Volume 23: Difference between revisions
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[[File:CH230_Whale.png|thumb|right|250px|Kujirai is named the true culprit.]] | [[File:CH230_Whale.png|thumb|right|250px|Kujirai is named the true culprit.]] | ||
Kogoro assures Ebina that he is innocent. Instead, the culprit is the individual who tried to frame the tragedies aboard the ship like a revenge plot orchestrated by a surviving Saizo Kano. An individual who tried to re-contextualize the bullet wound Kanie suffered during his time as a paramilitary soldier as a wound Kano suffered when he was betrayed by his accomplices. The only individual left alive who would know Kano was shot to death. Kogoro points to '''Sadao Kujirai''' as the true culprit.<br> | Kogoro assures Ebina that he is innocent. Instead, the culprit is the individual who tried to frame the tragedies aboard the ship like a revenge plot orchestrated by a surviving Saizo Kano. An individual who tried to re-contextualize the bullet wound Kanie suffered during his time as a paramilitary soldier as a wound Kano suffered when he was betrayed by his accomplices. The only individual left alive who would know Kano was shot to death. Kogoro points to '''Sadao Kujirai''' as the true culprit.<br> | ||
Kogoro states that Kujirai purposefully galvanized the waiter to share that Saizo Kano was aboard the ship during the first meal service and escaped during the commotion to shoot Kameda in the engine room. He then waited for Samezaki to cease his hunt for Kano before meeting Kanie in the men's bathroom. Likely using a sedative, Kujirai knocked Kanie unconscious, stole his clothes and watch and used them to dress Kameda's corpse, and place the cigarette-based mechanisms around the ladder container at the rear deck. Furthermore, Kujirai purposefully raised his voice as if he was being summoned by someone at the rear deck to convince the staff members that both the container was unlit at that time and that Kujirai was following the directives of another individual. Moreover, Kujirai burned the flag to create a temporary diversion away from the container, creating a scene where he could join his fellow passengers in establishing an alibi. Additionally, he transferred Kanie's unconscious body to the dangling ladder at the bow while everyone else was inspecting the burnt victim's remains. Later, Kujirai would use more cigarette-based mechanisms to create the opportunity to drag Kanie's body onto the ship, shoot him, create two bullet holes in the dining room, and shoot himself in the arm. Lastly, he synched two additional cigarette-based mechanisms to fire during his interrogation, using the sound to mimic the effect of being shot from a distance. Samezaki voices his confusion about Kogoro's order of events, noting that if he shot himself prior to the interrogation, they would have noticed his bleeding. Kogoro explains that Kujirai placed a tennis ball under his arm to plug his vein, preventing the flow of blood into his arm until the sounds of the gunshot rang. Kujirai had manipulated several key features of Kameda's corpse to trick his hired detective, Heiji, into believing Kanie was responsible for the crimes committed on the ship. Also, the reason Kujirai chose a detective from Osaka is to lessen the likelihood he would pick up on Kujirai's attempt at concealing his [[Wikipedia: Kansai dialect|Kansai dialect]].<br>[[File:CH230_HeijiSaved.png|thumb|left|120px|Kujirai's third victim escapes death.]] | Kogoro states that Kujirai purposefully galvanized the waiter to share that Saizo Kano was aboard the ship during the first meal service and escaped during the commotion to shoot Kameda in the engine room. He then waited for Samezaki to cease his hunt for Kano before meeting Kanie in the men's bathroom. Likely using a sedative, Kujirai knocked Kanie unconscious, stole his clothes and watch and used them to dress Kameda's corpse, and place the cigarette-based mechanisms around the ladder container at the rear deck. Furthermore, Kujirai purposefully raised his voice as if he was being summoned by someone at the rear deck to convince the staff members that both the container was unlit at that time and that Kujirai was following the directives of another individual. Moreover, Kujirai burned the flag to create a temporary diversion away from the container, creating a scene where he could join his fellow passengers in establishing an alibi. Additionally, he transferred Kanie's unconscious body to the dangling ladder at the bow while everyone else was inspecting the burnt victim's remains. Later, Kujirai would use more cigarette-based mechanisms to create the opportunity to drag Kanie's body onto the ship, shoot him, create two bullet holes in the dining room, and shoot himself in the arm. Lastly, he synched two additional cigarette-based mechanisms to fire during his interrogation, using the sound to mimic the effect of being shot from a distance. Samezaki voices his confusion about Kogoro's order of events, noting that if he shot himself prior to the interrogation, they would have noticed his bleeding. Kogoro explains that Kujirai placed a tennis ball under his arm to plug his vein, preventing the flow of blood into his arm until the sounds of the gunshot rang. Kujirai had manipulated several key features of Kameda's corpse to trick his hired detective, Heiji, into believing Kanie was responsible for the crimes committed on the ship. Also, the reason Kujirai chose a detective from Osaka is to lessen the likelihood he would pick up on Kujirai's attempt at concealing his [[Wikipedia: Kansai dialect|Kansai dialect]].<br>[[File:CH230_HeijiSaved.png|thumb|left|120px|Kujirai's third victim escapes death.]][[File:CH230_ShotWindow.png|thumb|right|200px|Kujirai shot himself against the glass wall.]] | ||
