Volume 33

Chronology
‹ Volume 32	List of Chapters • List of Cases	Volume 34 ›

Volume 33
Information
Release date:	July 18, 2001
Chapters:	329-339
ISBN:	ISBN 4-09-126163-9
Publisher:	Shogakukan
English release date:	January 9, 2010
English ISBN:	ISBN 1-4215-2884-3
English Publisher:	Viz Media
Featured Detective & Keyhole
Philo Vance Kazunobu Chiba
Aoyama's death & Conan side images

Volume 33 was released on July 18, 2001 in Japan.

Cast

Characters

Conan Edogawa

Ran Mouri

Kogoro Mouri

Ayumi Yoshida

Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya

Genta Kojima

Ai Haibara

Hiroshi Agasa

Sonoko Suzuki

Makoto Kyogoku

Tomoaki Araide

Juzo Megure

Ninzaburo Shiratori

Miwako Sato

Wataru Takagi

Kazunobu Chiba

Shuichi Akai

Jodie Starling

Mrs. Sato

Isokichi Kamoi

Shinichi Kudo
(background)

Yukiko Kudo
(background)

James Black
(background)

Kamen Yaiba
(book cover)

Gadgets

Gadgets

Earring Cellphone

Voice-Changing Bowtie

Wristwatch Flashlight

Stun-Gun Wristwatch

Chapters

Sato's Omiai Case

File 329 - Sato's Odds

Takagi learns about Sato's omiai.

Sato confirms her deal with Shiratori, agreeing to set the time limit with the setting of the sun. Her boldness surprises her spies in the room next door, as Ran and Sonoko question her end game. Internally Sato hopes for Yumi's dispatch, likely Takagi, to rescue her from the omiai.
Meanwhile, Takagi and Chiba discuss the conflicting witness reports about the thief's characteristics. They decide to interrogate their three suspects. Kamieda is a tutor, Zama is a freeter/band member, and Koshimizu is an office worker. Takagi notices Koshimizu wearing two wristwatches, which she explains is because she is tracking her boyfriend's time zone. He also asks Zama about his band, which he answers is a visual kei group.

Back at the omiai, Shiratori receives word from Megure about Takagi's quandary and relays the news to Sato. She attempts to call the sergeant, but is stopped by Shiratori, who says making contact is unfair. He adds that Takagi cannot abandon his duties as a police officer, as such an act, coupled with his previous failure to prevent an interrogee's murder, will undoubtedly amount to a discharge. Therefore, Sato has no choice but to hope her "savior" will solve the case before time runs out. Hearing their exchange, Conan decides to act.

Ran somehow recognizes Akai.

As the three suspects grow increasingly restless about their detainment, Takagi surprisingly receives a phone call from Shinichi Kudo, who informs him about Sato's omiai. Takagi stares aghast at the expository message, unable to properly comprehend his predicament. Once the sergeant regains his composure, he shares the case details with Shinichi, who begins by instructing him to revisit the third witness: the cafe owner. Takagi complies and enters the establishment, taking the man outdoors. The owner's glasses begin to shade, transforming into sunglasses and revealing themselves to be transition lenses. Shinchi explains that such a lens will naturally warp one's color perceptions. He then directs the sergeant to inspect where the second witness, the school girl, saw the suspect. If the road was crowded during the time of the robbery, one would logically stray from the main path and run on the curb to circumvent obstacles. Therefore, the girl likely saw the culprit running on a raised platform, which would make them appear ten additional centimeters taller than their true height. The "puzzle" slowly begins to fit together. Araide notices Conan's absence. Ran believes he is still using the bathroom and goes to check on him. As she walks through the venue's corridors, she happens to see Akai exit the men's bathroom. His face catches her attention as one that she had seen somewhere before. She shrugs the feeling off and calls for Conan, who panics and is forced to leave Takagi to solve the case on his own.
Dusk nears, and an orange hue begins to tint the world. With about forty minutes left, Shiratori turns to Sato, saying that if he wins, he would like a kiss as a sign of commitment.

File 330 - Sato's Feelings

Takagi returns to his vehicle and informs Chiba about his failure to make meaningful progress on the case. He sighs, saying they have plenty of time, mentioning that it is still currently 15:00. However, the suspects are quick to correct the sergeant about the time, raising their wrists to check their watches. Takagi shoots his arm into the back row and grasps the culprit's arm.

  Show spoilers »

Kamieda wears his wristwatch palm-side to keep track of time during lessons.

Takagi's locks Yasuo Kamieda in an iron grip.
Takagi lists the witnesses and their claims.

• Old man: Female; Blue shirt.
• School girl: 180cm; Green shirt.
• Cafe owner: 170cm; Black shirt.

Sato orders Takagi to prioritize justice over love.

