The story is the same, the characters are the same as the original still, this manga version is lovely, attractive and pulls the reader into the atmosphere of this first Holmes’ story. The manga hits the classic lines and turning points of the story.

A+

First time I've red Manga, and this was a good one to start with. The beginning gave instructions on how to read the book, since it is different than Western books. As for the story itself, it was enjoyable. No different than the original story, but I enjoyed the art style.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Entertaining read. Loved seeing Sherlock and Watson’s friendship develop. The art looks great and I love that it’s fully in color. I also appreciated how it was longer than most manga I’ve read.

Interesting idea to have a manga adaptation of the story. I quite enjoyed it, however the art was not my favorite. Mainly some of the facial expressions. But other than that it was very interesting to follow!

I read the original A Study in Scarlet a long time ago, so I was looking forward to have my memory refreshed. I am also not new to reading graphic novel adaptations of classics (I’m a fan!) but this was the first time I read one that was adapted into manga! I was pretty excited about it.

My first reaction was how young and handsome both Watson and Sherlock were. It quite took me by surprise. I did like the manga expressions, but I’m not so sure about these two being too handsome. There’s a first for everything, I suppose.

I still think that if you want to know the best version of Sherlock, you should read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original works. But I feel like the manga did some justice to the originals. The Sherlock that most people are familiar with are probably more like the snooty Benedict Cumberbatch version who even made fun of Watson. Doyle’s version, I felt was at least respectful to Watson. He trusted Watson and his friend’s profession enough to rely on him.

But if you want a quick taste of what the story was about, you could give this manga classics a try. Reading both to compare is always the best, I feel.

I rated this 3.5 stars.

The mystery started off not very interesting, but the backstory changed my view on it a lot. I feel so bad for the killer, which isn't something I can say often. Sherlock is cool and Watson is adorable. I love the art.

The Manga Classics adaptation of Sherlock Holmes is a masterpiece that brilliantly captures the essence of literature’s most iconic detective. Illustrated by Julien Choy and staying true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original work, this graphic novel immerses readers in Holmes’ genius through Dr. Watson’s perspective.

The artwork is stunning—every detail, from Victorian-era attire to intricate settings, is meticulously crafted. The use of color and visual effects, such as blurs in memory sequences, adds incredible depth to the story. Holmes remains his eccentric yet utterly captivating self, while Watson offers a grounded and relatable viewpoint.

This manga is not only easy to read but so engaging that it’s impossible to put down. A flawless adaptation that deserves a 5-star rating. An absolute must-have for any Sherlock Holmes fan!

📌 A must-read because:
✔ Classic story with a fresh visual twist
✔ Faithful and detailed illustrations
✔ Fast-paced and immersive storytelling

A Study In Scarlet is one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes's story. It's so nice to be able to read it in manga style. The artwork somehow reminds me of the BBC's Sherlock rather than the original Sherlock Holmes. The characters esp. Holmes & Watson look too young in this manga. I wish they could be portrayed a little bit older/mature. Nevertheless, it's a good option to enjoy Sherlock Holmes classic story.

Solid adaptation of A Study in Scarlet. The character designs are appealing, but the artwork, overall, feels a bit static for manga. Still, mystery lovers will enjoy.

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!

Very well done for a manga! Loved the versions of Sherlock and Watson. The story was gripping and a good read. Very cool!

I’ll start with… I’ve never read the original. Sherlock Holmes is on my list of books I want to read but I just haven’t gotten to them yet. Soon!!

With that in mind, I enjoyed this book and would love to… preview… other Sherlock stories in the same way. I very much enjoyed the artwork. As this was a really quick read for me, I do kind of consider this a preview for me reading the full classic, which I fully intend to do now.

I absolutely love the idea of bringing classic stories to manga and bringing it to the attention of a new and younger generation!

The artist is incredible and I found myself flicking through this with ease!

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 they 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)

This one was so fun to read! I have read a few other of the Manga Classics books, and they are all super entertaining. There are no stories as fun as Sherlock Holmes though. And reading such a fun Sherlock Holmes story in manga format was very entertaining! Thank you!

As a long time Sherlock Holmes fan, I absolutely loved this manga adaptation. It keeps all of the suspense and mystery of the original, along with the fascinating friendship that forms between Holmes and Watson, while presenting the story in a much more accessible format for modern readers. The art style was well suited to Conan Doyle's classic mystery and I found myself unable to put the book down. I look forward to adding this manga to our library's collection.

A new take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

The thing I like the most about the manga classics is that they provide a new avenue to engage readers with classic literature. For someone who has read a lot of classic literature, it gives a nice refresh of the story, and for someone who has trouble engaging in some of the denser classical titles, the manga classics give them the opportunity to participate. They’ve been great for teens and young adults who may be seeing the titles on their school curriculums.

