is a serialized
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese
mysteryDetective fiction is a branch of crime fiction in which a detective , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder...
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series based on the crime solving adventures of a high school student, Hajime Kindaichi, the supposed grandson of the famous (fictional) private detective
Kosuke KindaichiKosuke Kindaichi is a famous fictional Japanese detective created by Seishi Yokomizo, a renowned mystery novelist. His first case was published on April 1946, The Honjin Murder Case, a story of locked room murder in old family which many people regard as one of the best Japanese detective stories...
. They are written by Yozaburo Kanari or Seimaru Amagi (depending on series) and illustrated by
Fumiya Satōis a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for the manga series Kinda'ichi Case Files and Detective School Q. In 1995, she received the Kodansha Manga Award for her work on Kinda'ichi Case Files.- External links :*...
. The
Kindaichi Case Files series is the pioneering work in the mystery manga genre. In 1995, the manga won the
Kodansha Manga Awardis an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for
shōnenrefers to manga marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18. Examples include Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, Flame of Recca, Naruto, Bleach, Detective Conan, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh and Fullmetal Alchemist....
.
is a serialized
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese
mysteryDetective fiction is a branch of crime fiction in which a detective , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder...
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
series based on the crime solving adventures of a high school student, Hajime Kindaichi, the supposed grandson of the famous (fictional) private detective
Kosuke KindaichiKosuke Kindaichi is a famous fictional Japanese detective created by Seishi Yokomizo, a renowned mystery novelist. His first case was published on April 1946, The Honjin Murder Case, a story of locked room murder in old family which many people regard as one of the best Japanese detective stories...
. They are written by Yozaburo Kanari or Seimaru Amagi (depending on series) and illustrated by
Fumiya Satōis a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for the manga series Kinda'ichi Case Files and Detective School Q. In 1995, she received the Kodansha Manga Award for her work on Kinda'ichi Case Files.- External links :*...
. The
Kindaichi Case Files series is the pioneering work in the mystery manga genre. In 1995, the manga won the
Kodansha Manga Awardis an annual award for serialized manga published in the previous year, sponsored by the publisher Kodansha. It is currently awarded in four categories: children's, shōnen, shōjo, and general. The awards began in 1977, initially with categories for shōnen and shōjo. The first award for the...
for
shōnenrefers to manga marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18. Examples include Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, Flame of Recca, Naruto, Bleach, Detective Conan, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh and Fullmetal Alchemist....
. The collected stories are published in
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
by
TokyopopTokyopop, stylized TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Original English-language manga in English, German, and Japanese. Tokyopop is incorporated in Tokyo, Japan, with headquarters in Los Angeles, California and branches in...
with the title
The Kindaichi Case Files.
Kindaichi has also been adapted as an
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
television series with 148 episodes, 2 anime movies, a live-action movie, and three live-action series.
Toei Animationis a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
handled the anime adaption of the
Kindaichi series.
Currently, the series has been restarted with four additional cases. The writers plan to restart
Kindaichi but not on a regular basis. The fourth case started in January 2007. Only the first 19 cases (the first series) have been licensed by Tokyopop; the rest are unlikely to see print in the United States unless their relatively poor sales improve.
Overview
Kindaichi mysteries are whodunnit stories featuring (usually multiple) gruesome murders, often with a supernatural tinge. They are typically of the style of
John Dickson CarrJohn Dickson Carr was an American author of detective stories, who also published under the pen names Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers of so-called "Golden Age" mysteries, complex, plot-driven stories in which the puzzle is...
, and frequently feature a
locked room mysteryThe locked room mystery is a sub-genre of detective fiction in which a crime—usually murder—is committed under apparently impossible circumstances. The crime in question typically involves a crime scene that no intruder could have entered or left, e.g., a locked room...
or other seemingly "impossible" crimes, such as a murder occurring when all surviving suspects have (apparently) airtight alibis.
A notable distinction of
The Kindaichi Case Files is that the killers are not depicted as psychopathic murderers and the murders are never committed for financial reasons alone. The identified killers all have deep rooted problems, often involving great emotional trauma through the greed or thoughtlessness of others, as their reasons for committing the murder(s). Thus the killers are often portrayed as sympathetic figures, as opposed to cold, calculating killers in some other mystery series.
The main titles
The titles have more or less a literal translation. As of May 2008, Tokyopop has canceled the series, The volume that would have been released next had it continued is volume #18 "The Burial Francs,".
These titles, as well as some details, may be changed by Tokyopop if they release these volumes in the future.
