Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple
Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple (アガサ·クリスティーの名探偵ポワロとマープル Agasa Kurisutī no Meitantei Powaro to Māpuru?) is an anime television series that adapted several Agatha Christie stories about Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Run from 2004 to 2005, a total of 39 episodes.
A new character named Mabel West, Miss Marple's great-niece, who becomes Poirot's junior assistant, is used to connect the two detectives. The series is a generally faithful adaptation of the original stories given the time constraints (typically one 25 minute episode for a short story, four episodes for a novel). Despite being a modern Japanese adaptation, the original (mainly English) locations and time period are retained. The most obvious story change is the addition of Mabel West and her pet duck, Oliver. However apart from her soliloquies, most of her lines are taken from the incidental dialogue of other characters in the original stories, so her presence does not materially alter the plot development.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: Hastings looks much more younger than usual.
- Big Fancy House: Several feature in the series.
- Cat Stereotype: In one of the episodes, a black cat crosses someone's path. In keeping with British and Asian tradition, it is associated with good luck.
- Christie Time: The setting of the stories.
- Great Detective: Both Poirot and Miss Marple are superb detectives.
- Inspector Lestrade: Inspector Sharpe is a Scotland Yard police detective that works with Poirot on most of his cases. While he is reasonably competent, it is always Poirot that is able to solve the mystery first.
- Little Old Lady Investigates: Miss Marple is an eldery Amateur Sleuth that investigates various mysteries.
- The Mafia: Plays a role in "The Riddle of the Cheap Flat"
- Mystery Arc: Nearly all the episodes use some variation on this.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Oliver (Maybelle's pet duck)
- Sailor Fuku: Maybelle sometimes wears a sailor suit style outfit.
- Spot of Tea: Pretty much every episode will include characters having tea together, which is something common to both Japanese and British culture.
- Spy Fiction: "The Riddle of the Cheap Flat" involves stolen US Navy plans.
- Travel Montage: The anime uses the method of having a moving line on a map to indicate traveling long distances.