Review of Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions
Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions is a fun show. That's mostly what it is. It's not a masterpiece, and doesn't need to be. If one watches it with the expectation of witnessing mind-blowing mysteries, they will be sorely disappointed. Most of the mysteries in this season seem rather predictable, but some end up having a certain twist, all of which are both believable and realistic. However, that is but one part of the show. Isshiki and Ron are two sides of the same coin : they are plagued by loneliness. The difference between them is that, while Isshiki mixes well with his colleagues and is mostly cast asideby superiors for his lack of skill, Ron lives life as a recluse due to his past with sleuthing.
Ron is basically an eccentric Sherlock Holmes... so he's basically Sherlock Holmes (he turns out to be a descendant of both Holmes and Moriarty so that's something). He goes about sleuthing with his own twist : he wishes to "avenge" the dead. He seemingly converses with the corpse, goes over everything that could have happened, and then it suddenly all seems to click together in a satisfying manner. It makes the viewer think, but also guides those who switch their brain off through the mystery.
Most mysteries are covered in an episode or two, and that helps the series as it makes it incredibly well paced. Most main characters have their own personalities, and feel like actual characters rather than gimmicks made for comedic purpose. On that note, most of the comedy feels natural and is actually funny. Jokes are mostly non-repetitive, and are almost never forced.
The compelling parts of the story are not massively explored : we don't know much from Ron's past apart from the Bloody Training Incident and the House of M is not prevalent in this season. However, the show focuses more on its existing characters, makes them build friendships and business relations, rather than rapidly expanding its cast in its overflowing ambition.
The art in this show is not too different from the standard. While great, it is quite similar to other art styles of most other shows. What it absolutely is, is polished. Most scenes are really well animated, and the character designs themselves are somewhat innovative. Sometimes, the music is standard. Other times, it is absolutely stunning, especially the violin sequences. Above all, music complements the scenes rather than making them. While not something that appeals to everyone, the season does what it sets out to do, and does it extremely well.