The Antique: Secret Of The Old Books - 2018 - 6/10
AKA - Biblia Koshodô no Jiken Techô // ビブリア古書堂の事件手帖
Condensation of several novels by En Mikami limits its focus to shopkeeper Shioriko, and her part time assistant, Daisuke.
Possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of books, Shioriko struggles to keep her shop afloat, while fending off threats from an obsessive / psychopathic book collector.
Daisuke’s story is more the mystery of his recently deceased grandmother, and her forbidden love affair.
Shioriko, unfortunately, is underwritten. Replace the constant book in her hands with a cellphone, and she would be any naval gazing soul of today, more interested in elsewhere than people in front of her.
The grandmother’s story is set in 1964 during the Tokyo Olympics.
Played by Kaho (Tokyo Vampire Hotel), she is a ramen cook. Full of life, and curiosity.
Her relationship with a struggling writer is the emotional core of the movie.
The modern story with the collector is forced and poorly done.
A better experience might be Antiquarian Bookshop Biblia’s Case Files from 2013.
With 11 episodes, it offers a deeper, richer exploration of Mikami’s novels.