This is my first time reading a Sherlock Holmes story. This was a great introduction to this character and the world Doyle has written. I adore the art style. I am interested in reading more manga classic stories. I enjoyed Holmes and Watson and their growing bond between one another. I also liked the "how to read manga" section at the beginning of the book.

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.

Great manga adaptation for a classic! Loved the styling and coloring of this, which really brought these iconic characters to life.

4 stars: Good read. Could go up and down depending on genre preference of the reader. I would add it to my class collection.

From the Publisher:
London, 1888. In the heart of the fog a terrible murder is committed, the word RACHE scrawled in blood on the wall over the body. The police, baffled, turn to the only consulting detective in town for aid--and he, in turn, leads them down that slender scarlet trail to expose a tale of love and revenge which spawns both continents and decades.

'Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes: A Study In Scarlet' marks the debut of the eccentric detective Sherlock Holmes and his constant companion Dr. John Watson a legendary duo whose adventure have thrilled readers ever since. Manga Classics is proud to present a full-color manga version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's debut novel, in which their timeless partnership first begins!

My Thoughts:
If you like Manga Classic styling, like I do, then this manga is quite appealing and beautiful. Sherlock has the classic brooding, androgynous yet strong features. He also has the disruptive swagger of the Sherlock Holmes played by Robert Downey Junior. If you also like a little bit of dark mystery like the classic book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this will be a fun read. The length, one volume is just right for those who prefer the manga style to reading the orignial books.

What makes this a great volume 1 is that this is the first time we are seeing Holmes and Watson meet. It is nice to see why the long suffering Watson would stick with Holmes and I enjoyed seeing the relationship build.

Finally, at 210 pages, it is both just enough as well as not enough, which is what all manga series want to achieve with readers. Unfortunately, the Manga Classic volume 2: A Scandal in Bohemia and Other Stories will not come out until the summer of 2025, half a year. Still, they are buy worthy, so art takes time.

Publication Information:
Original author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Manga author: Crystal Chan

Artist: Julian Choy

Publisher: Manga Classic (January 21, 2025)

ISBN-13: 978-1947808324

Pages: 200

Grade level: 7-9

Good! Just like what you'd expect of Sherlock Holmes! I really enjoyed it. I love the mystery and intrigue.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC. The classic story by Doyle is succinctly summarized, but I have concerns regarding its manga adaptation... The character designs appear incongruent, like Holmes and Watson that are depicted as excessively young and shaped.

Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes is a beautiful rendition of Arthur Conan Doyle’s debut story, “Study in Scarlet” introducing his famous detective Sherlock Holmes.

As a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes (I grew up reading his stories and have seen the movies starring RDJ as well as the BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch), this manga was a fresh look at a classic story and retains the elements that many fans love about the detective series. In true to original fashion, the story is told from the perspective of Dr. Watson, who meets Holmes when he needs a roommate. Upon their first meeting, Holmes deduces accurate details about Watson just on cursory observations.

All in all, the artwork is beautiful (the art of Holmes is so striking, sleek, and magnetic) and the story retold honors the original story in all its glory. This would also be a great introduction to any new fans of Holmes as manga format can make the original story easier to understand.

Thank you, NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for providing a complimentary eARC for review.

Awesome read! The imagery was great and truly built the suspense. It was a quick read, but a lot of action and drama right from the start.

I really enjoyed the Manga Classics edition of Sherlock Holmes. I've been wanting to dig into the stories of Sherlock Holmes and this edition was a fun and easy way to do so. The case kept me intrigued throughout the book. The art style was done well. Sherlock was very handsome! I loved watching Holmes and Watson's friendship grow. Can't wait to see more!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

🕵️‍♂️ Accommodations are never cheap. I felt this one right to the core. Both Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes are on the lookout for a new place to stay. But London is rather expensive. Though a string of fateful events, the two are brought together by a common acquaintance. Now they are to live together on Baker Street and share the burden of the rent.

🕵️‍♂️ Your roommate is a nutcase. I have to admit though, him beating a corpse with his cane (all for the love of science and the little gray cells), was one of my favorite scenes. It was simply hilarious.

🕵️‍♂️ Someone cried murder. And murder it was. Sherlock Holmes, a consulting detective in 1888 London, starts on the murderer’s tracks like a hound. The moment he hears about the struggles of the police force, he steps in and conducts his own investigation through deductive reasonings.

🕵️‍♂️ The artwork is pretty. The end pages even contain a few concept sketches with the main characters' designs. I was in love with the costumes and Dr. Watson's hairstyle.

🕵️‍♂️ Great minds are rarely recognized. But this doesn't seem to phase our great detective. Quite on the contrary, if we are to compare him to mighty Hercule Poirot. Also it's funny how they're both quire eccentric.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

The classic sherlock homes, but make him wildly more attractive in anime art.
The full color art in this is stunning. I honestly love Sherlock Homes, I've read all the books, seen the movies, the shows etc....
What I can say i truly enjoyed about this was the art, The story is fantastic as always, but the art is top tier.

Get ready to have the girls swooning over Dr. Watson aka our new cinnamon roll manga boy and Sherlock our new morally grey anti hero.

