The actual title of this week’s episode of Pretty Boy Detective Club is The Pretty Boy in the Attic. That’s a great title. It’s super silly and evocative. I would pick up a movie or book called The Pretty Boy in the Attic.
But I also wonder if it’s a nod to Edogawa’s Watcher/Stalker/Stroller in the Attic (it’s been translated in a lot of ways). I know it sounds like a bit of a stretch, the “in the attic” wording is very common. But we can’t deny just how influential Edogawa is on Japanese fiction and this is a detective series. I think it fits. I get excited about references like this. Don’t mind me.
The Pretty Boy in the Attic is starting out with what has to be one of my favourite premises. No qualifiers. A bunch of paintings, seemingly reproductions of 33 very famous paintings all show up but without any actual characters in them. Only the sceneries. No one knows who painted them or why and we have to figure it out. It’s a really great premise and perfect for a visual medium.
It’s also incredibly niche as a premise. This just doesn’t sound like it has the broadest appeal. It spoke to me though and I was fascinated!
And maybe I’m imagining things or maybe this was on purpose, but I think the backgrounds in this week’s Pretty Boy Detective Club were by far the prettiest and most detailed we have seen in the show. Dojima’s bedroom in particular but also the sun-drenched street and the school gates. Even the Pretty Boy’s club room looked a lot more interesting with all those paintings lined up against the stark white walls and furnishings. Then the red seats in the auditorium created a unexplainedly tense and aggressive visual background right at the end of the episode. Great stuff!
I actually wrote down notes on the backgrounds before the premise was even revealed so I have some hope it’s not just in my head.
The episode also had a lot more slapstick and accessible humour than past ones. And I like that they are mixing up the tone a bit. I think it keeps things fresh. We even got a whole new art style that reminded me of my childhood as it was reminiscent of Powerpuff Girls or Dexter’s Lab. Something that aired on Cartoon Network.
Of all the theories, I liked Hyouta’s best which I guess means I’m not suited to be a Pretty Boy Detective. But hey, if I was an artist who was great at backgrounds but sucked at portraits, I would also reproduce great pieces of art with only the backgrounds. It would show people how great scenery is! I do also like Yubiwa’s idea that there are 33 more paintings, which I assume would be the character-only canvasses. That sounds cool too. Not sure why anyone would do that but I would like to find out.
Involving the world of fine art in a show like Pretty Boy Detective Club is a natural fit and I’m surprised it took this long. I have a feeling it’s once again going to go into a ridiculous conspiracy that includes several governmental agencies and underground organizations. I like this show…
Halfway through the season and the one strong theme that I’m getting is beauty is in the eye of the beholder but it’s also a tangible and powerful thing. I like this theme. It updates the classic trope and allows for some grey to black morality to seep in.
Previous Posts
- Pretty Boy Detective Club ep1 – Upon a Star
- Pretty Boy Detective Club ep2 – Twinkle
- Pretty Boy Detective Club ep3 – New Rule
- Pretty Boy Detective Club ep4 – High Roller
- Pretty Boy Detective Club ep5 – Thin Air
Unfortunately, this show isn’t working too well for me. I prefer Isin when he connects his silly flights of fancy to strong emotional grounding. I do enjoy the character banter, and wow does this show have style, but I find myself caring less & less about these mysteries.
On another note, I know nothing about Edogawa, beside his namesake in Stray Dogs. So I just went on Wikipedia, and the first paragraph jumped at me:
Many of his novels involve the detective hero Kogoro Akechi, who in later books was the leader of a group of boy detectives known as the “Boy Detectives Club” (少年探偵団, Shōnen tantei dan).
The show’s title itself was inspired by Edogawa! And didn’t the Persona show also have a detective by that name. You weren’t kidding about his influence…
Yup Persona is a direct reference. I get the emotional connection personally but that may have something to do with my experience with societal pressure and expectations
I, too, thought they put more emphasis on the backgrounds, but I’m not the most visually savvy guy, so I thought it might just be my mood. Interesting to read about it in your post. I really liked the episode, though I was a little puzzled by the lack-of-mona-lisa thing. I mean, maybe the artist just doesn’t like the painting? Things aren’t there just because you think they should be. That’d be assuming a purpose of some kind.
If we both saw it it may be on purpose which is amazing!
The insisted a lot of the Mona Lisa absence, we are going to get an explanation I’m sure. Might be an insane one though.