Samezaki asks Kogoro for his evidence. The Detective points to the punctured bullet hole in the glass wall leading to the dining room. He deduces that to keep the entire pane from shattering, Kujirai had to fire his gun through his arm and into the glass. Therefore, a forensic analyst would be able to find Kujirai's wiped blood on the glass if they were to test for a [[Wikipedia: Luminol|luminol reaction]].<br> | Samezaki asks Kogoro for his evidence. The Detective points to the punctured bullet hole in the glass wall leading to the dining room. He deduces that to keep the entire pane from shattering, Kujirai had to fire his gun through his arm and into the glass. Therefore, a forensic analyst would be able to find Kujirai's wiped blood on the glass if they were to test for a [[Wikipedia: Luminol|luminol reaction]].<br> | ||
Kujirai hysterically pleads his innocence, purposefully slathering his bloody cast onto the glass window to destroy the evidence. Luckily, Kogoro notices a rather unusually large star headed for the ship. Ran notices that the light is not a star, but rather a boat carrying a rescued Heiji Hattori, a living witness who can testify against Kujirai. Defeated, the shocked criminal slumps to a seated position in a catatonic state. Samezaki congratulates Kogoro on his brilliant deduction, asking how he knew Kanie was not the culprit. He points to how Kanie's right-handed watch was placed on Kameda's left hand, noting that Kanie would not make such a mistake had he been the one to dress Kameda's corpse. He also deduces that Kujirai had organized the entire event, having planned on doing so with Kameda and Kanie twenty years ago. The three of them were unable to use their stolen money until the expiration of their statute of limitations and thus vowed to meet aboard the ship on the night of the expiration to combine the three items required to access a vault where their money is stashed—those three items being: the Furukawa hanko, the key, and the Furukawa signature. The reason Kameda and Kanie were approaching random passengers with their item in hand were to confirm who each other were, a task made difficult by their altered names and faces. In the end, Kujirai created a plan to murder his heist partners, take their items, and collect the stashed sum for himself. Kujirai then murmurs that he wished to surpass Saizo Kano in his strategy after he was told by Kano that his plans were lackluster during their heist twenty years ago. Still, he questions why his event was almost exclusively attended by people related to Kano. Samezaki mocks the man, revealing that if one were to tilt the writing of the name, "Masaru Furukawa (古川大)," it creates the name, "Saizo Kano (才三叶)." Having used the name, "Masaru Furukawa" by the recommendation of Kano for its simplicity, Kujirai had unknowingly used a fake name that would attract all of Kano's enemies, thus falling for his old boss's trap. | Kujirai hysterically pleads his innocence, purposefully slathering his bloody cast onto the glass window to destroy the evidence. Luckily, Kogoro notices a rather unusually large star headed for the ship. Ran notices that the light is not a star, but rather a boat carrying a rescued Heiji Hattori, a living witness who can testify against Kujirai. Defeated, the shocked criminal slumps to a seated position in a catatonic state. Samezaki congratulates Kogoro on his brilliant deduction, asking how he knew Kanie was not the culprit. He points to how Kanie's right-handed watch was placed on Kameda's left hand, noting that Kanie would not make such a mistake had he been the one to dress Kameda's corpse. He also deduces that Kujirai had organized the entire event, having planned on doing so with Kameda and Kanie twenty years ago. The three of them were unable to use their stolen money until the expiration of their statute of limitations and thus vowed to meet aboard the ship on the night of the expiration to combine the three items required to access a vault where their money is stashed—those three items being: the Furukawa hanko, the key, and the Furukawa signature. The reason Kameda and Kanie were approaching random passengers with their item in hand were to confirm who each other were, a task made difficult by their altered names and faces. In the end, Kujirai created a plan to murder his heist partners, take their items, and collect the stashed sum for himself. Kujirai then murmurs that he wished to surpass Saizo Kano in his strategy after he was told by Kano that his plans were lackluster during their heist twenty years ago. Still, he questions why his event was almost exclusively attended by people related to Kano. Samezaki mocks the man, revealing that if one were to tilt the writing of the name, "Masaru Furukawa (古川大)," it creates the name, "Saizo Kano (才三叶)." Having used the name, "Masaru Furukawa" by the recommendation of Kano for its simplicity, Kujirai had unknowingly used a fake name that would attract all of Kano's enemies, thus falling for his old boss's trap. | ||
</spoiler> | </spoiler> | ||
Revision as of 09:31, 27 June 2026
| ‹ Volume 22 | List of Chapters |
Volume 24 › |
| Volume 23 | |||
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| Release date: | April 17, 1999 | ||
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| Chapters: | 222-231 | ||
| ISBN: | ISBN 4-09-125493-4 | ||
| Publisher: | Shogakukan | ||
| English release date: | May 20, 2008 | ||
| English ISBN: | ISBN 1-4215-1675-6 | ||
| English Publisher: | Viz Media | ||
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Volume 23 was released on April 17, 1999 in Japan.
