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Manga Classics Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1 A Study in Scarlet
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."
It is 1887 and a man has been murdered in an abandoned house. On his face is an expression of utter horror; in his pocket is a woman's wedding ring. On the wall above him is the word RACHE, written in blood. But whose blood is it?
Thus begins the story of one of the world's most famous partnerships. Join Manga Classics now as we return to the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes, in which he and his newfound partner Dr. John Watson unravel the mystery behind a murder that spans the globe!
Special Notes:
SHERLOCK HOLMES VOL. 2 A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA AND OTHER STORIES will be released in June 2025.
It is 1887 and a man has been murdered in an abandoned house. On his face is an expression of utter horror; in his pocket is a woman's wedding ring. On the wall above him is the word RACHE, written in blood. But whose blood is it?
Thus begins the story of one of the world's most famous partnerships. Join Manga Classics now as we return to the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes, in which he and his newfound partner Dr. John Watson unravel the mystery behind a murder that spans the globe!
Special Notes:
SHERLOCK HOLMES VOL. 2 A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA AND OTHER STORIES will be released in June 2025.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2025
1 person is currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
13.4k books24.4k followersSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
January 6, 2025
In a Nutshell: A wonderful option for manga lovers to experience Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘A Study in Scarlet’. Faithful to the original. Full-colour graphics. Sherlock and Watson look too young to be convincing, but the rest is great.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Let me again begin by reminding manga newbies that this book is almost in traditional manga format, with the reverse right-to-left pattern of storyboarding. ‘Almost’ because unlike most manga, this is in full colour.
‘A Study in Scarlet’ is the first of the four Sherlock Holmes novels (The rest of his detective outings are in short stories.) While it is not my favourite of the Holmes books (That honour belongs to the incomparable ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’!), I still like this book for the way it introduced the characters of Holmes and Watson to readers. Without feeling too much like an ‘origin story’, it still offered us a well-rounded insight of the two characters such that we get a handle of their personalities before the actual case begins. This is something Christie failed to do for both Poirot and Marple in their respective first appearances.
I have read a few Manga Classics by now, and I have found them mostly faithful to the original works. (This also goes against them when it comes to manga adaptations of Shakespeare, but that’s a story for another day.) This book is no exception. The plotline is true to the original novel in all essential aspects.
If you have read ‘A Study in Scarlet’, you might remember that the story has two distinct halves. I wasn’t a fan of this decision as I was caught by surprise at the change in tone, setting, and characters for the second half of the story. It took me a long time to understand where Doyle was going with the whole thing. The segue between the two sections had been too abrupt. This manga rectifies the issue wonderfully. I can’t tell you how as it would be a spoiler, but suffice it to say, the story no longer feels like two distinct halves forcibly joined together.
The illustrations serve the story decently well. The actions and the emotions are spot on. I appreciate how characters were introduced with little text boxes containing their name – very helpful for a book with many characters. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Sherlock’s street squad: the Baker Street Boys. Their street-urchin charm and attitude were captured perfectly. I wish the art had got the portrayal right for some characters. Manga Sherlock certainly looks hot, but he doesn’t look “Sherlock-y’. Sherlock is supposed to be about 26-27 in the first book, so he does look his age. But John Watson looks like a college boy with his fresh face, not like an experienced army doctor straight out from Afghanistan. For some reason, I got this weird feeling that Sherlock and John were being set up as a potential romantic pair (‘shipped’, as youngsters say) in the artwork. Stamford, who is supposed to be Watson’s batchmate, looks like his grandpa. I am not sure if the “maid” in the story was supposed to be Mrs. Hudson, but if yes, she also was sketched too youthfully to be a middle-aged housekeeper.
Other than the issues with the art, I have no grouses with the story. I love it when adaptations stay true to the original, and this one certainly does. It would be a great way for manga lovers to experience the brilliance of Sherlock Holmes without having to wade through the descriptive text of the original.
