Night Baron Murder Case

Chronology
‹ Volume 33	List of Chapters • List of Cases	Volume 35 ›

Volume 34
Information
Release date:	September 18, 2001
Chapters:	340-350
ISBN:	ISBN 4-09-126164-7
Publisher:	Shogakukan
English release date:	March 16, 2010
English ISBN:	ISBN 1-4215-2885-1
English Publisher:	Viz Media
Featured Detective & Keyhole
Akakabu Kenji Jugo Yokomizo
Aoyama's death & Conan side images

Volume 34 was released on September 18, 2001 in Japan.

Cast

Characters

Shinichi Kudo
(flashback)

Conan Edogawa

Ran Mouri

Kogoro Mouri

Ayumi Yoshida

Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya

Genta Kojima

Ai Haibara

Hiroshi Agasa

Sonoko Suzuki

Yukiko Kudo
(flashback)

Heiji Hattori

Kazuha Toyama

Juzo Megure

Wataru Takagi

Kazunobu Chiba

Shuichi Akai

Jodie Starling

Vermouth

Hideo Akagi

Naoki Uemura

Sango Yokomizo
(background)

Gin
(background)

Vodka
(background)

Pisco
(background)

Naomichi Mugikura
(background)

Mika Nanjo
(background)

Yasuo Mihei
(background)

Naoya Tarumi
(background)

Yoshiharu Tawara
(background)

Tomoaki Araide
(photo)

Shiho Miyano
(photo)

Gadgets

Gadgets

Voice-Changing Bowtie

Stun-Gun Wristwatch

Button Speaker

Chapters

Escalator Message Case

File 340 - Time to Pick the Apple

Megure calls Chujo's detective agency for information about his investigation on the embezzlement case, but finds that his computer is password protected. The Inspector waves off several more absurd interpretations of "OX∆⟏" presented by Sonoko and Jodie before having his attention captured by Conan's peculiar observation. The boy suggests Chiba is suspicious, as the kanji, "Chi (千)," in his surname, "Chiba (千葉)," can be made to look like an X by omitting the diagonal top stroke, and made to look like a triangle by omitting the bottom-central and right-central portions of the kanji. Conan also points out that the "口" radical can look like a O since some people reduce the square to a circle when trying to swiftly write their name. With the idea of "partial omission" in his mind, Megure begins to connect the dots. He returns to the list of suspects and identifies the likely culprit.

  Show spoilers »

The Message:

The two halves of the dying message combine to form the kanji for "Kuniyoshi Bunta (国吉文太)"

Megure points to "Bunta Kuniyoshi (Kuniyoshi Bunta (国吉文太))." First, he explains that ⟏ refers to "国," with the strokes inside the "square" omitted to save time. Second, OX∆ represent the lower halves of the remaining kanjis in his name (O = lower half of "吉," X = lower half of "文," and ∆ = lower half of "太"). The upper halves are likely missing because they were written on documents that the culprit stole. Therefore, since ⟏ references its entire kanji, while OX∆ only represent half, it makes sense for the square to be larger in size. With the dying message solved, Megure rushes off to apprehend the suspect.

Jodie and Sonoko then notice Ran's absence, but are soon rejoined by their missing companion, who has learned the meaning of X from Takagi. She expresses her annoyance and embarrassment, remarking that she dodged a bullet by not asking Shinichi for the answer.

The Interrogation:
Meanwhile, the police arrive at the company offices and locate Kuniyoshi. Megure tells Kuniyoshi about the police's findings, and the latter thinks that it is irresponsible for the police to label him as a murderer just because of the dying message. He points out that it is possible for the true killer to use Chujo's blood to write a message that misleads the police. Furthermore, if they wish to hold him responsible, they must present the reportedly stolen documents. Lastly, he adds that if he were the killer, he would have fled the mall and destroyed the documents instead of returning to his office post. Conan then interjects, saying that Kuniyoshi utilized a shredder to destroy the documents instead. Takagi holds a reconstructed version of the upper half of the dying message, clearly proving Megure's deduction is correct. Kuniyoshi begins to panic, as Megure informs him that it is only a matter of time before the police reassemble the pieces of the remaining stolen documents and find his fingerprints on them.
The Motive:
Kuniyoshi admits guilt, saying he began embezzling to improve his family's financial situation.

Ran signs her message to Shinichi off with "xxx."

With the case solved, Conan rejoins Jodie and Sonoko, asking them to tell him what X means. Sonoko tells him to ask Ran, who appears to be busy timidly writing a text message to someone. Conan approaches her and asks for the meaning of X, catching her in a daze. She frantically euphemizes X as a symbol that means "no good," an explanation Conan appears to accept. The group then exits the department store and parts ways, with Jodie warning the girls about stalkers. As Conan, Ran, and Sonoko make their way home, Jodie turns around and quietly observes them, wondering if "it almost time to pick the apple."

"X marks the target spot..."

