Pika, Pika Who? The Adventures of Detective Pikachu and His Strange Case of Identity Part 2

Cracking the case with Detective Pikachu.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog that briefly addressed the limitations and potentialities of Detective Pikachu (2016 video game) as an “adaptation” of Sherlock Holmes. Recently, I watched the film adaptation of the game, and although I found it entertaining, I’m still puzzled as to the connection between Detective Pikachu and Sherlock Holmes.

Much has been said about the Holmes-Pikachu collab by Sherlockians and fans of Pokémon alike. Paul Thomas Miller sarcastically refers to Detective Pikachu as “the most canonical Sherlock ever and definitely not just a pokemon in a hat,” and fellow Sherlockian and author, Brad Keefauver, wrote an insightful blog about how the film can be interpreted as a John Watson story rather than a Sherlock Holmes story. I’m adding to this ongoing discussion about the film by comparing it to my experience of having played the game, and to argue that the film adaptation works to further distance itself from the world of Sherlock Holmes rather than paying an homage to it.

Here’s why:

1) The dynamic duo Holmes/Watson is undermined in the film compared to the game.

In my previous blog, I mentioned that one of Tim’s main tasks in the game is to provide illustrations of the crime scene, which are used to help the player decipher and solve mysteries. This method of “note-taking” is similar to how Watson documents his adventures with Holmes in the canon, but it’s omitted in the film. This might seem like a minor detail, but I think it’s an important aspect of Watson’s role as Holmes’s chronicler. In BBC Sherlock, for example, John Watson blogs about his adventures with Holmes, and in other stage/cinematic adaptations that feature the duo, Watson is often shown writing in his journal. There are similarities between Holmes/Pikachu and Watson/Tim, but with respect to Tim’s role as a chronicler, the Hollywood blockbuster chooses to leave out this detail.

2) Who’s the “world-class detective,” Pikachu or Harry?

In the film adaptation, Harry survives the car accident thanks to Mewtwo’s mind transfer technique, and at the end of the film, he is reunited with Tim and his partner Pikachu (who apparently loses all memory of his adventures with Tim). However, the answer to the question of whether Pikachu is Tim’s father in disguise is left ambiguous at the end of game as the crime-solving duo continue their search for Harry Goodman (and for good reason). In other words, the film thwarts Pikachu’s role as a detective and demotes him to the role of Harry’s side-kick whereas the game leaves it more open-ended. If Harry is a world-class detective and if Tim is “Watson”...what’s Pikachu’s role in the future?

I’m Har…I mean Pikachu…a world-class detective

3) Do kids want to see the film because it’s an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, or for Pikachu?

I raise this question because there are so few references to Sherlock Holmes and to the canon in the film. Most kids, with exception to those who have read Doyle’s stories, may not be able to draw the connection between Pikachu and the Great Detective/Watson based on the film alone. Yes, Pikachu wears the iconic deerstalker hat, and at one point holds a magnifying glass in Howard Clifford’s office, but these subtle allusions to Holmes highlight a superficial connection to Doyle’s Victorian sleuth (as I mentioned in my previous blog). In the game, Pikachu has the option of wearing a cape to complete his look, which is not included in the film version, but clothes alone do not make a detective as Rob Nunn points out, “a deerstalker does not make someone Sherlock Holmes.” Perhaps the film could have benefited from incorporating popular quotes that most people might recognize as part of the canon such as “the game is afoot,” or something along these lines, but that still doesn’t solve the issue…

As a fan and scholar of Sherlock Holmes, I can’t say that Detective Pikachu (film) is an adaptation of Doyle’s Holmes, but there are aspects that I think the film does a lot better than the game, especially in terms of showcasing an ethnically diverse cast, and for incorporating assertive female characters such as Lucy Stevens played by Kathryn Newton.

I agree with Keefauver that Detective Pikachu is not for all Sherlockians, and I think that’s because the film is not meant to be an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes or Watson. Instead, like the game, the film capitalizes on the visual cues of Sherlock Holmes (or things that people would associate with mystery and detectives in general such as a magnifying glass) as well as on the Pokémon franchise in order to profit from a broad, cultural audience. In other words, the film offers something for everyone, but in trying to catch’em all, perhaps it reaches too far and too wide.

❤Happy 2019 to Sherlockians Near and Far❤

January has been such a festive month! For me, it began with celebrating the Japanese New Year (Oshōgatsu), followed by Sherlock Holmes’s birthday on the 6th. To top it all off, the Bootmakers of Toronto held its annual Blue Carbuncle Awards Dinner on Saturday January 26th. This year, it was changed to a luncheon and it was held at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club.

As one of the newest members, this was my first time attending the event and I was pleasantly surprised at how well organized and just how fun it was.

The Awards luncheon began with a series of toasts by fellow members of the Bootmakers, which were all  delivered with wit and humor, especially the toast to “A Certain Gracious Lady” (aka. Queen Victoria) by Margaret French who was perfectly dressed for the part. Doug Wrigglesworth also said a few words in tribute to Peter Calamai.

👏Our guest speaker: Mattias Boström 👏

After a (surprisingly) tasty meal, we put down our forks and knives and all waited in anticipation to meet our special “virtual” guest—Mattias Boström—Swedish writer, Sherlockian and winner of the 2018 Agatha Award for his book entitled From Holmes to Sherlock (2013). Mattias gave an insightful talk about the extensive research that went into writing his book, and his hopes that it will connect new Sherlockians to its long and varied history and tradition(s). At the end of his talk, three lucky members won a copy of Mattias’s book. If you don’t own a copy you can purchase yours here!

Mattias’s talk was followed by a fun quiz created by Donny Zaldin based on the illustrations (mostly by Sidney Paget) in the Canon. We had to guess the name of the story and the characters shown on the slides--and some of them were a bit challenging! Apparently, there's a quiz every year, so I’ll be prepared for next time.

Finally, the event ended with honoring fellow members for their contribution to the Bootmakers—it is an awards luncheon after all! A special plaque was made for Mike Ranieri without whom there would be no lovely program and exciting events. (To view details about last year’s events and award recipients, see here).

One of the most rewarding things about being a member of the Bootmakers (or any Sherlockian society for that matter)  is being able to connect with locals and Sherlockians from around the world. The Blue Carbuncle Awards luncheon was such a great way to end the first month of the new year and I look forward to all the upcoming events scheduled this year! (P.S. I’ll be a giving a short talk at our next meeting on February 23rd 2019).

If you want to learn more about who we are and what we do, check us out here.

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