I did also very much appreciate the notes in the margins to help understand what they are talking about if it isn't something in the modern era. This mostly applies to when sherlock is talking, however these little notes made the story more clear.

Seeing this fully illustrated really makes you connect with both the main characters, you feel the smugness from Sherlock and the amazement from Watson.

I really do like the line "I'm one of the Hounds not the Wolf" its such a good quote. It shows that Sherlock is fierce and scarry in his own right and he's a force to be reckoned with , but he's not the bad guy. Its mentioned that the Scotland yard calls their officers hounds , as well as Watson compares him to a well trained blood hound. This line really does just hit right on so many levels.

I dont want to spoil the actual mystery for those new to Sherlock, I will say that this is a perfect intro to Sherlock Holmes.

I really do hope that Udon Entertainment comes out with the rest of the Sherlock Library.

Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for access to this ARC for my honest review.

#MangaClassics #NetGalley

I have loved many iterations of Sherlock Holmes throughout the years. This is a lovely adaption of the original story that sparked a legacy that everyone knows about to this day. This is the first Manga Classics I’ve read that is fully in color and that was a real treat for me. It added an extra life and demention to the story that I really loved.

The original Sherlock story isn’t my favorite of the Sherlock stories, but that’s only because there have been some long standing amazing adaptions that have pushed Sherlock as a character to dizzying heights. I still really loved being able to read the original story in this way. Seeing the charm and ease of crime-solving that would inspire a massive legacy.

I highly recommend this beautifully drawn adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. If you love mysteries and the man, the myth, and the legend himself, you will enjoy this manga.

Thank you NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a copy of Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes. I enjoy all stories of Sherlock Holmes and this did not disappoint. Sherlock and Watson were good and the murder was just okay, though! Overall good manga!

Unfortunately, this manga adaptation of A Study in Scarlet didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While it followed the original story fairly closely, a few essential pieces were missing, which made parts of the story feel disjointed and a bit confusing, especially in the middle. The art style, though beautiful and vibrant in full color, sometimes felt out of place with the story’s darker, more mysterious atmosphere.

It was also interesting to note that the artist seemed to lean into a more romantic undertone between Sherlock and Watson through their interactions, which isn’t something present in the original. However, that was cute, and I liked it.

Overall, while this adaptation may visually appeal to some readers, I’d recommend it more for established fans of Holmes who are curious about seeing the story in manga form than for new readers.

This was a pretty good "retelling"
Retelling probably isn't the right word since it didn't add anything new to the story, but I think it's a great fun way to get kids into classics.

Really enjoyed this interpretation of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. The pacing was good and kept me engaged with the story. Looking forward to seeing more mysteries.

I love the idea of manga versions of Classics! This was my first one, and I'm interested in picking up more! It makes intimidating classics accessible to more readers.
I've seen the BBC Sherlock so I was kinda familiar with the characters,the story, and Johnlock's dynamic. I liked the art style and seeing some in-progress character sketches at the end.
I would reccomend!
arc provided by Netgalley and Edelweiss

Sherlock Holmes gets summoned to consult on a mysterious case the police can't seem to solve. From red herrings to an elusive killer, we follow Sherlock Holmes and his roommate John Watson while they attempt to snare a murderer.

"From a drop of water, a logician could infer the possibility of the ocean."

When I read an adaptation of a classic I'd like for it add something new. Something that can make me see the classic story in a new light. With a manga adaptation I expect it to add an interesting visual component.

Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes is characterized as a manga adaptation of a classic, but I would argue that while it is in a manga format (read right to left), it has many characteristics that don't fit that classification. The art style itself is much more reminiscent of Korean manwha, while the panelling favours the comic format. Sadly the art in general was quite disappointing. From bad anatomy to a lack of backgrounds in many panels, the art added very little to the original story.

"Excuse my rudeness. You interrupted while I was thinking."

A Study in Scarlet must also not be the easiest book to adapt. It's a story where we moreso follow along with the adventures of Holmes and Watson, and do not get invited to engage much with the story. The part featuring Lucy is overly long in Doyle's version, and I was glad to see that be a more appropriate length in this adaptation. I also enjoyed Watson's devotion to and support of Holmes.

"What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is, what you can make people believe that you have done."

For new readers I would suggest reading the original, but if you want a quick summary or to refresh your memory this manga will probably suffice.

This is such a fun read! I generally love manga classics and this one doesn’t disappoint.

This keeps satisfyingly close to the original with some fun tweaks. Although it’s not overt, I can tell there’s a hint of a romantic connection between Sherlock and Watson that only adds to the appeal of this retelling. There’s little missing from the original but what is is not noticeable.

The absolute best part of this read was the illustrations. Such fantastic art that made reading this a treat.

*ARC thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment*

This manga adaptation of A Study in Scarlet is a more accessible form for people who don't like reading classics since the story is faithful to the original book

I didn't appreciate the artistic choice of putting steampunk accessories here and there and some other physical traits of the characters

I love Sherlock Holms so I liked to read another adaptation of this charachter

Thanks to the author and publisher for making it available on NetGalley