Definitely recommended to manga fans and Sherlock fans.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Udon Entertainment for providing the DRC of “Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1 - A Study in Scarlet” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The same story as ‘A Study in Scarlet’, the very first novel where ace detective Sherlock Holmes makes his appearance. This manga is faithful to the classic in every relevant way, skipping out only a few of the relatively unimportant scenes.
Let me again begin by reminding manga newbies that this book is almost in traditional manga format, with the reverse right-to-left pattern of storyboarding. ‘Almost’ because unlike most manga, this is in full colour.
‘A Study in Scarlet’ is the first of the four Sherlock Holmes novels (The rest of his detective outings are in short stories.) While it is not my favourite of the Holmes books (That honour belongs to the incomparable ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’!), I still like this book for the way it introduced the characters of Holmes and Watson to readers. Without feeling too much like an ‘origin story’, it still offered us a well-rounded insight of the two characters such that we get a handle of their personalities before the actual case begins. This is something Christie failed to do for both Poirot and Marple in their respective first appearances.
I have read a few Manga Classics by now, and I have found them mostly faithful to the original works. (This also goes against them when it comes to manga adaptations of Shakespeare, but that’s a story for another day.) This book is no exception. The plotline is true to the original novel in all essential aspects.
If you have read ‘A Study in Scarlet’, you might remember that the story has two distinct halves. I wasn’t a fan of this decision as I was caught by surprise at the change in tone, setting, and characters for the second half of the story. It took me a long time to understand where Doyle was going with the whole thing. The segue between the two sections had been too abrupt. This manga rectifies the issue wonderfully. I can’t tell you how as it would be a spoiler, but suffice it to say, the story no longer feels like two distinct halves forcibly joined together.
The illustrations serve the story decently well. The actions and the emotions are spot on. I appreciate how characters were introduced with little text boxes containing their name – very helpful for a book with many characters. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Sherlock’s street squad: the Baker Street Boys. Their street-urchin charm and attitude were captured perfectly. I wish the art had got the portrayal right for some characters. Manga Sherlock certainly looks hot, but he doesn’t look “Sherlock-y’. Sherlock is supposed to be about 26-27 in the first book, so he does look his age. But John Watson looks like a college boy with his fresh face, not like an experienced army doctor straight out from Afghanistan. For some reason, I got this weird feeling that Sherlock and John were being set up as a potential romantic pair (‘shipped’, as youngsters say) in the artwork. Stamford, who is supposed to be Watson’s batchmate, looks like his grandpa. I am not sure if the “maid” in the story was supposed to be Mrs. Hudson, but if yes, she also was sketched too youthfully to be a middle-aged housekeeper.
Other than the issues with the art, I have no grouses with the story. I love it when adaptations stay true to the original, and this one certainly does. It would be a great way for manga lovers to experience the brilliance of Sherlock Holmes without having to wade through the descriptive text of the original.
Definitely recommended to manga fans and Sherlock fans.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Udon Entertainment for providing the DRC of “Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1 - A Study in Scarlet” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
November 28, 2025
4 Stars
I love me a Sherlock Holmes story, so when the opportunity to read the first one via manga style arose, I jumped at the chance!
This made me smile at the visual graphics of Holmes as a sexy sleuth who lounges in comfy robes exuding a mysterious appeal that perfectly shows off his extraordinary deductive brain, all the while the flabbergasted John Watson observes in understandable awe.
Unlike some manga, this is a full colored version, taking absolutely no shortcuts in each illustration like some are wont to do. I was highly entertained as this classic was brought to creative life, and if you like the idea of that in an easy to digest graphic novel form, then this is a perfect place to start!
Thank you to Udon Entertainment via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly
I love me a Sherlock Holmes story, so when the opportunity to read the first one via manga style arose, I jumped at the chance!
This made me smile at the visual graphics of Holmes as a sexy sleuth who lounges in comfy robes exuding a mysterious appeal that perfectly shows off his extraordinary deductive brain, all the while the flabbergasted John Watson observes in understandable awe.
