「真夜中のコナン、はじまる」

親愛なる新一様

私はあなたのファンです。

あなたの活躍を見てきました。

あなたは素晴らしい探偵です。

このホワイトロームはあなたへのプレゼントです。

楽しんで　♥　♥

『名探偵コナン　工藤新一への挑戦状』

My dear Shinichi

I am your fan.

I have been watching your work.

You are a great detective.

This white room is a present for you.

Have fun ♥　♥ 

Detective Conan - A Challenge Letter for Kudou Shinichi

Yes, I know that lately posts have been very dangerously Conan-centric, but it's really all just a coincidence. I for one didn't even know the Conan drama was to begin this week until two days before the first episode,which was yesterday, on Tanabata. Planned on purpose because of the whole Ran and Shinichi thing? Maybe. Anyway, I plan to write something up for every episode of this new series. Because fanboys will be fanboys.

Meitantei Conan - Kudou Shinichi e no Chousenjou (Detective Conan - A Challenge Letter for Kudou Shinichi)
Episode 1 (July 7, 2011): Before he turned into Conan, the high school detective solved the mystery of the adultery murder!
Episode 2 (July 14, 2011): The locked room murder commited on air! Reveal the secret cursed by the psychic
Episode 3 (July 21, 2011): Murder Case in a Locked Courtroom! Reveal the Trick of the Hostess Murder
Episode 4 (July 28, 2011): Perfect Crime! Murder Notice at a Wedding, Reveal the Locked Room Poisoning Trick
Episode 5 (August 5, 2011): The Glamorous Murder Trick of the Actress who lost her Memory - Perfect Murder at the Summer House
Episode 6 (August 11, 2011): The Magnificent Murderous Kiss of Twenty Beauties! The Murderous Intent Hidden in the Murder Equation!
Episode 7 (August 18, 2011): Inheritance Murder Among Bloody Relatives! Reveal the Mystery of the Kidnapping Trick!
Episode 8 (August 25, 2011): A Woman's Determination, Revenge on the Molester! The Murder Trick hidden in the Security Camera
Episode 9 (September 01, 2011): Hattori Heiji and the Mystery of the Invisible Locked Room Murder Weapon! Deduction Battle between the Detectives of East and West
Episode 10 (September 08, 2011): The Mystery of the Body that Moved 200 KM Within An Instant! Reveal the Perfect Crime Scheme of the Evil Woman
Episode 11 (September 15, 2011): A Kiss Is the Reason for Murder, A Revenge Murder After 20 Years! The Mystery of the Perfect Alibi
Episode 12 (September 22, 2011): I Killed Her! 3 Single Murderers? Reveal the Mystery of the Fake Murder!
Episode 13 (September 29, 2011): Ran Dies! The Final Challenge of the True Criminal to the Genius Detective - Reveal the Mystery of the White Room

Like the name suggests, Meitantei Conan - Kudou Shinichi e no Chousenjou (Detective Conan - A Challenge Letter for Kudou Shinichi) is a series focusing on the cases high school student detective Kudou Shinichi solved before he turned into Conan. As the catch-copy for the series is mayonaka no Conan, hajimaru ("A nightly Conan is about to start) and the series is broadcast around 00:00, I suppose this is meant as a Conan-series meant for grown-ups rather than for children. Besides the main characters Shinichi, Ran, Kogorou, Eri and Sonoko, guest appearances by Hattori, detectives Satou and Takagi are planned (actually, Satou and Takagi already appeared in the first episode...). Different from the previous TV specials is that not all episodes are based on an original script, some episodes will be based on existing stories from the manga (I guess the ski holiday episode with Hattori, as that is the only story featuring Hattori where Kudou and Hattori don't meet directly!).

The first episode (subtitled "Before he turned into Conan, the high school detective solved the mystery of the adultery murder!") starts rather surprising: Shinichi, Ran and Kogorou wake up in a white room, stolen from Cube. The three have no memory of how or why they got in the room, but Shinichi finds a letter, saying the white room is a present to him from a fan. Then a computer display appears, asking for a password. The hint is a date, and Shinichi remembers that he solved a case on that date. And yes, this leads into the episode, and at the end of the episode, Shinichi inputs a code, that leads... into a second white room (of course asking for a new code which is related with another case). Hello, main storyline! So Shinichi will probably talk about old cases and move from room to room until somewhere around episode 7~8 and by that time the cases will probably relate with the main storyline, leading up to the finale, where a supercriminal with a grudge with Shinichi awaits. Or it might be more original.

Anyway, the main episode starts with the murder of a cameraman of his sister-in-law/lover. Using an alibi trick, he tries to deceive the police, but luck has it that high school detective Kudou Shinichi and childhood friend Mouri Ran were visiting the nail salon on the floor below the apartment of the victim, so Kudou mingles in the investigation. Of course. How did the cameraman create the trick and can Kudou find the evidence to catch him? I was overall pretty happy with the episode. A bit bland for a series opener maybe, but it's a classic Conan-ish inverted story and really not bad at all. Could well have been a three file (chapter) story in the manga.

The setting was a bit light on the Conan-atmosphere though. That is to say, the story was Conan-like, but the main characters were... not really like they are in the original. Takagi and especially Satou should be more capable detectives, while Mizobata's Shinichi is still not as good as Oguri's (more cocky) Shinichi. But maybe something that will change as the series progresses.

What was most surprising was that the series seems to keep distance from the original manga and the previous TV dramas. As seen in the logo, the Meitantei Conan part is much smaller than the Kudou Shinichi part and while the previous TV dramas used music from the TV animation, this series mainly uses original background music (except for a superspecialawesome guitar remix of the Conan main theme! Must. Have. Soundtrack). Heck, the word Conan wasn't used once in this episode actually (you do see him very briefly in the opening though)! The previous dramas all started with "this happened, xx days before I turned into Conan", or something like that, with a voice over by Takayama Minami (Conan's voice). That wasn't used here, nor the sarcastic thought voice overs used in the previous dramas (being an artifact of the anime, where thoughts spoken out loud are pretty normal, and most of Conan's text in the manga are thoughts anyway). It certainly made this drama feel more like a 'normal' drama (rather than based on a manga/anime), and I suppose this series can be seen without prior knowledge of the series.

The series' main body consists of the cases Kudou solved in the past, but I'm not sure what to expect from the whole white room thing. Why are Kudou and Ran chained to each other (while Kogorou is free to move)? When does the whole white room thing take place? Can it be this is after Kudou has turned to Conan, meaning he used the temporary antidote again? Will it somehow connect to other plot points in the manga's story? Not much too go on from the first episode, so I'll just have to wait...

The next episode: a murder on a TV set commited by a... psychic (played by Drunk Dragon's Tsukaji)? Might turn out to be very good!

Not sure if I'm going to watch the series live again though. Time-wise, it's perfect, coming on 17:00 here, but finding stable streams is rather troublesome. Yesterday's try out with Keyhole TV was not really optimal, with jerking images and me missing parts of the dialogue because of the sound quality....

Original Japanese title(s): 『名探偵コナン　工藤新一への挑戦状』　サブタイトル「コナンになる前の高校生探偵が、不倫殺人の謎を暴く!」
Date & Password: 2010.06.24; アイシテル

"I suppose I owe it to Holmes' apprentice?"

「人生を決めるその瞬間、自分に嘘をついてはいけない」 『名探偵コナン』

"Don't lie to yourself the moment you have to decide your life" 

"Detective Conan"

Yes, even though I'm doing my complete Conan overview posts, here's also a single review of the newest Conan volume. Mostly because I had decided I would do one, before I had even decided I would do the complete series (there is a precedent for single reviews though). Oh, and totally doing reviews of every single episode of the new Detective Conan live action series! I shouldn't be so excited about the series (as I wasn't too enthousiastic about the special), but fandom > logic in this case.

