Pandora Gem

From Detective Conan Wiki
An imaginary simulation of the Pandora Gem.

The Pandora Gem (パンドラ Pandora Gem?) is the target of both Kaitou Kid and the criminal organization that Snake is working for. It is supposed to grant its possessor immortality.

The name of the Pandora Gem probably comes from Pandora's Box, a Greek myth about a woman who foolishly opens a box that contains the evils of the world.

Background

According to Snake's unnamed superior in the Magic Kaito case "Blue Birthday", the Pandora Gem is a jewel hidden inside a larger jewel that will glow red under the moonlight. According to myth, if the Pandora Gem is held under the moonlight at the time of the fictional Volley Comet, which passes close to Earth every 10,000 years, then the gem will "cry". Anyone who drinks these tears will then become immortal.[1]

Plot overview

Magic Kaito

Kaito Kuroba decides to become the Kaitou Kid with the intention of drawing his father's murderers into the open. It isn't until after several high-profile heists, however, that his father's murderer appears, in pursuit of the Blue Birthday sapphire.

Snake shoots Kid and takes possession of what he thinks is the Blue Birthday, but Kid survived thanks to having put the real Blue Birthday gem in his breast pocket. Snake goes to an old-fashioned mansion on the edge of the city, where a mysterious balding man with a mustache praises Snake's work, saying "This jewel could be the one he is searching for." The man then explains what the Pandora Gem is: a jewel hidden within a larger jewel that can be identified because it glows red under the moonlight and will, at the time of a comet, "cry tears of immortality". Kid reveals himself to the two men, and vows to find Pandora before they do and "smash it to bits."[2]

In subsequent Kaitou Kid cases, notably the "Red Tear" case, in which Snake appears again, Kaito is shown to be searching for the Pandora Gem.

Detective Conan

The Pandora Gem has never been mentioned directly in Detective Conan, although Kaitou Kid has made it clear that he is looking for a particular gem as he often says he is returning a jewel "because it's not the one I'm looking for". Even though the stories of Magic Kaito and Detective Conan are set in nearly identical "fictional universes", outright magic and advanced technology well beyond that of modern times are present only in the former. Cases adapted from Magic Kaito material for the Detective Conan canon have removed references to Pandora.[3] That makes it unlikely that Pandora, a magic gem that can grant immortality, will appear in Detective Conan's continuity.

It should be noted that in the Detective Conan manga, Kaitou Kid is rarely shown holding gems to the moonlight (to check for Pandora's doublet) outside of what is necessary for a trick.[4] By contrast, animated Detective Conan adaptations, movies, and specials, show Kaitou Kid inspecting gems by moonlight much more often.[5]

At this point, no direct connection has been made between Magic Kaito's Organization which is hunting for Pandora and the Detective Conan's Black Organization.

Separate from the Pandora gem, the myth of Pandora and her box has been brought up in the Big Adventure in the Eccentric Mansion case.[6] First, Ai Haibara discourages Conan Edogawa from investigating the phone number of the boss of the Black Organization saying that the address is like "Pandora's box". Then at the end of the case, Kaitou Kid discourages Conan from investigating his true identity using the legend as an allegory.

Trivia

  • In Judeo-Christian tradition, the snake in the Garden of Eden is the reason people are no longer immortal. He convinced Adam and Eve to eat the Apple of Knowledge of Good and Evil instead of the apple of the Tree of Life. Apples represent immortality in the culture of many ancient societies, particularly ancient Greek mythology. In this vein, the Pandora gem, with its red hue, can be seen as a sort of apple.

References

  1. ^ Aoyama, Gosho. "Chapter 6" (in Japanese). Magic Kaito. 3. Shogakukan.  ("Blue Birthday")
  2. ^ Aoyama, Gosho. "Chapter 6" (in Japanese). Magic Kaito. 3. Shogakukan.  ("Blue Birthday")
  3. ^ OVA 4 is actually adapted from a Magic Kaito chapter, but it was modified to include characters from Detective Conan and all dialogues referring to Pandora were removed.
  4. ^ In Kaitou Kid VS Makoto Kyogoku, Kaitou Kid adds holding the gem to the moonlight as part of his trick and returns the real gem when confronted by Makoto.
  5. ^ OVA 4 (Conan, Kid, and the Crystal Mother), OVA 10 (Kid in Trap Island) and movie 14 (The Lost Ship in the Sky). In movie 14 Kid also thinks "no light passes between it" while he is checking the jewel.
  6. ^ Volume 46 files 7-10; anime episode 382-394

See also

Magic Kaito Organization
High Ranking Magic Kaito BossMagic Kaito Sub-boss
Other Agents SnakeSpider (TV special only) • Rose (OVA only)
Related Articles Pandora Gem
Magic Kaito
Main Characters Kaito KurobaKaitou KidAoko NakamoriGinzo NakamoriAkako KoizumiSaguru Hakuba
Secondary Characters Toichi KurobaChikage KurobaKonosuke JiiKeiko MomoiSnakeSuperintendent General HakubaRose (OVA only) • Spider (TV specials only) • List of minor Magic Kaito characters
Manga Magic Kaito Volume 1-5Volume 1Volume 2Volume 3Volume 4Volume 5Magic Kaito Chapters not yet included in a VolumeMagic Kaito Manga Listed By Heist
OVA adaptations Conan vs. Kid vs. Yaiba - The Grand Battle for the Treasure Sword!!Conan, Kid, and the Crystal Mother
Magic Kaito: Kid the Phantom Thief specials The Revived Phantom ThiefKaitou Kid's Busy DateThe Princess Prefers MagicA Witch Sheds No TearsThe Fated Blue BirthdayLove on the Ski Slope on Christmas EveThe Splendid RivalsThe Secret of the Red TearThe Witch, the Detective, and the Phantom ThiefThe Reminiscent Golden EyeThe Tearful Crystal MotherTears of Love for the Dark Knight
Magic Kaito 1412 Season 1Staff
Crossovers The Gathering of the Detectives! Shinichi Kudo vs. Kaitou Kid (Detective Conan anime only)
Related Articles List of characters who know Kaitou Kid's identityKaitou Kid's GadgetsMagic Kaito OrganizationPandora GemEkodaNonchalant LupinK∀ITOCrowList of Kaitou Kid Heists Items