Sherlock Hound

Sherlock Hound (名探偵ホームズ, Meitantei Hōmuzu, literally "Famous Detective Holmes") is a 26 episode Italian-Japanese animated television series produced by RAI and Tokyo Movie Shinsha, airing from November 6, 1984 to May 20, 1985.

It is based on Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series where almost all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic dogs. The show featured regular appearances of Jules Verne-steampunk style technology, adding a 19th-century science-fiction atmosphere to the series.

Hayao Miyazaki directed episodes 3-5 and 9-10, while simultaneously working on "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" in 1984. These episodes were written by screenwriter Sunao Katabuchi, director of films such as "In This Corner of the World" (2017). Prominent Studio Ghibli collaborators Seiji Okuda and Yoshifumi Kondō were also involved in the production.

Two compilation movies, "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" and "Treasure Under the Sea" containing re-recorded music and dialogue were released simultaneously as "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" on March 11, 1984. The series was heavily promoted by future Ghibli parent company Tokuma Shoten's Animage magazine, where Toshio Suzuki was Editor-in-Chief at the time.

Overview
Despite borrowing characters from the original novel by Arthur Conan Doyle, the story for "Sherlock Hound" is almost entirely original. The cast has been replaced with anthropomorphic dogs, and the dynamic between characters is simplified for children. Professor Moriarty and his subordinates Todd and Smiley are the central villains, whose schemes are thwarted by Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson. The detective elements are light and instead replaced with the Watson's strange inventions. The added police and chase sequences keep the tone light and fun. Most of the plot in each episode revolves are cases of theft and not murders (although there are depictions of attempted murder in "The Little Martha's Great Case" and "The Adventure of the Speckled Strings").

Premise
In the foggy city of London, detective Sherlock Hound resides in Baker Street. Together with his assistant Doctor Watson and the ever reliable Mrs. Hudson, they thwart the evil genius Professor Moriarty and his elaborate schemes. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard's Inspector Lestrade is also on the case, although always a step behind.

Characters
Sherlock Hound (ホームズ, Hōmuzu) Voiced by: Taichirō Hirokawa (Japanese); Larry Moss (English); Elio Pandolfi (Italian) Just like his original incarnation, he has a genius intellect and is extremely knowledgeable in multiple fields. He keeps a cool and logical head despite the situation. Unlike his original incarnation, however, his only drug habit is smoking a tobacco pipe. He keeps his apartment a mess and is regularly conducting chemical experiments that lead to clouds of noxious fumes. He also seems to have feelings for Mrs. Hudson, as does the rest of the male cast. He drives a Benz Velo. He is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Doctor Watson (ワトソン, Watoson) Voiced by: Kōsei Tomita (Japanese); Lewis Arquette (English); Riccardo Garrone (Italian) Hound's loyal companion, he is a trained doctor who returned to England shortly before meeting Hound. He tries his best to help Hound as he can, but has difficulty at times keeping up with Hound, both mentally and physically, being a bit overweight. Watson is a Scottish terrier.

Mrs. Hudson (ハドソン夫人, Hadoson-fujin) Voiced by: Yōko Asagami (Japanese); Patricia Parris (English); Cristina Grado (Italian) Hound and Watson's landlady. In most adaptations, Holmes's long-suffering landlady is shown as middle-aged or older, but in this version she is a comely widow in her 20s and a love interest of many, including Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty (mostly Holmes), and given the first name Marie (マリー, Marī). Her late husband Jim was a pilot and Hound finds her contacts in the world of aviation useful; many of the local aviators are also former buddies of Mrs. Hudson's late husband and/or have strong romantic feelings for the caring gentle-natured Mrs. Hudson herself, and so they are always eager to assist in any way she asks. Mrs. Hudson displays a serenely-dignified and level-headed personality comparable to Hound's; she can also be quite quick and resourceful herself when need be, plus she appears to be both an experienced high-speed driver and a crack shot with a revolver. Miyazaki actually wanted to present her as the real brains of Baker Street, running rings around both Hound and his enemy Moriarty, but he was overruled. Like many people in Hound's world, Mrs. Hudson is a golden retriever.