Meitantei Conan 72 starts with the conclusion to the London / Sherlock Holmes arc. The last volume ended with a common Conan-trope: the search for a single person in a big group, in this case, at Wimbledon. The solution Conan has found for this problem is a simple, yet effective way and the story wraps up in a somewhat movie-ish way. Guest appearances by a certain duo at the end was kinda surprising, but funny. And the words spoken by Conan to Ran.... I am not that foolish as to say that is the start of a new dynamic between the two characters, but it'll probably come back in a significant way. Overall, the London arc was great though and sure to go into the annals of Conan-ology as one of the better stories of the series.

The second story and the fourth story in this volume are very alike: both revolve around the Detective Boys and moments with Haibara as the main leader of the group as Conan is incapacitated. In the second story, the Detective Boys play hide-and-seek in an old building sheduled for demolishment the next week. Inside they hear a kidnappee tap a request for help to them, but Conan gets caught by the two kidnappers. It's up to Haibara to lead the the Detective Boys. For a DB story, it's pretty exciting as Conan is caught and it even features an appearance of (an important) somebody I had totally forgotten about. In the other DB story, the DBs (minus Conan because of a cold) meet a boy living on the same floor on Ayumi, who says he is being kidnapped. The 'kidnappers' say they're just his parents though and take him back in the appartment. Conan, who was talking with Haibara on the phone, deduces that they really aren't the boy's parents, but loses conciousness (because of his cold) and the DB's aren't sure how to proceed, nor how Conan came to his conclusion.

The third story is a standard which-of-the-three story. Ran, Sonoko and Conan visit Teitan University because Mouri has a speech at the university festival, and they visit the house of horrors some movie students made for the festival. The person who was playing a dead body, turns out be a real dead body though. Was it suicide, or murder? Oh, and that crime scene technician in this story? Who is he? Did he appear in previous volumes? His design is way too unique for just a throw-away character. Heck, the suspects in this story are more generic than him!

The final story is just the opening chapter of a longer story, so not much to say about that. A lady, who loves clocks, has been getting strange threatening letters signed by the Keeper of Time the last few years. Mouri Kogorou is asked to investigate the case and visits the client's house (filled with clocks). The chapter ends with the murder on the client right during her birthday party.

A so-so volume. A bit too heavy on the Detective Boys (though the first one is pretty good), and the only 'normal' story is rather standard fare. Especially with appearances of KID and Hattori lately and the London/Holmes arc, this volume just feels.... very standard. 

Original Japanese title(s):　青山剛昌　『名探偵コナン』第７２巻

「Mysteriousな時代の幕開け！」

「ありえない？誰が証明したんだ？」

『ガリレオ』

"Impossible? Who proved that?" 

"Galileo"

Wu... Wait, a book? Not even Conan-related? A miracle. But with a live action Detective Conan series starting tomorrow, I think the Conan-theme will continue for a while...

The title is impossibly long, but Shin Honkaku Suiri Tokubetsu-hen - Fukanou Hanzai no Kyouen ("New Orthodox Detective Special - Banquet of Impossible Crimes") is a very nice anthology edited by Nikaidou Reito and includes two essays (one by Nikaidou himself), though I will only focus on the stories here. Like the titles suggest, this is an anthology that focuses on impossible crimes. The anthology I discussed last time was horrible, but with an editor like Nikaidou (who also specializes in impossible crimes), I wasn't too worried about this one and in fact I was kinda curious, as I didn't know any of these writers. Yes, when I bought this book, I accidently thought that a Nikaidou Reito novel was included. Oh, and for the tags for this posts: I didn't include the Japanese names for these writers as they took up too many characters (200 characters limit apparently).

The anthology starts off good, with Mitsuda Shinzou's Shirei no Gotoki Aruku Mono ("It Walks like a Ghost"). A man is found dead in a snowy courtyard, poisoned with a very violent poison. What's so utterly impossible about the murder is that the first man on the scene swears he saw a pair of geta walking away from the body towards the building. And indeed, the only footprints in the court are from a pair of geta leading away from the dead body. Was it a ghost that commited the murder? The plot and trick is pretty good, but I didn't really like Mitsuda's writing style and even though this is the anthology's first story, I finished this last as I had to give up several times midway through.

The second story is a more fantasy-like story, but a nice one nonetheless. Hana Chiru Yoru ni ("On the Night the Flowers Scattered") (Mitsuhara Yuri) tells us about the Devil's Fruit. The fruit is too hard to eat, but if you soak the fruit in liquor, the liquor acquires mysterious powers: it is capable to heal all illnesses, but it has two side effects: the patients falls in a deep, deep sleep (two days at the least) after drinking it and more importantly, it erases the patient's dearest memory. Ever since her grandfather died, Hatsune has been tending to the trees with the Devil's Fruit and preparing the liquor. One day, the king of a neighbouring country brings his queen to Hatsune, asking her to save his queen, who is dying from an ilness. She tells them about the side effects, but they decide to take the medicine anyway and Hatsune leaves them in a little hut next to her house on a hill. That night however, the king is found stabbed to death outside the hut, on a bed of scattered flowers of the Devil's Fruit. Nobody could have climbed the hill without the guards noticing, nor was the only other person (beside Hatsune) in any state to kill the king, as the queen was already sleeping soundly due to the Devil's Fruit. Nice, rather dreamy, story.

I have to admit that I don't remember everything about Higashigawa Tokuya's Jisoku Yonjuu Kilo no Misshitsu ("A Locked Room at 40 KM/H") as I read it a long time ago. If I remember correctly though, a private detective and his assistent are on a stake-out, trying to gather evidence in an adultery case. Their target however is on to them and she hides her lover inside a chest (or was it a sofa?) and aks a friend (who is a professional mover) to pick up the chest and help her lover escape, hoping to fool the detectives. They're not that stupid though, and the assistent follows the moving truck on his motorbike. After a long ride (@ 40km/h), he and the truck have an accident and he ends up on the truck. There he discovers a pool of blood coming out of the chest (or sofa?) and consequently, the dead body of the lover. Who killed him, and more importantly how, as the assistent was riding behind the truck the whole time. ever since they left the adulterer's home The trick is not totally fair, if I remember correctly, or at least, very dependent on luck and coincidences.

While overall, this anthology is really good, I like Ishimochi Asami's Hanging Game the best. It's the first story in his This Country series, a set of stories set in a fictional single party state (that is almost totalitarian). Capital punishment is still in use here and even exploited: executions (by hanging) are held in big stadiums and tickets are sold to the masses, who love these shows. Panem et circenses. One day, the head of a rebel party is to be hanged, but the executioner, Major Banjou, is pretty sure that members of the rebel party are hiding in the audience, hoping to free their leader. What follows is a mind-game of if-you-think-that-I-think-that-you-think of Major Banjou and the two sub-leaders of the rebel party. It's almost like a Conan story (with the need of having to find out what someone hidden in a big group is planning to do), but as the viewpoint of the story switches between Banjou and the rebels, the reader has no idea who is going to win until the end.

Kagami Masayuki's Sei Alexandria Jiin no Sangeki ("Tragedy of Saint Alexandria Chapel") is set in Russia, 1920. After the revolution, Sonya has been forced to live with her mother in the Saint Alexandria Chapel, originally as paying guests, but nowadays working there as they couldn't pay back their debts. One day, the head of the chapel is found murdered, hanged besides the bells up in the chapel tower, seven meters from the floor. Who could have gotten him up there? The trick itself, or at least, one part of the trick is pretty cool (another part was utterly ridiculous though) but very clumsy clueing kinda ruins the surprise of the trick. It's just too obvious how it was done and consequently who the murderer was.

Kaburagi Ren's Karegusa no Yuki Toketareba ("When the Snow of Dried Leaves Melts") has one of those tricks that you _will_ scream at, no matter what. Something like 'this is brilliant', or 'this is utter crap!', or both. If you had told me this was a Shimada Souji trick, I would have believed it immediately. The story's set in the Taishou period, and Miyazawa Kenji (of all people!) is requested to help the main suspect in a murder case: the victim was killed on the fourth floor of the local government office (this building to be precise. Yes, it really exists) and the suspect was seen coming down the ladder from the fourth floor right after everyone heard the blood-curling scream of the victim. The suspects says he was on the third floor when he heard the scream and climbed to the fourth floor, where he only found the dead body of the victim. If the main suspect didn't do it, how did the murderer escape from the fourth floor?

