Are you a fan of the genres featured in Death Note, Code Geass, and Detective Conan? Well, here is another must-watch! Moriarty the Patriot is these three anime in one. A Robinhood-inspired anime that relentlessly kill criminals like Light Yagami, centers on someone who aims to build an ideal world like Lelouch Lamperouge and features unparalleled detective skills like Conan.
The crime-mystery anime masterfully created by Ryōsuke Takeuchi allows us to see society through the lenses of an intelligent crime consultant. Moriarty the Patriot follows the untold story of Sherlock Holmes’ equally brilliant nemesis, William James Moriarty. Together with his brothers, William plans to abolish the social classes. He believes that this is the root that is corrupting the hearts and minds of most of its people.
Moriarty the Patriot takes place during the 19th century. During these times social issues are mainly caused by the bias of the upper class. This anime serves as an eye-opener that everything is not what it seems to be. In the series, it was highlighted that the successful economic status of London during the 19th century is only a facade that covers the mundane and corrupted truth.
Ryōsuke Takeuchi’s masterpiece gives a glimpse of how cruel and ugly the world can be. At the same time, it conveys that there are people who are working behind the shadows and in the government who wish to end it.
Moriarty the Patriot: The Social Issues Reflected
Moriarty the Patriot is an interesting and relevant anime because it addresses numerous social issues that up until today exist. It covers stories that make them relatable and easier to understand. It is an anime that tries to balance the scale of society.
The crime consultant, William James Moriarty, has lent his incomparable and immense intelligence to put an end to the following issues that are corrupting the society:
1. The Root of All Evil: A Class-based Society
The existence of social classes is the most obvious social issue in the series. The hierarchy between the lower and upper class is what William James Moriarty and his allies believed to be the root cause of all evil. The series revolves around London being dominated by the upper class which is less than 3% of the population. In this kind of society, the lower your status is, the less you receive. As seen in the series, so many people, particularly those who are unprivileged, are falling into the rabbit hole helplessly. With William’s charisma and intelligence, he already realized even at a young age his purpose in society. And that is to end this tiring cycle between the social classes.
In episode six, William and his allies took their first major step in accomplishing the Moriarty Plan. William wants to make the citizens of London the audience of his perfectly schemed plan. Thus, he chooses the extravagant cruise ship Noahtic as the stage. Just like the famous Titanic, the ship welcomed both the upper and lower class; however, there were still boundaries. A noble named Blitz Enders boarded the luxurious ship unaware of the punishment that awaits him.
Enders is a British noble responsible for the unjustified death of commoners. As a stress reliever, he goes out on his hunting grounds with his gun murdering humans like they are animals. Moriarty and his allies are aware of his bad deeds and decided to finally give him a taste of his own medicine.
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Throughout the entire cruise, Enders does nothing but act mighty and shamelessly expressed his disguise for the poor. In accordance with William’s plan, Enders encountered a lower class and ended up killing him to suit himself. However, things didn’t turn out his way this time. Enders was exposed for his crime in front of everyone, the upper class and lower class. This was the punishment vested upon him by the Moriartys.
Despite being caught in the act, Enders shouted that there is nothing wrong with what he has done since he is a Nobleman. He even references that the ship is inspired by Noah’s Ark. Hence, other than the upper-class everyone else inside the ship is nothing but livestock. However, karma immediately bit him back. Due to William’s plan, his low opinion towards the commoners and his crimes led him to his death on the same ship.
These are the type of people that William James Moriarty thinks are behind the imbalanced society. By ending their misdeeds and exposing them openly, he believes that he can make a huge step in breaking the social classes and offering a far better life for the poor. The series emphasizes that some criminals can get away with their crimes because they belong to the higher social classes.
2. The Most Common Social Issue – Poverty
The existence of inequality among those from different social classes can cause other issues to arise, one of which is poverty. Due to the upper classes’ privileges, the needs of the lower class are being neglected. The Moriarty Plan was not only made to punish the ill-mannered nobles. But, to also help the poor in climbing from their social class. The Moriarty siblings, William and Louis, are also victims of poverty brought on by the ruthless hierarchy. If not for William’s curious mind and brilliance, he would end up like most of the lower class in the series, uneducated and ignorant of many things.
William and Louis grew up without the care of their parents. Both of them stayed in an orphanage which was barely receiving any financial assistance for the kids. The orphanage even fell victim to another noble who took all their money away. But thanks to William’s ingenious mind, they were able to take the money back for the orphanage to use.
Moreover, episode four highlights poverty as one of the major issues that the lower class faced daily. When William became a University professor, he was invited by the Viscount of Belfor or Alexander Brighton to his extravagant conservatory. Like many other nobles featured in the series, the British noble ruthlessly belittles and discriminate those in the lower class, specifically his gardener named Benjamin Burton.