Cast
Gadgets
Chapters
Movie Theater Case
File 222 - Cinecittà
Genta, Ayumi, and Mitsuhiko ferociously pressure Conan into watching a Gomera movie. Conan and Haibara have more "intellectual" preferences, and the Detective Boys decide to choose their movie via rock paper scissors.
Naturally, the 3/5 majority prevails and the group zealously watches Gomera's battle against a rival kaiju, creating a major disturbance within the mostly empty theater. Still, their intrusive actions are scolded by fellow audience member, Toshiyuki Ide. Conan notes the venue's state of disarray and Ayumi and Genta mention the theater is known for hosting spontaneous brawls.
The children gush over the film's qualities after the showing, as Conan suggests going home and playing a game of soccer. He is overruled yet again and alerted to a six hour long three-movie-screening of old Gomera films he has already seen. The Detective Boys rush to buy popcorn and drinks from the concession worker, Yuriko Tomosato, who gives them extra popcorn for being the last customers. When asked about what she means by "last," the establishment owner, Akio Muramatsu, appears and sadly informs the children that today marks the closure of the thirty year old theater. On the other hand, the property's real estate developer, Seiji Haruta, could not be happier about the business' imminent closure, as he disrespectfully taunts the workers for the low audience turnout. Haruta is eventually chased away by the projectionist, Minoru Furuhashi. The staff tell the Detective Boys about Haruta's hired grunts who would purposefully start fights during the screenings, damaging the theater's reputation and expediting their claim over the property. In the meantime, Muramatsu allows Ide to take commemorative photos of his childhood theater and Tomosato realizes she had forgotten to run to the convenience store to buy everyone's lunch, deciding to head over once the next showing begins.
The next Gomera sequel opens with a title card as Haruta sits in the back row of the theater scaring off the few people who came to see the film. A few moments later, the man notices something rapidly approach him from behind. As the movie progresses, Mitsuhiko notices the theater AC gradually increasing in intensity. Conan tries to leave to use the bathroom but is trapped by both Ayumi and Haibara who have simultaneously fallen asleep on his shoulder. Suddenly, a strange large shadow appears on the screen swinging side to side. The audience members turn towards the projector to see Haruta's body hanging on the back wall.
File 223 - The Truth In The Mirror
Inspector Megure arrives at the movie theater begins his investigation by questioning those present, asking for the exact time at which Haruta was hung. Genta and Mitsuhiko pinpoint the moment to the scene where the fairy, Emera, quells Gomera's rage at exactly 12:44. Sergeant Takagi returns with confirmation from the ticket booth lady that, excluding the children, only four people were present in the building at the time of death. Furuhashi protests, saying that only he would have the strength necessary to pull a grown man up into the air by the noose, and that he was present in the projection room the entire time. Ide also provides an alibi in the form of a burst of photographs of the movie screen taken before, during, and after the hanging. Using the photos as reference, Megure asks Muramatsu where he briefly went. The elderly man says he felt an unusual drop in temperature caused by the theater AC and exited to a service hallway right of the screen to adjust its settings.
Megure then investigates the projection room where he finds two projectors facing the theater, one for playing the film and the other for retrieving the played film. Conan floats the idea of using the two projectors in tandem. Haruta's pre-hung body can be hidden in darkness while the first projector plays and then suddenly occlude the frame after switching to the second projector. Furuhashi laughs, saying that if he were to enact such a plan, one would be able to find a seam in the films where he stitched the two strips together. Tomosato corroborates him, saying that only one projector was on when she entered the room.
Megure then moves to examine the room where Tomosato took her lunch, finding a dingy room which appears to have been seldom cleaned. As the group makes its way back to the lobby, Conan notices Mitsuhiko in a state of indecision. When asked what is on his mind, the boy reveals that he saw Tomosato in the woman's bathroom adjusting her contact lens shortly before Haruta's hung body appeared. Although Mitsuhiko's statement contradicts the woman's initial claims about being in the break room for the entire time, her excursion lasted a mere minute and likely contributed little to her ability to hang Haruta. Takagi additionally informs the group that according to his research, Haruta was in extreme gambling debt and his real estate company was on the verge of collapse. Conan surmises that while Haruta does have a legitimate reason for suicide, his preceding actions did not paint him as obviously suicidal.
