Special Volume 12: Difference between revisions

Motoko Yaginuma
	52 years old; Head of nurses at Yamano University Hospital;

Naoko Takahashi
	38 years old; Doctor at Yamano University Hospital;

	Volume 12
	Information
Release date:	December 25, 2000
Original Work:	Gosho Aoyama
Manga:	Yutaka Abe, Denjiro Maru, Takahisa Taira
ISBN:	ISBN 4-09-142782-0
Publisher:	Shogakukan
	Back Cover Image
	Conan Side Image

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Latest revision as of 16:45, 29 June 2026

Chronology
‹ Special Volume 11	List of Chapters	Special Volume 13 ›

Special Volume 12 was released on December 25, 2000 in Japan.^[1]^[2]

Cast

Characters

Conan Edogawa

Ran Mouri

Kogoro Mouri

Shinichi Kudo (flashback)

Gadgets

Voice-Changing Bowtie

Stun-Gun Wristwatch

The Missing Romance Writer

File 1 - Part 1

File 2 - Part 2

Resolution

Show spoilers »

People

Ryo Akagawa
	36 years old Romance novelist Missing

Yumi Akagawa
	21 years old Ryo's wife

Nobuko Saito
	22 years old Medical students at Yamano University Hospital

Inspector Takeda
	48 years old Nagano Prefecture's police inspector

The Ekiden Tournament Calls for Death

File 3

Resolution

Show spoilers »

People

Shizuko Sakano
	38 years old Teitan junior high school teacher

Issei Yoshizawa
	Victim (poison) 35 years old Teitan junior high school teacher

Kyoka Sawada
	25 years old Teitan junior high school teacher

Shoichi Sakano
	Shizuko's son Teitan junior high school student

Onigawara
	Teitan junior high school teacher

Tetsuo Tadokoro
	57 years old Teitan junior high school principal

The Mystery of the Murder-Arson

File 4 - Part 1

The Detective Boys and Ran help Kazuhiko Miyatake, a renown carpenter, in constructing a soil house for the wealthy Kaneo Zenita, in exchange for him giving wooden boards for Ran's Karate training. Later at night, while the four are on their Neighborhood Watch for arson crime, which has continued after had stopped three months ago, they find that Zenita's house that had just completes was burned down with Zenita himself inside it. The suspicion fall on Koji Kaji, an arsonist responsible for the most of the arson in the past, and Mana Zenita, who would benefit from Kaneo's death as the sole inheritor of his fortune.

File 5 - Part 2

The wife of Zenita is able to provide an alibi during the time of the murder, as she was with her lover in Hawaii, causing the suspicion to immediately fall on Kaji. Although saddened that the house he built was destroyed, Miyatake invites the Detective Boys and Ran to his house to show his gratitude for their help. However, the Detective Boys discover a shocking truth about the arson, and the culprit behind it. With this information, they confront the culprit.

Resolution

Show spoilers »

People

Kazuhiko Miyatake
	30 years old Carpenter specializing in building shrines and temples

Kaneo Zenita
	Victim (burned) 62 years old Garbage disposal company president

Koji Kaji
	32 years old Arsonist from 3 months ago

Mana Zenita
	23 years old Kaneo's wife

In the Space of an Hour

File 6 - Part 1

File 7 - Part 2

Resolution

Show spoilers »

People

Sayuri Kataoka
	Victim (beaten) 29 years old Actress Former idol Saki's older sister

Saki Kataoka
	27 years old Stage actress Sayuri's younger sister

Kamishiro
	47 years old Chairperson

Keiichi Terai
	32 years old Sayuri's former husband

The Murderer with an Alibi

File 8 - Part 1

Kogoro, being accompanied by Ran and Conan, has a toothache and sets up an appointment at Ejinbara General Hospital to correct his issue. Through Kogoro’s words, his nurse, Tomoko Egashira, agrees to help but has problems of her own. She suspects the head nurse, Yuko Morita, has been attempting to murder her because she accidently discovered her secret. Kogoro agrees to assist.

