Volume 33
| ‹ Volume 32 | List of Chapters • List of Cases | Volume 34 › |
| Volume 33 | |||
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| Release date: | July 18, 2001 | ||
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| Chapters: | 329-339 | ||
| ISBN: | ISBN 4-09-126163-9 | ||
| Publisher: | Shogakukan | ||
| English release date: | January 9, 2010 | ||
| English ISBN: | ISBN 1-4215-2884-3 | ||
| English Publisher: | Viz Media | ||
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Volume 33 was released on July 18, 2001 in Japan.
Contents
Cast
Gadgets
Chapters
Sato's Omiai Case
File 329 - Sato's Odds
Sato confirms her deal with Shiratori, agreeing to set the time limit with the setting of the sun. Her boldness surprises her spies in the room next door, as Ran and Sonoko question her end game. Internally Sato hopes for Yumi's dispatch, likely Takagi, to rescue her from the omiai.
Meanwhile, Takagi and Chiba discuss the conflicting witness reports about the thief's characteristics. They decide to interrogate their three suspects. Kamieda is a tutor, Zama is a freeter/band member, and Koshimizu is an office worker. Takagi notices Koshimizu wearing two wristwatches, which she explains is because she is tracking her boyfriend's time zone. He also asks Zama about his band, which he answers is a visual kei group.
Back at the omiai, Shiratori receives word from Megure about Takagi's quandary and relays the news to Sato. She attempts to call the sergeant, but is stopped by Shiratori, who says making contact is unfair. He adds that Takagi cannot abandon his duties as a police officer, as such an act, coupled with his previous failure to prevent an interrogee's murder, will undoubtedly amount to a discharge.[1] Therefore, Sato has no choice but to hope her "savior" will solve the case before time runs out. Hearing their exchange, Conan decides to act.
As the three suspects grow increasingly restless about their detainment, Takagi surprisingly receives a phone call from Shinichi Kudo, who informs him about Sato's omiai. Takagi stares aghast at the expository message, unable to properly comprehend his predicament. Once the sergeant regains his composure, he shares the case details with Shinichi, who begins by instructing him to revisit the third witness: the cafe owner. Takagi complies and enters the establishment, taking the man outdoors. The owner's glasses begin to shade, transforming into sunglasses and revealing themselves to be transition lenses. Shinchi explains that such a lens will naturally warp one's color perceptions. He then directs the sergeant to inspect where the second witness, the school girl, saw the suspect. If the road was crowded during the time of the robbery, one would logically stray from the main path and run on the curb to circumvent obstacles. Therefore, the girl likely saw the culprit running on a raised platform, which would make them appear ten additional centimeters taller than their true height. The "puzzle" slowly begins to fit together.
Araide notices Conan's absence. Ran believes he is still using the bathroom and goes to check on him. As she walks through the venue's corridors, she happens to see Akai exit the men's bathroom. His face catches her attention as one that she had seen somewhere before. She shrugs the feeling off and calls for Conan, who panics and is forced to leave Takagi to solve the case on his own.
Dusk nears, and an orange hue begins to tint the world. With about forty minutes left, Shiratori turns to Sato, saying that if he wins, he would like a kiss as a sign of commitment.
File 330 - Sato's Feelings
Takagi returns to his vehicle and informs Chiba about his failure to make meaningful progress on the case. He sighs, saying they have plenty of time, mentioning that it is still currently 15:00. However, the suspects are quick to correct the sergeant about the time, raising their wrists to check their watches. Takagi shoots his arm into the back row and grasps the culprit's arm.
Takagi solemnly sits on a grassy ridge with the apprehended culprit beside him. Chiba catches up to him and commends him for his work. Yet, Takagi remains pensive, stating he had "failed to catch the one he should have." Chiba, however, states his dismay in his colleague's resignation, and gives a fiery speech which inspires Takagi to sprint to the omiai.