Unlike some manga, this is a full colored version, taking absolutely no shortcuts in each illustration like some are wont to do. I was highly entertained as this classic was brought to creative life, and if you like the idea of that in an easy to digest graphic novel form, then this is a perfect place to start!
Thank you to Udon Entertainment via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly
March 1, 2025
The idea for this was great, and it's all in color, but while I appreciate the effort, I didn't enjoy the result.
I don't know if this would work better as an animation with voice over, but, sadly, it didn't hit the mark for me.
I'm usually very fond of Holmes' idiosyncratic behaviors in various retellings, but I can't bring myself to like this one or find anything endearing about him. In general, I had no emotional response of any kind while reading. Not to the characters, nor to the mystery. Both lacked depth and relied too much on platitudes, in my opinion.
There is a lot that feels "more telling than showing", which is odd as it's an illustrated story, and I can't feel any tension build-up. The narration falls very flat too, while also being all over the place trying to do too much.
Also the art inside is not the same quality as the cover, I don't know if this was due to the very ambitious decision to making it in full color.
I think writing successfully retellings of Sherlock Holmes are hardest than one think, cause the humor, cleverness, pacing, complex mystery, and depth must all be carefully calibrated and compared to some very very successful other versions, so I'm gonna give 2⭐. Unfortunately, I can't honestly give any higher rating.
Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know if this would work better as an animation with voice over, but, sadly, it didn't hit the mark for me.
I'm usually very fond of Holmes' idiosyncratic behaviors in various retellings, but I can't bring myself to like this one or find anything endearing about him. In general, I had no emotional response of any kind while reading. Not to the characters, nor to the mystery. Both lacked depth and relied too much on platitudes, in my opinion.
There is a lot that feels "more telling than showing", which is odd as it's an illustrated story, and I can't feel any tension build-up. The narration falls very flat too, while also being all over the place trying to do too much.
Also the art inside is not the same quality as the cover, I don't know if this was due to the very ambitious decision to making it in full color.
I think writing successfully retellings of Sherlock Holmes are hardest than one think, cause the humor, cleverness, pacing, complex mystery, and depth must all be carefully calibrated and compared to some very very successful other versions, so I'm gonna give 2⭐. Unfortunately, I can't honestly give any higher rating.
Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2025
4.5 ⭐
Wow, this was so gorgeous! 😍
I already knew the story, since A Study in Scarlet is the first and - for now- the only Sherlock Holmes book I've read, but still it was built perfectly. The graphic is immaculate, and the colouring makes everything pop and automatically better.
The characterisations were on point and also pointing a bit to a possible attraction between Sherlock and Watson that we all saw coming... let's be honest. And all the little glances were so perfect to build that tension!
I can't wait to follow through with this. I suppose I will have to team up every following classic with his manga counterpart 🫶🏼
Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
I've been loving all my manga ARCs, so why not go back to this story, since I should read the original Sherlock Holmes books from the 2nd sooner or later?!
❁ Thank you to Netgalley and Udon Entertainment | Manga Classics Inc. for the opportunity to read the ARC of this in exchange of my honest opinion ❁
Wow, this was so gorgeous! 😍
I already knew the story, since A Study in Scarlet is the first and - for now- the only Sherlock Holmes book I've read, but still it was built perfectly. The graphic is immaculate, and the colouring makes everything pop and automatically better.
The characterisations were on point and also pointing a bit to a possible attraction between Sherlock and Watson that we all saw coming... let's be honest. And all the little glances were so perfect to build that tension!
I can't wait to follow through with this. I suppose I will have to team up every following classic with his manga counterpart 🫶🏼
Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
I've been loving all my manga ARCs, so why not go back to this story, since I should read the original Sherlock Holmes books from the 2nd sooner or later?!
❁ Thank you to Netgalley and Udon Entertainment | Manga Classics Inc. for the opportunity to read the ARC of this in exchange of my honest opinion ❁
October 15, 2024
Quite good!