Genta and Mitsuhiko exit the theater to see Professor Agasa waiting for them outside.
Conan observes the distance between the projection room and the bathroom, still caught up on Tomosato's odd behavior. When staring into the bathroom mirror, he is surprised by Haibara who comments on his calmness about his reflection. She says she feels chills every morning upon seeing "Haibara" in the mirror, unsure of who she is exactly. Seemingly inspired by her words, Conan leaps from the sink and rushes off to the auditorium. He finds dozens of old cigarettes on the floor in front of Haruta's seat as well as the marks his shoes left on the row before him.
File 224 - Dreamland
Conan informs Agasa that he has figured out the details of the case. He attempts to give his instructions to the Professor but notices three unwanted eavesdroppers standing around him. The Detective Boys voice their dissatisfaction about Conan's hogging of the spotlight, but soon lighten up after hearing Conan has a role for them to play in his newest deduction.
Meanwhile, Takagi elaborates on Haruta's conditions leading up to his death. According to his employees at his real estate firm, the man had grown increasingly irritable, having an altercation with a bank manager earlier that day about lacking the funds to buy the theater property. The lights abruptly shut off and Agasa's face appears through the projector window.
Muramatsu comments that regardless of Haruta's sabotage, his theater would have eventually suffered the same fate. With the rising popularity of television and video, he finds there is no place left for a small theater to thrive. The Detective Boys voice their staunch disagreement, expressing their avid love for the communal theater environment. Seeing the children's enthusiasm, Furuhashi solemnly tells Agasa to replay the last film for them.
In a private screening for the five Detective Boys, Muramatsu and Tomosato watch their enthralled customers from the entrance, the latter remarking that they could not have asked for a better audience on their last showing. Muramatsu disagrees, stating that he has had a change of heart. He boldly announces that he will continue to fight for his theater until he fills every seat with viewers as impassioned as them.
People
Cruise Ship Murder Case
File 225 - Planner in the Shadow
A trio of masked men execute their syndicate leader and strategist, Saizo Kano. They watch as his bullet-riddled body slips off a cliff and into the strong currents of the sea below. The three men ridicule's Kano's intentions of turning himself in just for causing the death of a bank employee. They also note that although the majority of their stolen money is in an inaccessible state, it is only a matter of time before they can collect their sum. One of the men mockingly throws a ¥10,000 bill into the sea, calling it the "boss's share."
Ran reads an advertisement in the newspaper promoting a dolphin-watching tour near Ogasawara, offering to allow free attendance to the first ten customers who correctly bring the item referenced in the featured riddle to the dock. The girl brainstorms answers to the riddle with Kogoro with the two of them floating increasingly ridiculous answers. Conan then approaches the two with his guess.
The next day, Kogoro, Ran, and Conan arrive at the Teimuzu harbor and confidently show their Series C ¥10,000 notes to the event organizers. The staff declare their guesses correct and welcome them aboard the ship.
The trio pass through the gorgeous interior and reach the reception desk, where Ran asks if she can meet the event organizer, Masaru Furukawa, wanting to thank him for the opportunity. The receptionist confesses that even the staff have yet to meet him, having received instructions for the operation entirely via phone call. They are then approached by former Criminal Investigation Division One Superintendent, Toji Samezaki, creating an unexpected reunion between Kogoro and his former boss. When asked why he is here, Samezaki responds that today is a "special day," though Kogoro struggles to identify the reference. Another passenger named Teruyoshi Kameda suddenly appears behind the group with a troubled expression and a hanko. The man quickly reverses course but drops his hanko in the process. Ran kindly retrieves his item for him and inexplicably expresses her gratitude to the man. Another passenger, Korehisa Kanie, then puts his hand on Kameda's shoulder while holding a key, saying that he has been "waiting for him." As the two men walk off, the tenth and final passenger, Minoru Ebina, arrives with a large suitcase, prompting the crew to begin their journey to Ogasawara. Although one staff member reminds the receptionist about their first passenger, an elderly man who left the ship to retrieve a forgotten item, the receptionist informs him that he has since returned, electing to sleep until dinner. Samezaki vaguely recognizes Ebina and asks if they have met, but the man attributes it to a case of mistaken identity.
Ran reenacts a scene from Titanic (1997) at the bow of the ship, drawing the attention of passengers, Sadao Kujirai and Nagisa Isogai. Despite Isogai's initially macabre sentiments, she cordially converses with Ran about the organizer, Furukawa. Ran reveals that she saw Furukawa's name printed on the hanko that Kameda had dropped earlier, thus mistakenly having thanked him for organizing the event.