This anthology brought us from a fantasy land to fictional countries, Russia and the past and now the future. In Sonoda Shuuichirou's Dakara dare mo inaku natta ("And that is why there were none"), space-traveling has been perfected and humans have been colonizing other planets. One day, Earth receives a message, with a diary, from one of the colonies in development, accompanied with video material. It seems that all eight members of the colonizing mission are dead and what's more: they have clearly been killed as most of them were decapitated. The police can only confirm seven dead bodies on the video material though. As this was sent from a far-away colony, the message was actually sent seven years earlier (and only reached the Earth recently). As it was an old mission, with most data on it lost, the police has nothing to go on except for the diary of one of the crew members and the video material. The diary says that among the crew of eight humans, one (or more) was actually an android (yes, they run according to Asimov's Laws), but none of the others know who the android was. Was it one of the defective androids, that only followed the third law of Asimov (self-preservation)? Or was it a human killer? Great story, my first SF detective actually, and one that make great use of its setting.

A really fun anthology. I liked pretty much all stories and even though these stories tend to be quite long for short stories (around 70~80 Japanese pages), most of these stories make perfect use of the page count. Nikaidou made a really nice selection, with the Mitsuhara's fantasy story and Sonoda's SF story being surprising, but great choices, as well as Ishimochi's That Country story. Especially the latter was awesome, with the rebels trying to accomplish the impossible and the major trying to prevent that. I'll be sure to pick up Ishimochi's That Country, as well as more anthologies in this series.

Original Japanese title(s): 二階堂黎人（編集）　『新・本格推理 特別編―不可能犯罪の饗宴』 / 三田信三 「死霊の如き歩くもの」 / 光原百合 「花散る夜に」 / 東川篤哉 「時速四十キロの密室」 / 石持浅海 「ハンギング・ゲーム」 / 加賀美雅之 「聖アレキサンドラ寺院の惨劇」 / 鏑木連 「かれ草の雪とけたれば」 / 園田修一郎 「だから誰もにいなくなった」

『満月の夜と黒い宴の罠』

「やっと会えたな… 愛しい愛しい… 宿敵（こいびと）さん？」

『名探偵コナン』

"So we finally meet again... my dear dear nemesis"

"Detective Conan"

Volumes 41~50, so I'm actually nearing the ending of this series of posts! A LOT happens in these volumes with the Black Organisation, with Aoyama bringing in new parties, revealing a carefully planned surprise and lots more. Spoilers and quite a few of them!

Oh, and I will try to come up with a book-review err... soon, but I have to admit that reading Western books earlier and manga now has really messed up my Japanese reading speed.

Detective Conan manga & movies:
Part 1: Volumes 1 ~ 10
Part 2: Volumes 11~20; The Timebombed Skyscraper (1) / The Fourteenth Target (2)
Part 3: Volumes 21~30; The Last Wizard of the Century (3) / Captured in Her Eyes (4)
Part 4: Volumes 31~40; Countdown to Heaven (5) / The Phantom of Baker Street (6)
Part 5: Volumes 41~50; Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (7) / Magician of the Silver Sky (8) / Strategy Above the Depths (9)
Part 6:  Volumes 51~60; Private Eyes' Requiem (10) / Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure (11)
Part 7: Volumes 61~70; Full Score of Fear (12) / The Raven Chaser (13) / Lost Ship in the Sky (14)
Part 8: Volumes 71~80; Quarter of Silence (15) / The Eleventh Striker (16) / Private Eye in the Distant Sea (17)
(You will find the links to the reviews of volume 70, 72~76, 78, 82~87 and the films Quarter of Silence (15), The Eleventh Striker (16), Private Eye in the Distant Sea (17), Dimensional Sniper (18) in the library)

Volume 41
Keyhole: Miyano Akemi
Cases: The Two Alike Princesses; Secret of the Touto Developing Studio; The Four Porsches; Hidden Away in the Toilet
Plot: Haibara being shadowed; Haibara catches a cold; wiretaps placed in Agasa residence; Haibara and Conan find out about tapes hidden by Akemi

The Two Alike Princesses is pretty making things really ridiculous, with the revelation that Kogorou, Eri and Yukiko are all Teitan High alumni. All the important characters all seem to have met in the past already. Anyway, the case is pretty fun with Eri and Yukiko (The Night Baroness) as the main characters, but the trick itself is a bit too medical for me. Not sure if the fact that Yukiko speaks Tosaben, Touhokuben, Nagoyaben and Kumamotoben fluently will come back. The second case is the first time the Detective Boys meet Yukiko (though she has to leave for NY at the beginning of the story), but the case itself is a pretty standard one with a hard to spot visual clue, but hinted at through the setting, I guess. The Four Porsches isn't that interesting (a man found strangled in a Porsche), but it leads directly into the most important Black Organisation-arc by having Haibara catch a cold and by having her shadowed. The last story is a copy of volume 18's The University Professor Murder Case, with Haibara and Conan trying to find secret documents left by Shiho Akemi just before her death and murder happening as they visit an illustrator's studio (which used to be the Shiho residence). Shiho Elena is said to be nicknamed Hell Angel in the organisation, but I don't think this fact returns in later volumes.

Movie 7: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital
Release: April 19, 2003
Police: Police Inspector Ayanokouji  Fumimaru (Kyoto)
Plot: Cold-inducing medicine counters the immunity for the APTX4869 antidote

Murder among art-thieves in Kyoto, the ancient capital. I really like this movie as a) Hattori plays a major role in it and b) the location of Kyoto. The story itself feels a lot more action-oriented that the other movies, I think, with sword-fights, bike chases and attempts on Hattori's life. As this is still Conan, the writers really needed to rub it in and confirm that Hattori's first love was in fact Kazuha, even though he didn't know at the beginning of the movie. It's also the first movie where we see Shinichi transformed back, as well the first movie since Captured in her Eyes that used the vocal version of the Conan theme, Kimi ga Ireba. Police Inspector Ayanokouji, who entered the same time Shiratori did, is really creepy though and feels like a throw-away character (even though he returns for a cameo in The Raven Chaser).

Volume 42
Keyhole: Jodie Starling
Cases: Hidden Away in the Toilet; Trap in the Convenience Store; Confrontation with the Black Organisation - Double Mystery under the Full Moon; Look for the Mark on his Behind!
Black Organisation: Calvados
Plot: Revelation that Araide is Vermouth (Sharon and Chris Vineyard); Jodie is a FBI agent; Haibara's identity is known to Vermouth; [Silver Bullet]; Conan hears the telephone mail-address of the Boss, [Angel]

Haibara and Conan find the tapes, which turn out to be tapes by Elena for Haibara. She does has one surprising message for Haibara, but we never get to know what that is. The second story is, in hindsight, important. Or at least, the case is not important on its own, which Ran solves on her own (with some encouragement by Shinichi over the phone). What's important is that Ran mentions that Conan has been hanging around the Agasa residence ever since Haibara got a cold, not leaving her alone for a moment. Which is all preparation for Confrontation with the Black Organisation - Double Mystery under the Full Moon. Just like that fact that Ran finds out Jodie has pictures of everybody hidden in her room at the end of Trap in the Convenience Store. Actually, practically everything that happened ever since... around Shinichi's revival in volume 26 was preparation. The shuffling around the one responsible for Araide Sr.'s death? Preparation The voice-changing cough mask in volume 26? Preparation. Jodie Saintemillion and Akai Shuuichi in the story? Preparation. The feeling Haibara had during the Bus Jack? Preparation. Keywords like Cool Kid, Cool Guy, A Secret Makes a Woman Woman, the stolen files on Mouri Kogorou, Shinichi and Ran meeting Sharon Vineyard, Shinichi and Ran saving a murderer, Araide treating Haibara for her cold, everything preparation for the revelation that Araide is in fact Vermouth, who is in fact both Sharon and Chris Vineyard. Preparation for the revelation that Jodie and Akai are FBI agents. Preparation for the fact that Hattori and Conan play a mean game of dress-up, by having Hattori dress up as Shinichi and Conan as Haibara.The double mystery is paced perfectly and the case in volume 26 was meant as misdirection for this. In that story Hattori's disguise was easy to see through, but here his disguise was made by Yukiko and the lines were in fact spoken by Conan himself. We don't see much of Organisation member Calvados and as he commits suicide pretty much immediately, we don't know much about him. Ran actually saves Haibara near the end, but Conan, who was knocked out, doesn't know this. Might come back later as an important fact? The last story is a Detective Boys story and probably meant to take away a bit of the tension of this volume, but it feels really out of place.