Through the sweats of those of lower status, the noble stocks bloom.
Viscount of Belfor to William James Moriarty (Episode 4)
The gardener has always served the Viscount and his family since his late grandfather. A few years back, the gardener and his wife had a son who was running a high fever. Since it was a stormy night and the village doctor was not around, he and his wife went to Brighton for help. However, even with them begging to let his family Doctor look at their son, Bringhton refused and closed the door on the family. This incident led their only child to die which tarnished the relationship between the couple.
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Burton’s wife cried helplessly and was frustrated for his husband didn’t even try harder to fight and save his son’s life when the Viscount threatened him. This scene shows the struggles faced by those in the lower class. The lack of financial stability forces them to work hard; however, it is still not enough to provide for their family. If Burton and his wife would have been as rich as the Viscount or weren’t as poor as they were, their son would still be by their side. As stated by Mahatma Gandhi, “poverty is the worst form of violence.”
3. Injustice and Corruption: The Rotten Tomato of the Justice System
A series of murders in the City of London has once again emerged. The victims of the said killer are prostitutes. The killer introduced himself as Jack the Ripper. This case caught the attention of William James Moriarty. The real Jack the Ripper is someone close to the Moriarty siblings, particularly a man whom they considered their master. Hence, the suspect behind the killings is only using the name of Jack Renfield a.k.a the real Jack the Ripper.
The officer in charge in this case is the Chief Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department in Scotland Yard, Arterton. Despite working for the government, Arterton has done multiple malicious and unlawful acts, such as issuing death penalties on false charges, while in his position.
During the Jack the Ripper case, Arterton wasn’t able to catch both the fake and real Jack the Ripper. Thus, to not tarnish his reputation as part of Scotland Yard, he again fabricated false shreds of evidence. He accused an innocent man and issued an arrest warrant for the commoner doctor, Micheal Dwight. To avoid getting caught, he increased the security for the doctor and did not let anyone see him, even his lawyer. Yup, a literal abuse of power. James Bonde managed to get ahold of Arterton’s financial ledger and gave it to Lestrade, an inspector of the Yard and friend of Sherlock Holmes.
Inspector Lestrade revealed to the public the content of Arterton’s ledger. He exposed him of all of the false accusations he gave against those belonging to the lower class, and all the money he had corrupted from the government. Arterton was stripped off his position and replaced by someone else. If not for the unintentional teamwork of William and Sherlock’s team justice would not have been served.
This case shows that even though there are people in and outside the government who wants to achieve fair justice for the people. A single corrupted official like Arterton can lead them all down and impede the elimination of inequality in the society.
4. The Most Overlooked Social Problem
Mental Health issues are also considered as social problems that resulted from other issues, such as poverty or discrimination. This overlooked social problem is also one of the issues that were addressed in Moriarty the Patriot.
Through the crime consultant, William James Moriarty, psychological traumas were also healed. In the beginning of the series, this social issue can be noticed by those to whom they lend their help. The first crime that William and his brother worked on is the case of Chavi Slasher. News regarding young boys getting kidnapped and murdered was everywhere. William was able to deduce all the clues regarding the killer just by reading the newspaper and instructing his brothers on what they had to do.
His older brother, Albert James Moriarty, visited his tailor, Eden, whose son also fell into the hands of the criminal to express his condolence. The tailor extended his gratitude and shared his pain and frustration towards the death of his son. Eden then said that he knows the person behind the death of his son.
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On one hand, William and Louis were able to track down the criminal, another British nobility specifically an Earl. As a crime consultant, William offered help to Eden; however, he reminded him of the crime he is about to commit. William then took Eden to an abandoned place to face the killer. The tailor took the life of the noble using a knife. After this, Eden was able to regain his energy and smile in serving his customers because for him he was able to bring justice upon the death of his son.
The same psychological trauma also exists in the couple whose son died due to the immorality of the noble Alexander Brighton which was mentioned earlier. After avenging the undeserving death of their son, the couple restored their relationship and moved to another city with the help of the Moriartys.
An for an eye, tooth for a tooth. This is the common ideology being highlighted in the series. Although what the victim’s families did will never be justified as something that is legally right. From their own perspective, they committed something morally right. The psychological traumas were brought about by the overwhelming negativity and violence the criminal nobles gave them.
Poverty, corruption, injustice, and mental health issues all stemmed from the main social issue featured in Moriarty the Patriot which is having a class-based society. The criminals prove the negativity brought by the hierarchy for they continually use their societal ranks as an excuse for their crimes. Moriarty the Patriot is another tempting anime to watch for it ingeniously plots how the characters will acquire social change in ways you will and will not like.