Later that night, Conan is awakened by Kogoro's loud snores and notices a new message from Ran delivered to Shinichi's phone. Conan reads the contents and becomes slightly annoyed by the "xxx" written above Ran's signature, erroneously thinking she means "no good, no good, no good."
A pair of feminine hands operate a keyboard in a dark room lit only by the computer screen. The woman composes a brief and flowery email to Gin, asking if he believes in "heaven." She anticipates his irritation about the question, requesting that he finds his answer by the time they "lift their glasses full of rotten sherry." Finally, she punctuates her message with "xxx," with each X representing a kiss. The woman, Vermouth, internally reflects on the meaning of X, saying it is a female's way of expressing affection. However, it can also be used as "an evil stamp of hatred." She then grabs a dart on her desk. After kissing the tip, she deftly hurls it towards a dartboard placed across the room, perfectly striking an X drawn on a photo of Sherry pinned onto the board. The board is adored with two additional photos picturing both Ran and Conan with the words "Angel," and "Cool Guy" written on them respectively. Vermouth gives a sinister smirk and says, "X marks the target spot..."

People

Norihisa Kisugi
	50 years old Administrative manager of a Trading Company

Katsunori Chujo
	Victim (stabbed) 43 years old Detective

Major Events

• Vermouth reveals her primary target to be Sherry.
• Romantic development between Ran and Shinichi.
  • Ran sends Shinichi a text message signed with "xxx."
• Ran continues to ponder where she had previously met Akai.

Flying Neighbor Case

File 341 - The Hint That Was Against...

Conan deduces that Chris Vineyard is a member of the Black Organization.

Agasa expresses incredible shock upon hearing that files pertaining to cases Kogoro Mouri solved have been stolen from the police headquarters. Conan admits that the concurrent death of Shinichi Kudo and the rise of the Sleeping Kogoro is a suspicious coincidence that may have caught the attention of the Black Organization. Agasa pettily recalls Conan keeping the concerning news a secret from him when Takagi initially relayed the information, to which Conan responds he did so because of Haibara was present. He remarks that she is prone to panicking, adding that he promised to protect her if things go awry. Meanwhile, Haibara eavesdrops on the conversation from the basement staircase with a desolate expression.

Conan mentions how the document thief later returned the files to the police, noting the action's strangeness. Heiji floats the idea of it being a trap—a means of luring Shinichi out to investigate. Conan has a surprised reaction to Heiji's sudden appearance, later learning Agasa had called him to aid in brainstorming solutions to their dilemma. Heiji deduces that Conan has figured out a major mystery with respect to the organization, and encourages him to share his findings. Conan points to the incident involving Pisco at the Haido City Hotel. He reiterates his theory about there being an accomplice within the six remaining suspects, who helped Pisco evade suspicion during the interrogation. Among the six celebrity suspects, only one of them had ceased their public activities following the incident: the American movie star, Chris Vineyard.

Jodie welcomes Conan and Heiji to her apartment.

Conan then tasks Agasa with infiltrating a Chris Vineyard fan website to gather information on the actress, adding that he will draw less attention as an older man. Based on Conan's urgency, Heiji also deduces that there is a suspicious foreigner in Conan's life, leading Agasa to mention Jodie. Despite Conan's reluctance to talk about her, Heiji recklessly proposes that they visit her.

After learning Jodie's address from Ran, Conan and Heiji find themselves unexpectedly staring up at a towering apartment building. The two ascend the building and locate unit 2104, labeled "Jodie Saintemillion." While the boys bicker about not having drafted a viable excuse to visit her unannounced, Heiji accidentally presses the doorbell, which alerts Jodie to their presence. A nearby door then opens and three inebriated individuals, Chika Shimoda, Michiya Nakamachi, and Noboru Kawakami, exit while discussing their awkward interaction with the apartment tenant, "Takai." A considerable amount of time passes as Jodie finally opens her door, clad in nothing but a bathrobe. The two boys suppress their frisson and enter the apartment, agreeing to eat food at a nearby restaurant. Before leaving, Heiji and Conan ask for the bathroom. Upon entering, they meticulously inspect every inch of the room, as Jodie eavesdrops on their clandestine operation with a smirk.

A man suddenly crashes onto the pavement.

Afterward, the group makes their way down to the ground floor, where Jodie comically assumes Heiji is also a foreigner due to his darker skin and "unusual" Japanese, angering the boy. Once outside, they notice Shimoda taking photographs of the building alone. Suddenly, a small phone drops on the pavement, followed by a much larger human being.

File 342 - The Flying Neighbor

Jodie identifies the deceased as her neighbor, Takai. Shimoda, having come to the same conclusion, is crestfallen at the sight of her fallen boyfriend. Heiji interrupts her mourning by inquiring about her meeting with Takai and his colleagues. The woman explains that they left him asleep in his bed, and asserts that his death must be a suicide since they had left the apartment door locked. However, Conan and Heiji remain unsure of her assessment.

Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the crime scene and interrogate Shimoda, who explains that she was taking exterior photos of Takai's apartment to show to her friend. On the other hand, Nakamachi and Kawakami explain that the group ended their drinking after an argument erupted about Takai's demeanor towards those below him on the corporate ladder. They also mention an incident surrounding a colleague named Sumiyo Hirai, who committed suicide a month ago. She had expressed her anxieties surrounding her job in her suicide note, likely choosing to take her life due to Takai's high production standards. Lastly, they explain that Nakamachi's text message concerned Takai's demeanor, while Kawakami's phone call was a confrontation about Hirai's death. The latter, a tirade demanding Takai take responsibility, may have ultimately contributed to Takai leaping out of his window. Still, without any explicit statement commanding Takai to take his own life, Kawakami cannot be charged with murder.

