Fans on social media voice their surprise that Case Closed (known in Japan as Detective Conan) isn't always about a child-sized detective who solves cases.
A clip posted to X (formerly Twitter) has gone viral that depicts Case Closed's Shinichi Kudo -- known by his alias Conan -- firing a soccer ball in a showcase of brilliant animation. The clip is from the franchise's latest Case Closed film, Black Iron Submarine, and contains callbacks to popular surreal soccer moves seen through cartoons and anime like Inazuma Eleven and Galactic Football. While fans were blown away, many voiced their surprise at how, and why, a genius detective solving cases could pull off such superhuman feats.
Shinichi's wild sports moves make a little more sense when considering that the movies are detached from the main anime series, which grounds itself more in realism. Furthermore, Shinichi was an avid soccer player in middle school; the instant soccer ball seen in the clip above was created especially for him by Dr. Agasa so he could fight at any time. The visual spectacle seen in the clip is an example of why the Case Closed movies are so beloved. Similar to other high-profile movie franchises like One Piece or Dragon Ball, these anime-original stories serve as special events for fans outside of the ordinary. The latest entry, Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine, has grossed $106 million since its release in April 2023. This is broadly in line with the last four films, showcasing the constant draw for viewers.
Case Closed's high-octane spectacle is set to continue in its upcoming 27th movie, Hyaku-man Doru no Michishirube, which will be released on April 12, 2024. The official teaser dropped in October, and it and the newest key visual from last week can be seen below, teasing a confession between characters Heiji and Kazuha, who have been long-time love interests.
Crunchyroll streams the Case Closed anime for fans looking to get started. The anime hasn't always fared well in the West but was one of the most popular anime of 2023 in Japan. Crunchyroll describes the series: "The son of a world famous mystery writer, Shinichi Kudo, has achieved his own notoriety by assisting the local police as a student detective. He has always been able to solve the most difficult of criminal cases using his wits and power of reason."
Source: X (formerly Twitter)
