Don't Call It Mystery
| Don't Call It Mystery | |
 First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Totonō Kunō | |
| ミステリと言う勿れ (Misuteri to Iu Nakare) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mystery |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Yumi Tamura |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Flowers Comics α |
| Magazine | Monthly Flowers |
| Demographic | Josei |
| Original run | November 28, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 13 |
| Television drama | |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | Tomoko Aizawa |
| Music by | Ken Arai |
| Licensed by | Viki |
| Original network | Fuji TV |
| Original run | January 10, 2022 – March 28, 2022 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Live-action television film | |
| Directed by | Hiroaki Matsuyama |
| Written by | Tomoko Aizawa |
| Music by | Ken Arai |
| Released | September 15, 2023 |
Don't Call It Mystery (Japanese: ミステリと言う勿れ, Hepburn: Misuteri to Iu Nakare), also known as Do Not Say Mystery, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yumi Tamura. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's josei manga magazine Monthly Flowers since November 2017. A television drama adaptation was broadcast on Fuji TV from January to March 2022.
By January 2023, the manga had over 18 million copies in circulation. In 2022, Don't Call It Mystery won the 67th Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category.
Plot
One day in winter, university student Totonō Kunō was accompanied to the police station to be investigated by detectives from the Ohinari Police Station, who visited his apartment in connection with the murder of Sagae, a fellow student and high school alumnus. It is said that Sagae was seen arguing with someone who looked like Kuno around 10 o'clock last night. Kuno categorically denies committing the crime, and goes to question and investigate an Inspector called Yabu and his friends every day.
Characters
- Totonō Kunō
- Portrayed by: Masaki Suda
- Shioji Kariatsumari
- Portrayed by: Nanoka Hara (film)
- Yura Akamine
- Portrayed by: Ko Shibasaki (film)
- Asaharu Rumazaka
- Portrayed by: Kōhei Matsushita (film)
- Rikinosuke Kariatsumari
- Portrayed by: Keita Machida (film)
- Neo Hahakabe
- Portrayed by: Riku Hagiwara (film)
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Yumi Tamura, Don't Call It Mystery was first published as a one-shot in Shogakukan's josei manga magazine Monthly Flowers on November 28, 2016. It started as a serialized manga in the same magazine on November 28, 2017. Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on January 10, 2018. As of September 8, 2023, thirteen volumes have been released.
At Anime Expo 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they licensed the series for English publication.
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 10, 2018 | 978-4-09-870029-5 | May 30, 2023 | 978-1-68579-719-5 |
| 2 | May 10, 2018 | 978-4-09-870120-9 | May 30, 2023 | 978-1-68579-719-5 |
| 3 | October 10, 2018 | 978-4-09-870204-6 | August 29, 2023 | 978-1-68579-720-1 |
| 4 | February 8, 2019 | 978-4-09-870406-4 | August 29, 2023 | 978-1-68579-720-1 |
| 5 | September 10, 2019 | 978-4-09-870542-9 | December 12, 2023 | 978-1-68579-950-2 |
| 6 | February 10, 2020 | 978-4-09-870861-1 | December 12, 2023 | 978-1-68579-950-2 |
| 7 | September 10, 2020 | 978-4-09-871103-1 | April 23, 2024 | 979-8-88843-350-8 |
| 8 | March 10, 2021 | 978-4-09-871277-9 | April 23, 2024 | 979-8-88843-350-8 |
| 9 | July 9, 2021 | 978-4-09-871400-1 | — | — |
| 10 | December 10, 2021 | 978-4-09-871497-1 | — | — |
| 11 | June 10, 2022 | 978-4-09-871690-6 | — | — |
| 12 | January 10, 2023 | 978-4-09-871884-9 | — | — |
| 13 | September 8, 2023 | 978-4-09-872214-3 | — | — |
Drama
In June 2021, it was announced that the series would be adapted into a drama series, starring Masaki Suda as Totonō Kunō. It was broadcast on Fuji TV from January 10 to March 28, 2022. It was directed by Hiroaki Matsuyama, with scriptwriting handled by Tomoko Aizawa, and music composed by Ken Arai. King Gnu performs the series' theme song "Chameleon" (カメレオン, Kamereon). The streaming service Viki added the series to its catalogue in May 2022.