The passengers enjoy the dinner service in a mostly empty dining hall. Kameda excuses himself back to his room, seemingly seasick. Kogoro comments on the desolate vibe and Ran asks about the remaining two passengers. The waiter shares that one passenger is another detective, while the other is a marine biologist named "Saizo Kano." The entire cohort of guests immediately recognize the name and react in varying degrees of shock. Samezaki demands that the staff members take him to his room, reminding Kogoro that Kano is the infamous orchestrator of the criminal group responsible for robbing ¥400,000,000 from a bank.
Meanwhile, Kameda discovers a paper note left beneath his door that directs him to the engine room. The man obliges and enters the dark environment alone. He calls out about the note he was given but suddenly finds a silencer mounted to a firearm pushed against the back of his head.
Samezaki and Kogoro arrive at Kano's room but find it barren. Samezaki rushes off to inspect the ship's lower floors while Kogoro approaches the adjacent room said to accommodate the other detective. He pounds on the door only for it to violently swing open and strike him in the face. The occupant is none other than Heiji Hattori who expresses his surprise to see his friends aboard the ship.
File 226 - Burning Murderous Intent...
Kogoro briefs Heiji about Saizo Kano, the Strategist of Shadow, and his notorious reputation. Using a different crew for every heist, Kano was known for his exceptional planning and his commitment to leaving any and all innocent bystanders unharmed. However, after having caused the death of a bank employee during a heist twenty years ago, he has ceased his operations and has remained at-large ever since. Heiji recalls rumors about Kano's death swirling after his bloodied shirt was discovered having washed ashore. Samezaki disagrees, believing a man as cautious as Kano to still be alive. Furthermore, with the ¥400,000,000 heist having taken place exactly twenty years ago, the statute of limitations for both Kano and his accomplices goes into effect at midnight—in two hours on Samezaki's "special day." The group is then approached by Ran who expresses her amazement about Heiji's attendance, leading to a comical interaction about Heiji's relationship with Kazuha being greatly differing from "their's." Hearing the men will soon resume their search for Kano, Ran drags Heiji and Conan along with her to the dining room. Before leaving, she turns to her father and says, "I'll be waiting for you." Her words sparks a flashback in Samezaki, who momentarily hears his daughter echo the same words to him a long time ago.
In the dining room, Heiji informs Ran and Conan that he is aboard the ship because he received a peculiar letter hiring him to solve a case at Ogasawara. The letter included ten Series C notes, instructions about boarding the ship, and was signed by Masaru Furukawa. The boy's story, riddled with accidental allusions to Shinichi is interrupted by Isogai who asks the group if they want to play poker. At a table nearby, Kanie offers a mortified Kujirai matches to light his unlit cigarette. The two men are then invited to play in Isogai's poker game, which Ran easily wins with a royal flush. Heiji notices Ebina's fixation with the time, and Isogai asks if tomorrow is his lover's death anniversary, pointing to Ebina's choice of bloody mary as his cocktail. Kogoro then returns to the dining room and reports they have not yet located Sano. Ebina notices his wallet is missing, prompting Kanie to ask if the wallet he found in the hallway belongs to him. The man says yes and vigorously checks its contents for missing balance. Soon, Kanie, Ebina, and Isogai take their leave and Kujirai leaves to use the bathroom. The clock slowly inches towards 00:00 and Samezaki returns to the dining room empty handed. He and Kogoro drown their failures out with alcohol as Kujirai re-enters the room. Heiji and Conan cannot help but remark on Samezaki's excessive fervor about an unsolved case from his past. Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot pierces the boat.
The group reaches the top deck of the ship at 00:08 and find a burning flag waving on the mast. Conan and Heiji find a series C note scribbled with writing pinned to the deck with a knife. The text reads, "my shadow resurrected by Poseidon." Kujirai stumbles backwards in terror, believing Kano to still be alive. An explosive burst and a cloud of fire shoots up behind Kujirai and the group sees something burning on the ship's rear deck.
Stepping closer, Kogoro identifies the burning object as the container for an emergency ladder. However after closer inspection, Heiji notices a human being engulfed in the flames.
File 227 - The Unintentional Target
With the body completely charred, Kogoro and Samezaki struggle to identify the victim. Ebina points to the wrist, stating that Kanie was wearing the same watch during their earlier interactions. Heiji notices the watch's unbuckled band; Kogoro thinks the buckle was blown off with the explosion along with the plastic tarp that originally covered the box. The boy's perceptiveness catches Samezaki's attention, who expresses his pleasant surprise upon hearing he is his former kendo sparing partner, Heizo Hattori's son. Conan then notices inorganic material all over the burnt body's face. He identifies the material as polydimethylsiloxane, a common ingredient in plastic surgeries. He deduces that Kanie was a member of Saizo Kano's crew who had evaded capture by surgically altering his face. Furthermore, Kameda, who Kanie had demonstrated familiarity with, is also likely an accomplice. The two boys then turn to Kujirai, believing him to be their best lead.