Jodie quietly snaps photos of Conan and Heiji.

Meanwhile, Heiji, Conan, and Jodie ruminate on the Takai's death on the twenty-first-floor, and are soon joined by the authorities. Together, the group enters Takai's apartment, where Heiji points to the tenant's damaged curtains—clearly a sign that Takai held onto them before falling. Since a suicidal individual would not cling to such a lifeline, Takai's death is most likely a murder. Heiji also highlights the strange marks on the window glass, though its cause remains a mystery. Chiba then arrives with Shimoda's developed photographs and specifically points to one image that captures Takai moments before falling to his death. Upon closer inspection, Jodie notices the man attempting to throw something back into his room, which Conan surmises was his phone.
After being removed from the premise by an annoyed Megure, Conan and Heiji continue their discussion about the case when the latter suddenly receives a phone call. He answers only to be harangued by Kazuha, who lividly reminds him about their plans to eat at a restaurant Otaki had recommended in Osaka. Having forgot about his arrangement and noticing his terrible phone reception, Heiji rushes to the apartment balcony. However, after hearing Kazuha mention writing a "memo" about their meeting in her planner, Heiji and Conan have a realization and rush to Takai's bedroom. Their moment of shared understanding of both the method and the culprit is photographed surreptitiously by Jodie, who has been documenting her guests throughout the night.

File 343 - Who Are You?

The trio approach Megure and suggest an experiment meant to simulate the events leading to Takai's death. Heiji adds that the subject must be inebriated in order to properly replicate the initial conditions, and seen as intoxicating a police officer is against protocol, he nominates Jodie. The teacher accepts, but requests she be supplied with an alcoholic favorite of hers.
Sometime later, Jodie sits on Takai's bed while drinking a bottle of sherry. Takagi assists Heiji in preparing the room before motioning to Megure that their experiment is ready. The test commences. First, Heiji sends a "random" text message to Jodie, mimicking Nakamachi's actions. Jodie, who is lying in bed in the dark, opens her phone and sees, "who are you?" displayed on her phone. She lightly smirks before confirming that she has received the message. Second, Chiba simulates Shimoda's camera flashes from the ground level. Finally, Heiji calls Jodie and under the guise of engaging in a random conversation, asks for her response to his text message. Jodie agrees, but first asks for him to answer his own question, stating that he is not a normal high schooler. Before Heiji can properly answer, he notices the terrible reception, prompting Jodie to head for the balcony. Suddenly, the observing group hears Jodie's screams emanating from the room and Megure terminates the experiment. However, upon entering the room, Megure notices Jodie hanging onto the open window with a cable around her waist.

  Show spoilers »

Takai was used to exiting onto the balcony over his bed.

The Method:
Heiji explains that they tricked Jodie into exiting the room via the balcony-less window by altering the position of the bed. He then accuses the Takai's caller, Noboru Kawakami of being the culprit. By rearranging the room during the group meeting, Kawakami was able to trick Takai, who had visualized his apartment's interior via the relative positions of his furniture, to attempt to exit onto the balcony using the wrong window. Takai's intoxicated state impaired the man's perceptions, enabling him to fall to his death.
Kawakami acts surprised by the result of his actions, asserting that he did not intend for the "accident" to occur. The man's excuse is dismantled when Conan arrives with Takai's phone and plays an excerpt of their conversation, clearly capturing Kawakami's murderous intentions. Heiji explains that in his final moments, Takai had recorded their conversation and attempted to throw his phone back into his apartment. While, the phone hit the glass and fell to the ground, the device survived, preserving incriminating evidence for Kawakami's crime. The Motive:
Kawakami wished to avenge Hirai's death.

Heiji deduces that Jodie is actually fluent in Japanese.

Photos of Shinichi, Conan, and Ran occupy the space behind Jodie's mirror.

As the group wraps their investigation and experiment, Heiji returns Jodie's camera that he had held onto while she participated in the simulation. Jodie asks why Heiji feigns his inability to speak English. When accused of not being "a normal high schooler," Heiji responded, "yes, I am a normal high schooler," intend of "no, I am a normal high schooler," the latter of which is more in-line with Japanese grammatical structure. Therefore, Heiji's correct choice of words shows his advanced knowledge of the English language. In response, Heiji, in English, similarly accuses Jodie of feigning her inability to fluently communicate in Japanese. He explains that although her use intonations are flawed, her grammar is perfect, a sign she is attempting to diminish her abilities. As Heiji and Conan part ways with the teacher, Jodie realizes that the experiment the boys conducted was not to elucidate the events leading to Takai's murder, but rather to take a temporary hold of her possessions. She checks her camera, finding its film roll missing.
On the walk home, Heiji admits that Jodie is suspicious. Conan recalls that despite her wet body and hair, her bathroom showed signs of her recently drying herself, suggesting that she had already finished her shower prior to their arrival, and had quickly re-drenched herself to buy herself time to hide something. Still, Heiji assumes her innocence, adding that her facial appearance greatly differs from that of Chris Vineyard. Conan, however, remains skeptical, questioning the authenticity of Jodie's face. Internally, he comments that there are two more "suspicious individuals."
Back at Jodie's apartment, the woman comments on Heiji Hattori, finding him intriguing. She arrives at her bathroom sink and pulls back the mirror, revealing a several photographs of Ran, Conan, and Shinichi at the Teitan High School Festival.

