#mtp collage | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

twistedtummies2 · 3 years

Text

Top 12 Moriarty the Patriot Characters

For the record, no, this is NOT the same as my favorite Moriarty the Patriot CRUSHES...although, with that said, my top three favorite characters are also my top three crushes, so...take that however you will. ANYWAY...I’ve made no secret of the fact MTP is my new favorite anime, and while the manga series is still going strong, I thought it would be nice - now that the TV show seems to be at an end - to present my favorite characters of the franchise. I’m not doing a collage this time, though...but I WILL be doing descriptions. Nothing else to say, let’s jump right into the fray!

12. Inspector Lestrade.

Lestrade has been a constant of the Holmes canon throughout many incarnations; precious few versions don’t include him, or at least some sort of surrogate form of him. I was curious to see how this series would tackle the character, and it didn’t disappoint. In the books, Lestrade is the best police officer in Scotland Yard; some versions depict him as a bungling clod, but that’s really unfair to him. However, there is a decided duplicity to his character in the stories: on the one hand, he’s one of Holmes’ best friends, and recognizes him as brilliant and helpful. He trusts Holmes greatly and encourages him as often as he can. On the other hand, he’s something of a rival to Holmes: he often gets frustrated with the detective’s antics and gets so wrapped up in his own theories he won’t listen to what Holmes has to say. It’s not that Lestrade is an idiot, he just has a competitive streak and doesn’t always take all the details into account. This dual-nature means different takes on the character can focus on different elements in different ways. Moriarty the Patriot’s take on Lestrade is interesting because they ultimately don’t really feature that rivalry at all. He DOES still get annoyed with Sherlock from time to time, given Holmes’ eccentricities, and at times displays a certainly childishness that can be humorous...but he’s also a fully competent officer and is probably one of the friendliest to Holmes we’ve ever seen. He knows that Sherlock knows what he’s doing, and he’s come to learn that trusting Holmes will never lead him astray. In the course of the series, we see that Lestrade is also deeply devoted to his job: he earnestly wants to help people and protect the city he lives in, which plays into the theme of patriotism and sacrifice found throughout the show. If his higher-ups are causing trouble, he’s the first to fight for what he thinks is right, even if it goes against their orders and wishes. He’ll bend the rules to the point of breaking them, if it means getting to the bottom of the mystery, which is part of what makes himself and Holmes such good allies. It’s a fine take on the character, but I just found other figures in the series slightly more interesting, hence why he takes the bottom slot.

11. Fred Porlock.

One of my favorite elements of Moriarty the Patriot is its attention to detail, in terms of the Holmes canon. There are several figures in the series who, in the original books, aren’t even really characters at all: they are literally just mentioned in the Conan Doyle stories, with little to nothing known about them, sometimes including their names. In the show, however, these characters become major players in the overarching story of the show. Case in point: Fred Porlock is a character briefly mentioned in “The Valley of Fear.” All we know about him is that he works for Professor Moriarty and was interrogated by Holmes near the start of the story. That. Is. It. In the series, Fred is a major part of Moriarty’s gang. He’s the most mysterious member of the group (aside from maybe Moriarty himself), and is unusually young. In the anime (and up to the present point in the manga), we don’t really know his full history - where he comes from, how he met the good professor, or anything like that - but it’s the mysteries of Fred that make him so interesting. He’s the most stoic member of the gang: very blank and often very quiet, at times shy and other times just resolute. He’s also the youngest and the smallest, but his apparent age and build belies his dangerous side. He is a gifted martial artist, and most importantly, the gang’s resident Master of Disguise. Some of the guises he wears are so incredible that if you didn’t know it was Fred, you’d seriously never suspect it; this is partially due to the power of illustration and animation. He’s able to slip into all sorts of outfits and alternate identities in a chameleon-like way, and this, mixed with his ninja-like talents, makes him a keen ally when it comes to infiltration, trickery, and a need for hiding in plain sight. In the manga, it’s also revealed that Fred is extremely protective of children, though why this is never really gets explained. Again, there are many unanswered questions...but instead of feeling like underdevelopment, it instead draws you to Fred all the more. You want to learn more about him than you already know, but you’re perfectly happy with what you get. That is the sign of a strong mystery man type of character.

