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As a mega-fan, I thought I'd open up this thread.
This is a great series. It's my favorite genre, and favorite category in that genre (locked room mysteries). I like to think I'm even responsible for turning the once-sketchy Wikipedia article into what it is today. I love it! Feel free to discuss why you love it too!
As a mystery fan, I thought I'd start off by giving my opinions of the ones I've read or seen. I'll use spoiler tags to hide my review section so this post isn't too long, but you may feel free to click this first spoiler tag without being, well, spoiled! After that, though, it's at your own risk! (I put in my possibly-spoilery comments in spoiler tags in each section so those who feel inclined can read just the ones they've already read - I'll try not to be too direct even then, though)
Whew.
I'd like to see more fans speak up! Maybe together we can see more of the New Cases that TokyoPop refuses to give us! At the very least we can put some good discussion into the series, which search tells me hasn't happened on this board in a long while!
Join us!
This is a great series. It's my favorite genre, and favorite category in that genre (locked room mysteries). I like to think I'm even responsible for turning the once-sketchy Wikipedia article into what it is today. I love it! Feel free to discuss why you love it too!
As a mystery fan, I thought I'd start off by giving my opinions of the ones I've read or seen. I'll use spoiler tags to hide my review section so this post isn't too long, but you may feel free to click this first spoiler tag without being, well, spoiled! After that, though, it's at your own risk! (I put in my possibly-spoilery comments in spoiler tags in each section so those who feel inclined can read just the ones they've already read - I'll try not to be too direct even then, though)
1) Opera House Murders: The one that started it all. Pretty good job of setting the tone of what goes on later. I liked that Kenmochi is immediately a fan after this first encounter.
8/10
2) Mummy's Curse: Nice and gruesome.
Had a few twists I didn't expect. 8/10
3) Death TV: VERY nice solution to the main impossible crime; I was impressed at its cleverness...
9/10
4) Smoke and Mirrors: One of the few I solved completely: killer and method, although not all of the reasoning behind the motive. Not horribly difficult - just right, I think, for the average reader (ie not mystery freaks like myself).
9/10
5) Treasure Isle: Not too bad. Feels kinda blah, though, story and crime-wise, although
The impossible crime wasn't bad, but not stellar either. 6/10
6) Legend of Lake Hiren: No real impossible crime here, so I was disappointed. However,
Still, not a bad story - feels better than Treasure Isle. 7.5/10
7) Santa Slayings: Interesting story. Someone else told me they felt the killer was a little too "obvious," but I'm not entirely sure I agree.
Funny to see Kindaichi pick up more fans among the police. 8/10
8) No Noose is Good Noose: Okay, I must confess: I fell for not one, but TWO major red herrings that completely blinded me to the killer's identity, despite circumstances that should've told me otherwise.
Otherwise, pretty average fare. 7/10
9) The Headless Samurai: Nice and creepy, especially given the fearful atmosphere by the villagers involved and the assholery of a particular suspect. The locked room solution is cunningly hidden.
8/10
10) Kindaichi the Killer: I hated that this was split into two volumes - it was unnecessary and jarring to my efforts to figure things out (which I didn't). The introduction of a key supporting character was pretty funny, I'll admit. Nice use of "The Fugitive" style suspense.
8/10
11) Playing the Fool: Very average. The "locked room" was disappointing, and the atmosphere never really got that charged, although the unusual point of view that they used for a good deal of this tale was interesting. No spoilers here, which tells you a bit about my regard for this one. 6.5/10
12) House of Wax: Why couldn't TokyoPop put the crime scene map somewhere other than right in the middle (or was it near the end) of the volume, WITHOUT page numbers? It led me to look at something I shouldn't have!
Even then, though, both major clues and "locked room" weren't that well executed, though the solution to the latter wasn't bad at all. Plus, it gets a point for the Columbo reference. 6/10
13) The Gentleman Thief: Not too bad, after the last two, although there's a MAJOR error in the "impossible murder" execution that the author didn't realize, and never addressed, which punctures things a bit.
Average all around, but hurt by the error. 6.75/10
14) Graveyard Isle: Nice atmosphere, somewhat weak impossible murder that I was able to figure out fairly easily.
which shows TokyoPop's reduced effort (along with the map placement in House of Wax). I disapprove, though that's not the fault of anyone on the Japanese side of the manga. Still, an improvement over the last few volumes. 7.5/10
15) The Magical Express:
Still, the use of stage magic was effective (even if the "impossible" was a little too easy - an unfortunate habit of both Kanari-san and Amagi-san is to make the clues a little TOO apparent near the end, for those "slower" readers. 
It does harm things in my eyes, though. 7.5/10
Skipping a bit...
16) The Forest of Cerberus: I first saw the TV series version on YouTube, then the Edited Manga of the manga right from this very site. Each has their good and bad points.
On its own, very atmospheric, though the TV show obviously does a somewhat better job with it, and not just because they had live action - I liked their version of the ending sequence better than the manga's. 6.75/10 manga, 7.5/10 TV.
17) The Murderer from the Silver Screen: Another Edited Manga from right here. Sadly, a disappointment - both killer and method were too easy for my tastes, plus
I accidentally skipped ahead in the Edited Manga, though I'm not sure I wouldn't have figured it out anyway - like I said, too easy. 5.5/10
18) The Plot of Russian Dolls: Saw the TV version of YouTube only, which cuts a suspect, if the bit of the (non-translated and more faithful) anime version is an indication. Not a bad story, and a clever locked room solution. Their use of a major supporting character is nice, though the impact is greater if you've already read/seen
Still, a clever puzzle. 7.75/10 TV.