People

Chika Shimoda
	30 years old Office worker

Michiya Nakamachi
	28 years old Office worker

Noboru Kawakami
	33 years old Office worker

Takai
	Victim (fell)

Major Events

• Conan deduces that Chris Vineyard is a member of the Black Organization.
  • Conan tasks Agasa with gathering information on Chris by joining her fan page.
  • Believing Jodie to be suspicious, Heiji and Conan visit her apartment to investigate.
    • Jodie attempts to take photographs of Conan and Heiji, but her film roll is confiscated by the boys.
  • Heiji deduces that Jodie is feigning her inability to fluently speak Japanese.
  • Conan questions the authenticity of Jodie's face.
• Jodie is revealed to possess photos of Shinichi, Conan, and Ran.
  • The photos of Conan and Ran are identical to those possessed by Vermouth.
• Minor romantic development between Heiji and Kazuha.

Soccer Supporter Case

Characters introduced

Ryusuke Higo
	Soccer player for Big Osaka

Sharon Vineyard
	Deceased? Famous American actress Yukiko Kudo's good friend

File 344 - The Storm of Booing

The Detective Boys enjoy a soccer game.

The hooligan's end.

The Detective Boys watch in awe as Hideo Akagi masterfully dribbles past four defenders and assists Naoki Uemura in scoring the winning goal, sealing the Tokyo Spirits' victory over Noir Tokyo in the Tokyo Derby.
The children exuberantly discuss the soccer match during their walk home. Their conversation lands on former Tokyo Noir star center forward, Ryusuke Higo, who was recently traded to BIG Osaka. They note the "storm of booing" that continues to chase the player following his controversial trade, with Haibara saying, "there's no place for a traitor." Still, she appears to empathize with the Higo, especially after hearing about his potential transfer to the Spanish League, remarking positively on the notion of "running somewhere far away where the jeers cannot reach you."
Ayumi then notices a store-front television displaying a concurrent BIG Osaka game. The Detective Boys join the spectating crowd in seeing Higo's struggles persist on his new team. A man amongst the crowd voices his cruel criticisms for the player, spiteful over Higo's departure from Noir Tokyo. As the man takes his leave, Genta recognizes him from the news, to which Conan explains he is a hooligan named Kadotake Akano, who regularly creates disturbances at soccer games, leading to his ban at several venues. He also mentions his webpage, "Tokyo Hooligan," where he documents his frequent altercations with rival fans.

Haibara presses against Mitsuhiko's earpiece to monitor Higo's performance.

Conan then turns to Agasa and quietly asks about his progress in gathering intelligence about Chris Vineyard. The professor says he successfully contacted active members on the actress' fan page, but solid information about Chris was limited. Instead, people were quite knowledgeable about her mother, late actress Sharon Vineyard. The first time Chris had formally appeared before the press was at Sharon's funeral where she refused to answer any questions, saying, "a secret makes a woman woman." Agasa also mentions reports about a famous Japanese actress who was sighted at Sharon's funeral, but her identity remains largely unknown to the public. Conan, upon digesting the information, nervously comments that Chris Vineyard may be troublesome.
On the train ride home, the Detective Boys find themselves crushed in a sea of passengers. A vulgar remark penetrates the condensed environment, as Genta notices Akano altercating with a Tokyo Spirits fan. Mitsuhiko, however, pays him little attention, instead focused on the radio broadcast of the BIG Osaka match. Haibara, equally invested in the game's outcome, presses her ear against Mitsuhiko's earpiece, making the boy blush. She asks him to report on the situation surrounding Higo, and subsequently appears gloomy after hearing about his continued ineffectiveness. The train suddenly breaks harshly, causing turmoil within the hull. As passengers pour out onto the Haido Station platform, the outflow reveals a gruesome sight. Akano lies bleeding on the floor, with a knife strewn nearby.

File 345 - The Suspicious Supporters

Conan orders Agasa to call the authorities as he rushes to a nearby platform worker and directs him to close the station gates. Specifically, he asks for the gatekeepers to hold anyone who purchased tickets prior to 17:00.

Sometime later, Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the platform and inspect the killer's knife, noting its ornate design and foreign origin. They also note that based on the crowded circumstances, the culprit has likely exited the station. However, the platform worker notifies the officers that they had withheld three passengers from leaving the premises. When asked why, Conan elucidates his rationality. An anonymous murder in a compact train car must be premeditated, meaning the killer must have followed Akano onto the train. To effectively tail an individual, one would need to pre-purchase their tickets so as to not lose sight of their target while at the ticket booth. Since the soccer game ended at 17:00, the culprit must possess a ticket bought before 17:00. Once again a witness to the seven-year-old's impressive deductive prowess, Takagi leans down and asks how he makes such complex inferences and decisions so quickly. Conan points to Agasa, saying that he is merely relaying his guardian's deduction.