Professor Moriarty (モリアーティ教授, Moriāti-kyōju) Voiced by: Chikao Ōtsuka (Japanese); Hamilton Camp (English); Mauro Bosco (Italian) Hound's archenemy, Unlike the rarely appearing mafia donnish Moriarty in the books, this Moriarty is portrayed as working personally on his plans without any sort of support network and frequently encountering Hound and his allies, being the main antagonist in the majority of the episodes. Still an intellectual, he is a master inventor, often the one responsible for the steam punk technology seen in the show, including his personal "steam car", a tractor and tank combination rather than a car. His plans can occasionally be very complex or outlandish that rely on one questioning or linking together unusual acts, which is often how Hound figures out what Moriarty is up to. Sometimes he acts as a mercenary to other criminals who are after what he normally wouldn't steal. In this version, Moriarty resembles a gray wolf.

Production
The series was a joint project between Japan's Tokyo Movie Shinsha and the Italian public broadcasting corporation RAI. Six episodes were directed by Hayao Miyazaki in 1981 until problems with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate led to a suspension in production.

According to Koji Takeuchi, producer and president of Telecom Animation Film (TMS Entertainment), they had properly acquired the copyright. Unfortunately, the Italian side of the production, which was entrusted with negotiating the Doyle estate, worked too slowly, prompting the Japanese side to rush into production. Production was further delayed as Telecom decided to produce the animation movie "Nemo". Sunao Katabuchi, then a writer for the episodes directed by Miyazaki, clarified that the reason for the suspension was due to the remittance from the Italian side had been cut off. Conan Doyle's name subsequently appears in the credits during the television broadcast.

By the time the issues were resolved Miyazaki had turned to other projects, and thus the remaining episodes were directed by Kyosuke Mikuriya. Tokyo Movie Shinsha had appointed Mikuriya, had previously directed "Lupin the Third Part II". Studio Gallop, which was founded in 1978 by former Mushi Pro members, also played a central role in the production and were subcontracted to produce two to three episodes a month.

With the decision to release it at this movie theater, an advertising agency started to acquire TV sponsors around February 1984,  and production resumed. It has also been decided that TV Asahi will broadcast.

The series took advantage of its setting of England in the 1900s by including the appearance of a Natsume Sōseki (a Japanese novelist and best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat, as well as being a scholar of British literature) who was studying in England and the appearance of a mail plane. The later compilation movies were to include modest fan service from the original novel, "Hound of the Baskervilles", but this was rejected by the RAI who wanted the series to remain targeted towards children. This resulted with the eerie atmosphere being toned down.

The show was finally aired in 1984. The same year a film version edited together of two of the episodes directed by Miyazaki ("The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" and "Treasure Under the Sea") was released alongside "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" in Japanese theaters, entitled Meitantei Hōmuzu Gekijouban.

RAI and TMS Entertainment would later work together again on "Montana Jones", a comedy adventure anime television series which was broadcast in Japan on NHK from April 2, 1994 through April 8, 1995. "Montana Jones" shared a similar atmosphere to "Sherlock Hound".

Music
Two pieces of theme music are used for the Japanese version: The opening theme is "Sora Kara Koboreta Story" (lit. "Story Spilled From the Sky") and the ending theme is "Thames Gawa no Dance" (lit. "Dance of the Thames River"), both performed by the Japanese duo, Da Capo. The series' international versions had a single piece of theme music for the opening and ending credits. The frequent soloists are Joe Farrell on soprano, tenor and alto saxophones and flute (in his final recording) and Milt Jackson on vibes. This English theme does not exist on the UK DVD's from Manga, instead instrumentals of both the Japanese opening and ending themes were used.

Release
In 2002, Pioneer Entertainment released the series on DVD (Region 1, NTSC format). 6 volumes or 'Case Files' were released. Each disk was double sided with the Japanese version on one side and the English dubbed version on the other side.

On 1 February 2010, Manga Entertainment released the complete series on DVD (Region 2, PAL format) in the United Kingdom as a HMV exclusive set. It has since become available in other outlets. It only contains the English dubbed version. This release also lacks the episode title cards, though the episodes are listed on the DVD case and menus.

Discotek Media released the series in a complete, unabridged DVD box set with English and Japanese versions on September 30, 2014.

On 21 November 2014, Bandai Visual released the restored complete series on Blu-ray (Region A, Japanese language only) in Japan as a 4-disc set.