Volume 43
Keyhole: Enomoto Azusa
Cases: The Forgotten Telephone; Whose Deduction Show; The Miracle of Koushien! We're Not Losing From the Invisible Demon
Characters: Enomoto Azusa; Nakashima Shigeo (Or.: 4ban Third); Inao Kazuhisa (Or. 4ban Third)

The Forgotten Telephone feels a bit like an earlier Conan story, with a small request, made by Poirot waitress Azusa, that turns out to be linked to a bigger case. Not very interesting, though Azusa will pop up now and then. The second story is hilarious for its ending. Here Hattori and Kazuha decide that whoever solves a murder first gets to decide where to take the Mouris to in Osaka: the Takarazuka Revue or the Koushien. The case, with double layered dying message, isn't that interesting either. The final story is like The Trembling Metropolice Police Department - 12 Million Hostages, with a mad bomber giving hints to Hattori inside the Koushien Stadium. Pretty much unsolvable unless you're familar with Koushien Stadium. Funny is the finale is played between Kounan and Oogane. Kounan's ace, Nagashima Shigeo was the protagonist in Aoyama Goushou's 4ban Third. He owned a magic baseball bat that allowed him to hit homeruns in exchange for money. Oogane's Inao had a magic glove (yes, it's like the story with the unbreakable shield and the invincible spear). In this story though, they seem to be playing fair.


Volume 44
Keyhole: Nakamori Ginzou
Cases: The Miracle of Koushien! We're Not Losing From the Invisible Demon; MPD Detectives' Love Story 6; Kaitou KID's Miraculous Air Walk; Ghost Story of Teitan High
Chracters: Suzuki Jiroukichi; Lupin; Jii Konosuke (Or.: Magic Kaito)

In MPD Detectives' Love Story 6 Satou and Takagi seemed to have gotten a bit closer, but the rumor that Takagi is getting transferred seems to ruin their plans for the future. The case is fun because the main suspect is detective Chiba's roommate, but the trick seems a bit convoluted and a bit out of date. Kaitou KID's Miraculous Air Walk is a great story though, and the first story that really revolves around a heist ever since his first appearance in the series! The previous KID stories focuses on his disguises, but this is the first time we see some of his grand illusions. And what an illusion! A man walking through air! Adventurer Suzuki Jirokichi (and his dog Lupin) is also introduced, who will be the series' main means of introducing similar KID heist stories. We also catch a glimpse of Jii, KID's assistent. The last story is an impossible situation story, with a desk of a deceased student suddenly appearing in the school courtyard. Because of the rain, the courtyard is wet, but there are no signs showing how that desk got there. (The real) Araide also returns to Beika and resumes his responsibilities as the neighbourhood doctor, as well as the doctor at Teitan High.


Volume 45
Keyhole: Tsukamoto Kazumi
Cases: Ghost Story of Teitan High; Tragedy of Marumie Pier; The Dumb Route; The Stars and Cigarette Code

Why. Is. Tsukamoto. Kazumi. The keyhole character? I don't she ever comes back in the series. Anyway, the ghost story isn't that interesting. The Marumie Pier story is a pretty neat story though. One of those look-for-the-means-of-poisoning stories, and it's not very complex because the situation sorta suggest the means of poisoning, but elegance in its simplicity, I guess. The Dumb Route is a lot like a certain Matsumoto Seichou book, only modernized. Effective, but simple. The last story revolves around a dying message left by a man killed years ago, but it's kinda far-fetched. Or at least open for multiple interpretations.


Movie 8: Magician of the Silver Sky
Release: April 17, 2004

Conan learned everything on Hawaii. Handling guns, speedboats, cars and now jumbo jets. Yep. KID's performance is fun as always and he makes optimal use of the fact that in movie-canon, he is aware of Conan's identity. Meaning he is free to disguise himself as Kudou Shinichi, as Conan can't call him out on that. The chase in the middle of the movie is awesome, as is the way KID helps the gang near the end. The murder itself is... kinda not interesting. It's just a single murder, but I wan't more in a movie! Especially as the murder happens late in the movie. Fun movie because KID appears in a significant way, but the plane part is a bit too much like one of those accident movies.


Volume 46
Keyhole: Haga Kyousuke
Cases: The Stars and Cigarette Code; Dissonance of the Stradivarius (Prelude/Intermezzo/Postlude); Big Adventure in the Eccentric Mansion (Seal/Trick/Solution); Request at a Strange House - A Suspicious Ran
Characters: Samizu Kichiemon
Plot: Conan finds out what the phone-number is of the Organisation's boss (location: Tottori)

Dissonance of the Stradivarius (Prelude/Intermezzo/Postlude) is a great story with a cursed Staradivarius and a musical theme to everything. People getting burned, locked room murders, the works! It also features Haga Kyousuke, a character with perfect pitch, an ability that is used extensively in the 12th Conan movie, Full Score of Fear. Haga also tells Conan that the tune the telephone number of the Boss sounds like, is Nanatsu no Ko. Both the perfect pitch and a character telling the protagonist what song he has been looking for, is straight out of a episode of the third season of Furuhata Ninzaburou, The Perfect Pitch Murder. Big Adventure in the Eccentric Mansion (Seal/Trick/Solution) is a Detective Boys-in-a-strange-house story and the appearance of KID feels very abritrary, so not very interesting.


Volume 47
Keyhole: Miyamoto Yumi
Cases: Request at a Strange House - A Suspicious Ran; Red-Handed Jewel Robber; Conan and Heiji's Deduction Magic (Trick/Mansion/Solution)

In Request at a Strange House - A Suspicious Ran Mouri is asked to search for a lost telephone, but the case ends in murder. The story revolves around misdirection and done pretty good. The sub-storyline is that Ran suspects Conan is Shinichi (again!) because Conan's telephone rang when she sent Shinichi an e-mail. The way Conan fools Ran in the end is the same as he did in the story in volume 3 actually, but this time he (Shinichi) gives Ran his cellphone number. Good idea? Bad idea? It does mean he has to be more careful when he picks up his phone. The second story is a pretty good, though I tend to think that about stories with Takagi in the spotlight anyway. Here Takagi and the DB's follow a jewel robber, who seemingly takes a dive from a building, killing himself. It's of course murder. The trick is pretty grand, even for Conan-standards and reminscent of Shimada Souji's tricks. The essence of the final story is the same as Cornered Great Detective! 2 Great Murders After Another (1) (volume 14), with an old magician gone and his three disciples gathering at his house. This story ends in murder though, and the trick is a very old one (also used in a famous Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo story), but the visual clue to this trick is done pretty well.


