Dying Message: The Detective Anime Mystery Podcast

We bring a variety of snacks to a haunted house in Detective Conan Episode 20 with our mystery guest -- Theodosia Mayfield, creator of Delve Immersive and experienced haunted house performer. We return to Detective Conan for a Halloween special and our last episode of 2021. The Detective Boys investigate the creepy house at the end of the street, and we investigate the creepy lack of waffle ice cream sandwiches in our lives. Plus: how hard would it be to get away with murder ... in space? Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Theodosia Mayfield, creator of the virtual, walkable, fantastical escape room, The Ghastly Gourd. Learn more at delveimmersive.com

We all examine our seats for any unsavory surprises in Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace Episodes 1 and 2 with our mystery guest -- Nate May, improviser and member of Daddy Issues Improv. We investigate a shocking and strange adaptation of the mystery and thriller stories by classic Japanese author, Edogawa Rampo. There are a lot of bizarre choices in this very detective-y anime -- some are delightful, some are confusing, and some are dreadful. We talk about the emo lyrics of the opening song, the artistic use of shadows, and what it means for a serial killer to also have a DIY hobby. Please make note of the content warning at the top of the episode. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Nate May.

We swashbuckle from rooftop to rooftop in The Castle of Cagliostro, along with mystery castle expert: comedian and writer, Drew Kramcsak. This week we follow Lupin III to the vaguely European and beautifully animated countryside in the classic anime film, The Castle of Cagliostro, the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki. Noah pretends to be blonde, Michael remembers things about Inspector Gadget, and everyone goes out to a diner to get cheesecake once it's all over. Plus: Drew puts in a plug for Esquire magazine circa 1957 and shares a strange story about a smelly factory. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Drew Kramcsak.

We deploy misdirection to steal a precious sapphire in Magic Kaito Episode 2, joined by mystery magic expert, Fred Siegel. The Dying Message Podcast is still missing! This week we track down the elusive Kaito Kid, a Detective Conan character who has a spin-off origin-story series. He uses flashy magic in his heists, and we are bringing it to you via the magic (haha) of podcasting. Plus: Fred reports on the anime he remembers from the local Philadelphia TV program "Wee Willie Weber's Colorful Cartoon Club", including Speed Racer and Astro Boy. Oh, and much more! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Fred Siegel. Find Fred's weekly magic tricks, "Fred Does A Trick", on the fredasiegel YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/fredasiegel/videos.

We rollerskate and jazzercise our way to freedom in Cat's Eye Episode 1, joined by mystery art expert, Karen Coleman Hinners. The Dying Message Podcast has been stolen! We're on the case to track down the thieves by watching thief/heist anime starting with the amazing 80s anime - Cat's Eye. Along the way, we'll learn about the mischeivous reputation of the tanuki and also that there are a lot of Culkins out there in the world. Plus: Karen provides amazing insight into what it's like to have your art stolen as well as tips for keeping escape room spaghetti from sticking. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Karen Coleman Hinners. Find Karen's art on Instagram: @KColemanHinnersArt. For upcoming Philly NCrowd shows, go to www.phillyncrowd.com

On a new Dying Message Extra*, we look at the first life action Detective Conan prequel,The Letter of Challenge, with returning funny movie-folk, Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell, co-hosts of the Rotten Treasure podcast. To celebrate the 50th episode of our podcast, we dive right in to the first live action Detective Conan TV special. In this prequel story, Ran and Sonoko are kidnapped, Shinichi is full of himself, Kogoro has a fake mustache, and Megure is possibly played by three kids in a trenchcoat. Also this week: find out where this movie falls on the milk scale (skim, 2%, whole) and whether you need an "overly elaborate sack-dropping device." Podcast Cover Art by Myriam Bloom Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery" by Jesse Spillane Thank you again to our extra special guests, Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell. Find Rotten Treasure on all the podcast services. *How can we cover something that's not anime on our detective anime podcast? That's what makes this something extra, a little mini spin-off that no one asked for.

We reveal pertinent information while riding motorcycles in The Crimson Love Letter (Detective Conan Movie 21) with mystery guests Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell of the Rotten Treasure podcast. We're gearing up for Episode 50 next week by bringing back two fantastic mystery guests to watch a full-length, shiny, exciting, complicated, character-full movie. We do a ton of research on the traditional Japanese card game Karuta and try to figure out whether it's a good motive for murder. Plus: we let our jaws hit the floor during some of this movie's breathtaking action sequences. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests, Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell of the Rotten Treasure podcast (IG: @Rotten_Treasure) and Daddy Issues Improv (IG: @DaddyIssuesImprov).