Kujirai pleads ignorance throughout Samezaki's interrogation in the dining room, providing little to move the investigation forward. Kogoro enters the room after having interviewed all crew members onboard. He states that everyone, with the exception of Kameda, has an alibi at the time of the explosion. Heiji, Conan, and Ran decide to join the Detective in checking on Kameda in his room.
After receiving no response from knocking, Kogoro finds the room unlocked. He opens the door, revealing a largely untouched environment. Conan and Heiji simultaneously have an epiphany and swiftly explore the ship before meeting at the rear deck. Conan, who has searched the engine room, shows a spent shell casing and a dropped letter from Masaru Furukawa reading, "I'll be waiting in the engine room." Heiji, who has searched the mens bathroom, shows a crumpled strip of paper that was discarded in the trashcan. The strip of paper is also signed by Furukawa, directing the recipient to the rear deck. Heiji adds that according to several staff members, Kujirai had been seen calling out to someone on the rear deck shortly before midnight—meaning he was the likely recipient. After being discovered, Kujirai reportedly ordered them to keep his presence there a secret. Although the staff waited at the rear deck to see who he had intended to meet, there were no visitors until the gunshot rang, to which at that point the staff hurried to the top deck to observe the flaming flag. Believing the culprit had surreptitiously maneuvered themselves from the top deck to the rear deck following the gunshot to set fire to the container, Conan wonders how they did so while also evading detection. Nevertheless, the two boys both have a grasp on the identity of the culprit, agreeing that the elderly man who temporarily disembarked to retrieve a forgotten item—a hired actor planted to divert the attention of the investigators towards the long-deceased Saizo Kano. Heiji notes that while the victim's legs were fully bent, their arms naturally curled into the pugilistic stance. He takes it as proof the victim was initially placed in the container with their arms outstretched above them. However, Conan and Heiji draw two different conclusions, the two boys differing in their assessment of the culprit's identity since the first time they met.[1] Heiji rushes off to prove the accuracy of his deduction, making Conan return the burnt watch to the corpse.
Samezaki exclaims his dismay upon hearing the news of Kameda's disappearance. He storms off to search for the man himself. Isogai, Ebina, and Kujirai grow restless of Samezaki and Kogoro's unauthorized investigation and return to their rooms.
Meanwhile, Heiji frantically flashes the edges of the decks with a large flashlight, looking for someone hiding in a place no one would think to search. He notices a key detail and comes to a realization that both him and Conan are wrong in their deductions. He is suddenly struck by a pipe-wielding silhouette and sent tumbling off of the ship and into the sea.
File 228 - Disappearing Among The Waves...
Conan, who believes he heard a splashing sound, hurries to the rear deck after hearing he is searching for something outside.
When he gets to the deck, Heiji is nowhere to be found. Conan assumes the worst and desperately calls his name into the watery abyss. Ebina, Isogai, and Kujirai stop the boy's precarious actions and are soon joined by Kogoro and Ran, with the latter compassionately telling Conan to not worry. Ebina observes the girl's kindness and thinks of Samezaki's daughter, calling her Yoshimi. When Kogoro asks why the three passengers are together at the rear deck, Isogai states they are helping her find her missing pendant. Ran shows her a locket she found containing a small photograph, returning it to the woman after she confirms it belongs to her. Ran explains that she was unsure of who to return the pendant to, as the photograph depicts a man holding a very young girl. Isogai tells her that the man is her father and the girl is her, the former having died at sea. She glances back at Kujirai who once again appears terrified.
Back at the dining room, Samezaki erupts on the group for leaving on their own, but with no authority to compel anyone's compliance, the cohort compromises to act in groups going forward. Conan ruminates on the limited information he possesses, seeing that all passengers present in the dining room have alibis exculpating them from both the initial gunshot and explosion. Without Heiji, his ability to extract information from the adults is severely curtailed. Thus, the boy moves to the bathroom and calls Professor Agasa using his Earring Cellphone. The Professor tells him he has recorded a television broadcast reflecting on Saizo Kano and the expiration of the statute of limitations. He informs Conan that the police remain confident in Kano's death as his beached bloodied jacket had contained his treasured locket featuring a photograph of him holding his young daughter. Additionally, Agasa mentions that one of Kano's men had accidentally discharged his firearm during their last heist, claiming the life of a young man named Yoshimi Samezaki. As Conan ponders on the inexplicable gathering of individuals related to the heist from twenty years ago, he hears a series of gunshots from the direction of the rear deck. He hangs up the call and joins Kogoro and Samezaki in cornering the culprit.
