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Detective Conan (名探偵コナン, Meitantei Conan; being released in the U.S. as Case Closed) is a detective manga and anime series by Gosho Aoyama, published in Weekly Shounen Sunday magazine (青山 剛昌).
The anime version is produced by TMS Entertainment and has run over 350 television episodes and five movies in Japan. In July 2003, FUNimation announced that they licensed Detective Conan for an American release, to be released as "Case Closed" due to unknown legal considerations. In every other part of the world, in the many countries where Meitantei Conan was released and aired, the name "Detective Conan" (or the literal translation of it), remained intact. Detective Conan has aired in Spain, Germany, Italy, China, the United Arab Emirates, and other nations. Cartoon Network has also announced that they will be broadcasting Case Closed as part of their Adult Swim programming block beginning in April 2004. A eighth Detective Conan movie, Magician of the Silver Sky, was in Japan on April 17, 2004.
Story
Names are in Western order, with the surname after the given name.
At the beginning of the story, we learn how a 16-year old high school student Shin'ichi Kudō (工藤 新一) (in the US, he is known as Jimmy Kudo) becomes the boy, Conan Edogawa. Shin'ichi Kudō was known as a high school student detective. One day, Shin'ichi Kudō went to a theme park named "Tropical Land," with his childhood friend, Ran Mōri (毛利 蘭 - Rachel Moore in the US). He encountered a case where a roller coaster passenger was killed. He solved the case and on his return home, he witnessed a suspicious deal involving some men dressed completely in black. Another man in black spotted him, knocked him down and gave him a poison named Apoptoxin 4869 (APTX4869) intended to kill him. Luckily, the poison didn't kill him, but when he came to his senses, his body had shrunk down to the size of a elementary school boy.
Following the suggestion of Dr. Agasa (阿笠 博士), Shin'ichi hid who he really was, lest the men in black find out that he is alive. So he began living at Ran's home. When Ran asked for his name, Shin'ichi spotted books by Arthur Conan Doyle and Edogawa Ranpo and came up with the name "Conan Edogawa."
Ran's father, Kogorō Mōri (毛利 小五郎 - Richard Moore in the US) is also a detective, but is not very capable. Conan always solves mysteries in his stead. Because Conan appears to be just a boy, police don't pay Conan any mind. Conan instead uses Detective Mōri by putting him to sleep with a "clock type anesthesia gun" and pretending to be Mōri by using a voice changer disguised as a bow tie.
Other important characters that appear (some later) are Shinichi/Jimmy's parents Yusaku and Yukiko Kudō, Shin'ichi/Jimmy's rival detective (and later friend) Hattori Heiji from Osaka, gentleman thief Kaitō Kid, inventor of the APTX4869 Miyano Shiho (codename "Sherry" within the black syndicate, turned into a child also after she took her own drug to escape the organization, and then lives with Dr. Agasa under her new name Ai Haibara), and the other members of the black organization: Gin, Vodka, Calvados, Pisces, Vermouth, and a mysterious "boss" who has only been mentioned so far.
Detective Conan has the format of classical mystery/crime literature, with such classical set ups such as the Closed-Room-Type murder case, and cases with a limited number of suspects. It also includes the wrap up of the case and conclusion/solution of the case like in typical crime literature.
Many references to other detective literature can also be found for fans of detective novels; References to Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie's works, Kogoro Akechi, Kousuke Kindaichi, Arsène Lupin, Maigret and many more.
The manga also includes a Detective Encyclopedia, where many characters of detective, mystery and crime literature and film are introduced, including even Columbo and James Bond.
There is a new theatrical movie of Detective Conan coming out every year in April during the Golden Week. Also, regular appearances of 1 hour specials as well as the yearly 2 hour new year special define the series.
Detective Conan is airing on Yomiura TV mondays at 7:30 pm, after its sister anime Inuyasha (another series based on a Shounen Sunday manga publication).
Movies
- Clockwork Skyscraper (Tokei Jikake no Matenro), 1997
- The 14th Target (14 banme no Target), 1998
- The Last Magician of the Century (Seikimatsu no Majutsushi), 1999
- Captured in her Eyes (Hitomi no Naka no Ansatsusha), 2000
- Countdown to Heaven (Tengoku he no Countdown), 2001
- The Phantom of Baker Street (Baker Street no Bourei), 2002
- Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (Meikyū no Crossroad), 2003
- Magician of the Silver Sky (Ginyoku no Magician), 2004