasting corporation RAI. Six episodes were directed by Hayao Miyazaki in 1981 until problems with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate led to a suspension in production.[2] By the time the issues were resolved Miyazaki had turned to other projects, and thus the remaining episodes were directed by Kyosuke Mikuriya. The show was finally aired in 1984. The same year a film version edited together of two of the episodes directed by Miyazaki ("The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" and "Treasure Under the Sea") was released alongside Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind in Japanese theaters, entitled Meitantei Hōmuzu Gekijouban. Another film, compiling "Mrs. Hudson is Taken Hostage" and "The White Cliffs of Dover" episodes was released in 1986 alongside Laputa: Castle in the Sky. Episode 12 of the series actually aired in the United States before it aired in Japan, as it was dubbed into English in 1982 (possibly commissioned by either TMS or RAI) and was broadcast on HBO in late 1983 under the title The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes.
Two pieces of theme music are used for the Japanese version: The opening theme is "Sora Kara Koboreta Story" (lit. "Story Spilled From the Sky") and the ending theme is "Thames Gawa no Dance" (lit. "Dance of the Thames River"), both performed by the Japanese duo, Da Capo. The series' international versions had a single piece of theme music for the opening and ending credits. The frequent soloists are Joe Farrell on soprano, tenor and alto saxophones and flute (in his final recording) and Milt Jackson on vibes. This English theme does not exist on the UK DVD's from Manga, instead instrumentals of both the Japanese opening and ending themes were used.
In 2002, Pioneer Entertainment released the series on DVD (Region 1, NTSC format). 6 volumes or 'Case Files' were released. Each disk was double sided with the Japanese version on one side and the English dubbed version on the other side.
On 1 February 2010, Manga Entertainment released the complete series on DVD (Region 2, PAL format) in the United Kingdom as a HMV exclusive set. It has since become available in other outlets. It only contains the English dubbed version. This release also lacks the episode title cards, though the episodes are listed on the DVD case and menus.
Discotek Media released the series in a complete, unabridged DVD box set with English and Japanese versions on September 30, 2014.[4]
On 21 November 2014, Bandai Visual released the restored complete series on Blu-ray (Region A, Japanese language only) in Japan as a 4-disc set.[5] On 30 July 2022 Discotek Media announced a Blu-ray release of the restored series for North American home video based on the Bandai HD transfer, including both the Japanese and English dubs, restored promo clips, and restored rare English dub of the pilot.[6]
Note: B = episode number by broadcast order, Y = episode number by YouTube order. The original air date listed is that of Japan, the first country to air the show.
B | Y | Title | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
01 | 11 | "The Four Signatures" "He's the Famous Detective" (彼がうわさの名探偵) | 6 November 1984 | |
Hound is returning to England, but while crossing the English Channel, the ship he's on is attacked by pirates who are after one of the passengers. With the aid of another passenger, Dr. John Watson, Hound attempts to save the day. | ||||
02 | 10 | "The Crown of Mazalin" "The Evil Genius, Professor Moriarty" (悪の天才モリアーティ教授) | 13 November 1984 | |
An aristocrat's son is the main suspect after a crown on loan from the Queen goes missing. Hound is asked to investigate, not knowing Professor Moriarty has been watching the location. | ||||
03 | 01 | "A Small Client" "Little Martha's Big Mystery!?" (小さなマーサの大事件!?) | 20 November 1984 | |
Hound suspects Professor Moriarty for the rising counterfeit money problem in London, but is unable to find any leads until a little girl comes asking Hound to help her find her father. | ||||
04 | 05 | "Mrs. Hudson is Taken Hostage" "The Mrs. Hudson Kidnapping Case" (ミセス·ハドソン人質事件) | 27 November 1984 | |
Professor Moriarty thinks he has found a weakness in Hound, his land lady Mrs. Hudson, and so sets about kidnapping her, but things don't go as he planned. | ||||
05 | 02 | "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" "The Blue Ruby" (青い紅玉) | 4 December 1984 | |
A little girl named Polly pickpockets a gem Professor Moriarty has just stolen, and he is determined to stop at no end to get it back. He bag kidnaps Polly and demands to know where the gem is. It's up to Hound and Dr. Waston to rescue her. | ||||
06 | 08 | "The Green Balloon" "Solve the Mystery of the Green Balloon!" (緑の風船の謎をとけ!) | 11 December 1984 | |
A mysterious green balloon lands in Hound's backyard, with a message asking for help as the sender is being held prisoner on Dolphin Island. | ||||
07 | 07 | "A Sacred Image Disappears" "The Great Chase of the Little Detectives" (大追跡!ちびっこ探偵団) | 18 December 1984 | |
Moriarty succeeds in stealing a large gold statue, but Hound is able to track his escape, learning that Moriarty hid it somewhere by the docks, and must find it before Moriarty returns. | ||||
08 | 12 | "The Speckled Band" "The Speckled Band" (まだらのひも) | 8 January 1985 | |