10. Jack Renfield, a.k.a. Jack the Ripper.

This character doesn’t show up until about halfway through the series. In this case, that is really the main reason he doesn’t rank higher. I was MEGA excited when I found out this series would tackle Jack the Ripper, and the way it did so was interesting: without going into too much detail, the Ripper arc of the show (which takes place over three separate stories from the manga, and three episodes of the anime) works with the conceit that the Whitechapel Murderer was not just one person, but SEVERAL people. On top of that, they were not the first to take on that gruesome name. Enter Jack Renfield, or “Master Jack” as some of the characters call him. Renfield is a war veteran: he was a specialist in close-quarters combat, particularly skilled with bladed weapons. His brutal and, at times, downright sadistic methods for dealing with his enemies led to him being feared by friend and foe alike, and earned him the moniker “Jack the Ripper.” After retiring from military service, Jack encountered the Moriarty Brothers, and taught the three how to...ahem…“defend themselves.” (All of them are fully aware he was teaching them, in his own words, “The Art of Killing.”) Years later, when Moriarty begins work as a “Crime Consultant,” Jack learns about the serial killings being committed apparently in his name, and thus joins forces with the Professor - his former student - in order to take down the culprits responsible. After this case, the True Ripper becomes a major member of the Moriarty team, acting ostensibly as a servant and helping with things behind the scenes. I really love this guy’s personality: he’s like a half-psychotic version of Uncle Oscar from Pandora Hearts, or a somewhat more jolly Big Boss, it’s just delightful. Plus...come on. It’s JACK THE RIPPER, and his name references a character from Dracula! Do I NEED any other reasons to place him in the Top 10?!

9. Miss Hudson.

Something I appreciate in Moriarty the Patriot, especially in terms of its anime form, is its subtlety. The anime, in particular, is often rather lacking in some of the typical “anime tropes,” especially as far as its sense of humor is concerned. I think this may be part of why this IS my favorite anime, because it just doesn’t feel as...well...BONKERS as some things can get in other shows I like. Even things like Hellsing Ultimate or Death Note had some really...odd moments. For the most part, the anime of MTP eschews these...for the MOST part. Whenever Miss Hudson is onscreen, I’m basically reminded, “Oh, yeah. This was made in Japan.” And, to be perfectly honest...I’m entirely okay with that. Miss Hudson is the closest thing to a comic relief character we have, but she’s also just a really great reinvention of the character from the books. Once again, the character is younger than usual, being about the same age as Holmes and Watson, rather than the elderly, matronly lady found in the books and most adaptations. We have seen a handful of younger versions of Miss Hudson in the past, but they are actually rather few in number...and of all those attempts, this is my favorite. This Miss Hudson is still the faithful (if frequently frustrated) landlady/housekeeper we know from the stories, but she’s also feisty, temperamental, and a bit paradoxical: liking to dress like a lady of stature and carrying herself with great dignity, but also able to drink most men under a table without getting the slightest bit tipsy, and not being afraid to get physical if a situation calls for it. While she’s frequently given headaches by Sherlock’s childish antics, she genuinely cares for him. Unlike the motherly or grandmotherly figure from the books, however, her age and interactions with Holmes make her feel more like a sort of surrogate big sister, who’s always in a tizzy about her younger brother’s ridiculous ways...although, at the same time, she will fight for him without fail if she ever feels a reason to. She rarely has THAT much bearing on the plots of the series...but she’s just a fun and wonderfully portrayed character, and like so many in this series, has become among my favorite versions of her respective character from the Holmes universe.