Shiratori notices Sato's gloomy expression and pulls her close to comfort her. Their four spies express varying emotions, ranging from vicarious bliss to deep concern. Conan stands in blank silence before calling Araide to the side. The boy quickly swipes his glasses and places the pair by the entrance to the omiai room. As the two officers lean in for a kiss, Sato begins to realize the true depth of her love for Takagi, and feels immense remorse. Suddenly, the two hear a familiar voice, Takagi's voice. Sato and Shiratori turn to the sliding door and see a masculine profile visible between the frames, along with a report about a nearby crime. Sato bursts open the door but only sees Conan, with his bowtie, and a confused Araide. She asks about Takagi's whereabouts, to which Araide answers that he has already left the venue. As Sato runs to join her true love outside, Araide gives Conan a sly wink.
Meanwhile, the real Takagi arrives fatigued at the venue entrance and laments his failure. He then hears Sato's voice yelling at him to board her car, reminding him about the "nearby crime." Conan gleefully watches the two drive off, remarking that the couple's clumsy nature reminded him about his relationship with Ran, which impelled him to push the odds in their favor.
People
Major Events
- Major romantic development between Takagi and Sato.
- Sato accidentally finds herself in an omiai with Shiratori.
- Takagi rescues her from her unwanted marriage.
- Sato realizes that she is in love with Takagi.
- Sato accidentally finds herself in an omiai with Shiratori.
- Akai continues his search for his target at the omiai venue.
- Ran passes by Akai and inexplicably recognizes him.
Valentine Chocolate Case
File 331 - Bloody Valentine 1
Conan voices on his distaste for Valentine's Day, diminishing it as a corporate ploy to increase chocolate sales. Conan's opinion, coupled with Haibara's explanation about the holiday's gruesome origin, shatters Genta and Mitsuhiko's rose-tinted impression of the festivities. Still, Ayumi interjects and expresses her enduring positivity for the chocolate-based event. Curious, Haibara asks Conan what the "girl at the detective agency" plans to do. Conan denies any knowledge, adding that their plans are occupied by a visit to a chalet Mount Suito. Haibara wishes them safety, mentioning Al Capone's Valentine's Day massacre, which reminds Conan about James Black's bizarre description of Chicago.[2]
The next day, Conan joins Ran, Sonoko, and Kogoro in the drive to the chalet. Sonoko reveals that Suito Chalet's chocolate-making experience is renowned for its ability to enable romantic success, leading Ran to assume she will bake a batch for Makoto. Instead, Sonoko appears downcast, explaining that Makoto has not been returning her calls lately. She also mentions her aborted plan to "make a hand-woven sweater for an ambiguous recipient" to elicit feelings of jealousy in Makoto, saying she had actually employed the gimmick this time using Valentines chocolate instead.[3] She wishes she had made clear intentions and lets Ran comfort her. Sonoko then turns to her friend and calls her strong, citing her ability to remain cheerful without Shinichi. Ran laughs the notion off, replying that she is used to it.
Once there, they meet the chalet's owner, Chiyoko Yuasa, who mentions her declining business as the result of a spreading ghost story. She warns Ran about venturing into the blizzard, implying the existence of the supernatural. A guest, Yoshitaka Nigaki, explains the authorities occasionally find strewn chocolate around the corpses they discover on the winter mountain. After amply scaring Ran and Sonoko, he announces his departure into the forest to his friends, Mika Konagawa and Ako Amari. As the man sets off, Conan asks his friends about his profession. They explain he is a journalist who is searching the mountains to take photograph evidence of the Japanese Wolf's enduring existence, adding that he claims to have seen the supposedly extinct canine five years ago. The group is then passed by a rifle-wielding, Yuzo Sakami, a hunter who wishes to capture the animal. He asks Yuasa to accommodate his incoming friends, a task the owner delegates to Kogoro, stating she must visit her late husband's grave. She calls her shikoku dog, Saburo, and walks into the forest. Kogoro speculates Nigaki mistook a roaming Saburo for a wolf, but the two women deny the notion, explaining that Saburo was in his pen during his late-night expedition. Amari then suggests they start preparing the chocolate baking process.