The group arrives at the hospital, which is guarded by Man (he is unnamed). The Guard informs Kogoro that Ejinbara is an all-female exclusive dormitory. Kogoro introduces himself and is allowed access inside, where they encounter a small hamster in the hallway.

Kogoro meets with Tomoko face to face who explains that her life is in mortal danger and it is because of Yuko. Tomoko states that Yuko has pushed her down a flight of stairs and has had garden pruners nearly fall on top of her. In one very creepy incident, Tomoko woke up one morning, only to find that Yuko had broken in her home, sitting at the edge of the bed holding a sharp syringe in hand. Yuko went into Tomoko’s bathroom, came back, and left without incident.

Attempted Murder, Unlawful Entry, and Intimidation.

Location: Tomoko’s dormitory

Victim: Tomoko Egashira

Age: 29 years old

Time: Last Week

Cause of death: Shoved (survived)

Suspects: Yuko Morita

Tomoko believes that Yuko has been trying to silence her for the longest time now.

When Tomoko told the higher ups of the situation, they laughed and brushed it off as Yuko, being the head nurse, is well respected and loved by virtually everyone on campus. The dormitory management system is designed to where people from outside can enter. That includes the head nurse Yuko, especially if she has a master key in her possession. Kogoro changes the locks on the door to give Tomoko at least an eased mind until he gets to the bottom of the matter.

As the night goes on, Tomoko gets a call from the hospital staff saying they are short staffed and need her to come in as soon as possible. Tomoko leaves and heads for work, where they meet the head nurse for the first time, 41-year-old Yuko Morita.

Ran, Conan, and Kogoro are shocked as they do not pick up any bloodlust, murderous intent, or criminal malice from Yuko. Richard’s treatment begins and Yuko aids Tomoko in the dental procedure.

3 hours later, Kogoro is recovering while staking out at Tomoko’s dormitory. They notice Yuko chilling in their 4WD right beside the draining pipe that traverses the dormitory building with her fiancée who is a smoker. Yuko had just returned from picking up a cigarette butt that he threw out the window. More questions are raised as to why Tomoko is fearing that Yuko would try to murder her if Yuko is planning on getting married. Kogoro concludes that Tomoko is suffering from persecution complex, a term used to describe people who feel they are being targeted without any evidence to support their claim.

Tomoko sits in her room, doors locked, windows latched, everything sealed, in a state of complete uncertainty. Her hands begin sweating, and her shirt builds perspiration. Even with Kogoro now holding the key to her newly changed locked door, Tomoko can not help but feel she’s going to die. She looks down to see Yuko and her fiancé’s car still running with Richard watching her carefully. Still, the feeling of impending doom is too much. She has her hands in her hair, wondering how Yuko will get to her. The thoughts of Yuko pushing Tomoko down the stairs, dropping potted plants from high places, and waking up with her holding a syringe, play out in her mind over and over as if it was a CD on repeat.

Kogoro begins to drive home, until the Guard bangs on his car window with frantic news; Tomoko is not responding to any of his attempts at the door or by text message. Even banging on her door countless times doesn’t phase her. Yuko, still in her car with her fiancé, listens to the commotion with an eerie smile on her face. Conan notices Yuko’s car nearby that hasn’t moved an inch and she’s still inside. The Guard’s key doesn’t work because Kogoro changed the locks. Kogoro and the gang rush to Tomoko’s room to find Tomoko’s lifeless body lying on the floor with a visible bruise on her neck.

Conan quickly makes his observations and notices that Tomoko’s eyes have turned abnormally white and cloudy. Judging the state of the corpse, it has been 2-3 hours since Tomoko’s demise and it is highly believed that she had been poisoned. The poor girl most likely struggled for air in her last moments.