However, they find the rear deck empty yet again. The stressful sequence of events ultimately erode's Kujirai's fortitude and he tearfully claims that Kano intends to assassinate him. He offers to share all of his information in exchange for protection.
The group returns to the dining hall where Kujirai confesses to being one of Saizo Kano's accomplices in the ¥400,000,000 heist. He explains that he received a letter from another accomplice inviting him to celebrate their successful evasion of the law aboard the ship on the eve of the expiration of their statute of limitations. He was initially unaware of who his two other partners were until Kanie reached out to him in the dining room. Still, Kujirai remains unaware of who is targeting his life, stating that him and his partners had definitively murdered Kano. Another gunshot then pierces the room and lands in Kujirai's arm. Conan notices a silhouette sitting at the bow of the ship, leading Samezaki to carefully approach the figure. The former Superintendent is convinced the culprit to be Kano, but is shocked to find the silhouette is Kanie with a gun in his hand and a bullet through his head.
File 229 - This Is The Truth
With the discovery of Kanie's body, Samezaki labels the burnt remains as belonging to either Kameda or Kano. Conan notices a dangling rope ladder tied to the railing behind Kanie that is fluttering in the wind. Samezaki believes it was used as Kanie's hiding spot.
In the dining room, Samezaki and Ebina find both bullet holes: one where the bullet pierced the glass wall facing the bow, and the other where the bullet lodged itself in the back wall. Kogoro comments on Kanie's impressive marksmanship; Samezaki reminds him that one of Kano's former accomplices was a known member of a foreign paramilitary group. Ran returns with the med-kit to help mend Kujirai's wounds. She notices Conan is missing.
Conan consults several staff members on Heiji's whereabouts. With the vast majority of the rooms already searched during the initial investigation, there are few places where he could be. Nonetheless, two staff members tell Conan that Ebina's room remains unchecked because the room appeared largely untouched with only an unopened suitcase placed beside the bed. The boy asks to be taken there per "Kogoro's orders."
Sometime later, Conan continues to abusive Kogoro's authority and directs two staff members to secretly tie something on the rail near the burnt corpse on the rear deck. Conan's advertisement excerpt from the newspaper is then blown out of his hands and momentarily lands sideways against a railing. The sight sparks a realization in Conan who watches as the page signed by Masaru Furukawa flies away into the night. Conan also notices several positions along the railing with a combination of burn marks and scraped paint. Based on his observations, the boy conceives of a method to manipulate the actions of the various souls onboard—a method requiring the presence of a detective. Still, Conan wonders why the Osaka-based Heiji was specifically chosen for the role. Suddenly, a tennis ball strikes Conan in the side of the head. The boy turns to see Ran expressing her frustration about being constantly left to worry. She approaches him and says, "don't leave me alone," in a tone suited for a conversation with someone her own age. Ran blushes, grabs him by the hand, and drags him back inside. Conan inquires about the tennis ball, to which she replies she found it beneath a table in the dining room. She also mentions Kujirai making commotion about seeing an old bullet scar on Kanie's body. Her words serve as the final piece of the puzzle, allowing Conan to declare he has solved the mystery. Conan then receives an untimely phone call from Agasa. However, upon placing the speaker to his ear, his facial expression morphs into shock. Ran questions the staff about Heiji, but Conan assuredly states he is safe in an oddly opportunistic manner.
At the bow of the ship, Conan quietly tranquilizes Kogoro and places a speaker on his collar. Using Kogoro's voice, he instructs Ran to gather everyone aboard the ship.
Kogoro begins by naming Kanie the culprit, having faked his death by using Kameda's burnt body. Kanie had shot and killed Kameda after luring him out alone using a letter. He then placed the man's body in the ladder container and replaced his victim's clothes with his own. As evidence, Kanie's watch found on Kameda's arm was left unbuckled because it did not fit around his wrist. Kogoro adds that Kanie had called Kujirai to the back of the ship in hopes of framing him for Kameda's murder. Isogai asks what purpose Kanie would have in faking his own death. Kogoro replies that it was to reappear in front of Kujirai and instill fear in the man in an act of revenge. He then points to the scars on Kanie's body clearly left by bullet wounds. The Detective implies that Kanie's true identity is the Strategist of Shadow, Saizo Kano.