In the kitchen, Konagawa and Amari lead the workshop. The former tells Ran that Yuasa's husband had perished in an avalanche about three Valentine's Days ago. He was buried alongside Amari's brother, whose body is yet to be found. Amari says she has volunteered annually at chalet ever since, hoping he is somehow still alive. Sonoko manages to complete a beautiful chocolate piece dedicated to Makoto. Ran gives a melancholic smile which Conan observes from afar. The group notices the worsening weather, and Amari and Konagawa rush into the forest to call Nigaki back.
Sometime later, the two return frightened, saying Nigaki is nowhere to be found. Kogoro, Ran, and Yuasa join a second search, while Conan disobeys Ran and creates his own search party with Saburo. With the chalet now empty, an unknown fatigued individual enters through the kitchen door and approaches the completed chocolates.
The searching group suddenly hears a gunshot, and are joined by another hunter named Hajime Itakura, who joins their search. Meanwhile, Conan manages to locate Nigaki. He steps closer and finds him deceased via bludgeoning, along with Amari's chocolate laid on his lap.
File 332 - Bloody Valentine 2
The main group follows the sound of Saburo's barking and unites with Conan, who regrettably shows them Nigaki's corpse. Kogoro holds back Nigaki's horrified friends and examines the body, finding a large bloodied tree branch which likely served as the weapon. Kogoro notes the confounding effects the snow can have on the investigation. Conan notices Nigaki's missing right contact lens through his worn goggles and hints that it was likely lost when he was bludgeoned—meaning the culprit deliberately placed his goggles over his eyes to make the murder appear like it was committed during daylight. He then shows the group Amari's chocolate, confirming that the corpse was visited recently. The group is suddenly joined by Sakami, who says they are temporarily disconnected from the police since a crucial tunnel was hit with a small avalanche. Left with no choice, the group decides to return to the chalet.
Kogoro calls the police via the landline and confirms Sakami's story, while Ran confirms the absence of Amari's chocolate from the kitchen table. Kogoro searches through Nigaki's video camera, but only finds one used film roll. Konagawa offers to develop the film for him using the bathroom as a darkroom; Ran joins her. When asked if there is any additional footage, Amari points to the several rolls Nigaki used to record scenes last night. Conan asks if they can see the contents, and Amari agrees to display the recordings on the chalet television, despite Sakami and Itakura's qualms.
As the tapes display moments of standard banter between friends, the display begins to glitch. Kogoro to angrily shakes the screen and accidentally topples a daruma doll which rolls off the side. Saburo catches the daruma, while Yuasa says her antiquated television is a treasured artifact her late husband bought with his first wife, Reiko, who had died due to illness twelve years ago. With the conclusion Nigaki's tapes, Kogoro comments on the lack of meaningful information.
Ran and Konagawa then return with a photograph depicting Nigaki's final moments: an extreme low-angle shot of a tree at noon with three large blurred marks in frame. Konagawa explains that Nigaki's blood likely tainted the lens, creating the large marks. Conan internally remarks on the strangeness of the photograph. Kogoro's suspicions are directed at Yuasa, Sakami, and Itakura, who are the only three individuals without an alibi. The hunters object, stating they would not have the time to both kill Nigaki and steal Amari's chocolate. Yuasa on the other hand, floats the idea of an external threat still lurking in the blizzard. In response, Itakura mentions seeing an unsettling large man wearing a beanie on his way to the chalet. His description cannot help but conjure images of Akai in Conan's mind. Meanwhile, in the storm, a man perfectly fitting Itakura's description boldly observes the chalet from afar.
File 333 - Bloody Valentine 3
Ran asks Itakura for clarification about the mysterious man's appearance, saying she might be acquainted with him—a statement which astounds Conan. Konagawa trembly suggests he is Natsuya, Amari's missing brother. She manically heads for the outdoors to look for him in the storm, but Amari holds her back and shouts that her boyfriend, Natsuya, is dead, restoring clarity in the crestfallen woman. The hunters then reiterate their innocence and blame the murder on the prowling man in the beanie. Seeing the group's dissatisfaction with their answer, Sakami accuses Amari, stating that she could have baked a second identical piece of chocolate. By placing one piece on Nigaki's lap and discarding the original left on the kitchen table, she could create a false alibi. Konagawa disagrees, reminding them that Nigaki was killed hours before they went searching for him. She also compares the chocolate found at the crime with a photograph of Amari's original chocolate, proving they are identical. The hunters acknowledge their flawed logic and return to their respective rooms to sleep.
