Meitantei Conan

(Detective Conan)

genre: Mystery/Fiction

Shinjitsu wa itsumo hitotsu!

Kudou Shinichi was a bit of an odd-ball high school student who loved mysteries and acting as a high school detective; much like the Hardy boys if you will. He loved Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and indeed like Sherlock Holmes, pursued soccer as a means of relaxation; as Holmes did with fencing. (Unlike Holmes however, Shinichi is rather tone deaf). Unfortunately, as his fame grew, so did his enemies, until when out on a date with a good female friend (but not yet actually going steady with), he crossed paths with the "Men in Black" (the Kurozukume). Clearly, these people had much to hide and so, the great high school detective decided to follow them and investigate.

While spying on the Kurozukume, he failed to notice one more henchman in hiding, and as a result was apprehended. Not having much time to deal with the interloping Kudou, the Kurozukume decided to feed him the poison APTX (apo-toxin) 4869. This toxin ended up changing Shinichi's body, reducing his body back to that of an elementary school child. Because of his greatly changed appearance, and in order to protect those whom he cared for, Kudou Shinichi was forced to change his identity to Edogawa Conan; Conan in honor of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author and creator of Sherlock Holmes.

With the appearance of a six year old, Conan can no longer live on his own in his house and as such is staying with his (Kudou's) girlfriend, who is unaware of his true identity, and her detective father. Few people know Conan's secret, for if those who had wreaked the change on Shinichi ever found out that he was still alive, they would return and try to finish the job. Likewise, they would not hesitate to harm Shinichi's loved ones either.

However, while few and far between, Conan has a few friends in the know including: Agasa Hiroshi, a scientist who helps Conan by making him new gadgets, and also by helping create Conan's new identity, Hattori Heiji - a rival high school detective, and Haibara Ai - one of the members of the Kurozukume who, in order to escape from the gang was also forced to take APTX 4869. Ai's older sister was also a member of the kurozukume however, she was killed by her fellow henchmen when she refused to hand over a large sum of money which had been stolen in a previous heist.

A Parent's Guide to Anime
Rated: PG
Parental Guidance Advised

Reviewed by Jane Nagatomi:

Kudou Shinichi is a high school student with a definite obsession with mysteries. Wanting to become a detective in the future, he is currently actively involved in helping the police solve their cases. However, one day, while on a date with Mouri Ran at an amusement park, one of the riders on the roller coaster is killed during the ride. And so it's Kudou to the police's rescue in order to solve the mystery quickly as among the riders, were two men clothed entirely in black who were decidedly impatient to get on with their plans.

Later, shortly before going home, Kudou spots the one of the men in black and decides to follow him and ends up witnessing a trade in what could only be a blackmail scheme. However, what Kudou failed to notice was that the second man in black had spotted him and snuck up behind him. Stuck with a witness, the two men in black decide to do away with Kudou by using an unusual toxin APTX 4869. Unknown to the two however, is that Kudou survived the poison although greatly changed in appearance. The toxin, rather than killing him, ended up regressing Kudou's body to that of a 6 year old child.

In order to protect those around him as well as himself in his increasingly vulnerable state, Kudou changes his identity to Edogawa Conan and has moved in as a guest with the Mouri's. Mouri Kogorou, Ran's father, is a total loss when it comes to being a detective but he does have his own detective agency, and so it's Conan to the rescue in helping Kogorou solve the mysteries which come his way....

Parent's Guide Rating:

yellow (parental guidance advised)

All in all, this is a fun series for kids who are interested in mysteries. Since the basic premise to Conan involves various crimes, usually murder, there will be a fair amount of blood in this show. However, we usually don't see the actual crime being committed. When it is shown however, the violence is neither overly graphic nor gratuitous, but could prove to be disturbing for younger children. In cases of attacks however, the attacks are intended to harm the individual and may involve the use of various weapons.

Also, since Conan is in the body of a 6 year old child, his wanderings on the scenes of a crime tend to get Kogorou angry and so we often see an adult hitting a child on the head. However, more than for kids, this might upset parents more. Likewise, we occasionally see such actions amongst fellow classmates, but again, this is fairly typical physical humour for kids and is no different than when kids in school hit a fellow classmate on the arm. There is (generally) no actual intent to harm.

While there is some cussing, it is very minor and usually the language is quite clean.

What a way to start the day; having a nightmare about your mother being shot! However, Ran has no idea about the significance of the nightmare until finding out that ten years ago, when her father was on the police force, her father (Mouri Kogorou) had shot her mother (Kisaki Eri); possibly in order to arrest a murderous card dealer - Murakami Jo.

Murakami Jo however, has just been released from prison after serving 10 years for murder; the arresting officers being Mouri Kogorou and Megure Juzo. What however, is Murakami's motives in seeking out Mouri Kogorou after his release?

One week after Murakami's release from prison, Mouri's acquaintances are being targeted by an unknown assailant. The first target being Detective Juzo Megure who was shot by a crossbow bolt while jogging in the park. Who shot him and what is the significance of the sword like object found in the park near where the incident happened? The second victim shortly after the shooting incident was the poisoning of Kisaki Eri through the use of poisoned Swiss chocolates. Tied to the chocolates was a paper flower which again was strangely familiar. Target #3 was Dr. Hiroshi Agasa; the mad scientist who was shot by a crossbow wielding biker. Again at the scene of the crime, a strangely familiar looking object was left behind, only this time Conan knew exactly where the objects were coming from. It appears that someone has been using items found on the character cards from the Spades; the King's dagger with Megure Keibu, the Queen's flower, for Kisaki Eri, and the Jack's spear hilt with Dr. Agasa. Likewise, the decision of which card for which person was not accidental. Megure Keibu's name Juzo is made of the two kanji characters for ten and three which would signify the thirteenth card or the king. Kisaki, means Queen in English; and Agasa Hiroshi's kanji for "shi" is made of the kanji for ten and one joined together or 11 for the eleventh card. Given this very clear number clue for the targets, will Mouri or Conan be able to figure out the identity of the next intended victim before it's too late, or will Murakami end up succeeding in killing his next victim rather than just injuring someone? Also, why is Murakami Jo being so obvious about his identity in his bid for vengeance against Mouri Kogorou? Also, at the time of Murakami's original arrest, did Mouri think that he could avoid shooting his wife when aiming for Murakami when he held Eri hostage or was there an ulterior motive in shooting his own wife... and will Ran ever know the truth behind her parents' separation shortly after the shooting incident?