Jimmy Kudo is a famous teen detective who is renowned for his keen eye for detail. One fateful night, his investigative nature leads him to witness a secret deal, and unfortunately for Jimmy, he gets caught and is fed an experimental poison that has the unintended effect of reverting his body back to its childhood form. To protect himself and his loved ones from harm, he adopts the name Conan Edogawa. Circumstances leading Conan to live with his best friend Rachel (who is continually unaware of his identity) and her father, inept private investigator Richard Moore. Now as a child detective, Conan secretly solves case after case for Richard in hopes that he will one day find the men who poisoned him.
This is the premise of the long-running series Case Closed. If you missed it’s criminally short run on Adult Swim, you owe it to yourself to check out this silly, clever, and fun anime from Funimation. Those intimidated by the sheer number of episodes needn't worry, Case Closed is a mostly episodic whodunit, with each episode serving as a separate case for Detective Conan to solve. As the series goes on, the writers gravitate more toward two-part episodes, sacrificing the short-and-sweet appeal. However, this transition improves the quality of each case, as it allows for a stronger focus on the suspects and the actual murders.
Like the current trend of American detective comedies, Case Closed uses humor and lightheartedness to contrast the grisly murders that are the show’s main focus. The murderers often employ overly complicated, almost Rube Goldbergian methods to secure their alibis, and it is up to Conan to find the tiny detail that proves their guilt. In almost every episode, Conan uses his indispensable stun gun wristwatch and voice changing bowtie (invented by his scientist friend, Dr. Agasa) to make it seem as though Richard is the primary super sleuth, in order to protect his cover. The total disregard for realism is part of what makes Case Closed so charming.
There are few drawbacks to the series, however. While a vast majority of the episodes are entertaining, some are mediocre, and a select few even god-awful. Feel free to skip the four-part (yes, four) “Jimmy Kudo Revealed” and thank me later. Also, Rachel’s inability to discern Conan’s true identity can be frustrating, especially when the show teases the viewer into thinking that she might just figure it all out this time. It is an artificial way to add unnecessary tension to the plot, but it can be overlooked if you go in realizing that Rachel is willing to overlook whatever obvious evidence is shoved in her face.
Aside from these little gripes, Case Closed is extremely quirky and addicting. It is no surprise that the show has over 570 episodes in Japan, in addition to a live action drama series, fourteen feature films, and seventeen video games. Unfortunately, seasons 6-18 have not made their way stateside, which is a bummer for fans accustomed to the domestic voices and character names. In the decision to localize more seasons, Funimation seems to be taking Case Closed DVD sales into consideration. Just so you know…
- Patrick Velky
This is the premise of the long-running series Case Closed. If you missed it’s criminally short run on Adult Swim, you owe it to yourself to check out this silly, clever, and fun anime from Funimation. Those intimidated by the sheer number of episodes needn't worry, Case Closed is a mostly episodic whodunit, with each episode serving as a separate case for Detective Conan to solve. As the series goes on, the writers gravitate more toward two-part episodes, sacrificing the short-and-sweet appeal. However, this transition improves the quality of each case, as it allows for a stronger focus on the suspects and the actual murders.
Like the current trend of American detective comedies, Case Closed uses humor and lightheartedness to contrast the grisly murders that are the show’s main focus. The murderers often employ overly complicated, almost Rube Goldbergian methods to secure their alibis, and it is up to Conan to find the tiny detail that proves their guilt. In almost every episode, Conan uses his indispensable stun gun wristwatch and voice changing bowtie (invented by his scientist friend, Dr. Agasa) to make it seem as though Richard is the primary super sleuth, in order to protect his cover. The total disregard for realism is part of what makes Case Closed so charming.
There are few drawbacks to the series, however. While a vast majority of the episodes are entertaining, some are mediocre, and a select few even god-awful. Feel free to skip the four-part (yes, four) “Jimmy Kudo Revealed” and thank me later. Also, Rachel’s inability to discern Conan’s true identity can be frustrating, especially when the show teases the viewer into thinking that she might just figure it all out this time. It is an artificial way to add unnecessary tension to the plot, but it can be overlooked if you go in realizing that Rachel is willing to overlook whatever obvious evidence is shoved in her face.
Aside from these little gripes, Case Closed is extremely quirky and addicting. It is no surprise that the show has over 570 episodes in Japan, in addition to a live action drama series, fourteen feature films, and seventeen video games. Unfortunately, seasons 6-18 have not made their way stateside, which is a bummer for fans accustomed to the domestic voices and character names. In the decision to localize more seasons, Funimation seems to be taking Case Closed DVD sales into consideration. Just so you know…
- Patrick Velky