8. Mycroft Holmes.

I had to wrestle a bit with where to place Mycroft Holmes, but I think this is a good spot. In the manga, Mycroft is actually introduced pretty early on; in fact, we meet him before we meet his younger brother, Sherlock! In the anime, he doesn’t show up till the end of the first season, but that still leaves him some time to make an impact. This is one of my Top 5 favorite takes on the character: taking heavy inspiration from BBC’s “Sherlock” and the movie “The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes,” this is a take on Mycroft that really emphasizes his position in the British Government...by which I mean, one could say he IS the British Government. While he technically takes his orders from the Queen and Parliament, the business of every department in the empire is passed through him, since only his magnificent brain - even more tidy and genius than his brother’s - can help to keep things in order. He knows every secret in the country, and some others worldwide...in other words, he is a one-man Illuminati. Mycroft can be just as mischievous and easygoing as his brother, and the two have a strong sibling rivalry; in fact, one thing I love is that this Mycroft, every time he comes to visit Sherlock, makes a show of trying to kill him...and if Mycroft weren’t going easy on his brother, Sherlock would probably die EVERY time, much to the detective’s consternation. While not necessarily villainous, Mycroft is nevertheless a ruthless customer: if he feels you’re a threat to national security, he will stop at nothing to have you eliminated, and he strikes without mercy or forgiveness. It takes a canny customer to earn Mycroft’s sympathy, and he keeps his cards close to his chest: never unpleasant in his attitude, but always strict and quick to make clear who is in charge. Honestly, I wish I could place him higher, but hopefully where he sits won’t disappoint too many...and hopefully those above him won’t disappoint, either!

7. Dr. Watson.

I have to confess that MTP’s take on John Watson took a little time to grow on me. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the character design, for a start (I never thought I’d see a Watson I can honestly call “cute,” but there you go), and while he WAS a good depiction of the character, I didn’t really feel he was THAT special. Keep in mind, I’ve seen a LOT of versions of Sherlock Holmes, and therefore, I’ve seen a LOT of versions of Dr. Watson. And while this version seemed alright, and I definitely liked him, I didn’t really LOVE him automatically, the way I did with almost every other character I met up to that point. HOWEVER, as the anime went on - and especially after I took a look at the manga - I found that my love for this version of the character grew more and more over time. While he certainly could be sweet, he was also practical and down to Earth. He was loyal to Holmes, but that didn’t mean the two didn’t have their arguments and issues; I often got the feeling he was trying his hardest to make Holmes a better person, and indeed, Sherlock learns from Watson just as John learns from the Master Detective. The two become friends very quickly, but you never doubt the friendship, or how much the two need one another. Honestly, the only reason I don’t rank Watson higher is because, since the series is more about Moriarty than Holmes, that also means that other characters get a lot more focus than Dr. Watson. It’s still a great take on the character - Top 15 for me, easily - but other characters from this series specifically felt more deserving of higher ranks. Sorry, Johnny-boy: I still love ya.

6. Irene Adler, a.k.a. James Bonde.

Probably the WEIRDEST part of MTP - to me, at least - is that it’s not just a Sherlock Holmes reimagining/adaptation. Oh, no. This series also acts as a prequel/reimagining of the James Bond series, too. I suspect this idea was borrowed from such works as “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” which also blends the Holmes characters and Fleming’s work; the idea here is that this isn’t THE Bond we all know, but rather a sort of Victorian precursor: all the roles and names are there, but these aren’t the ones we know. More their forerunners; the first of their kind. It’s strange, but it’s kind of interesting...especially when you see who Bond - or, rather, “Bonde” - himself is: Conan Doyle’s equivalent to Catwoman, Irene Adler. (Yeah, that’s a twist I didn’t expect. XD ) Without going into too much spoiler territory, Irene starts off the series as herself, but when her life is put in jeopardy, she decides to side with Moriarty and his gang. In order to protect her, Albert - who has become the head of a new military intelligence division, MI6 - offers her a place as a spy for the fledgling agency. Adler thus disguises herself as a man and gives herself the pseudonym “James Bonde.” After this point, she (he?) becomes a major ally for the wily Professor, and one of Mycroft’s top agents. As a take on Irene Adler, this is a really interesting but also strange route to go, but it’s kind of wonderful. I love watching Irene as Irene, and I also love watching him (her?) when the character becomes James Bonde. While the series clearly gave a lot of credit to Sherlock Holmes, they also clearly did their homework on the Bond series, since several stories in both the manga and the anime feel, appropriately, more like James Bond movies...except set in Victorian times, with a sort of steampunk aesthetic to match. If a steampunk James Bond who is also basically a Victorian Mulan DOESN’T sound interesting, I’d like to know what will.