This particular classic retells the first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. The people who worked to modify this manga from the original Doyle story, did a great job in picking out the highlights. The translator did a fantastic job in pulling the quotes directly from the original source material, bending the lines a bit when necessary to create a cohesive piece. The illustrations nicely tag along with the plot and the words to create a nice backdrop on the action.

And finally, a manga where people actually look different. I feel like a lot of manga illustrations tend to all draw people in very similar ways, but the characters in this one actually have different and distinct facial structures (with the exception of Holmes and Watson, who have the traditional soft features, styled hair, and pointed chins). With the inspectors around them having distinct features, it really helped emphasize just how young Holmes and Watson are. That said, I Watson’s depiction didn’t exactly strike me as the former military man he was. There are moments were his injury comes into play, but otherwise it’s difficult to tell, unlike the other former military men that show up in the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this manga retelling. It did well following the traditional story, laying out little clues for the reader, and really highlighting the important aspects of the original tale. I really appreciated the easy comradery between Watson and Holmes that has been lost in some other Holmes adaptations (I’m looking at you BBC Sherlock). I would have liked to see even more of Holmes’ eccentric personality, but liked the way the creators of this version deftly handled his investigation and aloof personality. I would have liked to see a Watson with a little more agency, but appreciated his outrage over Scotland Yard taking the credit for Holmes’ work.

This set a nice groundwork for manga classics to continue adapting the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I hope to see more of them in the future.

A Captivating Manga Adaptation of a Timeless Classic!

I absolutely loved Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes! As someone who enjoys both the world of manga and the iconic detective stories of Sherlock Holmes, this adaptation was the perfect blend of both worlds. The artwork is stunning, capturing the mood and atmosphere of Victorian London with intricate detail while still maintaining the dynamic, expressive style of manga.

The characters, particularly Sherlock and Watson, are brought to life in a fresh, engaging way, making their personalities even more vivid. The mystery and suspense of the original stories are preserved beautifully, keeping the twists and turns as captivating as ever. It’s a great introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes for manga fans who may not have read the original books, and a fun way for longtime fans of the detective to experience the stories in a new light.

The pacing is perfect for the medium, and the dialogue is concise yet impactful, delivering all the cleverness and wit that you’d expect from Arthur Conan Doyle's work. If you’re a fan of both manga and classic literature, Manga Classics: Sherlock Holmes is definitely worth picking up.

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♟️Rating:2/5⭐
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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

Truth to be told, I was pretty disappointed with this adaptation despite it being a faithful one. My main review would be on the pacing, art style, and paneling since the plot is relatively the same as the actual novel.

This feels less like a manga but rather a comic of a graphic novel, and the art itself feels very rushed in general. To start off, even though this manga is coloured, it fails to enhance the scenes. Instead, it just feels very flat in general due to a lack of contrast when colouring to complement the corresponding scene. One thing that many popular manga artists are amazing at is the ability to highlight and show contrast in important scenes with only black and white. Even though this is more time-consuming in coloured pages, it still shouldn’t take away the same emotional impact. Another gripe which I have with this manga is how plain the backgrounds are often drawn. The backgrounds are normally layered with one colour, and it is repeatedly seen throughout the whole comic. The overreliance on the gradient background takes away the emotional impact of such shots when most of the time, manga artists often use such scenes sparingly to reflect the character’s inner thoughts.

Moving on, the anatomy and proportions might seem weird at times. I would also prefer if the characters themselves have more distinct or expressive facial features. Most of the time, Holmes just looks very neutral. This leads me to my next point about the character design. Aside from Holmes and Watson, the character design for the side characters seems random and rushed. There are little distinct qualities to them, which can make it hard for me to recall which character is which. I might be picky here, but character design is essential in adding depth to the character themselves. (Watson also looks a little too young)

The paneling is on the safe side, which is such a huge loss since there are plenty of action scenes to explore. There are lots of medium shots throughout the action scenes, which help the reader to fully immerse themselves in the action scenes. If I were to compare this to Moriarty the Patriot, which has lots of amazing action scenes, MTP ultimately did an extraordinary job in helping the reader follow the character’s movement from different angles. (The shading done in MTP also helps to highlight the character’s movement, unlike the colouring done here.) It isn’t confusing like this manga here since more often than not, Sherlock always seems to be placed very far away from the panel shot during an action scene when instead we should get a few panels trying to follow him closely.

In conclusion, I really wanted to like this manga since I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes. I’m not sure if it was this project that was rushed or the fact that it’s coloured that caused this manga and story to be flat. (I did some searching, and the artist’s drawing actually looks pretty good in the black and white comics/manga.) Not the best adaptation in my opinion. I hope that we can see an improvement in the future.

Read this book as an eARC from Netgalley.

This was the first time that I read a graphic novel adaptation of Sherlock Homes. The artwork is good and they haven't modernised the dialogues. You get the same classic feel as you would from the books.

Even though I have read other Sherlock Holmes stories, this was the first time that I read 'A Study in Scarlet' in any form. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.