Conan recalls being recruited by Higo and Endo while in middle school.

The investigators proceed to examine the three suspects: Hasue Kira, who was delayed because of a verbal altercation with a Spirits fan; Mitsuaki Funato, who had a work related call; and Etsutoshi Oba, who had to take time to mentally process Akagi's finesse. Conan also notices various object impressions on each suspect's skin, meaning all three were aboard a fully packed train car. As Megure further inquires about their experiences on the train, Ayumi notices Haibara's absence.
Conan finds her standing before a station broadcast screen, her eyes glued to the BIG Osaka match. The boy compares her situation to that of Higo, stating that Noir in French means "black," making him a traitor to the black team. Additionally, Higo had a secret half-brother named Rikuo Endo, a former defender for Tokyo Noir. The two revealed their blood-relation to Shinichi after observing his skill as a ninth grader, inviting him to join their quest to become Tokyo Noir's top players. Shortly after Higo joined Noir, Endo was released from the organization—likely signed purely to entice Higo into joining their ranks. Therefore, the ulterior motive for Higo's transfer to BIG Osaka was to join Endo, who had been hired by the team as a trainer. Suddenly, the broadcast roars as Higo is fowled. Haibara, having lost hope, glumly walks away. Conan, on the other hand, continues to watch the screen and sees someone score a goal, sparking his thought-processes and helping him determine the culprit's identity.
Haibara returns to the station platform, though notably on the side opposing her companions.

File 346 - The Fake Supporter

Haibara chose to face her destiny.

With the forensic work completed and the evidence documented, Megure prepares to transfer the three suspects to the police station for further questioning. However, Agasa, voiced by Conan, speaks up, having solved the case.

  Show spoilers »

Agasa names Oba to be the culprit.

Evidence for Culpability:
Agasa states that the culprit had made a definitive lie about the soccer match between the Tokyo Spirits and Tokyo Noir, and likely had not even seen the game. One would not be able to split their attention between spectating the game and tracking Akano's position. Thus, the culprit likely camped in the stadium bathroom while listening to the game over the radio, then rushed to the exit and waited for Akano to pass by after the game had concluded.
Agasa asks for each suspect to state their seating position. Kira took a sideline-facing seat, Oba took a seat behind Tokyo Noir's goal, and Funato took a seat behind Tokyo Spirit's goal. The three even show their tickets to prove their statements. Agasa explains that in J-League soccer games, the home team fans are placed behind the right side goal, while the away team fans are placed behind the left side goal. Because the Tokyo Spirits were hosting the Derby, the Spirits' stands were on the left side. Since Akagi had dribbled through four defenders heading from the right to the left, the goal scored took place directly in front of the Spirits fans, meaning Etsutoshi Oba could not have properly seen the event if he were sitting behind Tokyo Noir's goal. Therefore, his justification for his delayed stadium departure is undeniably false.
Although Oba argues that his mistake was due to his inexperience as a soccer fan, Agasa points out an additional factor which proves he was absent in the stands. He points to his Tokyo Noir "Higo" jersey. Kira notes that if Noir fans had spotted Oba wearing their "traitor's" jersey as an active team supporter, he would likely have been heckled by those around him. Megure acknowledges the discrepancies in Oba's claims, but still demands concrete evidence for his crime.
Agasa states that if one were to stab someone on a crowded train, they must prepare their weapon before entering the train car. Hence, Oba must have an impression on his skin where he hid the knife. Takagi inspects the suspect's body and locates an impression above his left elbow facing his body, still perfectly displaying the sheathe's ornate design.
The Motive:
Oba explains that one year ago, his younger twin brother returned from a soccer game covered in scratches and bruises, having reportedly fallen down a flight of stairs. However, later that evening, he would collapse dead in his home, having suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage. Sometime later, Oba learned the truth behind his brother's death after reading a post on Akano's Tokyo Hooligan blog bragging that he had pushed a critic of his down a flight of stairs during a game. Wanting to confirm if the critic Akano had referenced was his twin, Oba had approached the man. Akano responded, "you were still alive?" sealing Oba's conviction about Akano's direct involvement in his brother's death.

As the police escort the culprit out of the station, Genta questions the whereabouts of Haibara. Ayumi notices her on the opposing platform looking empty and resigned. Conan, remembering her empathizing with Higo "running somewhere far away where the jeers cannot reach," fears she may be attempting to flee alone into the unknown. He dashes over to her platform, but fails to catch the departing train, causing him to yell her name in defeat. However, Conan's moment of anguish is interrupted by Haibara herself, who had not fled like the boy had believed and had instead recovered Mitsuhiko's radio, which he had misplaced, from a station worker. Deducing what Conan had erroneously assumed, she reminds him of his promise to protect her, and that he told her to never run away from her own destiny. As she makes her way up the station steps, Conan nonchalantly informs her that Higo had managed to score the winning goal, sparking life in the girl's eyes. Nevertheless, Haibara feigns indifference and walks away. Moments later, Conan catches her blissfully watching the station television broadcasting an elated Higo as he is showered with praise and cheers.