Conan asks if all the developed photographs were truly taken between today and yesterday, as the film roll could have been swapped. The group decides to compare the footage and finds that, indeed, the subjects' clothes are exactly the same between the videos and the photos, suggesting both were taken on the same day. Given that the last photograph had the bloodied frame, Nigaki's time of death at noon is largely confirmed. Ran also confirms that Konagawa did not tamper with the equipment in the darkroom. She does, however, mention there were two completely black photographs taken prior to the last photo. Although Konagawa assumes it was Nigaki's error, Conan remains dubious of the photo's credibility. He then notices the television display footage of Nigaki throwing a toy ball to Saburo; the dog unexpectedly shows disinterest in playing. Conan asks Yuasa about the reason for Saburo's name, and she replies that it is because he was her husband's third dog, following Taro and Jiro, who have both since passed. Per Conan's request, Amari and Konagawa head for Yuasa's late husband's room (currently a guest room assigned to Nigaki) to retrieve a photo album containing pictures of Jiro. As Yuasa informs Conan about Saburo's strange eating habits during snow storms, the group hears a piercing scream cut through the chalet.
Kogoro and company join Konagawa and Amari at Nigaki's room where they find Sakami and Itakura rummaging through his belongings. The hunters explain that they were looking for clues, but acknowledge their mistake and agree to be frisked for stolen items. Conan notices a sweater stained with a line of blood disrupted in the middle. Konagawa says Nigaki wore the sweater yesterday when he accidentally cut himself while cutting chocolate. Yuasa then shows Conan a picture of Jiro and Saburo, two identical dogs whom even their owner struggles the tell apart.
Conan silently enters Saburo's room and drops his favorite ball in front of his pen. The dog Saburo eagerly tries to reach his toy, an action which allows Conan to complete the puzzle; he has solved the trick. He then enters the kitchen, still needing definitive evidence. He notices the various completed chocolates lined on the table and manages to identify Ran's. Seeing the unadorned labeling, Conan cannot help but empathize with her conflicting emotions, and gives a gloomy expression. A strong gust of wintery wind blows into the room as something enters the chalet from the freezing outdoors, making Conan smile. Kogoro then also enters the room and is surprised by the sudden appearance. Conan capitalizes on Kogoro's state of confusion and tranquilizes him. The chalet guests react in shock as Conan informs them that "Kogoro" has solved the case, directing them to the kitchen.
File 334 - Bloody Valentine 4
With the case solved and culprits apprehended, a flustered Sonoko asks why Makoto is at the chalet. He explains that he is here to see if the man Sonoko has been teasing him with is indeed worthy of receiving her affection. Believing his romantic rival has received her handmade sweater, teacup, and now chocolate, he demands he step forward. However, his macho demeanor collapses upon seeing his name written on Sonoko's chocolate. Ran also explains that Sonoko had abandoned her sweater project and that he is her teacup's recipient, having mistaken it for a flower pot.[3][4] Embarrassed, Makoto heads for the exit, but is stopped by Sonoko. Meanwhile, Conan watches in utter shock as the girl's absurd romantic machinations result in a total success.
A few days later on Valentine's Day, Ran tells Sonoko that she did not address her chocolate to anyone. Sonoko eventually rushes off to see Makoto off at the airport, leaving Ran to internally comment that "she is not as strong as Sonoko thinks she is." Upon returning to the detective agency, her tears begin to pour, lamenting her worsening loneliness and helplessness. Conan silently observes her from behind the door.