5. Albert James Moriarty.

In the books, this character and the next one on the countdown DO technically exist, but you’d have to be looking for them. It’s mentioned between two stories that Professor Moriarty has two brothers - one younger and one older - but we never learn much about them. We don’t even know their names. Much like with Fred Porlock, the series takes the initiative and makes them major characters. I had a hard time deciding between the two Moriarty Brothers who serve under the Professor himself. Albert ultimately lost out, but do NOT misconstrue this and think that means I dislike him at all. Albert is the only TRUE Moriarty of the three: William and Louis were adopted by his family years before the present time of the series begins. In fact, William’s true name is never learned: he stole that identity after working with Albert to MURDER the real William, Albert’s biological younger brother. Albert, you see, was the son of a noble family...but he HATED his own family, and the class system of England. He looked around and saw so much prejudice and injustice it sickened him; when he finds out about the young, brilliant boy who will become the Professor’s genius intellect and lofty ambitions, Albert becomes radicalized, and joins forces. The three brothers - two by blood, all by bond - become the headrunners of the Moriarty organization, and while Louis is the muscle, and William is the brains...Albert is a little different. Being the eldest and most legitimate of the three, Albert is able to move in different social circles, and as a member of the army - and, eventually, the head of MI6, under the codename “M” - he provides both finances and resources for the group. What I love about Albert is his attitude; it’s telling that when William, at one point, details his plans for his grand scheme of death throughout the empire, he’s the only one who DOES NOT react with shock, and is the first to agree with William when the hour of the Final Problem comes around. While he’s very kindhearted towards those in need, he will watch you die with a quiet, calm smile on his face, and his affluence allows the group to remain untouchable. He has no problem getting his hands dirty if the need arises, though he prefers to let others take care of the field work. He seems to be, in some ways, William’s right hand man: he often masquerades as the “Napoleon of Crime” character the three have concocted, to keep William out of harm’s direct path, but he also recognizes he’s a follower in the grand design. I also love the way the relationship with these characters seems to build: Albert starts off as little more than a pawn for William, but it’s indicated that, after a while, the three really HAVE become brothers, and love each other dearly. Albert is delightfully twisted, but he’s rather subtle about it, and the lengths he’ll go to and actions he takes can often be more shocking as a result. Still, he firmly believes in the good cause the Moriarty plan seeks, so he’s not truly diabolical...simply a radicalized renegade who should not be underestimated.