Manga classics are just always so amazing! The art style is absolutely brilliant!
This one was also coloured in full, and as such I adored it even more :) it worked wonders for my cravings of revisiting the story just a day after having finished it. The adaptation is quite faithful to the original book, however it's missing some details such as Stangerson being responsible for handling Drebbers money, and most importantly the dog scene, along with some important moments of the story behind the murder ( the horse scene for example). Now, I know that the first detail is quite small and understand that the second was most likely skipped due to animal death being a sensitive subject, however I still think some of the missing details could be included.
Overall I'd absolutely recommend this especially if you've read the book it's based on first!
(Side note but it's so clear the illustrator shipped Holmes with Watchon 😭)
Manga classics are just always so amazing! The art style is absolutely brilliant!
This one was also coloured in full, and as such I adored it even more :) it worked wonders for my cravings of revisiting the story just a day after having finished it. The adaptation is quite faithful to the original book, however it's missing some details such as Stangerson being responsible for handling Drebbers money, and most importantly the dog scene, along with some important moments of the story behind the murder ( the horse scene for example). Now, I know that the first detail is quite small and understand that the second was most likely skipped due to animal death being a sensitive subject, however I still think some of the missing details could be included.
Overall I'd absolutely recommend this especially if you've read the book it's based on first!
(Side note but it's so clear the illustrator shipped Holmes with Watchon 😭)
March 10, 2025
Did you watch/read Sherlock Holmes and wish he and Watson were younger and hotter? Experience this classic tale in manga format and now in full color!
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running the through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."
If you were a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's debut novel and a manga reader, you will definitely not be disappointed in this as it thoroughly followed the original story's plot, writing, the traits of the dynamic duo, overall thematic depth, and now with a beautiful artistic style. However, due to it following the historical context and being mixed in a strict manga format, I couldn't help but feel disconnected with the characters since it was too flat.
Overall, as a visual person, I enjoyed this a lot more than the original. I just will not be continuing on with either series. Although, if you are a student and have been assigned to the 1887 novel, I would recommend picking this up instead since the dialogue writing and plot were similar.
Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the auto-approved ARC.
"There's the scarlet thread of murder running the through the colorless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it."
If you were a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's debut novel and a manga reader, you will definitely not be disappointed in this as it thoroughly followed the original story's plot, writing, the traits of the dynamic duo, overall thematic depth, and now with a beautiful artistic style. However, due to it following the historical context and being mixed in a strict manga format, I couldn't help but feel disconnected with the characters since it was too flat.
Overall, as a visual person, I enjoyed this a lot more than the original. I just will not be continuing on with either series. Although, if you are a student and have been assigned to the 1887 novel, I would recommend picking this up instead since the dialogue writing and plot were similar.
Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the auto-approved ARC.
December 28, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!
I enjoyed reading the original Sherlock Holmes stories, so to see it adapted into manga format, in full colour no less, was a fun find! The artwork is stunning, and I pretty much read this in one sitting. I also strongly believe that the artist ships Holmes and Watson (as do I), which was so fun to see visually represented!!!
It is a great way to experience the classics and looking forward to more of it.
I enjoyed reading the original Sherlock Holmes stories, so to see it adapted into manga format, in full colour no less, was a fun find! The artwork is stunning, and I pretty much read this in one sitting. I also strongly believe that the artist ships Holmes and Watson (as do I), which was so fun to see visually represented!!!
It is a great way to experience the classics and looking forward to more of it.
March 24, 2025
A great retake on a classic book! Can't wait to try the rest!
Received a free copy via NetGalley.
Received a free copy via NetGalley.
December 1, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
I don't usually read Manga, but I love anything Sherlock Holmes, so I just had to request to this when I saw this in the NetGalley catalog. So glad that I did, because this was absolutely amazing. It's been so long since I've read the original books, that my memory of it was entangled with the BBC's Sherlock version. Probably should go back and reread the originals at some point (but I currently have about 5 million books on my to read list and growing every day).
