#case statistics

[conanmythbusting]

Distinguished Family's Consecutive Accidental Death Case

Chapters 150-153

Deaths: 2

Days: 2 (I think? This one is tough and might need to be revisited in another format or with another translation. There's a reference to someone's alibi being "two days ago around x time", but the actual events of the case don't make it clear that the entire investigation isn't happening entirely in one night. Right now, I'm saying 2 though.)

Essential: Yes, in the "Shinichi's character arc" way. I don't think anyone would argue with me against that. Also because I think it's a huge point in Heiji's character arc.

Notes: this case also includes the beginning of the good old "Hey Kudo-- I mean Kudoi, persistence! As in wow this kid sure is persistent!" that becomes Heiji's whole thing. Also has a bit of hilarious indicators of Heiji having a crush on Kudo (literally got hearts when he talks to him, the damn disaster bi of a teenager) that tie in nicely to Kazuha thinking "Friend Kudo from Tokyo" is a girl later.

[conanmythbusting]

Ayumi-chan Kidnapping Case

Chapters 82-83

Deaths: 0

Days: 1

Essential? About that. This chapter introduces the ICONIC and IMPORTANT turbo-engine skateboard.

The turbo-engine skateboard that is SO IMPORTANT AND ICONIC that it appears in 10 chapters of the series. The next time we see it is going to be sometime in the late 600s in terms of chapters. This chapter is certainly a must-read, the turbo-engine skateboard is certainly a part of the Conan series you can't skip if you want to watch the nonserial movies or whatever. But I'm going to hold off on declaring this introduction essential to the minimalistic timeline until I actually read the 10 other chapters this gadget appears in.

[conanmythbusting]

Holmes Freak Murder Case

Chapters 117-121

Days: 3

Deaths: 2

Essential: Yep, we all know Heiji knowing Conan's identity is essential to things that happen later on. I'm glad to finally be reading a case where there's no question about the essential-ness, after a string of "this may or may not be essential, judge later when X happens or doesn't happen."

[conanmythbusting]

Ski Lodge Murder Case

Chapters: 139-143

Deaths: 2

Days: 1

Essential: I'm sort of hesitating on this one. I do think there's significant character development here that can't be skipped for both Shinichi and Ran... I kind of want to say it's a spiritual partner to both Kogoro's Class Reunion and also to the Night Baron Murder Case. (Reasoning for the first one is obvious-- that's the one Mouri has to accuse his college friend. But in the Night Baron case, Ran spends a lot of effort trying to prove her karate idol is not the killer. And he wasn't, it was her karate idol's partner. And in this one, Ran isn't the one who investigated like she was in the Night Baron case, but she is the one who has to deliver the deduction and her beloved old teacher was the killer... I think the Shinichi phone call is also significant.

But as this project has taken shape, I've gotten a bit more conservative over what constitutes essential, and I think I'm going to call this TBD at this exact second.

Notes: I do think it's really interesting that in the manga, this is the case right after Ran accuses Conan of being Shinichi, whereas in the anime, this comes about 10 episodes before The Cornered Meitantei! cases. See below:

[conanmythbusting]

Moonlight Sonata Murder Case

Chapters 63-67

Deaths: 4

Days: 2

Essential: Yes.

Interesting Notes: Stated to be on Golden Week, which I am frankly just ignoring straight up for now.

[conanmythbusting]

The Kidnapping of a Popular Artist Case

Chapters 144-146

Deaths: 0

Days: 1

Essential: Not as far as I can tell.

Note: We're starting to get to the part of the series where my memory gets vaguer and vaguer, and my god this was filed in my head as "anime original", did not expect to find this here.

[conanmythbusting]

Kogoro's Class Reunion Murder Case

Chapters

Days: 1

Deaths: 1

Essential? Yeah, I'm relatively certain that Shinichi refers back to bathing with Ran a few times when he's tempted to tell Ran his identity, so probably yeah. Certain enough to mark it as "yes". I do also think that Shinchi not knocking out Mouri and letting him solve it himself is an important step in his development into the Conan we all know and love.

Interesting Notes: I haven't formed a proper argument on the Mouri-is-actually-quite-bright thing yet, but don't think not having a lot to say about the Reunion Case right now is me having dropped that train of thought. Mouri picks up Conan's clues fast. Like "we have to change clothes if we get sweaty, oh that statue is someone who died standing up" was enough to remind Mouri of an obscure rigor mortis fact and bring him right along to the correct culprit with minimal additional prompting.

[conanmythbusting]

Coffee Shop Murder Case

Chapters 105-107

Deaths: 1

Days: 1

Essential? So this is Eri's first appearance. I'm sure Eri's gotta be part of something important at some point. She really must, right? Besides flashbacks???? I've glanced through the chapters she appears in and nothing jumped out to me right away, though, so I think I'm just going to say... TBD? Like it probably is, but I can't say for 100% certain right now.

That all said, the second that Eri does anything significant, not only will this case be essential as her introduction, so will the cases it refers back to: both the tv broadcast and the alpine case that I'd previously called unquestionably filler.