Reviewed: Is Detective Conan Worth Watching?

Detective Conan (Meitantei Konan)  is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. Due to legal problems with the name Detective Conan, the English language releases from Funimation and Viz were renamed to Case Closed.

The series focuses on high school detective Shinichi Kudo or Jimmy Kudo (in the English version) who is suddenly transformed into a child while investigating a mysterious organization and solves numerous cases while impersonating his childhood best friend’s father and few other characters.

The series was adapted into an anime by Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation and TMS Entertainment in 1996.  From the anime’s success emerged an array of animated feature films, video games, audio disc releases, live-action episodes, and original video animations.

1. Quick Review

Shinichi Kudou is a high school student with a remarkable talent in detective work and is well known for having solved several cases. One day, Shinichi decides to follow two suspicious men and ends up witnessing a disturbing scene.

After being caught snooping around, the men he follows dose him with an experimental drug created by their criminal organization. In a surprising turn of events, Shinichi survives but is now stuck in the body of a seven-year-old boy.

With his intelligence intact, he keeps his real identity a secret from everyone, including his childhood friend Ran Mouri and her father, private detective Kogorou Mouri. He uses Conan Edogawa as his alias as he was inspired by some of the great mystery writers such as  Arthur Conan Doyle and Ranpo Edogawa.

Detective Conan follows Shinichi who, like Conan, starts secretly solving Mouri’s cases with his excellent deducing skills, while also looking into the group responsible for his current predicament hoping to reverse the drug’s effects someday.

Conan’s adventure as he solves the ultimate mystery of turning himself back to normal is exciting, suspenseful, and unpredictable. The well-written plot-twists and romance bring the characters to life.

2. Info Card

3. Is it worth watching?

Detective Conan is one of the longest anime series that successfully keeps its suspense intact throughout the series. It has such a complex story accompanied by memorable and charismatic characters that will leave you hooked to the show.

The series’ plot is intriguing and evenly spaced out with a sleek art style that is adapted to the times giving it a more modern look as the years go by.

I. Plot

The story follows the adventures of Shinichi Kudo, a highly intelligent young detective who was inadvertently transformed into a child due to poison. Now he must solve the mystery of his own missing body. To do so, he secretly begins his investigation and renames himself Conan Edogawa to remain hidden.

The mysteries written in the episodes are interesting ranging from ordinary cases to extremely well-detailed and realistic ones. The show shines light onto many of its supporting characters as well allowing us to learn about their goals and objectives in the series.

II. Characters

Shinichi Kudo

Shinichi Kudo is the main protagonist in the anime Detective Conan.

He is a high school detective famously known as the “Detective Of The East”. He was shrunken by a criminal organization and now goes with the alias Conan Edogawa. He is the son of famous mystery novelist Yusaku Kudo and childhood friend of Ran Mouri.

Shinichi is highly intelligent, observant, and has great intuition. Due to his father’s influence, he has long been an avid and persistent reader, with a special interest in mystery novels. He is calm and collected who sometimes comes off as being arrogant due to his know-it-all behavior.

Conan Edogawa

Conan Edogawa is a protagonist in the anime series Detective Conan.

He is a victim of the criminal organization APTX 4869 who used an experimental drug on him to change his body from a man to that of a seven-year-old boy.

Shinichi’s intelligence remains intact even though he has shrunken into a child. As Conan, Shinichi tries to behave like a child. Shinichi as Conan remains very close to his childhood friend  Ran who is also very protective of him.

Ran Mouri

Ran Mouri is one of the main characters in the series.

She is the childhood friend and the romantic interest of Shinichi Kudo who she has been friends with since kindergarten.

Ran are a kind and caring person who can easily become a fierce and aggressive person to protect those she cares about the most. She is also brave and resourceful when she needs to help her friends and has helped Conan out of many dangerous situations.

III. Setting

Aoyama’s unique art style captures the shounen essence of the manga. The setting of the anime is based on real locations in Japan along with some fictional ones.

All the 2D animated characters in the series have been designed beautifully with distinct personalities that are interesting to explore while watching the series.

IV. Theme Songs

I. Opening Theme Songs

Title	Original Artist	Genre	Episodes
“Mune ga Dokidoki”	The High-Lows	Japanese punk rock	1-30
“Feel Your Heart”	Velvet Garden	J-Pop	31-52
“Nazo”	Miho Komatsu	J-Pop	53-96
“Unmei no Roulette Mawashite”	ZARD	J-Pop /Rock	97-123
“Truth”	Two-Mix	J-Pop	124-142
“Girigiri Chop”	B’z	rock	143-167
“Mysterious Eyes”	Garnet Crow	J-Pop/ Rock	168-204
“Koi wa Thrill, Shock, Suspense”	Rina Aiuchi	J-Pop	205-230
“Destiny”	Miki Matsuhashi	J-Pop	231-258
“Winter Bells	Mai Kuraki	J-Pop, R&B	259-270

The opening theme songs set the perfect mood for the series with their suspense-building intense backgrounds. It’s a well-balanced combination of jazz and some slow-paced music, as well as some saxophone themes that play in the background.

II. Ending Theme Songs

Title	Original Artist	Genre	Episodes
“Step by Step”	Ziggy	R&B, Soul	1-26
“Meikyuu no Lovers”	heath	Rock	27-51
“Hikari to Kage no Roman”	Keiko Utoko	J-Pop	52-70
“Kimi ga Inai Natsu”	DEEN	Dance/ Electronic	71-83
“Negai goto Hitotsu Dake”	Miho Komatsu	J-Pop	84-108
“Koori no Ue ni Tatsu You ni”	Miho Komatsu	J-Pop	109-131
“Still for Your Love”	Rumania Montevideo	J-Pop	132-152
“Free Magic”	WAG	Rock	153-179
“Secret of my heart”	Mai Kuraki	J-Pop	180-204
“Natsu no Maboroshi”	Garnet Crow	J-Pop/ Rock	205-218

The EDs are decent and play their part in setting the atmosphere and tone for the series. Most of the songs have colorful and vibrant visuals that adapt to trending art and backgrounds during that time.

4. Grade

5. Final Thoughts

Detective Conan has what seems like countless entertaining storylines going on at once. Being a 900 plus episode long series, it is a bit of a commitment to sit through this one, but you will not be disappointed if you choose to do so.

The cases and mysteries written in this anime are a masterpiece of their own. All aspects of the episodes are very well-put-together.