Later on, as snow begins to descend onto the city streets, Ran wakes up from a long nap she took on the agency sofa. She finds herself covered by a coat and wonders who had blanketed her. Noticing the time, she panics and checks her phone, discovering an unopened message with a photo attachment. To her surprise, the photo is of her sleeping, captioned with a message from "Detective Kid." Suddenly, her phone rings. She picks up, only to hear Shinichi, the "Detective Kid," speaking to her. She rushes to open the window and demands he shows himself. Shinichi explains that he came to the agency but did not dare to wake her after seeing her sleeping so soundly. He also says he was hungry and had eaten her "peach-like" chocolate left on the table, much to Ran's shock. He generously compliments the sweet, asking where she had purchased it. Ran, delighted, comments that its origins will forever remain a secret, a store only she knows. She looks out the window with a satisfied expression and continues her conversation with Shinichi, comically commenting that "Detective Kid" is a rather cheesy title, much to Conan's chagrin.
People
Major Events
- Major romantic development between Sonoko and Makoto.
- Sonoko's long-planned romantic ploy to elicit an emotional response from Makoto proves to be a resounding success.
- Makoto disproves his perceived aloofness and receives Sonoko's Valentine's Day chocolate.
- Romantic development between Ran and Shinichi.
- Shinichi alleviates Ran's loneliness with a mischievous, yet endearing act followed by a long phone call.
- Conan learns that Ran may be familiar with Akai.
Missing Watch Case
File 335 - Memento of a Wife
The Detective Boys are invited to the Mouri Detective Agency, where they marvel at Ran's detailed chocolate replicas of each of their faces. As the children shower Ran with praise and gratitude, Conan questions how she had the time to bake these pieces, citing their absence from the chalet kitchen table. She answers that they served as her test batch, which she stored in the refrigerator.[5] The cheerful banter is interrupted by Kogoro, who complains that their commotion is disrupting his work. Genta and Mitsuhiko question if the Detective is truly engaging in meaningful labor. Their skepticism is vindicated when Ayumi unplugs his pocket radio, loudly playing a horse racing broadcast. Kogoro's embarrassment is luckily cut short when a client rings the doorbell.
The client, Hideo Morita, asks for the Detective's help in finding a lost wristwatch that belonged to his late wife, saying that his dreams are haunted by scenes of her "questioning the time." He believes if he can locate her missing wristwatch, her spirit will pass on into the afterlife. Hearing the man's seemingly trivial request, Kogoro goes ballistic, deeming it not worth his time. As Morita leaves in disappointment, he is approached by the Detective Boys, who offer their services free of charge.
The group arrives at Morita's apartment, where Agasa notices the wilting flowers displayed in a vase near the entrance. Morita explains that he has properly maintained them ever since his wife died in a traffic accident three weeks ago, but acknowledges their natural decline. Meanwhile, the children are awestruck at the sight of Morita's audio room, fitted with audio speakers, television monitors, DVDs, and pamphlets. Suddenly, another apartment resident, Eiko Idetsuki, rings the doorbell and demands Morita pay his debt. The man hands her ¥5,000,000 (~$50,000), a quarter of what he owes her, and says he intends to settle the rest by selling his apartment. He also shows her a DVD copy of Sakura Sanjuurou that he managed to acquire, which greatly excites her. She immediately moves to the audio room to watch the movie, removing the Detective Boys in the process. Morita shows an infuriated expression as Idetsuki closes the door behind her.
The Detective Boys continue their fruitless search into the dusk hours, motivating Morita to prepare sandwiches as a gesture of gratitude, which rejuvenates the children, especially Genta. He then tasks Conan and Ayumi with delivering tea and sandwiches to Idetsuki. The two quietly enter the audio room and offer the tense woman food. She orders them to hush, clearly rapt in the film. Per her instructions, they leave the food at the rear table and return to the kitchen.
Conan then notices Morita's laundry situation and deduces that even someone who perpetually wears their wristwatch would still remove it when they bathe. He then rushes to the filled laundry machine and empties its contents. Ayumi notices a solid object hit the floor and finds the working wristwatch, much to Conan's surprise. As Morita expresses his deep appreciation, Conan's suspicions rise—Morita likely lied about losing the watch. Suddenly, the sound of a violent crash punctuates the moment. Conan hears the front door slam shut while rushing to the audio room. Upon entering, he finds Idetsuki dead, bludgeoned with a now shattered vase.
