The new Crunchyroll anime series Undead Murder Farce may have a word salad title, but don't be fooled: this comedic fantasy murder mystery series has managed to capture the essence of the classical mystery story while remaining funny.
Undead Murder Farce is based on the Undead Girl Murder Farce book series by Yugo Aosaki, which consists of three books, with the most recent released in 2021. The story follows Tsugaru Shinuchi, a half-oni who initially gets by battling the last surviving monsters after what's known as the Great Purge, which drove mythical monsters out of the world. Tsugaru is approached by a strange maid carrying a head in a bird cage, and shockingly, it can talk. The head, which belongs to an immortal named Aya Rindo, asks Tsugaru to either kill her or help her get her body back after a strange foreigner stole it. From there, the series takes a wild shift, with Tsugaru and Aya forming a Watson/Holmes dynamic as they solve supernatural mysteries in turn-of-the-century Europe.
Undead Murder Farce is a Great Mystery with Solid Comedy and Action
Visually, the series is quite stylized, in a modern way that contrasts well with its semi-historical setting. Tsugaru is an interesting character, mixing a lazy, laidback vibe with some serious fighting skill. He's a big fan of bad jokes, constantly cracking them in an attempt to get a laugh out of Aya. Aya herself is excellent as the cunning, observant detective character, and she and Tsugaru have great banter together. Added into the mix is Aya's maid, Shizuku, who rarely speaks but has a strong distaste for Tsugaru. Of course, as an anime, there have to be some cool fight scenes, so Tsugaru gets to flex his oni muscles occasionally.
The first episode is quite different from the rest of the series, so fans diving in should keep that in mind as they watch. It mostly exists to offer the characters' backstory, functioning more like a prologue than a typical first episode. That's not to say it's bad, but the mystery-solving aspect is totally absent, and the Japanese setting is soon left behind for that European setting. As a fantasy, Undead Murder Farce seems to be open to just about anything and everything, mentioning fictional characters from the era alongside classic mythical beings like vampires.
Overall, the series is quite the fun ride, and should have an appeal for fans of every genre it brings into the mix. The mystery element is well executed and well paced, with the kinds of twists and turns common to classic locked-room mysteries. Fans interested in giving the series a shot can tune in to Crunchyroll on Wednesday, July 5th, when the first episode of Undead Murder Farce will debut, with new episodes premiering weekly after that.