It all begins between the school desks, where the mind and spirit of the children is forged to allow them to face the future in the best possible way. At the Yubiwa Academy, the protagonist Mayumi Dojima is desperate for something precious for her that she has no longer found: The Dark Star that Shines for You Alone (taking the title of the first volume of the original light novel series). A star only she could see. Thus, five outstanding detectives will help you in your quest, opening your eyes and confronting with you the reality of a world of pride and malice.

Conceived by the brilliant mind of Nisioisin, widely recognized for his masterpiece still in progress, Monogatari series, and by the wise hands of the staff of Studio Shaft, Bishounen Tanteidan proved to be a big surprise for fans of the author. As general supervisor there could not be Akiyuki Shinbo, director of other successes as Puella Magi Madoka Magica and March comes in like a lion, flanked by Hiroki Yamamura (Magica Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story) for the general direction of the animations. The cast members successfully reflect the intense blinding light of the series. Ayumu Murase, Taito Ban, Toshiki Masuda, Shōgo Yano and Gen Satō skillfully and wisely represent the five detectives, while Maaya Sakamoto manages to elevate a girl initially put under tone by the glow of the first five, making her full evolution throughout history.

But now, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to start from the beginning. With so much charm and enchantment!

The twelve episodes that enclose the entire animated adaptation represent several different cases that could be considered auto-conclusive. When you solve a mystery you move on to the next one. Every single problem is examined with care and attention through the typical dialogues that Nisioisin fans recognize. Entire sections dedicated exclusively to the dialogue between the detectives and their reasoning and opinions on the various mysteries to be solved, and then move on to the final deduction, could lead, in several cases, to the disorientation of the poor reader of subtitles (and even if a hypothetical dubbing in Italian were to arrive, it would take a lot of care to keep up). Besides, that’s Nisioisin’s touch, isn’t it?

Usually too long dialogues are boring and tiring: it is up to the writer to capture the attention of the reader (in this case the viewer) in such a way as to entice him to say his too. Since there are no combat scenes as in Monogatari, the way the discussion and the exchange of ideas of the characters is represented is crucial. As always, Nisioisin managed to overcome this tremendous obstacle gracefully with the support of the animators and the enormous contribution of the voice actors, who gave emphasis and character to every spoken word. All respecting the rule of "beauty" that the club has established.

But what did the author want to underline with the word "beauty"? Is it limited to physical appearance? At the end of the day, you can’t say that detectives aren’t good-looking guys, even though they’re middle school students. But you cannot lock everything in such a subtle and material boundary: you must not stop at the generic definition, because that would be the usual boring logic. Each of us has a different conception of beauty: one would answer that for him beauty is a rose that blooms, another the sun that sets on the sea, another a star that has seen years before. As Plato wrote at the time of the Greek philosophers with his "Beautiful ideal", the search and acceptance of its own beauty is one of the main themes of the series.

If you were to consider the second rule of the club, "be a boy", surely many would wonder why the protagonist, being a girl, has managed to enter. Well, just apply the same reasoning as before: we do not seek the definition, but the conception. What do you mean by being a boy? Is it limited to the physical aspect or is there something else? When the term boy is used, it often means a minor who is not yet mature and unable to face reality for what he is. "He cannot take into account taxes and duties to be paid, he is only a boy", "He is not able to understand when a thing is true or false, he is only a boy". In a world where the mentality of adults reigns, being a boy is the ability to recognize and appreciate the beauty of the present, to live fully with your mind and your spirit.

Finally, the third rule: "be a detective". Following the thread of the previous paragraph, a boy must have the ability to go against the system, use his intellect to continue his journey. Innocence is not at all a derogatory quality: who with words, who with a brush in his hands, who with some aromatic grass, who with his body and who with his laughter, the way a guy faces reality is without doubt the manifestation of his side "detective". The mind is free, the body is light, the eyes see things that an adult would not be able to see: the innocence of youth is the only weapon able to contrast with cunning (and attractiveness, of course) the false convictions of modern times.