People

Kadotake Akano
	Victim (stabbed) 48 years old Noir Tokyo fan and self-styled hooligan

Hasue Kira
	24 years old Noir Tokyo fan

Mitsuaki Funato
	33 years old Tokyo Spirits fan

Etsutoshi Oba
	29 years old Noir Tokyo fan

Rikuo Endo
	Soccer player for Noir Tokyo Higo's older half-brother

Major Events

• Introduces Sharon Vineyard, famous late actress and mother of Chris Vineyard.
• Agasa reports that according to those active on Chris Vineyard's fan page, little is known about the actress' personal life.
  • Chris made her first public appearance at Sharon's funeral.
    • Chris had reportedly said "a secret makes a woman woman," to the press.
    • A famous Japanese actress was spotted at the funeral.
• Introduces Ryusuke Higo, a center forward for BIG Osaka.
  • Haibara's favorite soccer player.

Chinatown Murder Case

Characters introduced

Jugo Yokomizo
	Police Inspector Sango Yokomizo's twin brother

File 347 - Raining Deja-Vu

Ran experiences a series of fragmented flashbacks in the rain.

Ran audibly studies for her upcoming history exam during a car ride to a Chinese restaurant in Yokohama. Kogoro, the driver, notices a water droplet strike the windshield and comments on the strengthening rain. The weather triggers a series of fragmented memories in Ran's mind, depicting Akai in an unfamiliar city street and a solemn Shinichi standing in the rain. Conan expresses concern for her, but the girl insists she is alright while fighting off a brief bought of dizziness.

At the Chinese restaurant, four men discuss logistics surrounding a movie they are producing, specifically debating their course-of-action following the loss of their lead actress due to accident-related injury. The director, Kaizo Isogami, proposes to cancel the film, with the assistant director Motohiro Ito and writer Keigo Kitaura voicing similar defeatist sentiments. The producer, Shiro Kawabata, remains opportunistic, but still concurs with his colleague's assessment about the difficulties of finding another young, athletic, and attractive female star. In that moment, the group hears Ran and company complaining to a waiter about their coupon's nullification—an interaction where the girl has to physically ward off a bouncer from ejecting them from the establishment. Impressed with Ran's karate abilities, the men invite her party to dine with them.

Conan struggles to operate the lazy susan.

Ran voices her reluctance to accept their offer to cast her as their new star heroine, an opinion supported by her father. However, the Kogoro and Conan's favor quickly change upon hearing the rewards of fame and fortune, but then just as quickly reverse after hearing about a potential "love-scene" forced into the script by Kawabata. Isogami agrees with their assessment, alluding to the physical dangers of the job. Ran then accidentally spills a bowl of soup onto Kawabata's lap and quickly crouches to retrieve the bowl. While doing so, her vision clouds yet again leading to Conan gauging her temperature and declaring a mild cold. She continues to assert she is fine, but the boy's worries persist as he recalls her previously collapsing due to an illness. Ran questions his memories, causing the boy to retract his statement.

Kawabata drops dead on the table, having been poisoned.

Back at the table, Kawabata expresses his dismay at the sight of century eggs and egg foo young, saying he has an allergy. Conan attempts to disrupt the dinner and pull Ran away to rest, but is foiled after the girl orders him xiaolongbao, which he had previously shown to enjoy. Conan tries operate the lazy susan to obtain the soy sauce positioned in front of Kogoro but fails, with the bottle returning to its initial position after each attempt. Ran finally retrieves the bottle on his behalf. A similar string of events plays out when he tries to obtain the chili oil, leading him to moan about his incompetence in taking care of Ran.
The waiters wheel out the restaurant's lavish peking duck, as Kawabata asks Ran about her favorite actresses. She names both Shinichi's mother Yukiko Fujimine and late American movie star Sharon Vineyard, whom she had previously met. The filmmakers praise her choices, as Ito somberly states that if "she" did not die, she would also be a renowned actress of a similar caliber. Suddenly, Kawabata grips his throat in pain before collapsing onto the table, having been fatally poisoned.

File 348 - The Misleading Oshibori

Kogoro mistakenly identifies Jugo as Sango with a shaved head.

Jugo Yokomizo from the Kanagawa Prefectural Police arrives and leads an investigation, identifying the used poison as potassium cyanide. Despite Kawabata's final bite being entirely comprised of peking duck, no traces of poison were recovered from the dish or the servers, meaning the victim likely had poison laced on his person prior to eating the entrée. Turning to the suspects, Jugo recognizes Kogoro's face and humorously suggests that he may be a wanted criminal. Kogoro introduces himself the by the title, Sleeping Kogoro (Nemuri no Kogoro), which Jugo mocks by calling him Smoking Kogoro (Kemuri no Kogoro). A forensic analyst then interrupts, reporting that they found traces of poison on Kawabata's chopsticks, plates, and oshibori. After learning that Kawabata was flanked by Kogoro and Conan, Jugo accuses Kogoro of the murder, saying he could easily poison the oshibori from his adjacent position. Seeing the inspector's face up close, Kogoro also finds his face familiar. His realization fully arrives upon hearing an officer refer to him as "Yokomizo," believing the inspector to be an aloof Sango Yokomizo who shaved his head as penance for causing some work-related debacle. Jugo corrects him, making the distinction between his older twin brother and himself clear, much to Kogoro's chagrin.