Takagi explains that the cafe owner saw the victim's shirt as black because he wore sunglasses, and that the school girl believed the culprit was around ten centimeters taller than their true height because she spotted them while they ran atop the street curb. Therefore, by eliminating those two claims as faulty, the description distills down to a 170cm tall individual wearing a green shirt, which perfectly aligns with Kamieda's physical appearance. Additionally, Takagi had heard the old man claim the culprit wore an "aoi" shirt and assumed he meant blue. However, because previous generations in Japan often used the word "aoi" to refer to both the colors green and blue, the old man was likely instead referring to the color green. Lastly, the old man likely believed the culprit was female because he saw them wear their wristwatch facing palm-side, a popular feminine style. Takagi then points to Kamieda wearing his watch palm-side—a sartorial choice tutors often make to allow themselves to refer to their watch while reading from a book. With all pieces of valid information pointing to him, Kamieda has no choice but to admit guilt.
With the case solved and thief apprehended, Takagi calls Sato and informs her of the news. He asks her why she made such a wild gamble on him specifically, a question which deeply confounds her. Before she can respond, Kamieda jostles his way past Koshimizu and makes his escape. After a brief moment of hesitation, and five minutes until sundown, Sato asks, "who is more important? Me or your job?" She then barks at Takagi, ordering him to pursue the thief. As her supposed "hero" rushes to complete his business, Sato expresses her resignation to Shiratori, calling the situation the result of fate.
A few minutes later, Takagi manages to apprehend Kamieda, who regrettably reveals he had stolen the money to pay off a clingy ex girlfriend.

Takagi's romantic regret.

Takagi solemnly sits on a grassy ridge with the apprehended culprit beside him. Chiba catches up to him and commends him for his work. Yet, Takagi remains pensive, stating he had "failed to catch the one he should have." Chiba, however, states his dismay in his colleague's resignation, and gives a fiery speech which inspires Takagi to sprint to the omiai.

Conan uses Araide's profile and his bowtie to create the illusion of Takagi's presence.

Shiratori notices Sato's gloomy expression and pulls her close to comfort her. Their four spies express varying emotions, ranging from vicarious bliss to deep concern. Conan stands in blank silence before calling Araide to the side. The boy quickly swipes his glasses and places the pair by the entrance to the omiai room. As the two officers lean in for a kiss, Sato begins to realize the true depth of her love for Takagi, and feels immense remorse. Suddenly, the two hear a familiar voice, Takagi's voice. Sato and Shiratori turn to the sliding door and see a masculine profile visible between the frames, along with a report about a nearby crime. Sato bursts open the door but only sees Conan, with his bowtie, and a confused Araide. She asks about Takagi's whereabouts, to which Araide answers that he has already left the venue. As Sato runs to join her true love outside, Araide gives Conan a sly wink.
Meanwhile, the real Takagi arrives fatigued at the venue entrance and laments his failure. He then hears Sato's voice yelling at him to board her car, reminding him about the "nearby crime." Conan gleefully watches the two drive off, remarking that the couple's clumsy nature reminded him about his relationship with Ran, which impelled him to push the odds in their favor.

People

Mrs. Sato
	Miwako Sato's mother

Isokichi Kamoi
	Ninzaburo Shiratori's butler

Hiroshi Zama
	21 years old Unemployed

Eiko Koshimizu
	28 years old Office worker

Yasuo Kamieda
	32 years old School coach

Old man
	Retiree

Girl
	Shopping girl

Mamehara
	Café owner

Major Events

• Major romantic development between Takagi and Sato.
  • Sato accidentally finds herself in an omiai with Shiratori.
    • Takagi rescues her from her unwanted marriage.
  • Sato realizes that she is in love with Takagi.
• Akai continues his search for his target at the omiai venue.
  • Ran passes by Akai and inexplicably recognizes him.

Valentine Chocolate Case

File 331 - Bloody Valentine 1

Conan sees through the facade of capitalism.

Conan voices on his distaste for Valentine's Day, diminishing it as a corporate ploy to increase chocolate sales. Conan's opinion, coupled with Haibara's explanation about the holiday's gruesome origin, shatters Genta and Mitsuhiko's rose-tinted impression of the festivities. Still, Ayumi interjects and expresses her enduring positivity for the chocolate-based event. Curious, Haibara asks Conan what the "girl at the detective agency" plans to do. Conan denies any knowledge, adding that their plans are occupied by a visit to a chalet on Mount Suito. Haibara wishes them safety, mentioning Al Capone's Valentine's Day massacre, which reminds Conan about James Black's bizarre description of Chicago.

The next day, Conan joins Ran, Sonoko, and Kogoro in the drive to the chalet. Sonoko reveals that Suito Chalet's chocolate-making experience is renowned for its ability to enable romantic success, leading Ran to assume she will bake a batch for Makoto. Instead, Sonoko appears downcast, explaining that Makoto has not been returning her calls lately. She also mentions her aborted plan to "make a hand-woven sweater for an ambiguous recipient" to elicit feelings of jealousy in Makoto, saying she had actually employed the gimmick this time using Valentines chocolate instead. She wishes she had made clear intentions and lets Ran comfort her. Sonoko then turns to her friend and calls her strong, citing her ability to remain cheerful without Shinichi. Ran laughs the notion off, replying that she is used to it.

Sonoko completes her chocolate.