Anyway, absolutely loved this adaptation and can't wait to read the next one!
I don't usually read Manga, but I love anything Sherlock Holmes, so I just had to request to this when I saw this in the NetGalley catalog. So glad that I did, because this was absolutely amazing. It's been so long since I've read the original books, that my memory of it was entangled with the BBC's Sherlock version. Probably should go back and reread the originals at some point (but I currently have about 5 million books on my to read list and growing every day).
Anyway, absolutely loved this adaptation and can't wait to read the next one!
February 2, 2025
I am a devoted Sherlockian. I've loved the canon since I was in my very early teens, and I have read quite a number of pastiches and watched a lot of movies and shows based on the characters and books. I can be a bit picky about how Holmes and Watson are portrayed -- Watson needs to be intelligent, Holmes needs to have an inner core of kindness and decency, and their friendship needs to feel genuine. Happily, this manga version of A Study in Scarlet hits all those notes.
One thing I especially liked was how young they portrayed Holmes and Watson. They should be in their mid-to-late 20s, and I think they hit that range really well. Watson should be just a trifle older than Holmes, but less world-weary. Mrs. Hudson is shown to be younger than I usually see her portrayed, but I don't recall anything in the canon talking about how old she is, so it's entirely possible she's not middle-aged or beyond the way she is usually cast in film adaptations.
Doyle's original novel is basically split into two halves, and I think Crystal S. Chan did a great job here of making the story feel more like one whole narrative instead.
One thing I especially liked was how young they portrayed Holmes and Watson. They should be in their mid-to-late 20s, and I think they hit that range really well. Watson should be just a trifle older than Holmes, but less world-weary. Mrs. Hudson is shown to be younger than I usually see her portrayed, but I don't recall anything in the canon talking about how old she is, so it's entirely possible she's not middle-aged or beyond the way she is usually cast in film adaptations.
Doyle's original novel is basically split into two halves, and I think Crystal S. Chan did a great job here of making the story feel more like one whole narrative instead.
August 12, 2025
This is a surprisingly well done adaptation of A Study in Scarlet into the manga form. I recently read the original, and this sticks very close to the source material. I noticed a few things that were changed, but nothing that made a marked difference to the plot. (In fact, one change made a big improvement—instead of telling the whole story of Lucy Ferrier as it happened to Lucy, it's told as a flashback once the murderer has been caught. It was a much smoother insertion into the story this way, and unlike the original never made me wonder why this completely unrelated story was inserted into the middle of my Sherlock Holmes story.)
The art is fun as well, and the costumes for Holmes & Watson were exactly what I would have expected from a manga version of the story. If more editions of Sherlock Holmes Manga Classics are published, I'll be very curious to read them. (And I'm also curious to see what the publisher did with some of the other classics in their catalog.)
The art is fun as well, and the costumes for Holmes & Watson were exactly what I would have expected from a manga version of the story. If more editions of Sherlock Holmes Manga Classics are published, I'll be very curious to read them. (And I'm also curious to see what the publisher did with some of the other classics in their catalog.)
October 9, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the ARC.
I knew I had to read this when I saw this bishonen-looking Holmes on the cover. Kinda ridiculous in execution, but it is a fine adaptation regardless. I'm nostalgic for these manga classics, I've seen them since I was in high school, and its always amused me.
I knew I had to read this when I saw this bishonen-looking Holmes on the cover. Kinda ridiculous in execution, but it is a fine adaptation regardless. I'm nostalgic for these manga classics, I've seen them since I was in high school, and its always amused me.
January 7, 2025
Meh. I kinda skimmed it because I was bored. The art was pretty on some pages but awkward on other pages. Not much else to say - maybe fans of the original books may like this manga version of the classic but I didn’t care for it.
November 4, 2024
This was alright. Artwork was good.