File 230 - The Witness Returned Alive
Isogai vehemently denies the possibility of Kano having survived, revealing that she is his daughter. She states that she boarded the ship on the slightest of chances she would meet her father again. She confidently asserts that Kanie was not her father, as regardless of plastic surgery she would be able to identify him and he would have shown a reaction upon seeing her. Kogoro confesses that the previous deduction was just a ploy to hear Isogai's perspective. Furthermore, the sequence of events he had illustrated was the exact story the true culprit had intended to construct. Kogoro declares that Kanie is a victim and that the true culprit is amongst the remaining four passengers. Samezaki retorts by saying that all remaining passengers have perfect alibis at the time of the gunshots.
Kogoro states that the culprit used cigarettes as a timer mechanism for all of their tricks. First, a lit cigarette was sandwiched under the lid of the gasoline-filled container. Once the cigarette burns to its base, the embers will inevitably fall inside the box and ignite the flammable liquid, creating an explosion minutes after the contraption was originally set. Additionally, the culprit created the sound of gunshots by tying cigarettes and firecrackers together onto the railing behind the container. Kogoro points to the burn marks left on the railings as evidence. Lastly, the same cigarette-based trick can also be used to set fire to the flag. As Samezaki demands Kogoro name the culprit, Ebina nervously observes Kujirai's watch. Suddenly, a massive explosion rocks the ship as a ball of fire rises into the air.
Kogoro assures everyone of their safety, explaining that he had the staff place Ebina's suitcase on a rubber boat kept at a distance of one hundred meters from the ship, tethered to the railing of the rear deck. Kogoro informs Ebina that he found his suitcase suspicious and took the necessary precautions against his attempt at revenge on Saizo Kano and his former accomplices. Moreover, Kogoro highlights Ebina's special method of counting bills, a method only bank employees are taught. Thus, he deduces that Ebina was heist victim, Yoshimi Samezaki's, coworker. More specifically, Ebina was Yoshimi's lover. Samezaki then recognizes the man from his daughter's funeral, and the two men express their regrets about the events surrounding Yoshimi's death. Nonetheless, Ebina asserts that he did not murder Kameda and Kanie.
Heiji tells Ran about his experience afloat in the sea. He explains that he was forced to remove all of his clothing and use his flashlight to signal nearby fisherman for help. He notes that the only articles he kept with him were his underwear and the omamori Kazuha had slipped into his pocket. He shrugs off Ran's teases about the lucky charm and says he should get rid of it. Nevertheless, he chooses to hold onto it for now.
People
Major Events
- Romantic development between Ran and Shinichi.
- Hints that Ran still believes that Conan is Shinichi.
- Minor romantic development between Heiji and Kazuha.
Innocent Suspect Case
File 231 - Investigation Begins!!
The Detective Boys are going to help Takagi investigate.
People
Trivia
- In File 224:
- The film Akio Muramatsu imagines when reflecting on his love for the movie theater is Gone with the Wind (1939)
- In Files 225-230:
- The names of the newly introduced characters are derived from the names of various marine life.
- Samezaki = Shark (Same)
- Kameda = Turtle (Kame)
- Kanie = Crab (Kani)
- Ebina = Shrimp (Ebi)
- Kujirai = Whale (Kujira)
- Isogai = Clam (Kai)
- The names of the newly introduced characters are derived from the names of various marine life.
- In File 231:
- The names of the newly introduced characters are derived from the names of cardinal directions.
- Higashida = East (Higashi)
- Muranishi = West (Nishi)
- Kitagawa = North (Kita)
- The names of the newly introduced characters are derived from the names of cardinal directions.
- The title for each chapter are worded as the following in Case Closed:
- File 222 - At the Movies
- File 223 - The Truth Inside the Mirror
- File 224 - A Place For Dreams
- File 225 - The Phantom Schemer
- File 226 - Murder in Flames
- File 227 - An Unexpected Target
- File 228 - Vanished Into the Waves
- File 229 - The Truth
- File 230 - A Witness Returns
- File 231 - Begin Investigation!!
Cover in other countries
China 
China (2020 reissue) 
Finland 
France 
Germany 
Hong Kong 
Indonesia 
Indonesia (reprint) 
Indonesia (Premium, combined volumes 23-24) 
Italy 
Italy (La Gazzetta dello Sport) 
Italy (New Edition) 
Korea 
Malaysia (Chinese) 
Malaysia (Malay) 
Norway 
Rep. of China (Taiwan) 
Spain (Spanish, Volumen 2, part 1) 
Spain (Spanish, Volumen 2, part 2) 
Spain (Spanish, New Edition, combined volumes 23-24) 
Sweden 
Thailand 
United States 
Vietnam 
Vietnam (New Edition)
References
- ^ Diplomat Murder Case (Manga: Volume 10: 092-096)
See also
| Volumes of the Manga | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 • 101 • 102 • 103 • 104 • 105 • 106 • 107 • 108 • 109 |