Quick Info
Author: Gosho Aoyama
Published: September 7, 2004
Page count: 192
Availability: Buy on Amazon, Crunchyroll, buy digital online, read on Viz Manga app
Story Summary
Jimmy Kudo (Shinichi Kudo) goes to the Tropical Land amusement park with his childhood friend Rachel More (Ran Mori), and as a high school detective, he encounters a murder case. Later, he sees a mysterious man and follows him, leading to unexpected danger and consequences.
I'll Mention the Japanese Names, but I Will Use the Localized Names
Because this manga came out when translators would localize names, change the Japanese names to American names in order for American readers to pick up the manga, I will use the localized names, but I will put the Japanese names in parentheses.
I will make sure to use the English localized names for the manga review because I want the reviews to be consistent. However, when I review the movies and anime, I will be using the original Japanese names.
The Story is Off to a Great Start
Case Closed, or Detective Conan, is off to a solid start. Mysteries aren’t something I read a lot of, but I have listened to a few Sherlock Holmes stories, and I enjoyed them. I became intrigued by this franchise after watching Case Closed: The Fist of Blue Sapphire. I enjoyed the movie a lot, and so the story piqued my interest. However, it was the character of Ai Haibara that got me to watch the anime after I had watched the episodes on Netflix. Since I’m watching the anime, I thought I should review the manga as well.
The initial cases might not be mind-blowing, but they’re a solid setup for the manga’s story and establishing how smart Jimmy is, and while he’s a great detective, his personality isn’t that of the perfect male lead; he’s got flaws, and his flaws are what got him into his current situation.
I enjoyed the plot, and while it isn’t as amazing right off the bat, the mysteries and main plot become much more interesting and entertaining as the story goes on. But for these first cases, they get the job done of establishing the main character and the supporting cast around him.
I like how observant Jimmy is and that he thinks outside the box; he leaves his mind open for all sorts of reasons and possibilities for why the victim was murdered. He’s also very observant, and you can see that in how he notices things that adults overlook or miss.
Overall, while it isn’t the best start to a manga, it’s still solid enough to be intriguing, and you’ll want to read what happens next, which is what a first volume of a manga needs to do.
The Art is Fantastic!
Case Closed has beautiful artwork. It’s very detailed and bloody because people keep getting murdered. I like the character designs, and the artwork looks great, even though it’s almost 30 years old. The character designs and the backgrounds are nice to look at.
The crimes are very memorable because of the unorthodox ways people are murdered in this manga. While not every case is a murder, there are certainly a lot of them. Since this is Japan, there won’t be a lot of gun-related crimes, but they will show up throughout the manga. There are still crazy ways for a victim to be murdered.
Other than the murders, I do love the character designs. Every character is unique in how they look, and they don’t have a generic manga design and I can remember most of the large cast, except for other police departments, which won’t come into play in the manga for several volumes anyway.
The art is solid, and it only gets better as I continue to read this manga series.
The Main Plot is Slow
Gosho Aoyama’s pacing is very slow. Since this is a crime manga, like all detective and mystery fiction, it runs on a victim-of-the-week format. When it comes to the main plot of Conan Edogawa/Jimmy Kudo (Shinichi Kudo) taking on the Black Organization, you won’t be seeing them too much, and they don’t show up for a very long time in the manga.
If you want a story that isn’t episodic, then this manga isn’t for you, but there’s always character development happening in every chapter, and it takes a long time to see the big parts of the main plot happen in the story.
This Isn't for Everyone, but I Can See Why It's So Popular
Case Closed isn’t for everyone, but I can see why it’s very popular all over the world. It has an interesting protagonist in a unique situation and a premise that has never been replicated with the setting the story uses.
The characters are likable, flawed, and the story is intriguing. The main characters are well-written and fun. They’re all interesting, and I want to see what’s going to happen to them next. While this isn’t the “best” introduction for a series, it’s still a solid and memorable start if you’re looking for a manga series to get into. I can see why readers love the story, characters, and setting.
My Rating: A-
Case Closed is a fun manga; it’s a great way for readers to get into the mystery genre. While I initially came to the franchise by watching one of the movies, I had already started liking the mystery genre by listening to Sherlock Holmes stories on YouTube. Mysteries aren’t even my favorite genre, but I love this manga series.
While the first volume lacks the bombastic, action-packed elements of the typical Shonen manga, it’s still a solid Shonen title that anyone can pick up and read.
The story is interesting, while not the most exciting story I’ve read in a first volume, it’s still a solid start that keeps me invested in reading more, especially since I have watched the anime and now the story improves as time goes on, but if you have never watched the anime, it’s still a great way to get into the Detective Conan series, you’ll just have to deal wit the ‘Americanized’ names, if you switch to the subtitled version of the anime you will hear their Japanese names, and not the ones used in the localization.
I highly recommend Case Closed Volume 1 to anyone looking for a solid mystery series. While it does have some blood in it, it’s still considered a family-friendly series in Japan, and while it has some fanservice moments later, they are still very rare and the series is heavily focused on the cases and not necessarily showing fanservice in the manga.
While the pacing isn’t my favorite aspect of the manga, the cases are still very interesting to read. I love the series because I haven’t been able to solve the cases myself, so it makes every case an enjoyable read, especially when something about the main plot is revealed during the case.
The first volume is worth buying, whether in digital or print. You will need a whole bookshelf for the series if you’re going to purchase it physically. It’s a very long series that is more popular than One Piece if you’re outside the US.
If you want a solid mystery series with a unique premise and great characters, Case Closed is a manga series that you’ll want to try out. I have a Viz Manga subscription, so I’m reading it without paying too much. You can check if your local library has it, but since it’s an obscure series in the US you’ll want to check your local library. If you are not in the US, you shouldn’t have as much trouble because Case Closed, or Detective Conan, is very popular outside the US, all over the world.
This might not be my favorite manga, but I love the series and the characters. I might end up buying it digitally because I don’t have physical space for it all, but it could fit on my iPad.
My Viz Manga app subscription makes it so I can access the series any time, and I like that. I’m looking forward to reading the next manga volume. I’m still watching the anime, and I’m not caught up yet. But I only thought it was fair that I review the manga since I enjoy the anime so much.
I have purchased two Case Closed anime movies digitally on Amazon, and I recommend buying the manga if you can get it. If you don’t want to buy that much, but you still want to enjoy the series, you can subscribe to the Viz Manga app and read Case Closed. It’s a manga series that is worth your time and money if you’re willing to read it. It may not be the most exciting, action-packed manga you’ll ever read, but it’s a lot of fun, and I enjoy it a lot. I’ll be reviewing the manga and movies as I continue my journey through this amazing, beloved franchise.
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