Tokyo Exhibition Celebrates 30 Years of “Detective Conan”

An exhibition celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the Detective Conan series (also known as Case Closed) is being held in Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The popular series featuring the detective Edogawa Conan, who solves baffling mysteries while stuck in the body of an elementary schoolboy, first appeared in 1994. The 104 volumes of the comic have sold 270 million copies worldwide, while the anime has been broadcast in 40 countries. The exhibition includes reproductions of detailed original drawings and models, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in Conan’s world. It opened on January 12 and will run until February 25.

There are six sections focused on themes such as solving mysteries, romance, and unique criminals. From a look at the main characters in their early days to special video footage spanning three decades of the series, there are countless appealing materials unavailable elsewhere. After Tokyo, the exhibition will move on to Fukuoka, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka, Hiroshima, Yokohama, and Nagoya.

A collection of famous phrases appearing in the series.

An area dedicated to mysteries like codes and the dying messages of victims.

Creator Aoyama Gōshō originally planned that the series would be a “murder romantic comedy” and this area puts the spotlight on the love element.

Trivia sections test fan knowledge with questions like the number of people heroine Mōri Ran has knocked out with her trademark karate move.

Real-life models of weapons used in murder cases.

A special area dedicated to Conan’s rival Kaitō Kid.

Illustrations with handwritten messages from major manga creators like Takahashi Rumiko, Oda Eiichirō, and Chiba Tetsuya.

© Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan.

(Translated from Japanese. Text and photographs © Nippon.com.)