4. Louis James Moriarty.

Louis is a wonderful character who walks a fine line between being one of the scariest characters in the series, and one of the most sympathetic and good-hearted. This is mostly due to one simple fact: his devotion to his older brother, William. Louis is protective of his older brother, and follows him with a passion nearing fanaticism. He’s not as cold or poker-faced as William or Albert, usually. He loves his older brother and admires him greatly, and would do anything for him: ever since they were little, the two really only had each other - at least until Albert came along - and this has formed a bond that is intense, to say the least. But while Louis can often be a gentle soul and seemingly idealistic...you do NOT want to make him mad. Louis is the “muscle” of the three Moriarty Brothers: he’s the best fighter of the trio, and when he decides someone needs to die, he will kill without hesitation or remorse, often showing absolutely no emotion as he does so. Threaten his brother, and there will be Hell to pay...and if he feels you are deserving of punishment, there is nothing that will talk him out of it. He’ll smile while serving tea, and blush when his cooking is complimented, and be very polite and at times downright timid...but the moment he’s on the battlefield, he becomes a man made of ice. The definition of that old meme, “Looks like a cinnamon roll, but could actually kill you,” Louis is a force to be reckoned with, and another great player in the series. Like I said, I had a hard time choosing between Albert and Louis, and I’m not ENTIRELY sure why Louis won out. I think part of it may be that we see SLIGHTLY more of Louis, and while he lacks the initial character arc Albert has, he does still develop over the course of the show. I also think maybe it’s his relationship with William: the two are very close, and in fact, most of the very, VERY few, rare moments where we see the Professor show a more vulnerable side to his character come as a result of his relationship with Louis. Many have seen William smile, and many have seen William kill people...but you get the feeling Louis is the only one who has ever seen him cry. That has to account for something.

3. Sebastian Moran.

In the books, Sebastian Moran is the main villain of “The Empty House” - a direct sequel to “The Final Problem” - where it’s stated he is/was Professor Moriarty’s second-in-command. What’s interesting is this is the first time we ever hear of or see Moran; in the books, he was sort of an afterthought. Doyle never had him in mind when he wrote The Final Problem, but when Holmes had to make a grand re-entrance, he needed a villain who could bring him out of hiding, and thus Moran and his relationship with Moriarty were created. In the series, Moran isn’t necessarily William’s second-in-command - again, that seems to be Albert’s job, or maybe Louis’ - but he IS a valuable member of the team, and seems to be one of the gang members who has known Will the longest and is the closest to him. He’s often the one who instructs younger and/or newer members of the organization - like Irene/Bonde and Fred - on how things are supposed to work, and seems to have insight into Moriarty’s head that no one else, not even his own brothers, often do. He understands William in a different way than others, but he is no less loyal to him for all that. A former soldier, expert hunter, and ace sniper, Moran is a tough but also somewhat laid back presence: he’s a perennial womanizer and gambler, but while he can be just as murderous as the other members of the team, his heart is in the right place. All of them work for the same goal of equality, playing the villains to try and initiate positive change. And while he’s not a genius like the Professor, he CAN strategize and plan attacks on his own when the situation calls for it. Albert occasionally calls on him to help out with MI6 work as a “special agent,” and he makes it clear that he is willing to die for any mission or cause William sees fit. He really seems to enjoy his work, but he also takes it seriously, and can be both humorous and dramatic. A brilliantly layered take on a classic character, Moran is a shoe-in for my top three.

2. Sherlock Holmes.

My top two may seem cliche for some, or at least too obvious, but...I’m sorry, when you get down to it, this is a series about two people: Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty. And...again, I’m sorry, but at the end of the day, they are the two characters and the one key relationship I am most interested in seeing. When I got into this series, I was obviously curious to see how they would handle Moriarty, but I was equally curious to see how they would handle Holmes himself. By God, they did NOT disappoint: this has become one of my Top 10 versions of the character. Single-handedly, this Holmes showcases what makes so much of this series great: taking things in a new direction, but sticking true to the source. The portrayal of Holmes is spot on: while the look is different, and his anachronistic speech pattern is certainly new, the actual CHARACTER underneath those superficialities is perfect. He’s moody, arrogant, a tad unhinged, intellectual, obsessive, and above all childish. This Holmes is literally described as an overgrown child at one point, and that is an apt description. He has almost no sense of decorum and can be rather mischievous; he sulks and throws a tantrum when things don’t go his way; he gets so excited about the things he pursues, treating everything like a great game. All of these are qualities in the original Holmes, but the way they are used here is wholly this show’s own. I love this Holmes’ relationships with all the other characters he encounters: Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson, Inspector Lestrade, Irene Adler...and ESPECIALLY Professor Moriarty. In this show, the World’s Greatest Detective and the Napoleon of Crime actually start off as friends, and I absolutely LOVE watching the pair bounce off one another. We’ve never really seen this kind of relationship between these characters before, to my knowledge. The closest approximation I can think of is the movie “Young Sherlock Holmes,” where the Moriarty character actually starts off as a mentor to Sherlock, but ultimately becomes his worst enemy. That’s still rather different than this kind of relationship and how it pans out by the end of the series.