We take the express elevator to murder in Detective Conan Episode 19, joined by mystery guest, Rachel Benjamin When a high school karate champion gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a fashion model, what could possibly go wrong? Just a meticulously planned murder with a devious elevator alibi trick. Along the way, we learn about Rachel's high school yearbook, that even fancy carpets should be disposed of, that Alan works as a security guard, and that Michael has never taken the time to Google why ABC has a weak brodcast signal in the Philadelphia area. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Rachel Benjamin.

We fail to recognize a woman after she changes clothing in Detective Conan Episode 13, joined by mystery guest, Gina Gennari, who is taking a break from the world of True Crime to talk with us about fictional crime. It seems like a simple case of a girl looking for her father (and then a shrunken detective accidentally tripping and planting a tracking device on said girl [and then going to look for her after her "father" is murdered]). In reality, we had a hell of a time talking about this episode with Gina, including every kicked in car window, overturned hotel luggage cart, and cleverly constructed horse name. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Gina Gennari. Listen to Gina's new podcast -- Ruthless: A True Cirme Podcast (https://tinyurl.com/j6ffswx8) -- and catch her twice weekly on Crime and Cookies at https://www.twitch.tv/crimeandcookies.

It's time to crown a new Detective Champion on Part 2 of this year's hottest competitive book club -- Dying Message Challenge: The Inugami Curse. We'll be revealing the secrets of this classic Japanese murder mystery, along with fun games and surprises along the way. Last week, amateur sleuths Sam, Kate, and Michael guessed the ending of The Inugami Curse and now that they've finished the book, we'll see who was closest to the actual ending. It all builds up to the biggest surprise of all -- who won this arbitrary comedy game show? Spin-off podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Face Punch" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our amateur sleuths Sam Abrams, Kate Esposito, and Michael Savitski. Check out Kate's podcast Blue Sky Ed: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blue…ed/id1482203969.

Is it a book club? Is it a game show? Our spin-off: Dying Message Challenge is a little bit of both, and it's back better than ever! Three contestants try to solve the murders in the novel The Inugami Curse before reading the end of the book. They'll earn additional points in a series of challenges posed by host Noah Max Levine, and compete for the title of "Detective Champion." Part 1 spoils the beginning of the book -- but not the solution to the murders. If you enjoy our coverage of mystery anime, hear us cover the classic detective novel that inspired The Kindaichi Case Files and countless other detective stories in anime! Spin-off podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Face Punch" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our amateur sleuths Sam Abrams, Kate Esposito, and Michael Savitski. Check out Kate's podcast Blue Sky Ed: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blue…ed/id1482203969.

We skateboard across the surface of a river in Detective Conan Episode 12, with fantastic mystery guest -- comedian Fran Fortunato Buckle up for an exciting car/skateboard chase as Detective Conan takes to the streets. There's a lot of strange behavior by six-year old kids in this episode including: climbing into the trunks of car and declaring their love for each other. Plus: Fran brings us a mysterious and bloody mystery and gives us the low-down on what she's learned from hours of Dragon Ball. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Fran Fortunato.

We play the piano as flames dance around us in Detective Conan Episode 12, joined this week by mystery guest, Jesse Spillane -- the musician who created our theme music! This week we tackle an all-time classic of Detective Conan: The Moonlight Sonata Murders. An island with a cursed piano that holds a terrible secret? Sign us up! Plus: There's extra music in this episode! Hear the Moonlight Sonata as we talk about it. Wow! That's fancy! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Theme music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Moonlight Sonata movements 1, 2, and 3, performed by Paul Pittman for MusOpen, an online library of public domain music. Thank you to our mystery guest, Jesse Spillane. Find Jesse's newest music at: https://jessespillane.bandcamp.com/

On a new Dying Message Extra*, we look at a recent manga, i tell c, that promises "a unique take on the crime-suspense genre" with returning troublemakers, Katie Cwirko and Nick Elmer. As if the manga we're reading wasn't wild enough (with a twist you've got to hear us talk about to believe), Katie and Nick bring opinions on a variety of topics including: crepes and pretzels, Barnes and Noble bathrooms, literary drinking games, and Cats (the movie). This is an absolute wild ride that will make you question: "What is a manga? What is a podcast?" Podcast Cover Art by Myriam Bloom Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery" by Jesse Spillane Thank you again to our extra special guests, Katie Cwirko and Nick Elmer. *How can we cover something that's not anime on our detective anime podcast? That's what makes this something extra, a little mini spin-off that no one asked for.