The suspects then explain their various seating positions throughout the night. Kawabata began his meal flanked by Isogami and Kitaura; after their guests' arrival, he was then flanked by Kitaura and Ran; lastly, after he changed positions to isolate Ran from her father, he was flanked by Conan and Kogoro. Conan recalls Kawabata scrubbing his pants with his oshibori after Ran had spilled soup on him. If the oshibori was poisoned prior to the spill, poison would naturally be found on his pants. A few moments later, Jugo returns with the test results confirming the absence of poison on Kawabata's pants, meaning the cyanide was installed after the spill. As Jugo's eye of suspicion strengthens its gaze on Kogoro, Ran begins to experience further headaches and flashbacks. She sees a blonde woman's faint smile, Akai's angered expression, and Shinichi's solemn words—replaced by Conan's concerned voice. Her attention returns to reality where Conan has her take a seat, planning to take her to the hospital.

Ran's worsening fever.

An officer then reports that they had recovered a vile of potassium cyanide from the restaurant bathroom, absolving Kogoro who had remained at the table for the duration of the dinner. The detective suggests that the culprit utilized the lazy susan to transport a poisoned oshibori to Kawabata's location. Inspired by Kogoro's idea, Conan recalls the lazy susan's movements when he struggled to obtain the soy and chili sauce. He pieces together the placement of each person and dish relative to the victim, especially the two egg dishes which Kawabata avoided. He then approaches a forensic officer and asks if there were any notable substances besides poison on the oshibori. The officer answers that there was also soup but nothing else. Conan finds the information greatly intriguing, determining that the poisoned oshibori was not slipped into Kawabata's possession before his death but was rather inserted onto the table near him after his poisoning. As the boy closes in around the truth, Ran's temperature continues to climb.

File 349 - Cleared Memory

Kogoro proffers a moronic explanation of how the culprit installed the poisoned oshibori, reminding Jugo about his brother's description of the detective's latent genius. As if on cue, Kogoro is tranquilized by Conan, who installs a speaker on his back. He apologizes for his absurd suggestion and instructs everyone to take their seat at the table.

  Show spoilers »

Kawabata spun the lazy susan from below to avoid the two egg dishes, touching the poison in the process.

The Method:

Kogoro casts Jugo as Kawabata and attempts to cast an officer to play Ran, but the girl insists she is capable of fulfilling her role. Kogoro begins by directing everyone's attention to Conan, who recounts his difficulties operating the lazy susan. He spins the wheel several times before taking a baozi prepared by the restaurant to his mouth. Isogami exclaims to stop, stating that there could still be poison on the table. Jugo assures the man that the forensics team have tested the entire surface. Still, Kogoro sides with Isogami, floating the idea of poison remaining on parts of the table yet untouched by the analysts. He proceeds to illustrate that although most people would spin the wheel by placing their hand on top of the lazy susan, one may choose to spin the wheel from below if they wished to avoid a particularly large dish. Since Kawabata had a severe allergy to eggs, he would avoid the century eggs and egg foo young by spinning the wheel from below, touching the laced poison in the process. Jugo surmises that Conan's struggles with the chili sauce were because the culprit was purposefully keeping the two egg dishes in front of the Kawabata. Additionally, Kogoro explains that the boy's earlier struggles with the soy sauce were because the culprit was in the process of installing the poison. Therefore, the culprit is the individual sitting in front of the two egg dishes when Conan was attempting to obtain the soy sauce, making Kaizo Isogami the culprit.

Kawabata's true oshibori is stained with the blue dye of his jeans.

Jugo asks about the poisoned oshibori, but Kogoro answers that the cloth recovered belonged to Isogami, who laced it with poison in the bathroom and used it to install the poison under the lazy susan. He swapped his oshibori with Kawabata's during the commotion that shortly followed the producer's death. Isogami even poured his own soup onto his oshibori to better mimic Kawabata's, though forgot to include a crucial detail. Kawabata had wiped soup from his jeans, which stained his oshibori blue. Jugo goes to examine the oshibori in Isogami's possession and confirms its blue stain, sealing Isogami as the culprit.
The Motive:
Isogami confesses that he had murdered Kawabata to avenge "Rika's" death. She had quietly taken the place of an absent stuntman and performed dangerous bike-related stunts, only to eventually lose her life in a fatal crash. Kawabata had known about her dangerous gamble and had encouraged her to continue.
Lastly, he asks Kogoro what he would have done if he had not stopped Conan from biting the baozi. Kogoro answers that he would have found an alternative way to prove his guilt. Isogami laughs, saying he must complain to God who gave him such compunction.

Ran succumbs to her high fever and falls unconscious.

Hearing the word "God," a sequence of quotes and images flash through Ran's mind. Rain descends upon a row of skyscrapers as a feminine voice asks if God truly exists. Shinichi continues to stand in the downpour with a solemn expression, his words still lost. Akai sternly yells at her to get lost. The blonde woman, revealed to be Sharon Vineyard, calmly says that "an angel never smiled upon me, not even once." In that moment, Ran experiences mental clarity and perfectly remembers where she had met Akai. The girl then collapses to the ground, falling deeply unconscious.

