Kindaichi Case Files: A Lament

July 12, 2008

What I’ve been dreading has finally become official: Kindaichi Case Files has been canceled.  As part of Tokyopop’s slashing, the January 2009 solicitation of volume 18, Burial Francs, is on the list.  I was hoping against hope that this title would some how survive, since it was one of the few good titles Tokyopop had to offer.  Even though it’s a shonen title, it’s mysteries could keep an adult guessing.  Engaging characters and intriguing mysteries made this a series a must for mystery aficionados.

Even though I love mysteries, I didn’t pick up Kindaichi immediately.  Wanna know why?  Because Tokyopop can’t market a title properly to save their life!  When this series first came out, they advertised it as a Japanese “Scooby Doo”, emphasizing the supernatural parts over the mystery.  That was a failure on so many levels.  Kids looking for short, quick mysteries with goofy characters would be disappointed, and people looking for a good murder mystery series (like me) would avoid it like the plague.  I’m not quite sure what made me pick up the series.  I think I just kept seeing it in our local Waldens Books, and finally gave it a real look over.  I bought the first volume and was sold!  If this title had been marketed as a proper mystery series, and/or put closer to the mystery section, it could have had a chance of selling.  But that’s not Tokyopop’s way of marketing it seems.  They seem to prefer the “throw it at the wall, and see what sticks” method, which is probably why they are in the position they are in today.

So, Kindaichi, I must bid you a fond farewell.  I loved following you on your many adventures with Miyuki and Detective Kenmochi.  I’ll miss your lecherous, yet foiled ways, and your swearing by your grandfather’s name to solve the mystery.  Reading your adventures was like getting together with old friends, as I had come to know you all so well.  I am glad to have been able to know you even for the short time we’ve shared.  I will miss you and your 10 remaining volumes.  Perhaps we can meet again, if I ever learn to read Japanese.

Or ever better.  Kodancha USA picks you up.  (Please, Please PLEASE!!  ONEGAI!!!!)

10 Comments

  • Anna July 12, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    It is always too bad when a series you like gets canceled. I was dreading hearing that Queen’s Knight was canceled and it is one of the series that got the axe along with Kindaichi.

  • Lori Henderson July 13, 2008 at 2:31 am

    I feel for your loss. Kindaichi was the only real murder mystery series available in manga. I don’t consider Case Closed/Detective Conan to be in the same category. It’s like, Kindaichi was Sherlock Holmes, and Conan is Encyclopedia Brown. And Kindaichi didn’t have to change any names to fit in with an anime. I’m really going to miss my bi-annual mysteries. 🙁

  • jun July 14, 2008 at 4:56 am

    According to a Tokyopop rep (Peter Ahlstrom, I believe) writing on the Anime on DVD forums, the original plan was to condense Kindaichi’s original 28 volumes into 20 volumes for American release. I’d link to the thread but it looks like their site is having issues at the moment.

    The originals had cases spanning over volumes, but Tokyopop kept the chapters pertaining to one case together to result in releases that could function as stand-alone mysteries.

    What this boils down to is that there were 3 volumes remaining with Tokyopop’s release plan, and not 10. So, we did get most of it, though I agree it sucks that it got canceled and send my “Onegai!” vibes Kodansha’s way.

  • Lori Henderson July 14, 2008 at 5:48 am

    I’d certainly like to see that link if you can. According to Tokyopop’s page for Kindaichi, there are greyed out links for up to 27 volumes. It was my understanding that they were combining cases so we got one complete one per volume.

  • jun July 14, 2008 at 6:18 am

    Here is the link to a thread where I asked about this a year ago. Unfortunately, the link within this thread that goes back to the original doesn’t seem to be functioning.

  • jun July 14, 2008 at 11:33 am

    Ah, found it!

    This is the original post by Peter Ahlstrom.

  • Lori Henderson July 16, 2008 at 10:03 pm

    Thanks for that link! I found another one on the TP forums that explains things a little better. But I’m glad we at least got most of the first series.

  • jun July 18, 2008 at 9:07 am

    Yeah, that link is more clear. And at least with the way they structured things, we’re not left on a cliffhanger.

  • NekoNeko January 23, 2009 at 9:25 am

    I’m so sad to read this! It was so wonderful getting a series that wasn’t “OMFG!! KAWAII DESU DESU” or “I’m going to collect them all and keep this going for millions of volumes that all have the same plot” or other stereotypical manga series that Tokyopop seems to be churning out in the bucketloads. Someone tell me the justification in having that crap keep getting put out when good series like Kindaichi get axed? If they’d marketed it properly from the beginning the series would have sold well. Hell, similar series are finding good fanbases over here. I really think if they’d remarket it properly they’d find that there’s a lot of people who would buy it. They’d also discover that there’s a large base of 20+ year olds who don’t want to read the teenybopper boy & girl manga out there & want something good to read that’s not the half-hearted american stuff they put out.

  • Sara September 27, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    I love Kindaichi Case Files and for it to be cancled is horrible. I can’t believe that they would cancel it. It made me really mad and i was waiting for the other series to come but they didn’t. I want the series back because i really dont like the other animes.Kindacichi is really a nice anime and I want to read the other series. I hope the they change there mind.

Leave a Reply to Lori Henderson Cancel reply