Volume 48
Keyhole: Mizunashi Rena
Cases: Shinto Shrine Torii Surprise Code; Evil Spirit That Comes on Butsumetsu Day (Case/Suspicion/Solution); Black Impact! The Moment the Organisation Reaches Out
Black Organisation: Kir (Mizunashi Rena); Korn; Chianti
Plot: Mizunashi Rena looks Conan straight in the eyes; Conan overhears Mizunashi Rena's conversation with Gin; tracker stuck on Mizunashi Rena's shoe;

Shinto Shrine Torii Surprise Code is a double mystery: Conan can't seem to crack a code made by Haibara and Agasa, while Ran and Sonoko also seek Shinichi's help as they're involved with a murder case on their holiday. The solution to both problems is similar and not too difficult. The second story is a much better version of volume 21-22's Case of the Locked Room A Night Before the Wedding, this time set in a mansion where practically every suspect has a phobia, making it seemingly impossible for them to commit the murder. The plot-twist at the end is hinted at nicely, so fair. The final story is pretty big surprise, as it's a big Black Organisation story, pretty soon after the previous one. Here Mouri is introduced through Okino Youko to TV announcer Mizunashi Rena and helps her with what seems a stalker case. But coincidence has it that Conan's bug gets stuck on Mizunashi's shoe and he overhears a phone-call of hers with Gin, confirming that she is the Organisation member Kir. A enormous troupe of the Organisation, Gin, Vodka, Vermouth, Kir and the two snipers Korn and Chianti are preparing for an assasination and Conan has to stop them. Luckily, FBI agents Jodie Starling (Saintemillion), James Black and Akai Shuuichi seem to be at hand.


Volume 49
Keyhole: Hondou Eisuke
Cases: Black Impact! The Moment the Organisation Reaches Out; The Super Secret Road to School; The Couple Who Can't Go Back Anymore
Characters: Hondou Eisuke
Plot: Gin remains suspicious of Mouri Kogorou, Kir gets hospitalized, Eisuke sees Mouri (Conan) in action

Gin suspecting that Mouri Kogorou has something to do with the failed assassination and the bug on Kir's shoes is not that far off and he actually ordered Korn and Chianti to kill off Conan and Mouri, but last-second intervention by Akai Shuuichi (destroying the bug with Conan's fingerprints) makes the Organisation think that the FBI planted the bug, using Mouri as a scapegoat. Close call. The red-herring of Akai Shuuchi mentioning his 'girlfriend' all the time in his appearances is finally explained here (first made to make you think it's Haibara), as it is revealed that 'girlfriend' refers to his archenemy, the Organisation. The Super Secret Road to School is a DB story that deals with the after-effects with the previous story, but not very interesting. The Couple Who Can't Go Back Anymore is one of those stories where someone tries to use Mouri as an alibi, which backfires. Alway. The story also introduces Hondou Eisuke, Ran and Sonoko's classmate and major player in the next couple of volumes. He is actually like an older Conan, being quite smart but seemingly hiding it behind a face of innocence and clumsiness. I don't like him at all though and I'm glad he'll be gone in the future.


Movie 9: Strategy above the Depths
Release: April 19, 2005

I. Love. This. Movie. It's pretty tame in comparison to the previous movies, no KID, no Hattori, no virtual reality, no Black Organisation. Just plain serial murders on a boat. But the story is competent and the ending, with Kogorou solving everything on his own, outsmarting Conan, is just awesome. Of course, all stories where Kogorou solves the case are awesome. With every parent in Conan seemingly a super-detective except for Mouri himself (the only professional detective), it's nice to occasionally see Mouri in Serious Mode. 


Volume 50
Keyhole: Kobayashi Sumiko
Cases: MPD Detectives' Love Story 7; Special Report on the Detective Boys; Heiji's Memories

MPD Detectives' Love Story 7 has Takagi and Satou joining the same goukon, and they're both kinda mad at each other for doing that. The kidnapping case they encounter after the goukon is very Queen-ish: they figure out which of the three suspects is the kidnapper because they know what information is available to whom at what time. The ending, with Takagi saving the kidnapper from a suicide attempt is pretty cool though, as it's one of the few times we see Takagi take action without talking it over with his superior. In Special Report on the Detective Boys a reporter who wanted to do an article on the DB's gets killed and the DB's solve the case in front of their teacher Kobayashi (who has never seem them in action). It's the first story that places Kobayashi in center stage since her debut, and she'll return quite often from now on, also because she looks a lot like like Satou without her glasses. The final story is one I want to like, but just can't. Hattori tells Conan of the best detective he has ever known, not realizing it is Shinichi. The two boys apparently worked on the same case in the past, with a murder connected with the legend of a snow ghost, but they never met each other as they walked past each other the whole time (Shinichi seems to have headstart in the investigation though). What's even more mind-boggling is that Yukiko apparently met Hattori's mom at the same snow resort and the way Kudou Yuusaku and Hattori Heizou solved the case just by listening to the facts. I know Aoyama likes everyone connected, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Volume 42's main story is still one of the best plotted stories of Conan. Misdirection that starts almost 20 volumes earlier, the pacing of the two mysteries (Haibara's kidnapping and the murder on the boat), the double revelation as 'Shinichi' solves the case on the boat; it's perfect. While the story seemingly goes back to a status quo with Vermouth fleeing (yet promising to keep Haibara's identity a secret), the fact we have an insider who at least doesn't want to kill Shinichi is pretty important, as well as the fact that soon after we have the trio of Kir, Korn and Chianti entering the story, starting a new multi-volume-arc, which is also strongly connected with Hondou Eisuke and the reappareance of the FBI in Japan.

In this batch of stories, I see quite some 'rehashed' stories from earlier Conan volumes, that I only noticed as I re-read this stories. Most of them are improved though (luckily). Best stories here are Confrontation with the Black Organisation - Double Mystery under the Full Moon, Evil Spirit That Comes on Butsumetsu Day (Case/Suspicion/Solution) and Kaitou KID's Miraculous Air Walk. Especially the last story is great, as it re-introduces KID as a phantom thief, rather than someone who encounters murders (as in the previous KID stories). The Jirokichi vs. KID stories are all quite cool and feel as actual KID stories, rather than stories where KID just happens to be in.

The next batch might take some time though. Up until volume 42, I went through the stories pretty fast as I remembered most of them, but I had forgotten a lot about the last few volumes, and as I took a quick look at 51~60, I have to admit that I couldn't remember anything about the majority of the stories.

Original Japanese title(s):  青山剛昌 『名探偵コナン』第４１巻～５０巻 / 『名探偵コナン　迷宮の十字路（クロスロード）』 / 『名探偵コナン　銀翼の奇術師（マジシャン）』 / 『名探偵コナン　水平線の陰謀（ストラテジー）』

『白い影・・・黒い影・・・』

「君は一体、何者なんだい？」 

「ああ 知りたいのなら、教えてあげるよ。　あの世でね」

『名探偵コナン』

"Who... are you really?"

"If you really want to know, I'll tell you. In the afterworld..."

"Detective Conan"

Fourth post in the Conan re-reading series. Once again not spoiler-free, at least not for the overall storyline. Might occasionally refer to events in future volumes (though I try to keep that in check). Anyway, I'm over the halfway point now!

