Seiko Tanabe's murder mystery, but make it aggressively queer and aggressively unhinged.
The storyline is basically the same as in the original work, although there are many parts where logic is omitted. The dialogue and narration have been reconfigured considerably, with some of the speakers being changed, but almost all of it is composed of words extracted from the original work. However, with the exception of Kindaichi, all the characters are played by women, the dialogue is almost barbed, and the clothing deviates slightly from what is appropriate to the situation, thus eliminating any sense of reality. The reason why Nanako's jumper and Washio's trousers were needed is not clear, as the murderer swims to Nanako's room in her clothes. In addition, Lieutenant Kamio's subordinate is simplified to only one detective, Aoki.
Costume
Clothing that actively sabotages any sense of realism.
Direction
All-female casting that weaponizes theatricality against the source material.
Writing
Barbed dialogue stitched from Tanabe's original like a literary ransom note.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is part of a wave of Japanese experimental cinema that queers classic mystery structures through gender-flipped casting, following in the lineage of theatrical troupe adaptations of Edogawa Ranpo.
The 'omitted logic' isn't laziness—it's a formal strategy. By keeping plot holes visible, the film interrogates how detective fiction demands we suspend disbelief for male protagonists but scrutinizes women.
JP