December 10, 2024
3.5/5 rounded up.
I haven't read any of Udon's other manga classics before, so I was excited to try one out. In this case, it was a manga adaptation of the first Sherlock Holmes story in which Watson meets Holmes. Having read the original story previously, I feel that the manga does a good job of covering the source material. Sherlock's character is definitely much more likeable when drawn in this art style!
The artwork was striking, colourful, and used skillfully to tell the story. The choices of costumes for each of the characters were fun and expressed personality. Sherlock was portrayed as a bit of an anti-hero who always wears black, with Watson being the opposite. This led to a nice juxtaposition between the two.
The pacing of the story was good and didn't drag at any point. The panelling was quite comic-like, which suited the pacing and storytelling well. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops in the next manga!
I would recommend this to anyone who would like a fast introduction to the classic Sherlock stories, as well as those wanting to revisit. Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment | Manga Classics for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.
I haven't read any of Udon's other manga classics before, so I was excited to try one out. In this case, it was a manga adaptation of the first Sherlock Holmes story in which Watson meets Holmes. Having read the original story previously, I feel that the manga does a good job of covering the source material. Sherlock's character is definitely much more likeable when drawn in this art style!
The artwork was striking, colourful, and used skillfully to tell the story. The choices of costumes for each of the characters were fun and expressed personality. Sherlock was portrayed as a bit of an anti-hero who always wears black, with Watson being the opposite. This led to a nice juxtaposition between the two.
The pacing of the story was good and didn't drag at any point. The panelling was quite comic-like, which suited the pacing and storytelling well. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops in the next manga!
I would recommend this to anyone who would like a fast introduction to the classic Sherlock stories, as well as those wanting to revisit. Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment | Manga Classics for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.
February 7, 2025
This manga series offers a modern take on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, presenting a fresh and exciting perspective on how Holmes and Watson formed their legendary partnership as they became a renowned investigative duo. Starting with A Study in Scarlet, the series features well-known characters such as the Baker Street Irregulars, Inspector Gregson, and Inspector Lestrade.
It's perfect for kids who might feel overwhelmed by classic literature but have a strong interest in manga. This adaptation makes the classics more approachable for readers of all ages, from tweens to adults, and helps them appreciate stories they may have once found intimidating. The consistent artwork makes it easy to follow the characters, and the vibrant illustrations are visually engaging, offering a less overwhelming experience for those who might struggle with dense text. It's also a great read for manga fans of any age.
I’m excited to get my hands on more volumes in the Manga Classic series!
It's perfect for kids who might feel overwhelmed by classic literature but have a strong interest in manga. This adaptation makes the classics more approachable for readers of all ages, from tweens to adults, and helps them appreciate stories they may have once found intimidating. The consistent artwork makes it easy to follow the characters, and the vibrant illustrations are visually engaging, offering a less overwhelming experience for those who might struggle with dense text. It's also a great read for manga fans of any age.
I’m excited to get my hands on more volumes in the Manga Classic series!
April 1, 2025
Great Read
I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you, Crystal S. Chan for the opportunity to read your book. This was an enjoyable read. This is a part of the Manga Classics series. In this book, we got the illustrated portrayal of ace detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson. I have not read the original Sherlock Holmes series, but I have heard that this was a faithful adaptation to the story. As I did not read the original “A Study of Scarlet,” but I thought the manga did a great job of illustrating the story, and I thought the illustrations were great as well. I really enjoyed Sherlock Holmes and Watson’s characters. They were both great, and I really liked their partnership. They were both intriguing. I cannot wait to see how Vol. 2 turns out. I hope that I get to read more Manga Classic stories. Overall, a great read.