During the investigation, the CCTV footage and surveillance camera system monitored by Taiki show nobody approaching Tomoko’s room from the door and window. Since Richard only has the one key in the entire known universe to the newly changed lock and didn’t inform anyone, Tomoko’s room was completely sealed off to the rest of the outside world. In the evaluation of Tomoko’s mental state before her death and the shape of her apartment, Inspector Meguire concludes that Tomoko took her own life due to the heavy mental stress from her occupation.

Prior to Tomoko’s death, Richard had been asked to safeguard her from a potential murderer; that person is revealed to be Yuko Morita, the head nurse. Due to a busy schedule, Tomoko began to fear Yuko. Nevertheless, Meguire questions Yuko for her whereabouts and alibi, to which Yuko grins and passes the question to Richard. Richard reluctantly confirms Yuko’s alibi and whereabouts as having been in her car riding around with her fiancé; she never once approached Tomoko’s apartment. Meguire confirms is thoughts on suicide, but Conan isn’t convinced.

After a series of “accidents”, Tomoko Egashira hired Richard Moore to protect her from a possible murder attempt that was to be carried out by her superior, head nurse Yuko Morita. After locking herself in her dormitory with Richard the only one having access to and from it, Tomoko was still killed inside in what the Inspector believed was a tragic suicide. There is no doubts to be had: Ejinbara Head of Nurses Yuko Morita murdered Tomoko. She made Tomoko’s last moments on Earth a living Hell, having made the poor girl suffer brutally and slowly until there was no more life in her body. Conan intends to make Yuko pay for what she’s done, but one obstacle remains: HOW DID YUKO GET INSIDE A PERFECTLY SEALED ROOM WITHOUT BEING SEEN OR DETECTED??

File 9 - Part 2

Tomoko Egashira is dead in what appears to be a stress-induced suicide, and no one couldn’t be more happier to see her corpse than the prime suspect, Ejinbara Head of Nurses, Yuko Marita, whose medical career spans a decade and a half, and is well known and respected in the field of medicine. While Tomoko’s corpse is taken for an autopsy, Conan knows that Tomoko didn’t kill herself, but just like all her patients, Yuko took care of that on her own. The only question remains: how?

After seeing for herself that Tomoko is dead and gone and having Richard reluctantly verifying her perfect alibi, Yuko smugly asks to be excused to her room. A police officer appears with results from Tomoko’s autopsy have came in. It is revealed that she died from carbon monoxide poisoning and another unidentified substance was found in her system, giving a 3/3 ratio. Carbon monoxide accounted for 2/3, while the unknown substance makes up the remaining 1/3. This type of poisoning can occur when breathing in carbon monoxide at excess levels. One can experience dizziness, vomitting, headaches, chest pain, overall weakness in lower levels. Chronic fatigue, memory issues, and death may occur in higher doses and levels. People who tend to use a kerosene stove or a heating burner during the winter months are subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning due to a poor ventilation system in place.

Given the fact that it is midsummer, the chance of Tomoko dying from carbon monoxide poisoning is a surprise. Her apartment is well maintained and has adequate ventilation. How could one prepare such large amounts of carbon monoxide to get into the room? As the investigation continues, police have discovered a dead rat-like creature on the bathroom floor.

Rachel and Conan quickly identify it as the cute little hamster from earlier. It belonged to Tomoko, but how it died and why it smells like stinky sewage water is a mystery. Conan has a moment of clarity and goes to check the drainage pipe in the bathroom. He notices that it can come loose and confirms his suspicions that head nurse Yuko Morita is the culprit.

Resolution

Show spoilers »

Conan, without hesitation, instantly puts Richard to sleep with his wristwatch tranquilizer dart and explains that the poor Tomoko did not commit suicide but was maliciously killed by way of the drainage pipe in the bathroom. The killer pumped carbon monoxide by the tons that resulted in the cruel deaths of Tomoko and her beloved pet hamster, Kari. The results in Tomoko’s autopsy had stated that she died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, but there was also another chemical present in her system. The drainage pipes extend to the top of the dormitory building from the ground. Pumping such large amounts of carbon monoxide would require a considerable amount of gasoline or an oversized stove or burner. Taking into consideration the first option, there was a large 4-wheel drive vehicle parked in the back of the building: that vehicle belongs to Yuko Morita, who is revealed to be the killer.