The character design of the characters is very well done, allowing for immediate recognition of the various team members. There’s not a real villain to defeat, but a series of mini villains that hinder their investigation: from criminal followers of a beautiful gray-eyed lady to a guy already director of a casino, From a snooty, noble girl to a student willing to do anything to get approval. Unfortunately these do not have any kind of evolution, concluding their role with the solution of the case. Even detectives do not have a particular evolution, as they play the role of "helpers" allowing the protagonist to shine. Unfortunately, it is a lack that is felt: a greater appreciation would have benefited the characterization of the characters and the consequent empathy that the audience would have felt towards them.

The technical side is of a unique beauty (it could not be otherwise!). The animations are very fluid, not too heavy, leaving room for bright colors and shades. We’re talking about Studio Shaft after all. As if I hadn’t mentioned it enough, for Nisioisin fans there were animated little comic scenes between one discussion of an enigma and the other with the style of Monogatari series, with the characteristic exaggerated expressions and peculiar shots with a monochromatic background and Japanese characters that wander around them. Although it may seem like an unnecessary addition to plot development, it actually makes the story smoother, loosening the grip from time to time and allowing the viewer to catch his breath. A winning move that emphasizes even more the style of narration of Nisioisin. The dialogue scenes gave carte blanche to the animators, who were able to accentuate their form and manners. Even taking into account the single frame shows the hard work behind the scenes. The colors dominate in all their splendor, presenting a product of excellent quality.

The musical component is a fundamental, almost primary, element of a series of qualities. Composed by Effy and Masatomo Ōta, finely defines every environment and context: from the analysis of the problem, to the revelation of the villain’s plan. The same interactions between the characters work thanks to the background music, which lull the audience or drag them into the chilling feeling of despair and restlessness.

The opening theme song "Shake&shake" is performed by Sumika, who previously worked on Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku and the successful feature film I want to eat your pancreas. An opening theme must "open" the episode to the viewer, introducing it to the content that is about to watch. You can not hide how it has become viral, within a few months, with almost 3 million views to date (whereas it was not a "mainstream" anime series-level releases in the same period as the fifth season of My Hero Academia or Tokyo Revengers). Its playful rhythm, musical instruments such as the piano that make it look like a cabaret song, and the singer’s high and lively tonality effectively describe the cheerfulness and innocence of the characters. In the animation itself there are stars everywhere and a toy rocket pointing towards the space, underlining once again the qualities just described. You can not dance to the sound of "shake la la la~", so that the same detectives perform their dance steps become popular on Youtube.

It changes genre with the two ending acronyms, both performed by the voice actors of the fascinating detectives. The first one, "Beautiful Reasoning", almost sounds like disco music, which makes you want to dance perhaps more than the opening theme song. A good way to give a momentary greeting to the viewer, waiting for this to pass to the next episode. All showing the fallen-asleep detectives with their pajamas on in the process of getting ready before going to school... too much cuteness to put up with in one blow! The second one, "Welcoming Days", is a typical idol song with a strong but sweeter rhythm and with visual equally hold to bring the girls to insert the biscuits in their list of favorite characters. At the moment there is neither a full version nor an official video that presents them, contrary to the opening theme, but with the recent sale of the series in Blue Ray and DVD in Japan perhaps in the near future the situation could change.

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Bishounen Tanteidan is a pearl lost due to a number of external factors that do not depend on the animated adaptation. But you don’t need good distribution to be a good product. It is an anime of quality from every point of view, which however flaws additional characterization, making some characters as a whole flat, despite their quality and design. It is not a soul suitable for those who seek action and combat, nor for those who tend to get lost in subtitles. Skipping even a sentence of a speech would be detrimental to the understanding of the case and reasoning of the characters. Many souls today and not only are addressed to young people, yet very few have addressed the theme of youth itself. Taking up a quote outside the souls of the wise master Oogway: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today it is a gift, for this reason it is called present". Growth is inevitable, but it must not in any way come suddenly and erase what you were before maturity. Living every day as a special gift, without getting everything right away, facing the various obstacles and also taking advantage of their limitations and defects to their advantage. Every boy must fulfill something, have a dream that only in time will become reality, without dirty tricks and deception. Aim higher and higher, and shine like a star in the sky.

_A scum will always remain scum, but I will become a galactic scum that will shine like the starry sky. I will shine even in the light. [...] So that we can talk about the past with some implication, we must live the present, so that one day it will become a beautiful memory. We must live in a fascinating way. Let’s drink to this irreplaceable present. To the present that is here now.
-Dojima Mayumi_