File 336 - Clean Scent
Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the crime scene and identify Morita's entrance vase as the murder weapon. They immediately suspect Morita himself for the crime, and retrace his steps. With the Detective Boys' help, the police determine that Morita was capable of slipping away from the kitchen while he made sandwiches. Given there is a hallway that directly connects the kitchen to the audio room, Morita could have easily bludgeoned Idetsuki, masking the sound of her death with the blaring movie audio, and then played sound recordings of the vase's shattering remotely from next to the laundry machine. However, Conan disproves the theory, recalling that Idetsuki was still alive when him and Ayumi visited the audio room to deliver sandwiches. Chiba then arrives and reports on Idetsuki's relationships with her neighboring tenants. He explains that she often loaned large sums of money and charged high interest rates, meaning she was likely an unpopular character. Additionally, a sizable portion of the apartment's tenants were aware of her location, as they were used to hearing her blast the audio of the films she watched in Morita's audio room. With the possibility of an external culprit, Megure orders a comprehensive investigation of all who were indebted to Idetsuki.
Agasa approaches Conan and comments on the case, but the boy quickly surmises that Morita is the murderer. He explains that manual wristwatches like Morita's need to be rewound roughly every fifty hours to remain accurate. Nevertheless, Morita's watch remained perfectly in-synch upon its discovery three weeks after its supposed disappearance. Therefore, Morita likely deliberately hid to wristwatch as a means of attracting an external witness who can confirm his alibi.
While pondering the case details, Conan notices Takagi ask Morita if he noticed any suspicious individuals loitering around the Mouri Detective Agency. Curious, Conan asks the sergeant for clarification. Takagi kneels down to the boy and quietly reveals that someone is secretly investigating Kogoro. He says that all of the files regarding cases involving Kogoro were stolen from the police headquarters, but were recently mailed back anonymously without any alteration. Alarmed, Conan asks when they were stolen, to which Takagi answers: on the day of the bus hijacking.[6] The police are currently investigating the matter, looking for anyone who may harbor feelings of animosity towards the Detective. As Takagi takes his leave, Conan worries that the target is not Kogoro, but rather himself. Agasa leans in and asks what he was told, but Conan demurs. Haibara, able to broadly infer the nature of the news, internally comments on the negative externalities of the pursuit of justice. Conan's righteousness, while commendable, may very well bring about his ruin.
Genta then notices a strange smell in the kitchen and tracks its source to then microwave, but finds it empty. Conan opens a nearby trash can and finds a bouquet of dry flowers disposed inside. Inspired by Genta's mention of a "sandwich," Conan inspects the kitchen cupboard before running to the audio room. Using Takagi as a means of vertical transport, he reaches above the television and pulls back a shelf curtain revealing several stacks of VHS players. Conan spots a timer on one of the devices and switches it on, calibrating another device to its left, which displays a cassette symbol. Having collected the necessary pieces of evidence, Conan deduces Morita's remote murder trick.
File 337 - Life of a Flower...
Conan calls the Mouri Detective Agency but receives no answer. His fears are momentarily interrupted when Agasa reports that the police are interested in his deduction and have agreed to cooperate with his experiment. Conan then directs Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta to take their positions. Haibara, having noticed Conan's trepidations, reminds him about the dangers of revealing his true identity Ran, although not without sympathizing with his emotions from receiving chocolate. Conan solemnly reassures her that he accepted her present in a platonic manner, much to Agasa and Haibara's surprise. He adds that if he were to advance their relationship, it would only deepen their mutual loneliness. Not wanting to "see her tears anymore," he vows to keep her away from the danger, even at the cost of his emotional wellbeing. Haibara gives a respectful smile, internally commenting on their respective "pain."
The Detective Boys report to Megure about a missing item in Morita's apartment, arguing that the culprit's motive was theft, not murder. Megure and Morita accompany the children to the kitchen where they are shown a bowl without its base. Takagi then arrives and escorts Morita back to the audio room for a brief crime scene interrogation. Upon entering, Morita reacts in shock at the sight of the activated VHS player above the television. He raises concern about a stack of VHS tapes placed in front of his players. The forensic officers assure him that their placement is temporary. Megure then orders a recreation of the events leading Idetsuki's murder, casting Takagi as the culprit and Agasa as Idetsuki. Morita frantically asks to play Idetsuki, stating that his familiarity with the room makes him better suited for the role; Megure accepts.