I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you, Crystal S. Chan for the opportunity to read your book. This was an enjoyable read. This is a part of the Manga Classics series. In this book, we got the illustrated portrayal of ace detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson. I have not read the original Sherlock Holmes series, but I have heard that this was a faithful adaptation to the story. As I did not read the original “A Study of Scarlet,” but I thought the manga did a great job of illustrating the story, and I thought the illustrations were great as well. I really enjoyed Sherlock Holmes and Watson’s characters. They were both great, and I really liked their partnership. They were both intriguing. I cannot wait to see how Vol. 2 turns out. I hope that I get to read more Manga Classic stories. Overall, a great read.
December 17, 2024
I have always been a huge fan of the Manga Classics series, so when I saw that they were coming back with a Sherlock Holmes adaptation, I jumped at the chance to read it!
And I was not disappointed!
Honestly I didn’t expect it to be in full color, so that was a pleasant surprise. The character designs were perfect, with Sherlock looking more on the wily side and Watson a bit more on the innocent side, fitting their personalities. I will always enjoy the fact that Manga Classics always keep the dialogue straight from the source story (or at least most of it) instead of turning it into more modern language, so it’s really just like reading the original work.
I can’t say I really have any complaints. If you love Sherlock and manga, you’ll definitely love this adaptation!
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
And I was not disappointed!
Honestly I didn’t expect it to be in full color, so that was a pleasant surprise. The character designs were perfect, with Sherlock looking more on the wily side and Watson a bit more on the innocent side, fitting their personalities. I will always enjoy the fact that Manga Classics always keep the dialogue straight from the source story (or at least most of it) instead of turning it into more modern language, so it’s really just like reading the original work.
I can’t say I really have any complaints. If you love Sherlock and manga, you’ll definitely love this adaptation!
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 2, 2025
I didn't expect to enjoy this version so much. I'm a lifelong Sherlockian and I've encountered so many variations, not all of them good. But to me, this version is actually easier to follow than the original (no sudden switch to different characters in America--as a kid I literally thought the manufacturer had accidentally given me part of another book. Thank goodness I kept reading).
The original language is largely preserved and my favourite lines were all present. I fell in love with Holmes's mind all over again. The treatment of Mrs. Hudson and Watson's friend is a bit weird (their ages seem to have been reversed for some reason), but I can overlook that as they're barely there anyway. The art does have BL energy but I'm fine with that. (I mean, The Three Garridebs is canon).
I hope they make more of the Holmes stories into manga this way. It really is a lot of fun!
The original language is largely preserved and my favourite lines were all present. I fell in love with Holmes's mind all over again. The treatment of Mrs. Hudson and Watson's friend is a bit weird (their ages seem to have been reversed for some reason), but I can overlook that as they're barely there anyway. The art does have BL energy but I'm fine with that. (I mean, The Three Garridebs is canon).
I hope they make more of the Holmes stories into manga this way. It really is a lot of fun!
November 22, 2024
Udon Entertaniment provided an early galley for review.
This is my first foray into Udon's line of classics (they have put out several over recent years). The cover of this one jumped out at me and caught my interest.
I very much like the art style and coloring in this manga. Choy's work is clean and sharp with a touch of animated elements to it. I could easily see this translated into an anime. The designs chosen for Holmes and Watson work very well, in my opinion, as they mix traditional Victorian garb with a more stylistic upgrade.
This is my first foray into Udon's line of classics (they have put out several over recent years). The cover of this one jumped out at me and caught my interest.
I very much like the art style and coloring in this manga. Choy's work is clean and sharp with a touch of animated elements to it. I could easily see this translated into an anime. The designs chosen for Holmes and Watson work very well, in my opinion, as they mix traditional Victorian garb with a more stylistic upgrade.
September 24, 2025
A mix between classic Sherlock Holmes and the BBC Sherlock tv show!
This manga adaption does a fantastic job of following the original story while bringing a new and engaging storytelling mode. The full color was a nice surprise as I am used to regular black and white manga pages. The art style grows on you and has a nostalgic late 90s, early 2000s feel. Overall I am very impressed and look forward to reading the rest of this collection as I love a good Sherlock Holmes interpretation.
A lovely thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for allowing me to read this ARC version.