We solve a mystery backwards and light the hillside on fire in Detective Conan Episode 9, joined this week by mystery guests, Michelle Reap and Dean Wilhelmi. In this episode of Detective Conan, we see the murder take place (just like Columbo or that train episode of Detective Academy Q). But the murderer's alibi is broken because of how embarassed everyone is when brushing their teeth -- except for Noah who would brush his teeth in front of a total stranger. Plus: Michelle and Dean try to help out a stranger but cause more trouble in the end. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests, Michelle Reap and Dean Wilhelmi (turnup_turnip on Twitch).

We receive unwanted gifts on a regular basis in Detective Conan Episode 7, joined this week by mystery guest, Sarah Carter. Three main plot threads this week: 1) a surgeon is plagued by deliveries of toys, flowers, and money 2) Ran pretty much figures out her teenage sweetheart has become the child, Conan 3) Sarah Carter joins us for this plot heavy episode and asks a lot of important questions Plus: We all reveal our ages, we start selling mac and cheese, and we talk a bit about Sailor Moon. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Sarah Carter.

In our first ever Dying Message Extra*, we dig up the gay detective film Third Man Out (2005) to celebrate pride month with Steve Kleinedler and Harrison Scantling. We have a good time going into all the strange bits and pieces of this movie -- every single candy dish and husband-poured margarita. We also ponder queer representation in this and other mystery films, and rack our brains trying to think of other queer murder mysteries. (Does that Golden Girls episode count?) Podcast Cover Art by Myriam Bloom Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery" by Jesse Spillane Thank you again to our extra special guests, Steve Kleinedler and Harrison Scantling (@hjscollages on Instagram). *How can we cover something that's not anime on our detective anime podcast? That's what makes this something extra, a little mini spin-off that no one asked for.

We defy gender norms to make our own Valentine's Day chocolate in Detective Conan Episode 6, joined this week by mystery guest, Megan Edelman. No one is acting their age on the first Valentine's Day in Detective Conan. High school girls go on dates with college boys, a mother crashes her son's valentine's day, and a six-year old boy acts much more like the jealous teenager he secretly is. But by the end of it, we do find a short and delicious mystery to unravel. Plus: Michael critiques chocolate making techniques, and Megan shares a mysterious poem. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Megan Edelman.

We are very knowledgeable about the trains in Detective Conan Episode 5, joined this week by mystery guest -- Joe Wendrychowicz, host of Fair Deal: An Improvised Mediation Podcast. In this episode, Conan tries out two new gadgets/accessories to his outfit: the Power-Enhancing Kick Shoes and the Glasses Microphone. Meanwhile, everyone on this train is carrying a black briefcase, and one of them has a bomb inside! It's not even ten minutes into the episode when we accidentally solve one of our guest's personal mysteries. This is a great episode to listen while riding a train -- or anywhere! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Joe Wendrychowicz, Fair Deal: An Improvised Mediation Podcast.

We straighten out a painting and inherit a big pile of gold in Layton Mystery Tanteisha episode 1 with our mystery guest -- Jack O'Keeffe, comedian and host of the Good Quiz. We investigate the pilot episode of the spin-off anime series of the Professor Layton spin-off game: Layton's Mystery Journey. There's plenty of time for tea amid the refreshingly light mystery of a man whose entire family has disappeared -- were they eaten by a house? Plus: We reveal the secret origin of Batman, I attempt to solve an aggravating clock puzzle, and Jack throws his trash into the wrong person's dumpster. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Jack O'Keeffe (@JackOakLeaf on Twitter).

We contaminate a crime scene with the help of children in Detective Conan (Case Closed) Episode 3 with our mystery guest -- Siobhan O'Hara, stand-up comedian and mouse hunter. Would it be worth it to be immortal if you had to be six years old forever? We answer this question with our mystery guest after seeing how hard it is for Shinichi Kudo to solve a murder now that he's six years old. Plus: We get an update from Ryan on Moriarty the Patriot and solve a not-so-poopy mystery. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Siobhan O'Hara (@SiobhanRois91 on Instagram and TikTok). Catch her with Daddy Issues Improv Comedy (@DaddyIssuesImprov on Instagram).