- The Opera House Murders is the first Kindaichi mystery, and the story on which the first anime
is animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
movie is based. Miyuki corrals Kindaichi into assisting the school drama club in rehearsing The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialization in Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
at an isolated island hotel. But a killer stalks the high school group, one who can walk across mud without leaving footprints, and it's up to Kindaichi to solve the case, fighting time, weather, and Police Inspector Kenmochi, who fails to take the young man seriously (for the last time).
- The Mummy's Curse sees Kindaichi and Miyuki visit a classmate about to get married, accompanied by a teacher, who was a boyfriend of the bride. The small hexagram
While generally recognized as a symbol of Jewish identity it is used also in other historical, religious and cultural contexts, for example in Islam, and Eastern Religions as well as in Occultism....
-shaped village in which the classmate lives is packed with wealthy aristocrats who keep mysterious, cut-up mummies in their luxurious homes. But things turn serious when a murder is committed in a locked chapel, and the aristocrats start dying one by one. For Kindaichi, this case is more than the mummies' curse. After finding a connection between the victims and the tragic accident involving the burned church 27 years ago, Kindaichi finally reveals the murderer and the village's dark past!
- Death TV follows Kindaichi and Kenmochi as they assist in the production of Shock TV, a prank-pulling reality show. Fun turns to fright when one of the show's victims is slaughtered by someone dressed up as a legendary snow demon called the "Yukiyasha
Yasha may refer to:*Gu Yasha, Chinese footballer*Yaksha, spirits in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology...
", while the crew (including pop star Reika Hayami) watches in horror via TV broadcast. The trouble is, how was the murder committed when all the suspects were a twenty minute drive away from the crime scene?
- Smoke and Mirrors hits Kindaichi's high school when he and Miyuki are asked to join the school's Mystery Club and attempt to track down a series of urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, or urban tale, more properly a "'contemporary legend'" is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them...
s called "The Seven Mysteries of Fudo HighThis article is about the fictional urban legends in The Kindaichi Case Files episode Smoke and Mirrors.The Seven Mysteries of Fudo High is a set of curses said to revolve around mysterious deaths and disappearances at the north campus building of Fudo High...
." It seems the school has been receiving threatening letters from someone who calls himself "The Afterschool Magician" stating that his home in the old campus area must not be destroyed. But the school's legendary bogeyman turns out to be all too real, a shadowy figure who is able to make himself, and the corpse of one of Kindaichi's classmates, vanish in less than two minutes from a locked room. With Miyuki nearly killed, this case may be too much for Hajime Kindaichi...
- Treasure Isle is rumored to hide a vast bounty of gold said to be guarded by the legendary beast "Yamawara", which Kindaichi and other treasure hunters gather to search for. But the host is killed before the group even arrives, and a bloody slaying takes place during a time in which none of the people on the island could have done it. Will the island's mythical monster-guardian claim more victims?
- The Legend of Lake Hiren involves a legend about a pair of lovers who drowned themselves in a lake, but the lake itself now houses an exclusive resort whose shares could be worth millions. Kindaichi and Miyuki join a focus group evaluating the resort. But the group is soon stalked by an escaped killer who fashioned his slaying after those of Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees is a fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films. He first appeared in Friday the 13th , as the son of camp cook-turned-murderer Mrs. Voorhees, in which he was portrayed by Ari Lehman. Created by Victor Miller, with contributions by Ron Kurz, Sean S...
, and wouldn't you know it, the only bridge to civilization has been cut off...
- The Santa Slayings revolve around an exclusive hotel and one of its most unusual guests, a red-bearded man whose dress resembles that of Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. His very mythos is a shadow hanging over a prominent acting guild staying at the hotel, putting on a murder mystery weekend game. But the murders turn all too real, and Kindaichi becomes personally involved when one of his friends becomes a victim, and the only other person found in the locked room... is him!
- No Noose is Good Noose, or so they say at an exclusive college prep school that Kindaichi is conned into attending by his mother. But the high-pressure school is known for driving its students to suicide by hanging. It's in this atmosphere that a teacher begs Kindaichi's help in finding a mysterious vandal who seems to be targeting her. But the vandal soon graduates to murder, and seems to have the ability to evaporate from locked rooms. Can Kindaichi make the grade?
- The Headless Samurai is a legend in a small town, warning of betrayal and blood. A childhood friend of Kenmochi asks him for help when this myth comes to life and begins threatening her. Then a mysterious stranger is killed in a sealed room, and Kindaichi has to deal with headless corpses, greedy heirs, and an entire village too scared to talk.