This manga adaption does a fantastic job of following the original story while bringing a new and engaging storytelling mode. The full color was a nice surprise as I am used to regular black and white manga pages. The art style grows on you and has a nostalgic late 90s, early 2000s feel. Overall I am very impressed and look forward to reading the rest of this collection as I love a good Sherlock Holmes interpretation.
A lovely thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for allowing me to read this ARC version.
August 29, 2024
This was an excellent adaptation to A Study in Scarlet! I’m happy that I was able to get a chance to read this early because NetGalley gave me an eARC to review which does not affect my review. I’m a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and manga/comics help me to focus on a book for longer than typical so this was perfect. The art was also super pretty and did well at conveying nonvocal information!
February 4, 2025
As a huge Sherlock fan I thought this manga would be something I would immediately love. Unfortunately it’s not for me. I do think that it’s difficult to condense stories like this into a graphic novel form. And the author did a pretty good job of capturing the main points. I had more issues with the art itself. It’s not a style that I enjoy, and the take on Sherlock, while interesting isn’t for me.
(Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the arc)
(Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for the arc)
February 22, 2025
I know it sounds a bit silly, but it feels like "Patriot Moriarty" and 2010 BBC Sherlock had a child who love k-dramas. Manga adaptation is incredibly great idea of engaging young audience in reading classics (not that stories about Sherlock were in big need of that but overall I give kudos to person who came up with the idea)
September 13, 2024
Thanks Netgalley for the read! This manga is a nice adaptation of the classic. With each page being colorful it adds the extra information that helps fully make it a mystery to look at! If you're trying to get into the classic this is a good place to start.
July 9, 2025
These men are too beautiful and way too in love
October 23, 2024
This was a great way to get re-immersed into a classic story.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the early access to read and review!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the early access to read and review!
July 15, 2025
Now this is a retelling. There was one part of the original story that was just a huge exposition dump that actually confused me. Actually seeing the story unfold made things instantly clear and added so much drama to it.
September 16, 2024
The opportunity to read a manga version of this detective fiction was too good to pass up. Even though I was not familiar with the story of A Study in Scarlet, it was a nice reading experience either way. This particular manga style did remind me of 80's anime somewhat, so I guess it gives some extra charm to it? I will not delve into a story as I recommend going in blind hehe. Overall - reading was easy, illustrations were ok and text was understandable. There were some art choices that I didn't understand, but maybe that's just me. I would say this manga would be better choice for younger readers than adults.
Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for this ARC!
March 19, 2025
This is an Arc from netgalley.
It’s been forever since I read this but I got so busy during the start of the year that I haven’t had time to review any of the arcs I’ve read so far.
I basically don’t remember anything anymore and have no idea why I gave it two stars but I can make an educated guess. It honestly feels like it’s been years even though it’s only been a month. I swear I have been so busy.
Anyway, back to this manga. It was basic Sherlock Holmes but somehow more boring than the actual novels. I think this is an issue with every manga retelling because it’s a visual medium where you lose a lot of depth since pictures take up a lot more space than words on a page. Especially because I already know the story from multiple different adaptations and also the source, this one is just not the best one I have seen.
Yeah that’s all I can remember from this manga. As you can see I no longer read manga that much.
It’s been forever since I read this but I got so busy during the start of the year that I haven’t had time to review any of the arcs I’ve read so far.
I basically don’t remember anything anymore and have no idea why I gave it two stars but I can make an educated guess. It honestly feels like it’s been years even though it’s only been a month. I swear I have been so busy.
Anyway, back to this manga. It was basic Sherlock Holmes but somehow more boring than the actual novels. I think this is an issue with every manga retelling because it’s a visual medium where you lose a lot of depth since pictures take up a lot more space than words on a page. Especially because I already know the story from multiple different adaptations and also the source, this one is just not the best one I have seen.
Yeah that’s all I can remember from this manga. As you can see I no longer read manga that much.
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