Detective Conan manga & movies:
Part 1: Volumes 1 ~ 10
Part 2: Volumes 11~20; The Timebombed Skyscraper (1) / The Fourteenth Target (2)
Part 3: Volumes 21~30; The Last Wizard of the Century (3) / Captured in Her Eyes (4)
Part 4: Volumes 31~40; Countdown to Heaven (5) / The Phantom of Baker Street (6)
Part 5: Volumes 41~50; Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (7) / Magician of the Silver Sky (8) / Strategy Above the Depths (9)
Part 6:  Volumes 51~60; Private Eyes' Requiem (10) / Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure (11)
Part 7: Volumes 61~70; Full Score of Fear (12) / The Raven Chaser (13) / Lost Ship in the Sky (14)
Part 8: Volumes 71~80; Quarter of Silence (15) / The Eleventh Striker (16) / Private Eye in the Distant Sea (17)
(You will find the links to the reviews of volume 70, 72~76, 78, 82~87 and the films Quarter of Silence (15), The Eleventh Striker (16), Private Eye in the Distant Sea (17), Dimensional Sniper (18) in the library)

Volume 31
Keyhole: Chief Superintendent Tooyama
Cases: Murder Intent in the Pottery Class; Mouri Kogorou's Imposter; Mystery Caught in the Net;  Double Mystery in Osaka - The Naniwa Warrior and Toyotomi's Castle (1); Double Mystery in Osaka - The Naniwa Swordsman and Toyotomi's Castle (2)
Characters: Okita Soushi (Or.: Yaiba)

Mouri Kogorou's Imposter is mostly fun because of the idea: an imposter of Kogorou who gets killed. The plot itself is not very memorable though. For some reason though, Mystery Caught in the Net is one of the stories I remember best, probably because it was one of the first Conan stories I read. The alibi trick is pretty neat and the story is actually also the first time Haibara and Ran talk to each other. I'm also wondering whether the fact that Chief Inspector Yokomizo can't swim will be significant later. The first part of Double Mystery in Osaka - The Naniwa Warrior and Toyotomi's Castle is really great, because it's a case that Hattori solves by himself. After a lot of foreshadowing by saying his father and mother are good at kendou, we are also finally told Hattori himself is proficient at it. A cameo by Okita Soushi from Aoyama's previous series, Yaiba, makes things kinda confusing though. Magic Kaito and Yaiba are definately in the same world, with characters going to the same school and stuff, and Magic Kaito and Conan also share the same universe, but somehow Yaiba's alien rabbits, legendary swords and demons don't seem to fit Conan. The second part of the Osaka's double mystery starts out pretty big, with people getting burned to a crisp and references to the three daimyou of Japan. Oh, and obligatory Hattori wounds: getting cut in the face and punched by his dad.

Volume 32
Keyhole: Otaki Gorou
Cases: Double Mystery in Osaka - The Naniwa Swordsman and Toyotomi's Castle (2); Secret of the Idols; The Man Who Came From Chicago; MPD Detectives' Love Story 4
Characters: James Black
Plot: Connection between Akai Shuuichi and James Black; [Cool Guy];

Despite the great beginning though, I don't really like the second part of the Osaka double mystery. We do get to see Hattori's father doing something though this time and just like with Shinichi's father, it's suggested that Hattori's father is still miles ahead of his son. In the second story, Okino Youko appears after a long absence and the case even makes a reference to the TV-series Detective Samonji (volume 19). A rather standard story though, with the search for a disappeared weapon. The Man Who Came From Chicago is mostly important as an introduction story for new chess piece James Black, who has a connection with that other mysterious man Akai Shuuichi. Black is kidnapped and as this is a Detective Boys story, we are of course presented with a code to crack. Which is OK, I guess, but I particularly liked the last scene where the police get the kidnappers. In the final story, Satou is forced to attend a omiai, with her partner being Shiratori. Takagi has till dawn to save Satou, but is held back by that ever-present problem: contradicting testimonies. Three people saw a robber, but they all describe the robber differently. The which-of-the-three formula is not particular original maybe, but they are usually quite fun.

Movie 5: Countdown to Heaven
Release: 21 April, 2001
Black Organisation: Hara Yoshiaki

Ah, the movie seen by many fans as the best Conan movie. Because this was the first time we actually saw the Black Organisation in action in a movie and it's really intense. Gin and Vodka are on the search for Miyano Shiho/Haibara, while the opening of a twin tower is interrupted by a murder and bombs. I think this is the first time in the movies that Ran stops being the main damsel in distress (ignoring the end of the previous movie) and also the first time that she jumps. She jumps a lot in the movies. Anyway, I like this movie quite a bit too, but mainly because of Gin and Vodka's actions. And the cool action scene at the end of the movie. As a Conan movie, this has everything you'd wish for: action, the Black Organisation and murder. Oh, and continuity with the first movie.

Volume 33
Keyhole: Detective Chiba
Cases: MPD Detectives' Love Story 4; Valentine's Truth; A Crime's Memento; The Hidden, Rushed Omission
Plot: Satou owes Takagi a date; Police files on Mouri Kogorou stolen; [Cool Kid]

Conan's working hard as a Cupid for Satou and Takagi in MPD Detectives' Love Story 4 (with a little help of Dr. Araide), and Satou owes Takagi a date for saving her from her omimai. The Valentine story is pretty popular I think, but I really don't like it. There are no real scenes that strike me as memorable, nor is the story particular smart or anything. I did notice that Makoto did something in this story that was copied in the movie The Raven Chaser. I really like A Crime's Memento though; a very simple, yet effective way to create an alibi that seems doable in real life. Here Takagi and Megure also mention that all the files on the cases Mouri Kogorou has worked on had been stolen from the police department, suggesting that someone is checking up on him (or Conan). The Hidden, Rushed Omission is actually the first Conan story I read and I still really like it. A very abstract dying message and Jodie is usually a pretty fun character to have in a story anyway.

Volume 34
Keyhole: Yokomizo Juugo
Cases: The Hidden, Rushed Omission, The Great Detective from the West VS The English Teacher; Maze's Hooligan; China Town - Deja Vu in the Rain; Kudou Shinichi - Case in NY
Characters: Sharon Vineyard
Police: Police Inspector Yokomizo Juugo (Kanagawa; younger twin of Shizuoka's Yokomizo);  Police Inspector Radish Redwood (New York)
Plot: Jodie's hidden pictures; [A Secret Makes a Woman Woman]; Sharon Vineyard meets Shinichi and Ran 

By now, Conan is pretty sure that Chris Vineyard is a member of the Organisation, because she has disappeared from the public eye ever since the incident with Pisco. And because of that, Jodie, the only foreign woman in the cast (with a body that is kinda like Chris) is a bit suspicious. A red herring, or a double bluff by Aoyama? Anyway, Conan and Hattori decide to investigate her (by just knocking on her door and inviting her for dinner) and solve a murder that happens in her apartment.  At the end of the case, the reader finds out that Jodie has pictures of the case Shinichi solved at Teitan High (volume 26), a case that was solved even before Jodie appeared in Japan! Oh, and she drinks sherry. The next story is a which-of-the-three story, with a hooligan being stabbed inside a busy train. Conan quickly manages to reduce the amount of suspects to only three and then the classic spot-the-odd-one game begins. The China Town story is another Classic Conan story: finding out how the murderer poisoned this victim. I really like this story, because it's actually something I have thought about myself too (well, not actually poisoning somebody, just about the possibility of doing it like that). The story also introduces the grumpy younger twin brother of Shizukoka Prefecture's Yokomizo. And finally, the last story is a flashback case and the direct sequel to Shinichi's first case (volume 21). Ran and Shinichi are in New York, visiting Shinichi's mother. On the way to the theater, they meet Sharon Vineyard, the mother of Chris. Sharon is also a famous actress and friends with Yukiko, as the two had studied under the same magician (disguises and the like). The magician also happens to be Kuroba Touichi (KID's father). Yes, by now, Aoyama's super-related world with every character being acquinted to another and every happening in either Beika or Haido is getting a bit ridiculous...

Volume 35
Keyhole: Sharon Vineyard
Cases: Kudou Shinichi - Case in NY; The Truth Behind the Ghost Mansion; Mitsuhiko Lost in the Woods; Princess of the Lone Isle and the Dragon Palace
Characters: Tsuburaya Asami
Plot: Shinichi and Ran save a serial murderer, Ran remembers Akai is an FBI agent, Namubuchi confirmed as a BO member

Kudou's case in NY is a bit like the Furuhata Ninzaburou episode Piano Lesson, with the situation on stage not being what they seem and a certain group of people hiding something from another group of people. The last part of the case, with Ran and Shinichi encountering a serial murderer (whom they save from falling of a staircase) and Ran meeting Akai Shuuichi, at that time seemingly an FBI agent, doesn't really fit with the rest, but the events here are pretty important for the overall storyline Aoyama is building. Other interesting points are the fact that Conan still has the handkerchief they got from Sharon and that the serial murderer they met died that night. The Ghost Mansion story is not very interesting, with ghostly apparations in an old lodge house. I like Mitsuhiko Lost in the Woods more, with the Detective Boys trying to figure out what has happened to Mitsuhiko. First appearance of Mitsuhiko's sister Asami (hello Asami Mitsuhiko reference!) and an unexpected appearance by Namabuchi, the serial murderer caught in volume 19. Haibara confirms that he was a lower-end Organisation member. The final story is a closed circle story, with murders happening on an Okinawa island where a TV show pitting Hattori and The Sleeping Kogorou against each other was planned.