We ride a hatless dog to rescue a twice-kidnapped "debutante" in Detective Conan (Case Closed) Episode 2 with our mystery guest -- Nick Elmer, our returning episode-two guy. Picking up right where we left off last week, we follow a shrunken high school detective as he copes with his new life as a six-year old child. We also course correct a bit from last week's very critical breakdown of episode 1 to focus in on the charm of Detective Conan that has led to its 20+ year-run. Oh, and we find time for lots of shenanigans along the way. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Nick Elmer (Smoke Break Improv, Philly N Crowd, Science Club).

We buckle down to it and ride a roller coaster in Detective Conan (Case Closed) Episode 1 with our mystery guest -- Katie Cwirko, our podcast's fantastic pilot person. It's the pilot episode that launched 1000 further episodes. That's right! This week, we tackle the 1000-episode murder mystery behemoth that is Detective Conan and fulfill the promise in our preview episode to explain what it's all about. Along the way, we stop at a theme park that is not up to code, and make some very personally invasive deductions. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Katie Cwirko (Oh Snap! An MCU Recap Podcast).

We put on drag and compete to beat Sherlock Holmes in Moriarty the Patriot Episodes 2 and 3 with our mystery guest -- Ryan T. Barlow, comedian, humorist and musician. This is the kind of Sherlock Holmes adaptation that could only exist in anime -- three beautiful Moriarty brothers intent on using crime to fight the unjust class system in Victorian England. It takes us a lot of effort to remember which Moriarty brother is which, but it's worth it. Plus: Ryan fixes his bathtub and Michael falls down a Google-hole. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Ryan T. Barlow, creator of People of Interest, co-creator of My Dinner with Ryaneil PT Bardhanlow, and bassist in the Mean Wendy Band.

We put on drag and compete to beat Sherlock Holmes in Case File nº221: Kabukicho (Kabukicho Sherlock) Episode 1 with our mystery guest -- Josh Hitchens, host/creater of the Going Dark Theatre podcast. This anime premiered in the fall of 2020 when the world was simpler. Like this straightforward modern take on Sherlock Holmes. Set in a possibly dystopian version of the Kabukicho red light district of Japan. With a full roster of eccentric detectives trying to outdo Holmes. Oh, and also, Mrs. Hudson is the landlord, but also a drag queen and also runs mystery solving competitions. And Sherlock solves the case by reinvigorating the traditional Japanese storytelling art of Rakugo. Okay, maybe not so simple after all, but very fun to talk about! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Josh Hitchens. Check out the Going Dark Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, among others, and find out more about what Josh is up to on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/joshhitchens.

We spend an unfathomable (and limitless) amount of money producing Millionaire Detective Balance: Unlimited Episode 1 with our mystery guests Cara Schmidt and Alex Fierro. Originally airing in April 2020, this detective anime pilot gives new meaning to the words "big spender." Ever watched a detective show and worried that the main characters weren't obscenely wealthy enough? Well, do we have some great news for you! Plus: the mystery of the friendly neighbors and the unexpected soap. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests, Cara Schmidt and Alex Fierro.

We question whether a poet would make a good detective in Woodpecker Detective's Office: Episode 1 with our mystery guest -- teacher, power lifter, and literature enthusiast, Maddy. This anime series from Spring 2020 casts historical Japanese figures from 1902 Japan in a murder mystery and romance (or is the romance just in Noah's head?) This episode has everything we're looking for: a brothel with paper thin walls, a murder mystery with paper thin plotting, some nice art, and silly pin-ups. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Maddy!

We discover the treasure of a lost civilization in Lupin III: The First along with our three mystery guests: comedian Tanya Morgan and her two kids, Brandon (11) and Monay (9). It's a whole lot of firsts on this week's Dying Message: 1) we watched a movie; 2) it's in CG; 3) it was released this year; 4) it's about a thief and not a detective; 5) we have three mystery guests; 6) two of our mystery guests are kids; 7) this is a long list; 8) are you excited to listen to the episode? This is a great movie to dive right into the world of Lupin III, and a great episode of Dying Message to listen to over and over again in the coming months. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests Tanya, Brandon, and Monay Morgan. Tanya performs with Daddy Issues Improv Comedy (@daddyissuesimprov on Instagram) and the NCrowd (PhillyNCrowd on Twitch). We are taking a break from uploading new episodes and will be back with weekly episodes later in the first half of 2021. Thanks to everyone for supporting the podcast!

