Sure, sure, Meitantei Hound, or The Amazing Adventures of Sherlock Hound as it was so called, was a cartoon and because of this there's all the usual cartoon hi-jinks. Yes, animals that talk, mechanical devices that just couldn't have been made in 19th Century London, and the typical Japanese drawings, meaning, the cartoons doing over the top reactions.
But putting it down isn't what I wanted to do. This series was great. So it was loosely based on the Arthur Conan Doyle books (like, really loosely), but that's fine, because the characters and outlandish plots more than made up for it. The character traits of Holmes, or rather, Hound, are all there - Science experiments, the pipe, even the deer stalker hat. Watson, too, is just like his 1930's counterpart, Nigel Bruce, being the upper class Brit (with an American accent).
And of course there's the token bad guy, along with his completely useless henchmen, because that's what cartoon henchmen are for, right? Professor Moriarty is devious and cunning and just can't seem to outwit Sherlock Hound, whatever he may try. Moriarty gets away every time, much to the annoyance of Hound, along with his bumbling assistants, who can't do anything right.
Voicing Sherlock Hound, in English, is Larry Moss, and the late Lewis Arquette as Watson, and they do a bang up job, making the stories sound believable and is generally very well acted. The music, too, adds to the over all feel of the series. Not so much action and adventure, as mystery and excitement.
This series certainly has its appeal. The mystery, the slapstick, the romance. It's all here in The Amazing Adventures of Sherlock Hound, and makes for an easy watching cartoon that can be enjoyed even now, 20 years on. Of you get the chance I recommend that you watch it. You won't regret it.
As Holmes, and indeed, Hound said: 'Elementary, my dear Watson'.