Volume 36
Keyhole: Matsuda Junpei
Cases: Princess of the Lone Isle and the Dragon Palace; March of Evil Intent and Saints; The Trembling Metropolice Police Department - 12 Million Hostages
Characters: Detective Matsuda Junpei (Tokyo MPD)
Plot: Satou's trauma over Matsuda's death

The Island story features a neat trick to create an alibi, but somehow the story doesn't really appeal to me. Obligatory Hattori in danger moment: nearly getting swept away by underwater currents. The second story is more like an introduction to the last story, with bombs hidden in Tokyo and the Detective Boys trying to figure out where the bombs are set and more importantly, what the bomber's intent is. The Trembling Metropolice Police Department - 12 Million Hostages is this volume's main story though and one of the best stories in Conan-history, period. With the whole of Tokyo as a mad bomber's hostage, this is also a story on a totally different scale from previous stories. The bomber first lures policemen in disarming his bombs, only to promise them to give them clues to even bigger bombs hidden in the city three seconds before detonation. Three years ago, detective Matsuda Junpei (and love interest to Satou) gave his life for such a hint and died. Now the bomber has come back and this time it's Conan and Takagi who are forced to choose whether they wait for the hint or not. And one of the greatest scenes of Conan history has to be Takagi asking Conan, a couple of seconds before the bomb is going to explode: 'Who are you really?'

Volume 37
Keyhole: Akai Shuuichi
Cases The Trembling Metropolice Police Department - 12 Million Hostages; The Invisible Suspect; A Message Left without a Voice; Contact with the Black Organisation - Negotiation; Contact with the Black Organisation - Chase 
Item: Anywhere Ball Dispensing Belt
Plot: Conan gets hold of the diary,  [We can be both God and Devil since we are trying to raise the dead against the stream of time]

The Trembling Metropolice Police Department - 12 Million Hostages ends with Satou getting over her trauma (thus giving Takagi a real chance with her). The second story is an OK story, with Ruri, a famous actress and an old classmate of Eri and Kogorou appearing. The case revolves around the search for a murder weapon, but the best part of the story is that Kogorou actually solves this case on its own and even outsmarts Conan. The next story, with a dying message, is mostly memorable because Conan actually gets a tangible clue to the Black Organisation. The murdered programmer had been contacted by Tequila (volume 12) to create a program for the Black Organisation. Conan manages get hold on the programmer's diary and discovers that that night the Organisation is going to contact the programmer (of course not knowing he had been murdered just now).

Movie 6: The Phantom of Baker Street
Release: April 20, 2002

The strangest movie of them all. Written by Nozawa Hisashi, the story has a double storyline with children caught within a virtual reality game called Noah's Ark. If they don't clear the game, they will never wake up from the game again. Meanwhile in the real world, a murder is commited and the detective here is actually Kudou Yuusaku (assisted by Watson Agasa), who had helped design Noah's Ark. This movie isn't only strange because of super AIs, a virtual London, Jack the Ripper and Holmes, but especially because Phantom of Baker Street is a surprisingly dark movie with themes like class society in Japan and heredity. At times the movie feels more like social critism than Conan. 

Volume 38
Keyhole: Vodka
Cases: Contact with the Black Organisation - Desperation; The Dolls Dyed in the Color of the Setting Sun; The Tarnished Masked Hero; Hattori Heiji in Desperate Danger!  
Police: Police inspector Momose (Tokyo MPD)
Black Organisation: Miyano Atsushi (scientist)

Gin once again shows himself to be a very dangerously quick thinker, nearly catching Conan. The second story is not very interesting Detective Boys story. The trick itself is OK (a la The Purloined Letter), I guess, but it's just... the Detective Boys. This volume's main story is about a murder seemingly commited by Wolf-Face, a masked wrestler. The problem with masks is that anyone can wear one, but Conan quickly deduces who the wolf in sheeps' clothing is. The final story has Hattori and Kazua caught by a jurist, who forces them to solve an encrypted message. The solution to the message is pretty neat and the story is quite thrilling. Oh, and once again Hattori manages to get hurt in a case. Yes. It. Always. Happens.

Volume 39 
Keyhole:  Police Inspector Yuminaga
Cases: The Red Horse in the Blaze; Friendship You Can't Buy with Money; The Small Client
Police: Police Inspector Yuminaga (Tokyo MPD)

The opening story is a homage to Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders, with an arsonist who leaves little statues of a red blazing horse at the scene of the crime. Mouri meets his old superior Yuminaga again (Mouri wasn't always at Homicide) and we have a story that is very much like Christie's classic, but one that can stand easily on its own. The second story is one of the few stories I actually saw in animation first. The Detective Boys meet a group of friends with a trailer. They go watch fireworks together, but on the way back they find the dead body of one of the friends. The trick is pretty easy to see through, but I have to say that the final clue is hidden really, really deviously. The final story starts out as a search for the mother of a child-actor, but ends in another which-of-the-three type story. Not really memorable or anything at all. Oh, and Kogorou actually seems to have build up a bit of immunity to the tranquilizer, as it takes some time before he falls asleep now. Not sure if this will came back later.


Volume 40
Keyhole: Kinoshita Fusae
Cases:  MPD Detectives' Love Story 5, The Suspicous Hot Curry, A First Love the Color of a Gingko; The Two Alike Princesses
Characters: Kuriyama Midori, Kinoshita Fusae
Black Organisation: Miyano Elena (scientist)

The first story starts out hilarious with almost the complete (male) police force trying to ruin Satou and Takagi's date in Tropical Land, even going as far as arranging for the Detective Boys to be there too. Takagi accidently switches his bag for someone else's and discovers that there are drugs hidden there. Satou, Takagi and the DBs search the park for the drug courier (and Takagi's bag, because Takagi had actually bought Satou a ring). The second story has a great trick to create an alibi. Well, the trick itself is not particular original, but the execution is great. The last story is another DB story, but with a twist: the Detective Boys try to solve a code left by Dr. Agasa's first love pointing to a certain place. Agasa never solved it, but as the writer promised to be at the place every 10 years until Agasa will shop up, the Detective Boys give their all in order to solve it. In between it's mentioned that Haibara's mother, Elena, is in fact English. Once again, not sure whether this is really relevant or not. In the final story, Eri and Ran take up a case Kogorou was supposed to solve. He has used up all the advance money (and more!), so they can't cancel the request anymore, but Kogorou isn't in any state to do anything now, so Eri decides to help. Yukiko makes an appearance too, marking the first time the parents meet in the series (even though they are in fact friends).

This batch is way too intense. The Osaka cases, introducing James Black, the files on Kogorou getting stolen, the New York flash back case, Jodie Saintemillion popping up as a suspect, Chris Vineyard and Sharon Vineyard and the big bombing case in Tokyo. It's almost ridiculous how much is happening in the first couple of volumes. After the Tokyo Bombing case, you'd think Aoyama would give the reader a rest, but no, Contact with the Black Organisation kicks in and we get closer to Gin and Vodka than ever before. These volumes are really crazy. But like I said in the previous post, Aoyama is now just moving his actors on the stage to prepare for a big surprise in the near future. Pretty much everything that happens in these couple of volumes (and the previous 10 volumes) actually connects this event.I originally started reading Conan around 37~38 actually, reading random stories rather than every volume in order. It was therefore kinda hard to really appreciate Aoyama's structuring and clueing, but as I read it now and knowing what will happen, I really have to say Aoyama's is preparing the stage wonderfully.  

