Creating Anime In This Fantasy World

In the movie, Ryougi Shiki ultimately catches up to Kokutou Mikiya.

A flash of the blade, and Kokutou Mikiya, unable to stand any longer, falls to the ground.

Crossing the road, the girl in red slowly presses down on the fallen Mikiya, pressing her knife unhesitatingly to his throat.

Blood flows across the stone pavement.

"Ah—"

In that moment, the boy lets out a feeble gasp, staring blankly at the dark night sky. What he sees is darkness—and Ryougi Shiki before him.

The girl's face is expressionless, her jet-black pupils devoid of emotion, filled only with seriousness.

The tip of the knife touches Mikiya's throat. Perhaps it's because of the rain, but the girl appears as though she's crying.

"Kokutou, say something."

Shiki speaks as if she's waiting to hear Mikiya's final words.

"I... I don't... want to die—"

And so, the boy replies. His voice trembles, unsure whether his words are directed at Shiki or the impending death that looms before him.

In response, Shiki smiles gently and says softly:

"I want to kill you."

It is an incredibly tender smile.

In the next instant, a beastly roar erupts suddenly.

The screen goes black, transitioning to a new scene.

When the blackness fades into light, the subtitles reveal that two years have passed.

Overlooking the scenery, Aozaki Touko reappears, smiling as she speaks to Kokutou Mikiya, now an intern standing before her:

"Mikiya, isn't today your day to visit the hospital?"

"Yes, I'll go after work."

"You can leave early; you've already finished your tasks."

With an unusually kind tone from Touko, Mikiya smiles and nods.

"Then I'll head out for a while and be back in two hours."

"Don't forget to bring back a gift."

After signaling his understanding of Touko's words, Kokutou Mikiya turns and leaves the room.

Next comes a segment of Mikiya's monologue, paired with visuals of him carrying flowers as he heads toward the hospital.

"Every Saturday afternoon, I visit her. The Ryougi Shiki who has been unable to speak since that night."

"I don't know what pain she bears or what she's thinking."

"I don't understand why she wanted to kill me."

"But seeing that dreamlike smile on Shiki's face in the end is enough for me."

"The Shiki who lies in the hospital room, unconscious, still looks the same as back then."

"I remember the last day, after school, when she stood in the sunset."

"In a twilight that burned like flames, Shiki asked me what made her worth believing in."

"I repeated the answer I gave back then."

"I have no basis for it, but I will always believe in you. Because I like you, I want to keep believing in you—"

"It was such an immature answer."

"But I'm certain she wouldn't harm anyone. That, I can guarantee."

"Because she understands how painful it is to kill, as someone who's both a victim and a perpetrator—you understand it better than anyone, how sorrowful it is."

"So I choose to believe in her. Believe in the Shiki who wouldn't harm others, and in the Shiki who's covered in wounds."

"—To believe in that girl named Ryougi Shiki, who always seemed on the verge of breaking, whose heart was never revealed."

"On that snowy night two years ago, I met her."

The screen freezes on the unconscious girl lying in the hospital bed. The ending BGM begins to play.

...

As the movie ends, the audience falls silent.

For most, their silence is undoubtedly from confusion. The events at the end left them feeling like they were trying to grasp an unclear image through fog.

No one knows why the story suddenly developed in such a way.

"Why did Ryougi Shiki suddenly fall into a coma?"

"It's strange. Even though I didn't understand it well, it feels so sad."

"What happened during that blackout?"

"They'll probably explain it later, right? Otherwise, it'd be too bizarre."

Various discussions arise. For the average viewer, The Garden of Sinners has an incredibly high threshold for understanding.

Compared to the action-packed Overlooking View, all the content in A Study in Murder – Part 1 leaves viewers genuinely bewildered and perplexed.

Is Ryougi Shiki a murderer?

Why did Ryougi Shiki want to kill Kokutou Mikiya?

Is Mikiya's attitude toward Shiki purely out of love?

Why didn't Shiki end up killing Mikiya and instead fell into a coma?

What exactly is the story trying to convey?

Countless questions hover over the audience, leaving those who were expecting an action spectacle like Fate/Zero rather dissatisfied.

Of course, Edward had already anticipated this situation, which is why he opted for a three-episode marathon release.

Even though viewers were filled with frustration, knowing that the next episode was coming kept their complaints in check as they waited patiently for the continuation.

Meanwhile, Edward seized the opportunity during the interlude between episodes to insert advertisements.

Thus, after the ending BGM of A Study in Murder – Part 1 concludes, the TV immediately cuts to an ad about the newly established Alchemy Branch, with Edward himself enthusiastically inviting talented mages to join.

This scene sends students of the Imperial Mage Academy into a frenzy, with many regretting not seizing the chance to join the new discipline earlier.

However, the initial batch of recruits has the opposite reaction. Forced into grueling work under Edward's direct supervision, they deeply regret their decision to join the Alchemy Branch.

Still, discussions among the academy students remain focused on the just-aired The Garden of Sinners.

"Overlooking View and A Study in Murder – Part 1—the time span between the first two episodes is enormous. The average viewer would be totally lost after watching."

"Isn't that the truth? I didn't understand much at all."

"Is this Edward-senpai's new experiment? Honestly, I feel like The Garden of Sinners might end up being the lowest-rated of his works."

"It's less funny than Konosuba, less intense than Goblin Slayer, less spectacular in action than Fate/Zero, and the plot is excessively convoluted with little explanation. It's impossible to grasp quickly, failing on almost all fronts."

"Don't jump to conclusions so soon! There might be a plot twist later on."

Amid the various debates, people use the intermission to grab food or visit the restroom, causing a rush of congestion.

Despite their criticisms, they're still eagerly anticipating the third episode, unwilling to miss even a second of it.

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