Once there, they meet the chalet's owner, Chiyoko Yuasa, who mentions her declining business as the result of a spreading ghost story. She warns Ran about venturing into the blizzard, implying the existence of the supernatural. A guest, Yoshitaka Nigaki, explains the authorities occasionally find strewn chocolate around the corpses they discover on the winter mountain. After amply scaring Ran and Sonoko, he announces his departure into the forest to his friends, Mika Konagawa and Ako Amari. As the man sets off, Conan asks his friends about his profession. They explain he is a journalist who is searching the mountains to take photograph evidence of the Japanese Wolf's enduring existence, adding that he claims to have seen the supposedly extinct canine five years ago. The group is then passed by a rifle-wielding, Yuzo Sakami, a hunter who wishes to capture the animal. He asks Yuasa to accommodate his incoming friends, a task the owner delegates to Kogoro, stating she must visit her late husband's grave. She calls her shikoku dog, Saburo, and walks into the forest. Kogoro speculates Nigaki mistook a roaming Saburo for a wolf, but the two women deny the notion, explaining that Saburo was in his pen during his late-night expedition. Amari then suggests they start preparing the chocolate baking process.

In the kitchen, Konagawa and Amari lead the workshop. The former tells Ran that Yuasa's husband had perished in an avalanche about three Valentine's Days ago. He was buried alongside Amari's brother, whose body is yet to be found. Amari says she has volunteered annually at chalet ever since, hoping he is somehow still alive. Sonoko manages to complete a beautiful chocolate piece dedicated to Makoto. Ran gives a melancholic smile which Conan observes from afar. The group notices the worsening weather, and Amari and Konagawa rush into the forest to call Nigaki back.

Conan finds Nigaki's body in the snow.

A mysterious man dressed like Akai lurks in the blizzard.

Sometime later, the two return frightened, saying Nigaki is nowhere to be found. Kogoro, Ran, and Yuasa join a second search, while Conan disobeys Ran and creates his own search party with Saburo. With the chalet now empty, an unknown fatigued individual enters through the kitchen door and approaches the completed chocolates.
The searching group suddenly hears a gunshot, and are joined by another hunter named Hajime Itakura, who joins their search. Meanwhile, Conan manages to locate Nigaki. He steps closer and finds him deceased via bludgeoning, along with Amari's chocolate laid on his lap.

File 332 - Bloody Valentine 2

The main group follows the sound of Saburo's barking and unites with Conan, who regrettably shows them Nigaki's corpse. Kogoro holds back Nigaki's horrified friends and examines the body, finding a large bloodied tree branch which likely served as the weapon. Kogoro notes the confounding effects the snow can have on the investigation. Conan notices Nigaki's missing right contact lens through his worn goggles and hints that it was likely lost when he was bludgeoned—meaning the culprit deliberately placed his goggles over his eyes to make the murder appear like it was committed during daylight. He then shows the group Amari's chocolate, confirming that the corpse was visited recently. The group is suddenly joined by Sakami, who says they are temporarily disconnected from the police since a crucial tunnel was hit with a small avalanche. Left with no choice, the group decides to return to the chalet.
Kogoro calls the police via the landline and confirms Sakami's story, while Ran confirms the absence of Amari's chocolate from the kitchen table. Kogoro searches through Nigaki's video camera, but only finds one used film roll. Konagawa offers to develop the film for him using the bathroom as a darkroom; Ran joins her. When asked if there is any additional footage, Amari points to the several rolls Nigaki used to record scenes last night. Conan asks if they can see the contents, and Amari agrees to display the recordings on the chalet television, despite Sakami and Itakura's qualms.

As the tapes display moments of standard banter between friends, the display begins to glitch. Kogoro to angrily shakes the screen and accidentally topples a daruma doll which rolls off the side. Saburo catches the daruma, while Yuasa says her antiquated television is a treasured artifact her late husband bought with his first wife, Reiko, who had died due to illness twelve years ago. With the conclusion Nigaki's tapes, Kogoro comments on the lack of meaningful information.

Nigaki's final photo is tainted with his blood.

Ran and Konagawa then return with a photograph depicting Nigaki's final moments: an extreme low-angle shot of a tree at noon with three large blurred marks in frame. Konagawa explains that Nigaki's blood likely tainted the lens, creating the large marks. Conan internally remarks on the strangeness of the photograph. Kogoro's suspicions are directed at Yuasa, Sakami, and Itakura, who are the only three individuals without an alibi. The hunters object, stating they would not have the time to both kill Nigaki and steal Amari's chocolate. Yuasa on the other hand, floats the idea of an external threat still lurking in the blizzard. In response, Itakura mentions seeing an unsettling large man wearing a beanie on his way to the chalet. His description cannot help but conjure images of Akai in Conan's mind. Meanwhile, in the storm, a man perfectly fitting Itakura's description boldly observes the chalet from afar.

File 333 - Bloody Valentine 3

Ran asks Itakura for clarification about the mysterious man's appearance, saying she might be acquainted with him—a statement which astounds Conan. Konagawa trembly suggests he is Natsuya, Amari's missing brother. She manically heads for the outdoors to look for him in the storm, but Amari holds her back and shouts that her boyfriend, Natsuya, is dead, restoring clarity in the crestfallen woman. The hunters then reiterate their innocence and blame the murder on the prowling man in the beanie. Seeing the group's dissatisfaction with their answer, Sakami accuses Amari, stating that she could have baked a second identical piece of chocolate. By placing one piece on Nigaki's lap and discarding the original left on the kitchen table, she could create a false alibi. Konagawa disagrees, reminding them that Nigaki was killed hours before they went searching for him. She also compares the chocolate found at the crime with a photograph of Amari's original chocolate, proving they are identical. The hunters acknowledge their flawed logic and return to their respective rooms to sleep.