We wrap our investigation into Detective Academy Q and share our final thoughts on all 45 episodes of this series. We don't have a guest this week, but we manage to solve quite a few mysteries on our own, like: What were the best episodes of Detective Academy Q? Why was the ending so disappointing? What's next for the Dying Message podcast? Can we eat cookies quiet enough to not mess up with recording? Plus: we share the conclusion of last week's exciting oven mystery, with a clip featuring last week's guests. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests from last week, Alexis Howland and Nate Biagiotti. Find much more of Alexis and Nate on the Alexis and Nate Don't Know YouTube channel.

We solve the final mysteries in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 44 and 45 with mystery guests -- Alexis Howland and Nate Biagiotti, co-hosts of Alexis and Nate Don't Know. Well, that's a wrap on Detective Academy Q, as we detail its very unsatisfying conclusion along with two very confused guests. We go through all the dramatic reveals, car chases, boat chases, and characters by the bucketload. Somehow, we still have enough time to explore two temples and make some powerful enemies. Plus: a real-life mystery in Alexis' apartment creates a thrilling and organic cliff-hanger for today's episode! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests, Alexis Howland and Nate Biagiotti. Find much more of Alexis and Nate on the Alexis and Nate Don't Know YouTube channel.

There's a big concrete brick blocking our exit in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 41-43 with our mystery guest -- comedian and food person, Liz Czerpak. The last big murder mystery of Detective Academy Q is a great one to share with a mystery guest and a podcast audience. It's got everything: a "locked" room, a dying message, two murder suspects who turn out to be other characters in disguise, and hot spring hijinks. Plus: stay after the credits to learn the secrets of dry cleaning! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Liz Czerpak

We see something so frightening out on the street that we drop our groceries in Detective Academy Q: Episode 40 with mystery guest comedian and artist Sofia Demopolos. A sleepover at Kyu's house turns into the Scooby Doo-iest mystery featuring the detective trio we didn't know we needed: Kyu, Ryu, and Kyu's mom ("hot mom"). Who's faking the ghost of the headless woman and why? Is it Old Lady Jenkins or angry child with dog? Plus: we provide unpaid promotion for Lunchables and talk about our childhoods. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Sofia Demopolos.

We play the violin until we rip our faces off and jump into the sea in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 36 - 39 with mystery guests Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell of the Rotten Treasure podcast. What's the point of an illusory mansion without any illusions? Or a violin without a wooden dragon's head? Or a murder plan without a venomous snake? There's so much soap in this opera that we're all squeaky clean by the end of it, even with two hilarious mystery guests this week! Plus: The Mystery of the Scary Goosebumps Episode. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests, Kai Bobbi and Jim O'Donnell of the Rotten Treasure podcast (Twitter @RottenTreasure) and Daddy Issues Improv (Instagram @DaddyIssuesImprov).

A "jewel summoner" is the weirdest thing we've encountered yet in Detective Academy Q: Episode 35 with mystery guest Derek Hayes When the world's least successful cult leader plants a bomb in an empty department store, Kyu is determined to protect the institution of retail. (Please, no one tell him about Amazon!) Plus: a Pokemon mystery, and a review of Supermarket Sweep. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Derek Hayes, host of Hold Up! (instagram: @holdupbookclub).

A devious locked room poisoning is the curare for boredom in Detective Academy Q: Episode 33 and 34 with mystery guest Meredith McDonald. It's a relatable story. You're the assistant principal at an elementary school, and one day one of your priceless anthropological artifacts is stolen along with a vial of curare poison. Or wait. That's not relatable at all! Plus: Are diapers recyclable? Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest, Meredith McDonald.

We are caught completely offguard by Detective Academy Q: Episode 32 with mystery guest Ralph Andracchio. Megu and Yukihira team up with newcomer Touya to confront a topic too delicate for the writers of this anime to handle. This episode is an all around puzzling mess and a bit of a stinker, and we do our best to work our way through it with our excellent mystery guest. Plus: a mysterious mouse! CONTENT WARNING: the plot of anime this week concerns public gropic and sexual harassment against women, and we discuss these topics throughout. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Ralph Andracchio, comedian and owner of IN/FORMATION Coaching and Communication.