Episodes
| Episode no. | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "A strange college student is suspected of murder, and there are as many truths as there are people!" Transliteration: "Kawarimono no daigakusei ga satsujin yōgi, shinjitsu wa hito no kazu dake aru!" (Japanese: 変わり者の大学生が殺人容疑、真実は人の数だけある！) | January 10, 2022 | |
| Totonō Kunō, a university student, is making curry in his apartment from the early morning, until a detective suddenly comes to his door. | |||
| 2 | "Strange bus jack! The purpose is..." Transliteration: "Kimyōna basu jakku! Sono mokuteki wa" (Japanese: 奇妙なバスジャック！その目的は・・・) | January 17, 2022 | |
| The bus which Totonō uses to get to an exhibition gets hijacked. | |||
| 3 | "Finally the bus jacking is resolved! Who is the culprit!? Sad revenge." Transliteration: "Tsuini basu jakku kaiketsu-hen! Han'nin wa dareda? Kanashiki fukushū" (Japanese: 遂にバスジャック解決編！犯人は誰だ！？哀しき復讐) | January 24, 2022 | |
| Members from the Police Department rush to the location where Totonō and the other passengers from the bus are being held captive. | |||
| 4 | "Where is the bomber with memory loss? Stop the explosion" Transliteration: "Kioku sōshitsu no bakudan ma, bakudan wa doko e? Bakuhatsu o kuitomero" (Japanese: 記憶喪失の爆弾魔、爆弾はどこへ？爆発を食い止めろ) | January 31, 2022 | |
| When Totonō is having fun making some curry, he receives a sudden call from one of the police officers. | |||
| 5 | "Strange hospitalized life! The unsolved case from 22 years resurfaces." Transliteration: "Kimyōna nyūin seikatsu! 22-Nen mae no mikaiketsujiken ga ugokidasu" (Japanese: 奇妙な入院生活！22年前の未解決事件が動き出す) | February 7, 2022 | |
| Totonō, who was hit on the head in the bombing incident, is admitted to the hospital for a checkup. | |||
| 6 | "The darkness hidden in the arson murder, the angel of fire that saves children! What is mysterious woman's aim!?" Transliteration: "Hōka satsujin ni hisomu yami, kodomo o sukuu honō no tenshi! Nazo no josei no mokuteki wa!?" (Japanese: 放火殺人に潜む闇、子供を救う炎の天使！謎の女性の目的は！？) | February 14, 2022 | |
| On the night before he is to be discharged from the hospital, Totonō takes action after he sees a code hidden on the bulletin board. | |||
| 7 | "The conclusion of the angel of fire arc! The identity of the angel of fire... the astonishing truth is revealed." Transliteration: "Honō no tenshi-hen kanketsu! Honō no tenshi no shōtai to wa kyōgaku no shinjitsu ga akiraka ni" (Japanese: 炎の天使編完結！炎の天使の正体とは・・・驚愕の真実が明らかに) | February 21, 2022 | |
| Totonō begins to investigate a strange arson murder case. He finds out that the parents of the family whose house was set on fire are dead, but only the children survived. | |||
| 8 | "The curtain rises on the mystery night! Will you kill? Or will you be killed?" Transliteration: "Misuterīnaito kaimaku! Korosu no ka? Korosa reru no ka?" (Japanese: ミステリーナイト開幕！殺すのか？殺されるのか？) | February 28, 2022 | |
| When Totonō goes to visit a grave, he meets someone unexpected. | |||
| 9 | "Mystery Night Truth Edition! Who killed my mentor?" Transliteration: "Misuterīnaito shinsō-hen! Onjin o koroshita no wa dareda" (Japanese: ミステリーナイト真相編！恩人を殺したのは誰だ) | March 7, 2022 | |
| At a mountain lodge meeting on mystery to which Totonō is invited to, he discovers that a stalker had committed a crime there. | |||
| 10 | "Final episode! Goodbye, Raika" Transliteration: "Fainaru episōdo! Sayōnara, Raika-san" (Japanese: ファイナルエピソード！さようなら、ライカさん・・・) | March 14, 2022 | |
| Totonō and Raika decide to make a New Year's shrine visit. Later over yakiniku, Raika tells the story of her sister Chiyako. | |||
| 11 | "The story finally reaches its climax!" Transliteration: "Monogatari wa iyoiyo kuraimakkusu e!" (Japanese: 物語はいよいよクライマックスへ！) | March 21, 2022 | |
| Four months ago (between episodes 3 and 4), a new series of serial killings have begun and Detective Furomitsu is dispatched to neighboring Shibahama police station to assist. Meanwhile Garo is still on the search for the mysterious "Jute". | |||
| 12 | TBA | March 28, 2022 | |
Live-action film
In November 2022, Fuji TV announced that a live-action film adaptation was being produced, again starring Suda as Totonō Kunō. Matsuyama, Aizawa and Arai return from the drama series as their respective positions. The film premiered on September 15, 2023. It is based on the manga's "Hiroshima Arc".
Reception
By July 2021, the manga had over 9 million copies in circulation; over 13 million copies in circulation by December 2021; over 16 million copies in circulation by June 2022; and over 18 million copies in circulation by January 2023.
In 2019, the manga was nominated for the 12th Manga Taishō and ranked second with 78 points; in 2020, it was nominated for the 13th award and ranked sixth with 54 points. In 2019, the series was nominated for the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category; it won the 67th award in the same category, along with Nigatsu no Shōsha, in 2022. It was nominated for the 44th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2020. The manga has been nominated for the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2022.
On Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2019 for women readers, the series ranked second; it ranked fourth on the 2020 list; sixth on the 2021 list; and tenth on the 2022 list. The series ranked 24th on the 2019 "Book of the Year" list by Da Vinci magazine; it was fifth on the 2020 list; second on the 2021 list; fourth on the 2022 list; and eleventh on the 2023 list.
The live-action film debuted at first at the Japanese box office, earning over ¥850 million on its opening weekend. Within the first 31 days of its premiere, it earned over ¥3.76 billion, and ranked first at the Japanese box office for five consecutive weekends, becoming the first Japanese live-action film to do so since We Made A Beautiful Bouquet in 2021, a film also starring Suda. By December 2023, while still showing, it earned over ¥4.74 billion in Japan.