A young girl returns to England after several years in America and finds her uncle is not quite who she remembers. | ||||
09 | 03 | "Treasure Under the Sea" "Treasures of the Seabed" (海底の財宝) | 15 January 1985 | |
The Royal Navy asks Hound and Watson to help them recover a submarine stolen by Professor Moriarty. | ||||
10 | 06 | "The White Cliffs of Dover" "The Air Battle Over Dover!" (ドーバー海峡の大空中戦!) | 22 January 1985 | |
Someone has been sabotaging England's new Air Mail postal service to Europe, and it's up to Hound, Watson and Mrs. Hudson to find out who. | ||||
11 | 04 | "The Sovereign Gold Coins" "The Targeted Giant Coin Bank" (ねらわれた巨大貯金箱) | 29 January 1985 | |
Sherlock Hound and Doctor Watson are asked to investigate the disappearance of twenty Sovereign Gold Coins from a specially constructed safe. | ||||
12 | 09 | "The Stormy Getaway" "The Professor's Big Failure in the Storm" (教授 嵐の大失敗!!) | 5 February 1985 | |
A large shipment of cash is being taken by carriage across the country, and due to sabotage the police are unable to escort the shipment, and so Hound is asked to shadow the shipment to ensure it arrives at its destination. | ||||
13 | 15 | "The Runaway Freight Car" "Missing Freight Car!? The Professor's Big Magic Trick" (貨車が消えた!? 教授の大魔術) | 12 February 1985 | |
A freight car in the middle of a passenger train disappears en route to London, and Hound must figure out how. | ||||
14 | 14 | "The Coral Lobsters" "Gourmet! The Coral Lobsters" (珍味!さんごのロブスター) | 19 February 1985 | |
Moriarty has stolen a collection of diamond-encrusted coral lobster carvings and it's up to Hound and Watson to track him down. | ||||
15 | 16 | "The Golden Statue of the Great Burglar" "Look! The Shining Thief" (見たか!ピカピカの大どろぼう) | 26 February 1985 | |
When a bank's entire collection of gold is stolen the same night a sculptor disappears, Moriarty becomes the first suspect when sketches of a gold statue in his likeness are found at the sculptor's house. | ||||
16 | 17 | "The Secret of the Sacred Cross Sword" "The Magic Castle! Holmes, Dead or Alive?" (魔城!ホームズ 生か死か?) | 5 March 1985 | |
Hound and Watson are invited to the first unveiling of "The Sacred Sword of the Wizards" in decades, but when the safe containing it is broken into and the sword isn't even touched, it's up to Hound to figure out why. | ||||
17 | 20 | "The Adventure of the Thames Monster" "The Monster of the Thames River" (テムズ川の怪物) | 12 March 1985 | |
A sea monster seems to be attacking ships on the River Thames and devouring them whole, and after a passenger goes missing in one of the attacks and no body can be found, Hound is called in to find him. | ||||
18 | 18 | "The Adventure of the Three Students" "Blundered Operation at Loch Ness!" (ネスコに散ったドジ作戦!) | 19 March 1985 | |
Hound must find three art students on holiday in London from France who have gone missing, while Inspector Lestrade tries to figure out why someone would steal artwork reproductions. | ||||
19 | 19 | "The Rosetta Stone" "The Soseki Kite Battle Over London!" (漱石·ロンドン凧合戦!) | 26 March 1985 | |
When the Rosetta Stone literally floats away from the British Museum, Hound wonders if it has to do with various countries' claims to the stone. | ||||
20 | 13 | "The White Silver Getaway!" "Chase the Airship White Silver!" (飛行船しろがね号を追え!) | 2 April 1985 | |
Moriarty and his gang manage to steal a shipment of gold, but Inspector Lestrade's investigation is making it difficult for the gang to get the gold out of London. Meanwhile, Hound and Watson investigates an odd break-in and robbery at a company making a new blimp. | ||||
21 | 24 | "The Disappearance of the Splendid Royal Horse" "Buzz Buzz! The Fly Fly Mecha Operation" (ブンブン!はえはえメカ作戦) | 9 April 1985 | |
There's a new thief in London, one that puts Moriarty to shame, and their next target appears to be the Queen's favorite horse. | ||||
22 | 25 | "Disturbance, The World Flight Championship!" "Grand Flight Championship of Chaos!?" (ハチャメチャ飛行機大レース!?) | 16 April 1985 | |
Moriarty enters a prestigious airplane race, with the intent of sabotaging his way into first place, including stealing parts from other entrants to make his plane the best. Mrs. Hudson, Hound and Watson enter the race in hopes of stopping him. | ||||
23 | 21 | "The Secret of the Parrot" "Game of Wits! Parrot vs Professor" (知恵くらべ!オウム対教授) | 23 April 1985 | |
When Moriarty goes to great lengths to steal a parrot off a train, Hound takes up the case to find out what's so special about this parrot. | ||||
24 | 23 | "The Bell of Big Ben" "Listen! The Tribute to Moriarty" (聞け!モリアーティ讃歌) | 7 May 1985 | |
Big Ben's bell has been burglarized, but bureaucrats beseech Hound to keep that bit buried while they search, so as to burke blemishing England's dignity. | ||||
25 | 22 | "The Priceless French Doll" "Chaos! The Doll Swap Case" (大混乱!人形すりかえ事件) | 14 May 1985 | |
Moriarty is after a large diamond, but after hiding it in a doll, he ends up with more than he bargained for. | ||||
26 | 26 | "The Missing Bride Affair" "Goodbye Holmes! The Last Case" (さよならホームズ!最後の事件) | 21 May 1985 | |
A bride vanishes moments before she is to walk down the aisle, and the couples' families come to Sherlock Hound for help, but when secrets from the bride's past come to light Hound has to weigh his options. |