Conan asks if all the developed photographs were truly taken between today and yesterday, as the film roll could have been swapped. The group decides to compare the footage and finds that, indeed, the subjects' clothes are exactly the same between the videos and the photos, suggesting both were taken on the same day. Given that the last photograph had the bloodied frame, Nigaki's time of death at noon is largely confirmed. Ran also confirms that Konagawa did not tamper with the equipment in the darkroom. She does, however, mention there were two completely black photographs taken prior to the last photo. Although Konagawa assumes it was Nigaki's error, Conan remains dubious of the photo's credibility. He then notices the television display footage of Nigaki throwing a toy ball to Saburo; the dog unexpectedly shows disinterest in playing. Conan asks Yuasa about the reason for Saburo's name, and she replies that it is because he was her husband's third dog, following Taro and Jiro, who have both since passed. Per Conan's request, Amari and Konagawa head for Yuasa's late husband's room (currently a guest room assigned to Nigaki) to retrieve a photo album containing pictures of Jiro. As Yuasa informs Conan about Saburo's strange eating habits during snow storms, the group hears a piercing scream cut through the chalet.

Conan is saddened that Ran cannot bring herself to address her chocolate to Shinichi.

Kogoro and company join Konagawa and Amari at Nigaki's room where they find Sakami and Itakura rummaging through his belongings. The hunters explain that they were looking for clues, but acknowledge their mistake and agree to be frisked for stolen items. Conan notices a sweater stained with a line of blood disrupted in the middle. Konagawa says Nigaki wore the sweater yesterday when he accidentally cut himself while cutting chocolate. Yuasa then shows Conan a picture of Jiro and Saburo, two identical dogs whom even their owner struggles the tell apart.
Conan silently enters Saburo's room and drops his favorite ball in front of his pen. The dog Saburo eagerly tries to reach his toy, an action which allows Conan to complete the puzzle; he has solved the trick. He then enters the kitchen, still needing definitive evidence. He notices the various completed chocolates lined on the table and manages to identify Ran's. Seeing the unadorned labeling, Conan cannot help but empathize with her conflicting emotions, and gives a gloomy expression. A strong gust of wintery wind blows into the room as something enters the chalet from the freezing outdoors, making Conan smile. Kogoro then also enters the room and is surprised by the sudden appearance. Conan capitalizes on Kogoro's state of confusion and tranquilizes him. The chalet guests react in shock as Conan informs them that "Kogoro" has solved the case, directing them to the kitchen.

File 334 - Bloody Valentine 4

  Show spoilers »

Saburo and Jiro were both alive, one of whom had delivered Amari's chocolate to Nigaki's corpse.

With the guests assembled in the kitchen, Kogoro directs their attention to Saburo, pointing to him as the key to solving the mystery.
The Method:
The hunters mock the notion that Saburo delivered Amari's chocolate to Nigaki as he was beside Conan the entire time. Kogoro acknowledges the implausibility, and explains that there is a "second Saburo:" Jiro. Yuasa's late husband had instructed his dog to guard his first wife's tombstone, a task only possible if there are two dogs. Therefore, one dog would guard the tombstone while the other rests in the chalet, taking turns each day. The reason the dogs did not eat their food during snow storms is because they were trained to expect food once every other day. If a snow storm hampered the dog's ability to leave the chalet to switch positions, they would refuse a second consecutive meal. Jiro's survival was likely kept a secret so as to not place an additional burden on Yuasa. Kogoro realized the existence of a second dog after seeing Saburo's blatant discrepancy in personality. One dog would pounce on round objects like balls and darumas, while the other remained indifferent. Konagawa then realizes that Nigaki must have confused either Saburo or Jiro for a Japanese Wolf.
Itakura asks why a dog would place chocolate beside a dying man. Kogoro explains that the dogs were trained to give high caloric foods like chocolate to those found immobile in the mountains. With the chocolate's presence explained, all alibis are now void. Konagawa mentions the final photograph in an attempt to absolve herself and Amari, but Kogoro calls out several peculiarities. He states that the final photograph was not taken by accident after Nigaki's bludgeoning, but was rather a random photograph the man took during the day. The blood marks were the result of Nigaki's accident in the kitchen the day before. His sweater had a line of blood disrupted in the middle, the object that shielded the middle segment was likely his camera, which he dangled from his neck. The culprit knew a blood-tainted photograph would "prove" Nigaki was killed at noon, and was thus someone who could instruct him to take a photo at that time frame. With Nigaki's time of death now readjusted to the evening, Kogoro points to Ako Amari as Nigaki's murderer.

The detective explains that Amari snapped two black photos to limit the number of photos remaining on the film roll to one. In doing so, it would ensure there could only be one blood-stained photograph, as any more would diminish the trick's effectiveness of creating a photo "taken shortly before death." Amari also replaced Nigaki's film rolls with unused rolls to further sell the intended effect. Additionally, for the trick to succeed, all spare film rolls would need to be removed from Nigaki's bag to leave only the blood-tainted roll accessible to the investigators. Lastly, Kogoro absolves Konagawa by saying that only Amari had the opportunity to remove the spare film rolls, when she was tasked with caring for Nigaki's injury last night. As evidence for Amari's guilt, Jiro had delivered a bag stuffed with used film rolls, the rolls Amari had jettisoned in an attempt to destroy a video depicting her murderously approaching Nigaki.