The actors proceed with the simulation, as Morita crouches to remove the tape from the player. Conan interjects, asking why he chose not to use the "eject" button on his VHS remote. Before the man can explain, Conan presses the button, causing the player to fiercely eject its contents and startling Morita. He quickly covers his head with his hands, expecting an impact. After a few moments, he opens his eyes, free of harm.
With the case solved, Conan quietly takes his leave. Haibara silently watches him rush for the Detective Agency while internally reflecting on his reckless quest for justice using a metaphor of a flower.
Conan's jog gradually accelerates into a sprint as he frantically dials the agency but gets no response. He ascends the stairs and bursts into the main room, finding it eerily empty with the television still playing. He then checks on the third floor, finding it in a similar state. His worries crescendo as the image of Akai pops into his mind. Suddenly, his eyes are covered by a cheerful Ran, who explains that Kogoro had managed bet on a winning horse, bringing in massive winnings. He is out bragging about his victory while Ran rushed off to the supermarket to purchase a more expensive cut of steak for their dinner. Relieved, Conan hesitates to ask an important question. He remembers Ran expressing familiarity with a man in a beanie at the Suito chalet, and wonders if she knows Akai.[5] However, he aborts the question before asking, concluding she would obviously not.
Meanwhile, Akai ominously smokes a cigarette, observing the Detective Agency from across the street.
People
Major Events
- Someone had stolen police files that documented cases Kogoro solved from the police headquarters, suggesting Kogoro is being investigated.
- Akai is seen spying on the Mouri Detective Agency.
- Romantic development between Shinichi and Ran.
Escalator Message Case
File 338 - The Meaning of X
Ran deeply ponders about the identity of the man in the beanie, strangely feeling the same unease she felt when Shinichi left her at Tropical Land.[7] Her fixation pulls her focus away from her English class, prompting Jodie to call on her, asking what the "X" on the blackboard means. Her answers rudimentary answer is jeered by her classmates, and Jodie assigns the question as homework for Ran.
On the walk back home, Ran tells Conan about X, wondering if he has any ideas as for what it could mean. The boy's mind scrolls through dozens of various meanings of X, but fails to pinpoint a plausible candidate, especially after Ran adds that it is a feminine mark. He does, however, recall his mother signing her letters with "xxx" shortly before her signature. As Ran and Sonoko comment on Jodie's improvement as a teacher, they are suddenly interrupted by Jodie herself, who asks if Ran has solved her assignment yet. Sonoko floats the idea of directing the question to Shinichi, sending Conan into a mental frenzy. When asked why she approached them, Jodie says she has an important question for the two girls.
The four head for a department store cafe where Jodie asks if either Ran or Sonoko have experienced sexual assault. Despite Sonoko's faith in Ran's self-defense skills, Jodie ominously stresses the danger posed by an ardent stalker. Conan listens in deep thought.
The group is then startled by a company executive named Norihisa Kisugi, who yells worrying information into his phone. On the other end of the line, the executive's private investigator, Katsunori Chujo, attempts to leverage a higher pay from his client by saying that his target has offered to pay him more money for his silence. Kisugi breaks under the pressure and quadruples his payment, satisfying Chujo. The Private Investigator ends his call and faces a silhouette standing in front of him. Chujo He then gives them his commiserations before walking off to expose the silhouette's identity to Kisugi. However, as Chujo prepares to board an escalator, the silhouette charges at him and thrusts a blade into his stomach. The aggressor then purloins several documents their victim's packet just as a blackout strikes the department building.
The lights are soon restored, relieving a frightened Sonoko who is still mentally recovering from her previous incident involving a blackout. [3] A piercing scream then echoes through the halls, prompting Conan to investigate a large crowd gathering before an escalator. Fighting through the hordes of bystanders, he eventually finds Chujo dead on the steps while hugging a package with the symbols "OX∆" written in blood.
