Detectives These Days Are Crazy! Episode Review

Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is off to a good start. This is a fun and quirky story about an unlikely duo.

Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is based on the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Masakuni Igarashi. The series premiere is now streaming on Crunchyroll with episodes releasing weekly on Tuesdays. But is this new series worth the time invested? Let’s unpack this solid opening salvo.

*Detectives These Days Are Crazy* –– ©2024 Masakuni Igarashi_KADOKAWA_Nagumo detective agency

STORY

Detectives These Days Are Crazy! has a fitting title. It follows the story of the former great detective Keichiro Nagumo. He’s a total has-been who has lost touch with how to do his job. On top of that, he smokes, drinks, and is a pervert. His life changes when he meets Mashiro, a high school girl who wants to work with him to become a detective. She knows what she is doing and is actually better detective stuff than Keichiro. This is an unlikely duo that forms. Add in the middle of that a cat, because why not, and you get the recipe for a fun and quirky story.

The series is off to a good start, and it knows how to bring the laughs. With a title like this, it’s not afraid to be ridiculous. There are many amusing situations, such as conversations at cross purposes or the characters’ reactions in various situations. You are in for an entertaining time.

VISUALS

Moreover, the series has a good and colourful animation. It stands out thanks to its freeze frames featuring the characters imitating famous characters or making intense faces. That’s definitely part of the humour of this series. It’s also to show that Mashiro isn’t what she appears to be. She is depicted as a cute girl, but she is actually a strong character who knows how to defend herself. Keichiro is exactly the person you think he is when you take a look at him.

OPENING AND ENDING CREDITS

When discussing anime, it’s impossible not to mention the opening and ending themes, commonly referred to as OP and ED. The opening theme is “Suffer” by Okazakitaiiku. It’s a rock song that puts you right in the mood. The opening focuses on the failed detective Keichiro Nagumo, while the end credits primarily feature Mashiro. The end theme is “GORI☆GORI Feez e-Girl!!” by Kana Hanazawa and Tomokazu Sugita as their respective characters. This song is more on the cute side of J-pop. It’s always nice when comedies have a song performed by their cast as their characters; it adds a little something.