We experience a full range of emotions through the 'net in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 29, 30, and 31 with mystery guest Andrew Nealis. Ryu and Megu are sent undercover to an elite high school plagued by disappearances, digital snuff videos, and internet message boards. Plus: Andrew channels Detective Pikachu to find hard drives, and Michael's love of coffee could lead to his bitter end. CONTENT WARNING: this podcast episode and the anime episodes mention suicide, self-harm, and cyber-bullying. We did not give a heads up in the episode itself, so we are adding a warning here.) Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Andrew Nealis, host of Sean & Andrew Talk About Movies (and Sometimes Other Stuff).

We stumble upon the murder basement in Detective Academy Q: Episode 27 and 28 with mystery guest Sam Abrams. We face our snake and captivity related fears, and Sam shares some incredibly relevant stories from an actual classroom. Plus: Noah says something (for the first time?) to justify rating this as an explicit podcast, and we learn more than enough about kabu pit vipers. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Sam Abrams.

We search the house for an intruder in Detective Academy Q: Episode 26 with mystery guest Erin Dohony. Pluto may not be a planet, but the criminal organization known as Pluto is casting a planet-sized shadow over the plot of this episode. We're not fooled one bit by Ms. Kaori's creepishly real face-mask, but we are fooled by Erin's neighbor's ominous warning. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Erin Dohony (@obiwondohony on Twitter). You can check out her comedy writing and more on: https://obiwandohony.com/

We take an idle look at the idol murder in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 24 and 25 with mystery guest Keane Cobb. So many secrets are revealed at once that even the word "secret" loses its meaning. Fortunately, Keane joins us and catches the things we missed. Also, we chat about sports anime and reminisce about Blockbuster snacks. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Keane Cobb (twitter: @KeaneCobb).

We take a literary train ride to examine the flimsy alibi in Detective Academy Q: Episode 23 with mystery guest Caleb Zane Huett. In the anime, a picture book author thinks she's devised the perfect crime. On our podcast, a children's book author argues that she really, really hasn't. Plus: Michael becomes the Captain of the Podcast, and we brainstorm a few theories for an anonymous amorous Kingkiller Chronicles postcard. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Caleb Zane Huett, author of middle-grade books Top Elf (https://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781338052121) and the upcoming Buster (https://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781338541885). Check out Caleb's podcasts: You're Too Show - http://youretooshow.com Every Day's Great - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/every-days-great-persona-day-by-day/id1228998470

We spoil one of the most unexpected endings of any mystery novel, and find out who will be crowned "Detective Champion" on Part 2 of Dying Message Challenge. This is the gameshow/bookclub two-part spin-off conclusion you have been waiting for! It's an all out (and very courteous brawl) as we finally get some time to dive into all the secrets in this book. Warning: We are utterly spoiling the ending of the murder mystery Murder in the Crooked House by Sojia Shimada. If you haven't listened to Part 1, you'll want to start there (It was episode 13 of the podcast). Spin-off podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Face Punch" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our amateur sleuths Neil Bardhan, Kate Esposito, and Michael Savitski. Find Neil on Twitter @neilpbardhan, and check out Kate's podcast Blue Sky Ed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blue-sky-ed/id1482203969.

Is it a book club? Is it a game show? Our spin-off: Dying Message Challenge is a little bit of both! Three contestants try to solve the murders in the novel Murder in the Crooked House before reading the end of the book. They'll earn additional points in a series of challenges posed by host Noah Max Levine, and compete for the title of "Detective Champion." Part 1 spoils parts of the book -- but does not spoil the solution to the murders. If you enjoy our coverage of mystery anime, see what we can do with a Japanese mystery novel! Spin-off podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Face Punch" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our amateur sleuths Neil Bardhan, Kate Esposito, and Michael Savitski. Find Neil on Twitter @neilpbardhan, and check out Kate's podcast Blue Sky Ed: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blue-sky-ed/id1482203969.

