Cuticle Detective Inaba

Title:Cuticle Detective Inaba
キューティクル探偵因幡 (Japanese)
Overall:Watch
Keywords: , , , , ,
Notables: OHKAWA Toru
SUWABE Junichi
The story revolves around Hiroshi Inaba, a private detective, and part-wolf-part-human being who was created artificially. Hiroshi runs his own detective agency and solves cases with the help of his cross-dressing secretary Yuuta, and Kei, a "relatively normal" teenager. The plot centres on Hiroshi and the gang trying to arrest his arch-nemesis Don Valentino, a mastermind goat with a taste for money (literally).
(Synopsis Courtesy of ANN)
OverallArtAnimationCharacter Design MusicSeries StoryEpisode StoryReviewer
Rent 8 8 9 KBanger1 [series:2663#1694]
Where do I begin? There are some anime out there that are over the top and still have a decent story to tell. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them. However, there is a silver lining to this one. I actually got this title for less than $10 and figured, “Why not?”. I mean you have an absolute absurd cast of characters. You have a half human/wolf with a hair fetish with the unique ability to extract information by either tasting or examining a strand of hair. You have a detective who seems to be as indestructible as RoboCop but with a huge overbearing parent complex. A cross-dressing assistant who practically worships his half half human boss. Plus, another assistant who seems to be the only person who stands out as the only sane person around. Let’s not forget a talking chibi goat that’s the head of crime syndicate who loves to eat paper money and his colorful cast of cronies. Seems…out there don’t it?

Let’s start with the actual plot of the series…there really is none. The basic premise is more like watching an american cartoon where you know who the characters are but know there really is no main plot but a recurring theme. For this anime, it’s Inaba, the half man/wolf who’s a detective that can get information through a strand of hair (hence the hair fetish thing). He normally takes cases from his old partner, Ogi (the invincible cop with a daddy complex). These "cases" involve a chibi goat by the name of Don Valentino and all his crazy henchmen. With that in mind, each episode doesn't even coincide with the theme most of the time. The only thing that I found was the humor was completely random at times but where I saw it's saving grace is where the assistant who actually acts normally (Kei) points out everything that's completely absurd. It's not just that though but the absolute randomness of the series. One scene you see something that may actually be serious and then a second later it turns to something for cheap laughs. That's what I found interesting. Where a lot of people who watch anime usually wants to see if there's a plot that's worth following. I see this anime as more of a less serious, more humorous title. For me, it's nice to see something that doesn't have a real plot and just laugh at the ridiculous antics and the slapstick comedy that I don't have to follow to enjoy.

The overall animation and art are well done for an anime that relies on random humor. You'll see that in the first episode where even the art and animation changes due to the scene which makes it funny. It's not masterpiece by any means but it's character design and overall animation is quite solid. You obviously have your moments of super deformed scenes but it doesn't make the anime less likely to watch.

I see where most people can sit there, watch a few episodes and quickly judge it by its lack of content (I myself am guilty of that). I did however challenge myself and watched it straight through. I'll admit I had to watch some episodes over cause I fell asleep but normally I wouldn't even go back if I didn't have any type of interest in it. This to me is a hidden gem because if like random humor or better yet if you like japanese comedy which shows a lot in this title, you'll end up liking it a lot. It does take a certain amount of patience to get through it but as long as you have an open mind about it, I don't see why this couldn't be a part of any anime collection. Either as a part of a comedy assortment or just that off beaten anime where you might find for less than $10. Either way, it may not be a solid series but it's randomness, cast of really messed up characters, and the sheer fact that a goat is running a mafia while being chased by a hair loving half man/wolf should give you a fresh outlook on anime. At least until your ready to get back into something more serious.

Last updated Thursday, November 19 2020. Created Thursday, November 19 2020.
Watch 7 7 7 5 5 5 Ggultra2764 [series:2663#1552]
This is another one of those anime comedies that tries to stand out by being bizarre, manic, and over-the-top with its humor, yet crashing and burning due to lacking any rhyme or reason for its humor to even exist at all and the characters being too bombastic to give a hoot about them. Your mileage will definitely vary with this one.

Last updated Wednesday, July 12 2017. Created Wednesday, July 12 2017.
Unevaluated Stretch [series:2663#628]
(Part of one episode watched):

What... The... F---...

This show boggles the mind, in a bad way. Something about a werewolf/dog/man that was cloned to serve with the police, but later left to become a private detective (how serious are we supposed to take this?), and whose special talent is the ability to solve cases based on the info which he derives from strands of hair?

In order to be funny, something has to make sense in an unexpected way. Just not making a lick of sense, period, isn't good enough. I found this show to be painfully confusing, and prayed that it was just another three-minute short. Shows with insane, manic premises like this are best limited to that length. Before long I was fast-forwarding to see how much more of this I would have to endure. It turns out to be a full 23-minute length series, and there is no way I am going to sit through that.

Last updated Sunday, January 06 2013. Created Sunday, January 06 2013.

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