Of course, Holmes is just one half of that equation...which leads to our number one...

1. William James Moriarty.

It’s actually somewhat rare that the main character in a series is also my favorite character...and not just with anime, I’m just speaking in general. But in the case of Moriarty the Patriot, there’s ultimately no better option: Professor Moriarty himself - William James Moriarty - is without a doubt the most interesting and brilliant character in the whole show. It’s actually for me to think of where to START when talking about what I love about him. Naturally, I love William’s goals and motivations, as well as the way he goes about them: he’s touted as an anti-hero, and he really is the true definition of that idea. He’s NOT a good guy in the strictest sense of things, and moreover, he’s aware of that. He takes too much pleasure in the horrible things he does, even if he does it to (mostly) horrible people. He’s fully aware that what he’s doing is both legally and, for most people, ethically wrong. And some of the extreme measures he takes really make it hard to determine if he’s an avenging angel or a demon in disguise. The series sums it up best: he is a Devil doing God’s work; a necessary evil trying to purge the TRUE evil from the world, fighting fire with fire and turning karmic justice onto anyone he sees fit. I love his personality; he’s usually so cool, calm, composed, and eerily collected that, even when he’s being nice, he feels deeply unsettling...yet you still root for him and want to follow his journey and see where it ends. The moments where that mask breaks are beautiful, too; he has very few weak spots, but once you see the cracks in the armor, it’s striking. He’s predatory in every movement, glance, and gesture, yet he’s always got good intentions with everything he does. And then of course, there’s his mind, and especially how it compares to Holmes. That’s actually one particular thing I LOVE about this Moriarty: in the books, we’re told he and Holmes are equally matched mentally, but Conan Doyle’s writing actually doesn’t give us that much to SHOW it, and most other adaptations and reimaginings work the same way. Sure, we know Moriarty is smart in every version, but it’s very rare that versions play with the idea that he and Sherlock Holmes work on the same wavelength. This one does: William is not only a cunning strategist and crafty puppet master, always having schemes within schemes, but he is also a deductive mastermind, just like his nemesis, able to pick up on clues and puzzle things out in a logical, factual way. He’s also gifted in criminal psychology; he knows how the human brain works and he can reason out how people will act and react not just based on physical evidence, but his own assumptions about how people’s minds and emotions will function in given situations. Seeing Moriarty play detective is a delight because it only goes to show why he and Holmes are such excellent adversaries...and it only further proves the brilliance of this character, in general. I’ve rambled on long enough, but suffice it to say, it’s for all these reasons - and probably many more - that the title character of William James Moriarty is my favorite character in Moriarty the Patriot.

HONORABLE MENTIONS...

Charles Augustus Milverton. (I find him more fascinating than a true “favorite,” hence why he’s not in the ranks.)

Von Herder, a.k.a. Q. (Really funny and interesting in the manga; a pity he’s horribly slighted in the anime.)

Miss Moneypenny. (At least Von Herder was in the anime for a couple of episodes/scenes; I feel bad for Moneypenny, because she gets cut entirely.)

Zach Patterson. (Nothing to say, I just like him.)

Mary Morstan. (Good take on the classic character.)

Adam Whiteley. (”I Believe in Not-Harvey-Dent.”)

#moriarty the patriot #sherlock holmes #top 12 #best #favorites #list #countdown #characters #favorite characters #anime #manga

16 notes · View notes