The mysterious man in the beanie saves the day.

The Motive:
Amari confesses to being the killer, saying that she had seen a four-year-old video depicting Yuasa's husband attempting to rescue an injured Natsuya shortly before an avalanche claimed their lives. Nigaki had filmed the video, having refused to aid in Natsuya's rescue as the brother was against his relationship with his sister. Yuasa asks how she was able to determine that Nigaki was the videographer. Amari answers that the video captured his voice taunting her brother's death along with two booming sounds and the roaring of the avalanche.

Makoto and Ran incapacitate Sakami.

Conan ponders the "two booming sounds" Amari had mentioned, and has a realization. Suddenly, Sakami fires his rifle into the ceiling, capturing the group's attention. Yuzo Sakami and Hajime Itakura reveal they had shot Natsuya, giving him his injury, because they mistook him for a wolf. The two then used their rifles to cause an avalanche to silence him. Nigaki had brought the video evidence of their crime to the chalet as a means of blackmailing the two hunters, demanding money for his continued silence. The hunters thank Amari for killing her boyfriend, and then direct the group to line up beside Kogoro.
Itakura begins his cruel witness execution by ordering Sonoko to stab Ran, terrifying the girl. A knocking sound then disrupts the confrontation, and Itakura goes to investigate the kitchen door. Upon exiting the chalet, he is violently struck with a devastating kick that sends him flying into the room. The mysterious man in the beanie stands at the doorway, revealing himself to be Kyogoku Makoto, much to Sonoko's surprise. He effortlessly dodges Sakami's shot and assists Ran in delivering a powerful double kick to the hunter's head, instantly incapacitating him.

Sonoko ensnares Makoto's heart.

With the case solved and culprits apprehended, a flustered Sonoko asks why Makoto is at the chalet. He explains that he is here to see if the man Sonoko has been teasing him with is indeed worthy of receiving her affection. Believing his romantic rival has received her handmade sweater, teacup, and now chocolate, he demands he step forward. However, his macho demeanor collapses upon seeing his name written on Sonoko's chocolate. Ran also explains that Sonoko had abandoned her sweater project and that he is her teacup's recipient, having mistaken it for a flower pot. Embarrassed, Makoto heads for the exit, but is stopped by Sonoko. Meanwhile, Conan watches in utter shock as the girl's absurd romantic machinations result in a total success.

Ran receives Shinichi's teasing message.

A few days later on Valentine's Day, Ran tells Sonoko that she did not address her chocolate to anyone. Sonoko eventually rushes off to see Makoto off at the airport, leaving Ran to internally comment that "she is not as strong as Sonoko thinks she is." Upon returning to the detective agency, her tears begin to pour, lamenting her worsening loneliness and helplessness. Conan silently observes her from behind the door.
Later on, as snow begins to descend onto the city streets, Ran wakes up from a long nap she took on the agency sofa. She finds herself covered by a coat and wonders who had blanketed her. Noticing the time, she panics and checks her phone, discovering an unopened message with a photo attachment. To her surprise, the photo is of her sleeping, captioned with a message from "Detective Kid." Suddenly, her phone rings. She picks up, only to hear Shinichi, the "Detective Kid," speaking to her. She rushes to open the window and demands he shows himself. Shinichi explains that he came to the agency but did not dare to wake her after seeing her sleeping so soundly. He also says he was hungry and had eaten her "peach-like" chocolate left on the table, much to Ran's shock. He generously compliments the sweet, asking where she had purchased it. Ran, delighted, comments that its origins will forever remain a secret, a store only she knows. She looks out the window with a satisfied expression and continues her conversation with Shinichi, comically commenting that "Detective Kid" is a rather cheesy title, much to Conan's chagrin.

People

Chiyoko Yuasa
	61 years old Chalet owner

Yoshitaka Nigaki
	Victim (beaten) 28 years old Chalet guest Journalist

Mika Konakawa
	26 years old Chalet guest Camerawoman

Ako Amari
	25 years old Chalet guest Nigaki's girlfriend

Yuzo Sakami
	42 years old Chalet guest Hunter

Saburo
	Chiyoko's pet dog Shikoku Dog

Hajime Itakura
	37 years old Chalet guest Hunter

Major Events

• Major romantic development between Sonoko and Makoto.
  • Sonoko's long-planned romantic ploy to elicit an emotional response from Makoto proves to be a resounding success.
  • Makoto disproves his perceived aloofness and receives Sonoko's Valentine's Day chocolate.
• Romantic development between Ran and Shinichi.
  • Shinichi alleviates Ran's loneliness with a mischievous, yet endearing act followed by a long phone call.
• Conan learns that Ran may be familiar with Akai.

Missing Watch Case

File 335 - Memento of a Wife

The Detective Boys are invited to the Mouri Detective Agency, where they marvel at Ran's detailed chocolate replicas of each of their faces. As the children shower Ran with praise and gratitude, Conan questions how she had the time to bake these pieces, citing their absence from the chalet kitchen table. She answers that they served as her test batch, which she stored in the refrigerator. The cheerful banter is interrupted by Kogoro, who complains that their commotion is disrupting his work. Genta and Mitsuhiko question if the Detective is truly engaging in meaningful labor. Their skepticism is vindicated when Ayumi unplugs his pocket radio, loudly playing a horse racing broadcast. Kogoro's embarrassment is luckily cut short when a client rings the doorbell.

