Summary
Warning: This may contain spoilers for Undead Murder Farce, Episode 4, “The Headliner” now available to stream onCrunchyroll.
It’s safe to say thatUndead Murder Farcehas been quite the engrossing ride these past three weeks thanks to likable leads and directing that refuses to let go of the viewer’s attention. The first arc has been a textbook murder mystery that seems to have hit all the right notes and while its directing rarely seems to waver, perhaps it could have done a bit more.
Murder Farce’sfirst case has revolved around the Goddard family, a house of vampires who live peacefully alongside humans, who are mourning the murder of Hannah, the mother of the family. After Rindo, Shinuchi, and Shizuku arrive, they begin to suspect that the murderer was not an outsider, but someone who was inside the household, raising tensions considerably. Despite being relatively light on physical conflict, the past two episodes have moved at a brisk pace, keeping things exciting while never overwhelming the viewer with information. Alibis have been taken into consideration, theories have been posited, and a suspect was almost killed on the spot,but Rindo knows who the murderer is, and the so-called “farce” is coming to an end.
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The Seven Problems
At the end of Episode 2, the storytellers left audiences with a delightfully enticing cliffhanger: Rindo notices seven problems with the murder scene, yet she only shares five of them. By keeping the last two a secret, it implies that the detective has already figured out some crucial piece of the puzzle, enticing the viewer to catch up and figure out what they missed.
Whether a viewer is the type to keep a notepad close at hand or one content to be surprised by the detective’s deductions, the storytelling continues to be fun in a way that mysteries should. The red herrings, the aggressive suspects, the lack of alibis - every little detail matters, andthe way the solution to the mysteryhinges on time is incredibly clever.
For a large portion of the mystery, much of the evidence hinges upon particular details that conventional wisdom would lead an audience to believe are set in stone. Things like the murder weapon or the time frame are the foundation of the investigation but ifeitherof them turns out to be false, it necessitates rethinkingeverything.
This is what makes the solution to the murder so satisfying to watch unfold. The method behind it, which ties together so many conflicting details, is ingeniously conceived without feeling too outlandish. Additionally, the mythos behind the vampires plays into the suspicions of the one responsible.Only a vampire could have gotten close enough, but how would they have killed Hannah without harming themselves with the silver stake?
Taking the supernatural lore of these mythical species into account adds a new dimension to the mystery that only a story like this could provide. Blending the fantastical with a detective story is just the kind of fun mix that keeps a story exciting, and that blend is handled intelligently. All the while, tension is constantly building up as the perspective shifts to everyone in the room, carefully observing their behaviors.
Enter, The Headliner
As said in the previous feature, the way time passes watching this show is proof of how engaging it is. It’s hard to believe that the first half takes place in just one room. Even after the murder is revealed, most of the cast remains isolatedas Shinuchi battles with them. It’s a big payoff where the Oni Slayer gets to live up to his cage-fighting carnival attraction reputation.
With so much patient plotting dedicated to finding the killer, it’s easy to forget that depending on whom the culprit is, the detectives will be facing a supernatural hunter. This climax goes to accentuate the skills of the protagonists and how they close a case; Rindo unmasks a criminal, and if they resist with inhuman force, Shinuchi puts them down. It’s a shame that Shizuku feels somewhat underutilized.
When all is said and done, the mystery of Hannah Goddard’s murder is quite the brain teaser. The motive, method, and misdirects are all executed well, but there’s a sense that there was more that could have been done to connect to the members of the family. Perhaps a few more moments spent getting to know themmight have made the conclusion stronger.
It’s made clear why the murderer did it, but it might be hard to care because there was no real relationship with them. In the end, it feels like a case being closed, much like the assertive slam of a book being shut, yet it feels like there is a lack of emotional finality in this family’s story. On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine another episode being dedicated to this mystery without hindering pacing that is, honestly, almost perfect.
Undead Murder Farce’s first storyline was a technical delight, effortlesslyblending the mystery genre with the supernaturalto create something that’s hard not to get wrapped up in. The ending hints at a potential shift in the story, focusing on the hunt for the main antagonist, but here’s hoping the coming episodes don’t stop delivering unique stories like this along the way.
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