People

Kaizo Isogami
	52 years old Movie director

Motohiro Ito
	38 years old Assistant director

Keigo Kitaura
	29 years old Writer

Shiro Kawabata
	Victim (poison) 46 years old Producer

Rika
	Deceased (bike accident) Actress

Major Events

• Ran develops a high fever and falls unconscious.
  • She recalls a lost memory from her past involving Akai, Shinichi, and Sharon Vineyard.
  • She finally remembers where she had previously met Akai.
• Introduces Jugo Yokomizo, an inspector of the Kanagawa Prefectural Police and younger twin brother of Sango Yokomizo.
• Romantic development between Ran and Shinichi.

Golden Apple Case

Characters introduced

Toichi Kuroba
	Kaito Kuroba's father World famous magician The first Kaitou Kid

File 350 - Golden Apple 1

Conan is the first to rush to Ran's side, soon followed by Jugo Yokomizo, who opts to drive her directly to a hospital across the Yokohama Bay Bridge. Ran's vision begins to warp as she sees Conan's image turn into Shinichi. She remarks about feeling inadequate, remembering a time she was saved by him before.
A vintage car speeds down an imposing bridge towards a city that never sleeps. In the backseat, Ran emerges from her nap just in time to notice the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Her fellow passenger, Shinichi explains that New Yorkers call the landmark "Miss Liberty." Upset about slumbering through a significant portion of the Manhattan view, Ran voices her complaints, adding that the murder case on the plane ride to Los Angeles suppressed her ability to find proper rest. Shinichi places partial blame the driver, Yukiko, for expediting their arrival in New York by a day. She responds that she had no choice, mentioning their sudden acquisition of musical tickets to the new Broadway show, Golden Apple.
Ran notices the abundance of police cars patrolling the streets, which Shinichi attributes to the at-large Japanese serial killer, who specifically targets young women. Yukiko assures the worried girl that he is only active past midnight and that it is still currently 18:00. Her son corrects her, stating that due to daylight saving hours, the time is 19:00. Surprised in her lapse, Yukiko fears they will be late to a special meeting she arranged with a friend one hour before the musical showing. With no other choice, Yukiko kicks her Jaguar E-Type into high gear and races down through the busy traffic. Noting an upcoming tight turn, the she enlists Shinichi and Ran to perform a special action to help distribute weight. Ran, oblivious to what the woman means, blindly follows Shinichi's instructions to join him in the front seat. A few moments later, the car arrives at the turn and achieves lift-off on its left half. Simultaneously, to Ran's shock and horror, Shinichi lifts both her and himself out of the car window—their torsos sticking out of the vehicle like a pair of surfers riding a wild wave. With the bend successfully cleared, Shinichi laughs off their action, eliciting an infuriated response from a panic-stricken Ran.
The group arrives at the theatre in the nick of time, only to be pulled over by a patrolling officer. He informs Yukiko about her excessive speed limit infringement, but is stopped by a large bald man with a mustache, a New York City Police Captain, Radish Redwood. He explains that Yukiko is one of their undercover agents, and that she was naturally speeding in an attempt to catch a fleeing criminal.
Saved from a serious traffic-related offense, Yukiko profusely expresses her gratitude to Radish. The captain, however, says she should be thanking someone else. He tugs at the base of his neck, revealing himself to be a disguised Sharon Vineyard. Shinichi bewildered by her abilities to masquerade a police captain, leading Yukiko to explain that the two actresses had previously been given a series of lessons in disguise by a famous Japanese magician in order to prepare for their respective film roles. Ran voices her amazement about the honor of meeting such a famous celebrity in New York, directing her gratitude towards a metaphorical God. Sharon remains expressionless, asking if there truly is a God in this world. If such a supreme entity exists, then those who toil in their work and lives would be properly compensated. An angel never smiled upon me, not even once," she says with a solemn smile, marking the beginning of a gruesome series of unfortunate events.

People

Radish Redwood
	Captain from New York Police Department

Lilas Sanchez
	32 years old Stage actress

Akane Nielsen
	27 years old Stage actress

Rose Hewitt
	28 years old Stage actress

Iberis Hamilton
	30 years old Stage actress Heath's wife

Heath Flockheart
	Victim (gunshot) 33 years old Stage actor

Slasher
	Serial killer

Cover in other countries

• 

  China
• 

  China (2020 reissue)
• 

  Finland
• 

  France
• 

  Germany
• 

  Hong Kong
• 

  Indonesia
• 

  Indonesia (reprint)
• 

  Indonesia (Premium, combined volumes 33-34)
• 

  Italy
• 

  Italy (La Gazzetta dello Sport)
• 

  Italy (New Edition)
• 

  Korea
• 

  Malaysia (Chinese)
• 

  Malaysia (Malay)
• 

  Rep. of China (Taiwan)
• 

  Singapore (English)
• 

  Spain (Spanish, Volumen 2)
• 

  Spain (Spanish, New Edition, combined volumes 33-34)
• 

  Sweden
• 

  Thailand
• 

  United States
• 

  Vietnam
• 

  Vietnam (New Edition)

See also

• Manga
• Volume 31-40
• Detective Conan