19) The Legendary Vampire Murders: Seen only the TV movie special adaptation. Apart from casting it as Kindaichi's first case, it just FEELS faithful, especially since they probably didn't skimp on the number of suspects. Very nice "impossible" puzzles, although certain coincidences and the evidence that pushes the killer over the edge to confess are kinda weak. Still, a strong effort. 8.5/10 TV.
The impossibilities were only average, and it could've used more clues pointing to the killer, but the one they did have was good and practical.
2) Mummy's Curse: Nice and gruesome.
The key clue pointing to the killer was a bit of a stretch, but the "locked chapel" solution was neat, and itself a clue.
3) Death TV: VERY nice solution to the main impossible crime; I was impressed at its cleverness...
or at least use of obscure Japanese history. One of the clues was a little too obvious for my tastes, but overall I was very impressed.
4) Smoke and Mirrors: One of the few I solved completely: killer and method, although not all of the reasoning behind the motive. Not horribly difficult - just right, I think, for the average reader (ie not mystery freaks like myself).
A different take on the "taking revenge for someone else's past carelessness or greed" motive, and thus refreshing. Clever of the translators to work a clue into the title.
5) Treasure Isle: Not too bad. Feels kinda blah, though, story and crime-wise, although
the killer's identity and methods are interesting, not to mention being one of the first and only male killers to not die.
6) Legend of Lake Hiren: No real impossible crime here, so I was disappointed. However,
I can't BELIEVE I didn't catch on to the key clue until the very end! It's so obvious in retrospect that I was slapping my forehead the entire time! I guess that's a benefit in working with Japanese character names. I'm also sure it was a lot harder in Japanese too, for obvious reasons.
7) Santa Slayings: Interesting story. Someone else told me they felt the killer was a little too "obvious," but I'm not entirely sure I agree.
I myself had to figure out the method to figure out the culprit, and even then I didn't catch on to the motive and such. The close-to-home death was surprising.
8) No Noose is Good Noose: Okay, I must confess: I fell for not one, but TWO major red herrings that completely blinded me to the killer's identity, despite circumstances that should've told me otherwise.
The key clue - the motive clue - was kinda specialized, which I don't like. The fact that everything hinges on the motive clue was weak too.
9) The Headless Samurai: Nice and creepy, especially given the fearful atmosphere by the villagers involved and the assholery of a particular suspect. The locked room solution is cunningly hidden.
Still, this continues a pattern that appears off and on throughout the series of the killer being the person who calls Kindaichi in, which is something I wish they'd lean less on.
10) Kindaichi the Killer: I hated that this was split into two volumes - it was unnecessary and jarring to my efforts to figure things out (which I didn't). The introduction of a key supporting character was pretty funny, I'll admit. Nice use of "The Fugitive" style suspense.
I suppose the key clue was KINDA fair, though I didn't like that you had to basically squint to figure it out.
11) Playing the Fool: Very average. The "locked room" was disappointing, and the atmosphere never really got that charged, although the unusual point of view that they used for a good deal of this tale was interesting. No spoilers here, which tells you a bit about my regard for this one. 6.5/10
12) House of Wax: Why couldn't TokyoPop put the crime scene map somewhere other than right in the middle (or was it near the end) of the volume, WITHOUT page numbers? It led me to look at something I shouldn't have!
Even then, though, both major clues and "locked room" weren't that well executed, though the solution to the latter wasn't bad at all. Plus, it gets a point for the Columbo reference. 6/1013) The Gentleman Thief: Not too bad, after the last two, although there's a MAJOR error in the "impossible murder" execution that the author didn't realize, and never addressed, which punctures things a bit.
And I can't believe they brought back Takato, but not yet the Gentleman Thief! Though maybe that's in the works...
14) Graveyard Isle: Nice atmosphere, somewhat weak impossible murder that I was able to figure out fairly easily.
Unlike Smoke and Mirrors, there's a big clue in Japanese not converted into English,
15) The Magical Express:
Sadly, the special nature of the killer led to an entry in Wikipedia about him, spoiling his identity. Thus, I didn't read this one as closely as I should've.
It does harm things in my eyes, though. 7.5/10Skipping a bit...
16) The Forest of Cerberus: I first saw the TV series version on YouTube, then the Edited Manga of the manga right from this very site. Each has their good and bad points.
The killer being a previously introduced character who was innocent AND the subject of a red herring was very well done; though the TV show replaced an original character, they did a good job at equalling the emotional impact. The TV show was also better for us non-Japanese speakers; non-Japanese speakers sadly won't be able to figure out the key clue. Oh, and a TOMATO IS A FRUIT!!!
17) The Murderer from the Silver Screen: Another Edited Manga from right here. Sadly, a disappointment - both killer and method were too easy for my tastes, plus
only three suspects is too few, IMO.
5.5/1018) The Plot of Russian Dolls: Saw the TV version of YouTube only, which cuts a suspect, if the bit of the (non-translated and more faithful) anime version is an indication. Not a bad story, and a clever locked room solution. Their use of a major supporting character is nice, though the impact is greater if you've already read/seen
The Forest of Cerberus - if not, you might not take that suspect seriously.
19) The Legendary Vampire Murders: Seen only the TV movie special adaptation. Apart from casting it as Kindaichi's first case, it just FEELS faithful, especially since they probably didn't skimp on the number of suspects. Very nice "impossible" puzzles, although certain coincidences and the evidence that pushes the killer over the edge to confess are kinda weak. Still, a strong effort. 8.5/10 TV.
Whew.
I'd like to see more fans speak up! Maybe together we can see more of the New Cases that TokyoPop refuses to give us! At the very least we can put some good discussion into the series, which search tells me hasn't happened on this board in a long while!
Join us!