Tonight was a bit hot and humid, so normally Tomoko had her air conditioning unit on, thus having her windows closed. Tomoko’s apartment is narrow as well, so the carbon monoxide coming in would expand and fill up in no time. To ensure Tomoko suffered a slow painful death with no chance of survival, Yuko pumped nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, into Tomoko’s room first, rendering her unconscious for a moment.

This is the other 1/3 unidentified chemical that was found in Tomoko’s system, now completing the 3/3 ratio. As the head of nurses at Ejinbara Hospital, Yuko can get laughing gas with ease and no one would question her if caught outside the hospital with it due to her high rank position.

Yuko was aware that her movements were being watched. She took advantage of this and created an alibi by pretending to pick up cigarette butts outside by the building.

Although other people were home at the time and the draining pipe is connected to all the units, only Tomoko was killed. The S-shaped drains are infamously known to be the direct link of cockroaches, sewer water, and rats passing into homes causing infections and diseases for the occupants. For that reason, s-shaped drains have been banned from the plumbing code and it is advised to have it replaced. Water is collected at the s-shaped part of the drain, thereby preventing the aforementioned items from getting inside.

Also noteworthy of the S-shaped sink drain pipes are that they are mostly subjected to a phenomenon called capillary action, the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space in opposition to or at least without the assistance of any external forces like gravity.

Capillary comes from the Latin word capillaris, meaning "of or resembling hair". The meaning comes from the tiny, hairlike diameter of a capillary. For example, if one is to put just a part of a towel in a small bowl of water, the liquid would be absorbed and most of the towel will be wet. If there is lint or long hair in the S-shaped drain, water will channel through and end up in the drain. With no water inside the S-shaped drain to block anything coming in or out, Yuko proceeded to murder Tomoko Egashira. This is evidenced by the fact that the hamster was able to crawl its way in and out of the drain without any resistance. Unfortunately, it met the same brutal fate as its master.

The Inspector removes the S-shaped drain and there is a long band of hairs. Tomoko is a short haired woman, while Yuko sports a long hairstyle. Tomoko has said and made valid complaints that Yuko has been inside her dormitory without her expressed consent. During one of these visits and most likely while Tomoko was asleep given that all her previous attempts at harming her would end in failure, Yuko went to the bathroom, made her way to the S-shaped drain, cut a long piece of her hair and left it in to ensure all water going through would pass and not be collected as explained earlier. Though Yuko denies it, Conan, using Richard’s voice, confirms that through a DNA test, they will compare the hairs in the drain to Yuko’s hair and have a perfect match.

Defeated, Yuko confesses to murdering Tomoko. Her motive was that she made a clinical error while on duty. One night at work, she gave a patient the wrong medication. The honest accidental mix-up ended up leading Kenji to die of organ failure.

Although the patient’s death was a legitimate accident (and no formal investigation was conducted into that matter), Tomoko just happened to be there at the time. Fearing the possibility of having her wedding canceled, being blackmailed, on top of wanting to be happy and not get caught, she resorted to killing her colleague without detection in order to protect her own sanity. In an act of irony moved by the hands of justice, that failed too. Conan concludes, “Happiness can not be built on the suffering and misfortune of others”, as Yuko bursts into tears and is arrested.

The next day, the clinical error made by Yuko is looked at and it is discovered that she was one of three nurses working the floor and there were as many as 50 patients admitted that night. Rachel expresses sympathy for Yuko as jobs in the medical field are stressful and unforgiving. Richard gorges himself in sweets, believing he can eat as many as he wants without worrying about cavities forming in his mouth. Suddenly, another toothache strikes Richard with Conan laughing, ending the story arc.