The Detective Boys explore Morita's digital collection.

The client, Hideo Morita, asks for the Detective's help in finding a lost wristwatch that belonged to his late wife, saying that his dreams are haunted by scenes of her "questioning the time." He believes if he can locate her missing wristwatch, her spirit will pass on into the afterlife. Hearing the man's seemingly trivial request, Kogoro goes ballistic, deeming it not worth his time. As Morita leaves in disappointment, he is approached by the Detective Boys, who offer their services free of charge.

The group arrives at Morita's apartment, where Agasa notices the wilting flowers displayed in a vase near the entrance. Morita explains that he has properly maintained them ever since his wife died in a traffic accident three weeks ago, but acknowledges their natural decline. Meanwhile, the children are awestruck at the sight of Morita's audio room, fitted with audio speakers, television monitors, DVDs, and pamphlets. Suddenly, another apartment resident, Eiko Idetsuki, rings the doorbell and demands Morita pay his debt. The man hands her ¥5,000,000 (~$50,000), a quarter of what he owes her, and says he intends to settle the rest by selling his apartment. He also shows her a DVD copy of Sakura Sanjuurou that he managed to acquire, which greatly excites her. She immediately moves to the audio room to watch the movie, removing the Detective Boys in the process. Morita shows an infuriated expression as Idetsuki closes the door behind her.

Conan and Morita find the entrance vase shattered on Idetsuki's head.

The Detective Boys continue their fruitless search into the dusk hours, motivating Morita to prepare sandwiches as a gesture of gratitude, which rejuvenates the children, especially Genta. He then tasks Conan and Ayumi with delivering tea and sandwiches to Idetsuki. The two quietly enter the audio room and offer the tense woman food. She orders them to hush, clearly rapt in the film. Per her instructions, they leave the food at the rear table and return to the kitchen.
Conan then notices Morita's laundry situation and deduces that even someone who perpetually wears their wristwatch would still remove it when they bathe. He then rushes to the filled laundry machine and empties its contents. Ayumi notices a solid object hit the floor and finds the working wristwatch, much to Conan's surprise. As Morita expresses his deep appreciation, Conan's suspicions rise—Morita likely lied about losing the watch. Suddenly, the sound of a violent crash punctuates the moment. Conan hears the front door slam shut while rushing to the audio room. Upon entering, he finds Idetsuki dead, bludgeoned with a now shattered vase.

File 336 - Clean Scent

Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the crime scene and identify Morita's entrance vase as the murder weapon. They immediately suspect Morita himself for the crime, and retrace his steps. With the Detective Boys' help, the police determine that Morita was capable of slipping away from the kitchen while he made sandwiches. Given there is a hallway that directly connects the kitchen to the audio room, Morita could have easily bludgeoned Idetsuki, masking the sound of her death with the blaring movie audio, and then played sound recordings of the vase's shattering remotely from next to the laundry machine. However, Conan disproves the theory, recalling that Idetsuki was still alive when him and Ayumi visited the audio room to deliver sandwiches. Chiba then arrives and reports on Idetsuki's relationships with her neighboring tenants. He explains that she often loaned large sums of money and charged high interest rates, meaning she was likely an unpopular character. Additionally, a sizable portion of the apartment's tenants were aware of her location, as they were used to hearing her blast the audio of the films she watched in Morita's audio room. With the possibility of an external culprit, Megure orders a comprehensive investigation of all who were indebted to Idetsuki.

Takagi reveals that someone had stolen the police files pertaining to cases Kogoro was involved in solving.

Conan expresses his resolve to put Ran's safety above all else.

Agasa approaches Conan and comments on the case, but the boy quickly surmises that Morita is the murderer. He explains that manual wristwatches like Morita's need to be rewound roughly every fifty hours to remain accurate. Nevertheless, Morita's watch remained perfectly in-synch upon its discovery three weeks after its supposed disappearance. Therefore, Morita likely deliberately hid to wristwatch as a means of attracting an external witness who can confirm his alibi.

While pondering the case details, Conan notices Takagi ask Morita if he noticed any suspicious individuals loitering around the Mouri Detective Agency. Curious, Conan asks the sergeant for clarification. Takagi kneels down to the boy and quietly reveals that someone is secretly investigating Kogoro. He says that all of the files regarding cases involving Kogoro were stolen from the police headquarters, but were recently mailed back anonymously without any alteration. Alarmed, Conan asks when they were stolen, to which Takagi answers: on the day of the bus hijacking. The police are currently investigating the matter, looking for anyone who may harbor feelings of animosity towards the Detective. As Takagi takes his leave, Conan worries that the target is not Kogoro, but rather himself. Agasa leans in and asks what he was told, but Conan demurs. Haibara, able to broadly infer the nature of the news, internally comments on the negative externalities of the pursuit of justice. Conan's righteousness, while commendable, may very well bring about his ruin.

Conan tinkers with the VHS players.