Sometime later, Inspector Megure and Takagi arrive at the store and open their investigation. While Megure tries his best to tolerate Jodie's antics, a forensic officer interrupts, having recovered the victim's phone. He dials the last registered caller, causing a ringing noise to emanate from the surrounding crowd of bystanders, exposing Kisugi.
The police proceed to interrogate the man, who shares that he recently discovered that someone was quietly embezzling company funds. He then hired Chujo to identify the embezzler, planning on meeting the private investigator in the first floor cafe to discuss his findings. Believing the embezzler to likely be the culprit, Megure asks if Kisugi has any leads on their identity. The executive shows a list of fifty-eight employees, fifty-eight suspects.
File 339 - OX∆□!?
Takagi reports that Chujo's fingerprints have been found on the symbols written by blood, thereby confirming that the envelope does contain a dying message. Conan and the police thus start thinking about things relevant to the symbols, and Ran innocently suggests that the cross in the dying message might have the same meaning as Jodie's cross. Jodie and Sonoko dismiss this idea and laugh out loud, and Takagi joins the conversation (as he also knows what the cross means in that case). Megure overhears their laughter and orders Takagi to explain, but Takagi insists that that interpretation is completely irrelevant to the case. Conan points out that since there is a vertical line on the left edge of the envelope (i.e. on the left of the circle symbol), there must be more to the dying message. He suggests that it might be found on a step of the escalator, as Chujo likely wrote the dying message during the blackout (meaning that he could not see where he was writing; even if he knew that he was writing in the wrong place, since he knew that his death was likely imminent, he probably did not try to rectify it) and while he was being transported by the escalator to the current floor. By using the luminol reaction, it is revealed that the fourth symbol is a square which is slightly bigger than the other three symbols.
Meanwhile, by collecting the alibis of the employees on the list, Chiba is able to reduce the number of suspects to 31 (i.e. there are 27 employees with a verifiable and reliable alibi). Sonoko grabs this renewed suspect list from Megure and Jodie, Ran and she point out that some kanjis on the list can be formed by combining two or more symbols and others represent an object that can be drawn as one of the symbols. For example, the first kanji of the suspect Suzuki Tsubasa (the native form of this name is 鈴木翼) is "鈴", which means "bell" and thus can be simplified to a circle. Since Sonoko and this person share the same surname, she impatiently tells Ran that he cannot possibly be the culprit. Megure, feeling that their conversation has gone astray, gets the list back and orders the girls, Jodie and Conan to leave the case to the police.
Now that Ran can no longer contribute to the case, she approaches Takagi (who left the crime scene to help Chiba, who had returned to the company to conduct further investigations) to ask about the meaning of the cross. Takagi tells her what it means, and says that he knows it because Yumi Miyamoto often sends him messages with multiple crosses at the end as a joke. On the contrary, when Conan asked him the same question a moment ago, Takagi just pat Conan on the head and told him that he is too young for such matters; this response rendered Conan visibly annoyed.
Back at the crime scene, Jodie, who seems to have figured out the meaning of the dying message, gives hints to Conan. She mentions that in the U.S. federal government, one of the most important agencies is the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), and tells him about a saying that goes "you can hide the head (of an ostrich), but not the tail". This saying inspires Conan and allows him to instantly figure out who the embezzler is from the list of 31. As confidence emerges on Conan's face, Jodie, who is gazing at him, smiles.
People
Cover in other countries
References
- ^ Police Escort Murder Case (Manga: Volume 30: 296-298)
- ^ Kidnapped Tourist Case (Manga: Volume 32: 325-327)
- ^ a b c Girl Clubbing Case (Manga: Volume 28-29: 284-286)
- ^ Pottery Class Case (Manga: Volume 30-31: 305-307)
- ^ a b Valentine Chocolate Case (Manga:Volume 33: 331-334)
- ^ Bus Hijacking Case (Manga:Volume 29: 287-289)
- ^ Roller Coaster Murder Case (Manga: Volume 1: 1)
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 |