Introducing the trailer for our competitive book club Dying Message Challenge: Murder in the Crooked House. Find out more about our upcoming experiment where we take the act of reading a book and turn it into a sick game. Premiering right here on September 14th, 2020. Hosted by Noah Max Levine with amateur sleuths Neil Bardhan, Kate Esposito, and Michael Savitski. Dying Message Challenge cover art created by Myriam Bloom. Music adapted from Face Punch by Jesse Spillane. (Creative Commons Attribution License).

We devour a bite-sized culinary murder mystery in Detective Academy Q: Episode 22 with mystery guest Kae Lani Palmisano. There's a chef's table of clues in this tasty mystery, and we've got the perfect guest to whip up something special. Plus: The mystery of who pooped in the sink, and a sneak preview of our competitive bookclub spin-off Dying Message Challenge, premiering next week. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Kae Lani Palmisano (@Kaelanisays on Twitter), Emmy-nominated host of Check Please Philly. Watch Check Please Philly at https://whyy.org/programs/check-please-philly/. More from Kae Lani Palmisano, on her website: www.kaelanisays.com.

We tunnel through the ungodly murders in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 17-21 with mystery guest Ross Weisman. A deadly virus? A village you can't enter without wearing a mask? Uh oh, this anime from 2003 is weirdly topical in 2020. Let us take you back to a simpler time when trees were for kissing, cordless phones were for murdering, and Spencer's Gifts was the place you could find gifts for Spencer. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Ross Weisman, host of Kidflix (@Kidflixpod on Twitter).

We confront the overly realistic diorama in Detective Academy Q: Episode 16 with returning mystery guests Katie Cwirko and Nick Elmer. It's a sudden deduction showdown between Class Q and Class A, but Katie and Nick do their best to turn the whole podcast episode into a giant "Which X character are you?" Buzzfeed quiz. The episode was very hard to edit, and very hard to summarize, but it's real easy to listen to! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests Katie Cwirko and Nick Elmer.

A beach trip leads us to an underwater locked room in Detective Academy Q: Episode 15 with mystery guest Katie Gansler. It's your typical anime beach episode with lots of scuba diving and murder sprinkled in. Mike's on hand to tell us about beach episodes, while mystery guest and diver Katie explores the plausibility of this scuba-centric murder. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Katie Gansler.

We investigate a spooky seance murder in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 12-14 with mystery guests Sloane Lewis and Amelia Williams. Kyuu's mom tries to set him up with a girlfriend, but instead he brings Class Q to debunk a seance. When murder ensues, Sloane and Amelia are on hand to explain just how shitty it all is and to teach us a few lessons! Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guests Sloane Lewis and Amelia Williams. Follow Sloane's project, a new tabletop RPG The World of Shatterseal, on Twitter @syzygygerund. Follow Amelia's project, Collective 8, an LGTBQ+ media collective providing data-based illustrations of racial injustice in the US on Instagram @Collective_8.

We investigate a series of dismemberments in Detective Academy Q: Episodes 8-11 with mystery guest Paulo Bautista. In some kind of cruel and mysterious test, the students of DDS are shipped off to a murder training camp where, you guessed it, one of the students get murdered. Luckily, we've got Paulo on hand as we break it all down. Plus: how is Scooby Doo like a detective anime? Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Paulo Bautista (@ninjaboimedia on Twitter). More social media links for Ninja Boi Media and Yet Another Anime Podcast below. Yet Another Anime Podcast Email: yetanotheranimepodcast@gmail.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/YetAnoAniPod iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yet-another-anime-podcast/id1508245942 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4lg3YfrdsSaXNKfXVXrcof Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/podcasts/portal/#p:id=playpodcast/series&a=225689717 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/yet-another-anime-podcast-1149686 A Ninjaboi Media Production Email: ninjaboimedia@gmail.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/NinjaboiMedia Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ninjaboi333 MyAnimeList: https://myanimelist.net/animelist/ninjaboi333

We investigate an artsy-fartsy, puzzle-piece murder in Detective Academy Q: Episode 7 with mystery guest Myriam Bloom. Our heroes demystify the artful "dying message" at the heart of this murder -- and it's all thanks to Michael's favorite real-thing-that-exists: photographic memory. Plus, we all pick our own hyper-specialized anime high schools. Podcast cover art by Myriam Bloom. Music excerpted from "Solve the Damn Mystery!" by Jesse Spillane. Thank you to our mystery guest Myriam Bloom (@myrdraws on Instagram). Find her work in the Insider Art anthology(www.insiderart.net).