Original Japanese title(s):  青山剛昌　『名探偵コナン』第３１巻～４０巻 / 『名探偵コナン　天国へのカウントダウン』 / 『名探偵コナン　ベーカー街（ストリート）の亡霊』

『模様犯』

「そいつは全身墨を塗ったような、恐ろしく真黒な奴だということでした。「黒い魔物」の噂は、もう東京中にひろがっていましたけれど、不思議にも、はっきりそいつの正体を見きわめた人は誰ありませんでした。そいつは暗闇の中へしか姿を現しませんので、何かしら闇の中に、闇と同じ色のものが、もやもやと蠢いたいることはわかっても、それがどんな男であるか、あるいは女であるか、大人なのか子供なのかさえ、はっきりとは分からないのだということです。」

『少年探偵団』

"He was terrifying black, as his whole body was painted in ink. Rumors of this Black Demon had already spread throughout Tokyo, but stangely enough nobody had seen him good enough to say what he was. He only appeared in the nights and even if they saw a black shadow moving in the darkness, nobody could really say whether it was a man or woman, adult or child."

"Boys Detective Club"

Sometimes it might seem like there is some pattern in my readings. Usually, there is not. For example, the uncanny amount of Western novels discussed last week was just coincidental, as all those books happened to arrive on the same day, even though I had expected some books a week earlier and other books later. So the fact I'm discussing another debut work today, just like Norizuki Rintarou's Mippei Kyoushitsu, doesn't mean anything. Just a coincidence.

So Nikaidou Reito's Jigoku no Kijutsushi ("The Magician from Hell") is Nikaidou's debut work and also the first big case solved by (here still a) high-school student detective Nikaidou Ranko. Her (and Reito's) friend Kurebayashi Hideki and his family are threatened by the Magician from Hell, a mysterious bandaged man who keeps popping up near the 'Crucifix Mansion', home of the Kurebayashi family. Our Magician has sworn to take revenge on Hideki's uncle, and because Evil Men with Aliases don't think single murders are threatening enough, he intends the whole family. The alias isn't just smoke and mirrors though, as a murderer who can appear in a locked room, commit a murder and then disappear, must be a magician (From Hell), right?

The first time I read the title, I though this was an Edowaga Rampo novel. Magician from Hell fits easily in with titles like Spider Man, Gold Mask, Magician, Vampire, Clown from Hell and Invisible Man, right? And the whole first part of the book is indeed like an Edogawa Rampo novel. The mysterious appearances of the Magician from Hell near the Crucifix Mansion are very much like Edogawa Rampo's Shounen Tantei Dan ("Boys Detective Club"), while the whole adventure Ranko, Reito and Hideki have while shadowing the Magician is very much like the ones the children have in Edogawa's legendary series. I usually have problem getting started in novels, but I was caught quite fast because of this adventure-like beginning. The second and third part of the novel are rather orthodox, but the Edogawa Rampo-ness comes back in the conclusion, with a rather suspenseful incident that feels a bit out of place, unless you see it as an extension of the first part.

While Jigoku no Kijutsushi is a decent debut work, the main 'problem' I have is that at times, Nikaidou's influences are just too obvious, like with the Edogawa Rampo example above. Ranko and Reito comparing situations to detective novels is something that also appears in later Nikaidou Ranko novels ('oh, this locked room, isn't this like in...'), but this is invoked a bit too often in this novel. For example, a rather dark secret lies hidden at the very end of the novel, but this is clearly influenced by a certain novel by a famous writer, and Ranko does make a comment about that, but that doesn't change the fact that it's really like that novel. This occurs several times. I know Nikaidou gets more subtle in later novels, but in this work Nikaidou tries to appeal to the reader too much, screaming "Look, I'm one of you, really!".

Overall, the novel is not bad though. The story's pretty intense, keeping you on the edge till the end. I do have the bad feeling a lot of readers will home in on the true culprit pretty fast. The locked room murders are pretty basic too, not as eloborate as Nikaidou's later locked rooms.

This book shares some problems with Norizuki Rintarou's debut work, Mippei Kyoushitsu. Both works are clearly written by fans of the genre and because of this, their debut works suffer a bit. I like references to other novels, I really like that, but both writers appeal to their 'fan-creds' a bit too much, and the originality of their own stories is compromised because of that. As a complete story, I like Jigoku no Kijutsushi more than Mippei Kyoushitsu, but I think the latter is more original. Once again, the Power of Hindsight (and the fact I never seem to read anything in the right order) tells me both writers get over this problem in later novels, but it's exactly because their later novels are much better than it is rather obvious now.

Original Japanese title(s): 二階堂黎人　『地獄の奇術師』

『A DAY IN THE SCHOOL LIFE』

「吉沢の言った通りだ。僕は何ひとつ学びはしなかった。ただ通り過ぎただけだった。謎解きがおわれば、本を閉じてしまう無責任な傍観者、それがお前の正体なのだ」

『密閉教室』

"It was like Yoshizawa said. I hadn't learned anything. I was just a passerby. Just a spectator without any responsiblity, who puts away his book the momnt the mysteries have been solved. That was who I really was"

"The Locked Classroom"

Oh, wait, I was supposed to read Japanese novels this summer. And oh^2, I won't be posting every day now, as I'm finally through my backlog of posts! Pretty  much all posts this week were written last weekend actually, but as I don't wanna update more than once a day....

Most detective manga/anime/light novels seem to have children ~ students as the protagonists, for obvious reasons. Schools are therefore often the stage for murder and other crimes in manga. But strangely enough, I don't see the school-setting in novels very often, or at least not in Japanese novels.

And that's why I was surprised by Norizuki Rintarou's Mippei Kyoushitsu ("The Locked Classroom"). But that wasn't the only reason. It was also because this is Norizuki Rintarou's very first novel (written at age 23!) and it doesn't even feature his series-detective Rintarou! In fact, as the novel features a high school student called Kudou, who tries to solve a locked room murder in a school, it reminds a bit more of Conan.... But anyway, class 7R is in for a surprise when one morning, the dead body of classmate Nakamachi is found inside their (locked) classroom. Strangely enough though, all the tables and chairs have disappeared from the classroom too! As a suicide note is found besides Nakamachi's body, the teachers quickly decide it's a suicide. Kudou however isn't too sure about this and starts poking around, which is not appreciated much by students and teachers.

Norizuki Rintarou's debut work feels very uneven. We have some early Queen elements with false solutions, the strange circumstances of the locked room and even quotes from Kafka and other writes. But the writing style is fairly different from later Norizuki novels; because of the very short 'chapters' (2~4 pages), the story never seems to rest, there is always something happening. Which is a bit tiring. The (Japanese) school-setting is interesting in theory, but very few characters are developed (mostly one teacher and just a handful of students, despite a class of 48 students, and that's ignoring the other classes!), which is very disappointing. Few characters actually feel and act like high-school students; with late EQ-angsting and at times hard-boiled noir-ish events and dialogue, it's rather hard to believe this is a high school.

Note that I'm totally ignoring issues like the Japanese education system, suicide at schools, school-culture and rules in this review, even though it may seem relevant for some readers. It just seems like a box of Pandora, if I were to begin writing about the subject, I doubt it would ever end.

The main problem, the locked room and the disappeared chairs and tables, is pretty neat though and recalls classic Queenian problems. I liked the protagonist Kudou too,  probably because he's very recognizable as a student who only reads detective novels and thus tries to solve the mystery of the locked room and the death of his classmate. I'm not sure whether Kudou is re-used in other Norizuki novels actually.  It's just that the road to the solution is done very differently from Queen and later Norizuki Rintarou novels. In fact, Norizuki's second novel, Yuki Misshitsu,already is completely different from this novel in structure and writing-style.

So yeah, it feels very much like a debut work of a young writer. But with the Power of Hindsight, we know that Norizuki Rintarou will grow out  to be a great writer. A bumpy ride, but worth the trouble, I think.