Genta then notices a strange smell in the kitchen and tracks its source to then microwave, but finds it empty. Conan opens a nearby trash can and finds a bouquet of dry flowers disposed inside. Inspired by Genta's mention of a "sandwich," Conan inspects the kitchen cupboard before running to the audio room. Using Takagi as a means of vertical transport, he reaches above the television and pulls back a shelf curtain revealing several stacks of VHS players. Conan spots a timer on one of the devices and switches it on, calibrating another device to its left, which displays a cassette symbol. Having collected the necessary pieces of evidence, Conan deduces Morita's remote murder trick.

File 337 - Life of a Flower...

Conan calls the Mouri Detective Agency but receives no answer. His fears are momentarily interrupted when Agasa reports that the police are interested in his deduction and have agreed to cooperate with his experiment. Conan then directs Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta to take their positions. Haibara, having noticed Conan's trepidations, reminds him about the dangers of revealing his true identity Ran, although not without sympathizing with his emotions from receiving chocolate. Conan solemnly reassures her that he accepted her present in a platonic manner, much to Agasa and Haibara's surprise. He adds that if he were to advance their relationship, it would only deepen their mutual loneliness. Not wanting to "see her tears anymore," he vows to keep her away from the danger, even at the cost of his emotional wellbeing. Haibara gives a respectful smile, internally commenting on their respective "pain."
The Detective Boys report to Megure about a missing item in Morita's apartment, arguing that the culprit's motive was theft, not murder. Megure and Morita accompany the children to the kitchen where they are shown a bowl without its base. Takagi then arrives and escorts Morita back to the audio room for a brief crime scene interrogation. Upon entering, Morita reacts in shock at the sight of the activated VHS player above the television. He raises concern about a stack of VHS tapes placed in front of his players. The forensic officers assure him that their placement is temporary. Megure then orders a recreation of the events leading Idetsuki's murder, casting Takagi as the culprit and Agasa as Idetsuki. Morita frantically asks to play Idetsuki, stating that his familiarity with the room makes him better suited for the role; Megure accepts.
The actors proceed with the simulation, as Morita crouches to remove the tape from the player. Conan interjects, asking why he chose not to use the "eject" button on his VHS remote. Before the man can explain, Conan presses the button, causing the player to fiercely eject its contents and startling Morita. He quickly covers his head with his hands, expecting an impact. After a few moments, he opens his eyes, free of harm.

  Show spoilers »

The shelves player collides with the flower vase, causing it to fall onto Idetsuki.

The Method:
Agasa, voiced by Conan, explains that Morita had linked the remote to both the active VHS player and the shelved VHS player. By placing a tape inside of the shelved player, the eject button will dispense the tape into an unstable flower vase, causing it to fall to the ground below. Morita timed the contraption to align with Idetsuki reaching into the active player to remove her tape after pressing the eject button. In addition, because the shelved player automatically recedes its contents upon colliding with an obstruction, it would then replay its recordings—playing the sounds of someone fleeing and slamming the front door shut. The Detective Boys then explain that the original entrance vase was a fake vase made by joining two bowls (one without its base) together at their rims. While making the sandwiches, Morita dismantled the false vase by stacking the two bowls and placing them in the cupboard, and microwaving the flowers before disposing them in their dried state.
The Motive:
Defeated, Morita explains that Idetsuki had recommended his wife to take an immense loan and invest in several stocks. Eventually, her luck began to sour and her debts soared, leading her to commit suicide via walking into oncoming traffic. He adds that she left him her wristwatch along with her suicide note, not wanting to damage it.

Akai ominously spies on the Mouri Detective Agency.

With the case solved, Conan quietly takes his leave. Haibara silently watches him rush for the Detective Agency while internally reflecting on his reckless quest for justice using a metaphor of a flower.
Conan's jog gradually accelerates into a sprint as he frantically dials the agency but gets no response. He ascends the stairs and bursts into the main room, finding it eerily empty with the television still playing. He then checks on the third floor, finding it in a similar state. His worries crescendo as the image of Akai pops into his mind. Suddenly, his eyes are covered by a cheerful Ran, who explains that Kogoro had managed bet on a winning horse, bringing in massive winnings. He is out bragging about his victory while Ran rushed off to the supermarket to purchase a more expensive cut of steak for their dinner. Relieved, Conan hesitates to ask an important question. He remembers Ran expressing familiarity with a man in a beanie at the Suito chalet, and wonders if she knows Akai. However, he aborts the question before asking, concluding she would obviously not.
Meanwhile, Akai ominously smokes a cigarette, observing the Detective Agency from across the street.

People

Hideo Morita
	49 years old Mouri Detective Agency client

Eiko Idetsuki
	Victim (beaten) 46 years old Apartment resident

Mrs. Morita
	Deceased Hideo Morita's late wife

Major Events

• Someone had stolen police files that documented cases Kogoro solved from the police headquarters, suggesting Kogoro is being investigated.
  • Akai is seen spying on the Mouri Detective Agency.
• Romantic development between Shinichi and Ran.

Escalator Message Case

File 338 - The Meaning of X

Jodie asks an inattentive Ran the meaning of "X."

