GOD DAMN IT, BOTH KAKURIYO AND KYOTO HOLMES ARE KILLING ME TODAY. I CAN’T HANDLE ALL THE FEELS. DON’T MESS WITH MY FEELINGS LIKE THAT DAMN IT!!!!
I must say, they really toyed with my heart this episode by ending it with Aoi holding back from confessing her feelings. She was so close to actually doing it, but ultimately decided it would be best to keep it to herself for the time being. And frankly, I don’t really blame her, especially since it’s clear (to us anyways) that while Holmes is definitely developing feelings for her, he is unable to recognize it. That’s why he doesn’t understand and was surprised by his own actions of hugging her without hesitation when she cried. Of course this wasn’t the first time he done so (though to be fair, it was Aoi who initiated it the first time), but considering how he was startled by his own actions, it just goes to show how he has become lot more conscious of his own behaviour in ways he wasn’t before. And it’s not just that, he has come to the point he now he has more reasons why he doesn’t want to see her cry, more reasons why he wants to comfort her, just as he was afraid that she might have hated him when he misunderstood her pulling her hand away after they briefly touched. What Holmes needs is time to come to terms with his feelings on his own, because they are certainly there!
The only thing I didn’t particularly like was how Ensho shifted his attention to Aoi. These are the dark turns I am not a fan of, and this series could have probably survived without it. But I suppose there was some purpose for it though, as Ensho flipped the ‘Creeper’ switch. It made me so uncomfortable with how he imitated Holmes’ voice, attacked Aoi by invading her space, grabbing her face, making dirty comments about her being a virgin, eventually lead us to the reveal that Aoi almost did it with her ex, but bailed out because she freaked out and wasn’t actually ready for it. But even then, I do question the whole purpose of this backstory even transpiring in the first place. Because aside from Holmes comforting her, and Aoi thinking that time may have been one of the reasons why her ex boyfriend broke up with her, I don’t see the point of it. That’s just my two cents.
As for today’s case, it was a terribly boring one to say the least. Frankly there was little to gain from this event. They briefly showcased Aoi’s growth as an Appraiser, successfully passing the challenge the Head of the Saito family has given her to test her worth. It is a bit unfortunate how they didn’t bother following up on that, by continuing to put her to use to some extent. Instead, it shifted to Aoi’s feelings being played with when Keiko alluded to how she and Holmes spent the night together. What she neglected to mention was that they didn’t do anything, all Holmes did was read through her books all night. (That’s typical Holmes for you!) The only other thing this event did was use it as a reason to bring Ensho out, and set up that moment of comfort between Holmes and Aoi, and later reveal that Holmes is actually jealous of Ensho. Yeah, that actually happened.
Final Thoughts
Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes was a show I jumped onto a bit late due to initially having picked up too many shows, and was already committed to covering two Monday titles. After having dropped a bunch, I am very happy with my decision to have given this show a chance. It was a hidden gem I almost missed out on, and I am really happy I was able to actually cover it. It was truly a fascinating experience of learning about all sorts of unique antiques and their backgrounds. The mystery aspect of the show was a bit of a hit and miss, mainly because some would be either boring, predictable, and last week’s episode was really the only one that had the most exciting case of them all. Of course it makes sense why the mysteries were rather docile for most part, especially since Holmes is not a detective, nor does he actually want to be one. In fact, he irritates the hell out of him how people keep on dragging him left and right to solve cases (I mean do they even pay him?!). The most surprising factor of the show though, was in fact the romance! It was definitely one of the main reasons why I came to enjoy this show to much in the first place. Despite the age gap, Aoi and Holmes shared amazing chemistry! The two of them are kindred spirits when it comes to heartbreaks and betrayals, and share the interest of appraiser works, as Aoi harbour such untapped potential of becoming one herself. Although they have yet to take the next step to their relationship, it was still enjoyable watch. I suppose to some extent I was mentally prepared they weren’t going to be an official couple, at least not yet anyways.
Ah man, I am so sad Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes is over. As much as I would love to see more in the future, I am not really sure if this show has any chances of getting a second season, so I know better not to hold out for any hopes for it. It is a shame really, because I really would have loved to see them explore their relationship some more. I guess this is yet another show I will need to look into reading its novels in the future!
Final Score: 7/10
Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes is without a doubt one of the hidden gems of the Summer 2018 Season. Although its mysteries are most light-hearted and straight-forward, the dynamics between Aoi and Holmes is really what makes this show so enjoyable to watch. It is definitely one of the few shows I can see myself coming back to watch again in the future, so I highly recommend you give this one a shot if you want to enjoy something short and sweet!