Ran deeply ponders about the identity of the man in the beanie, strangely feeling the same unease she felt when Shinichi left her at Tropical Land. Her fixation pulls her focus away from her English class, prompting Jodie to call on her, asking what the "X" on the blackboard means. Her answers rudimentary answer is jeered by her classmates, and Jodie assigns the question as homework for Ran.
On the walk back home, Ran tells Conan about X, wondering if he has any ideas as for what it could mean. The boy's mind scrolls through dozens of various meanings of X, but fails to pinpoint a plausible candidate, especially after Ran adds that it is a feminine mark. He does, however, recall his mother signing her letters with "xxx" shortly before her signature. As Ran and Sonoko comment on Jodie's improvement as a teacher, they are suddenly interrupted by Jodie herself, who asks if Ran has solved her assignment yet. Sonoko floats the idea of directing the question to Shinichi, sending Conan into a mental frenzy. When asked why she approached them, Jodie says she has an important question for the two girls.

The four head for a department store cafe where Jodie asks if either Ran or Sonoko have experienced sexual assault. Despite Sonoko's faith in Ran's self-defense skills, Jodie ominously stresses the danger posed by an ardent stalker. Conan listens in deep thought.

Chujo leaves "OX∆" as his dying message.

The group is then startled by a company executive named Norihisa Kisugi, who yells worrying information into his phone. On the other end of the line, the executive's private investigator, Katsunori Chujo, attempts to leverage a higher pay from his client by saying that his target has offered to pay him more money for his silence. Kisugi breaks under the pressure and quadruples his payment, satisfying Chujo. The Private Investigator ends his call and faces a silhouette standing in front of him. Chujo He then gives them his commiserations before walking off to expose the silhouette's identity to Kisugi. However, as Chujo prepares to board an escalator, the silhouette charges at him and thrusts a blade into his stomach. The aggressor then purloins several documents their victim's packet just as a blackout strikes the department building.

The lights are soon restored, relieving a frightened Sonoko who is still mentally recovering from her previous incident involving a blackout. A piercing scream then echoes through the halls, prompting Conan to investigate a large crowd gathering before an escalator. Fighting through the hordes of bystanders, he eventually finds Chujo dead on the steps while hugging a package with the symbols "OX∆" written in blood.

Kisugi shows a list of fifty-eight suspects who may be guilty of committing the embezzlement.

Sometime later, Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the store and open their investigation. While Megure tries his best to tolerate Jodie's antics, a forensic officer interrupts, having recovered the victim's phone. He dials the last registered caller, causing a ringing noise to emanate from the surrounding crowd of bystanders, exposing Kisugi.
The police proceed to interrogate the man, who shares that he recently discovered that someone was quietly embezzling company funds. He then hired Chujo to identify the embezzler, planning on meeting the private investigator in the first floor cafe to discuss his findings. Believing the embezzler to likely be the culprit, Megure asks if Kisugi has any leads on their identity. The executive shows a list of fifty-eight employees, fifty-eight suspects.

File 339 - OX∆⟏!?

"FBI..."

Takagi reports that according to witness accounts, Chujo was stabbed at the base of the ascending escalator. His body was subsequently carried to the top by the moving conveyer steps. The investigators brainstorm what the dying message could mean, with Ran innocently suggesting that the X in the message may be related to the X showcased in Jodie's class. Jodie, Sonoko, and surprisingly Takagi humorously dismiss the idea. Conan then points out a vertical line on the left edge of the packet, suggesting "OX∆" is an incomplete dying message. Believing that the blackout hampered Chujo's writing, Conan hints at using luminol fluid on the escalator steps to see if any additional symbols were accidentally written off of the packet's surface. Before Takagi can leave to order his suggested forensic analysis, Conan stops him and asks what X means. The sergeant laughs, declining to share the answer.
Chiba then arrives with discarded clothes and gloves likely worn by the culprit. He also reports that after surveying the fifty-eight suspects, only twenty-seven of them had verifiable alibis, leaving thirty-one individuals who were capable of committing the murder. Takagi then returns with results of the luminol test, stating they found the symbol "⟏" on one of the escalator steps. Conan notices the shape being strangely larger than the previous three symbols. Sonoko then surmises that the symbols are meant to be combined to form the culprit's name in kanji. While a promising line of thought at first, the girls' discussion quickly derails, leading Megure to ask they leave the case to the police.
Takagi is dispatched to aid Chiba in his suspect examination and waits for the store elevator to arrive. Suddenly, a silhouette springs forth and pulls him to a secluded corner, motioning for him to hush. The silhouette is revealed to be Ran, who fervently asks the meaning of X.
Meanwhile, at the escalator base, Jodie calls Conan an "ostrich," asking if he has deduced the meanings of the symbols. The boy answers in the negative, prompting the woman to mention that vital federal institutions in the United States are often referred to by mundane vernacular, rather than a complex descriptor of their role in government. She lists the Pentagon, the White House, the Oval Office , and lastly, the "bureau," the FBI. Conan asks why she called him an ostrich. She answers that after observing the boy being caught by forensic officers for tampering with the crime scene, she was reminded by the ostrich—a clumsy animal, who is convinced of its own safety after only hiding its head, leaving its body exposed. The Teacher's statement triggers a realization in Conan who rushes to the escalator and swipes the packet. "Cool Kid" has solved the case.

People

Norihisa Kisugi
	50 years old Administrative manager of a Trading Company

Katsunori Chujo
	Victim (stabbed) 43 years old Detective

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See also

• Manga
• Volume 31-40
• Detective Conan