- Kindaichi the Killer!? (In the American series this book is found split into both books 10 and 11, changing the number order of the books following.) Kindaichi is invited by an old acquaintance to help his publishing editor acquire the rights to a new book by a famous writer. The eccentric, arrogant author throws a code breaking contest at his villa to determine the lucky recipient. Unfortunately, the writer is murdered, and it's impossible for anyone to have committed the crime except one person: Hajime Kindaichi! Soon Kindaichi is in a race against the police and the killer to break the code and clear his name.
- Playing the Fool is something Kindaichi is loathe to do, especially when it comes to women. Pop star Reika Hayami invites Kindaichi and Miyuki to the Tarot Lodge, high in the snowy mountains, which immediately sets off a rivalry between the two women. Joining them is a motley crew including Reika's manager, a lost skier, and an obsessed fan. But the weekend turns tragic when Reika's father's darkest secret threatens to reveal itself, and terrifying murders occur. Can Kindaichi protect Reika, and figure out how a killer slipped in and out of a room under constant observation?
- The House of Wax is holding a murder mystery weekend, which Kindaichi and Miyuki are invited to by Superintendent Akechi. There they find numerous wax figures, including replicas of each participant. However, they soon find out that this is more than a mere game: the mysterious host, "Mr. Redrum
Redrum may refer to:* "Redrum" , an episode of the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, named in allusion to The Shining* "Redrum" , an episode of the TV series "The X-Files"* Red Rum, a race horse...
," uses the wax figures to show a murder scene before actually killing the victim with the same method under seemingly impossible circumstances. Now Kindaichi must find the host that calls himself a murderer before the body count rises.
- The Gentleman Thief is a famous thief who steals famous artworks, as well as their "themes", by destroying or mutilating the object featured in the artwork. However, it seems that this time he has gone too far, by killing the father of one of Kindaichi's friends. But solving this case will be difficult, since all the suspects apparently have perfect alibis...
- Graveyard Isle is one of the remnants of the US's island hopping
Island hopping is a term that has several different definitions as it is applied in various fields. Generally, the term refers to the means of crossing an ocean by a series of shorter journeys between islands, as opposed to a single journey directly across the ocean to the destination.-World War...
in World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where Japanese soldiers committed harakiri. Not exactly the place Kindaichi and his friends wanted to spend a week's vacation, especially with a group of college wargamers. But all too soon, they have violent death to deal with, including a murder that could only have been committed by a ghost...
- The Magical Express is where the mystery starts, a train that runs between Tokyo and a remote town, featuring magic shows put on by a group of prominent magicians. Drawn there by a threat by the mysterious "Puppetmaster," Kindaichi, Miyuki, Kenmochi, and Ryuji Saki witness a corpse vanish from a locked cabin. The murders continue at an isolated hotel, and the detectives are faced with serious questions. Who is the "Puppetmaster"? And what's his relation to the late head of the magic troupe, Reiko Chikayama? Was Reiko's death really an accident?
- The Undying Butterflies are no beautiful insects, but a harbinger of disease and death. Kindachi and Miyuki infiltrate the estate of a wealthy butterfly collector in pursuit of a killer from the past who should be dead. But then people start dying, pinned like butterflies, murdered when no one could possibly have done it. Has the resurrected killer started another bloody rampage? Or is there something more sinister afoot?
- Burial Francs is a burial practice in a small French
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
village, where a francThe franc is the name of several currency units, most notably the French franc, the currency of France until it adopted the euro in 1999 , and the Swiss franc, still a major world currency today due to the prominence of Swiss financial institutions...
is buried with the dead. For one of Kindaichi's childhood schoolmates, however, it was an omen of death for her and her colleagues! Amidst trying to enjoy the bridal competition show and to protect the innocent lives from getting involved, will Kindaichi figure out this "Burial Francs" who is killing off people one by one? What's his connection to Kindaichi's friend?
- The Devil's Artifacts is the nickname given to four artifacts that were said to be cursed — but Kindaichi, who was hired to dig them up, didn't believe in the old tale... until people started dying because of it. Now, with people's lives (and his salary!) at stake, Kindaichi must find out the identity of the artifacts' "guardian" and where they are hidden.
- Reika's Kidnapping is exactly what it sounds like, the kidnapping of pop idol and Kindaichi's friend, Reika Hayami. After escaping from a villa, she claims that her kidnapper was a clown. Kindaichi soon deduces that the mystery clown has to be one of the crew working the movie Reika was appearing in. But which?
- Kindaichi and a group of friends visit the Forest of Cerberus to hunt mushrooms. Things start going wrong when their villa is burnt down, and they are forced to take refuge in an abandoned hospital with a group of medical students. Remnants of test animals, including a cage marked Cerberus
Cerberus, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of Hades, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping...
, still remain there... Not to mention rabies-infested dogs stalking the halls, and a shadow that resembles the Cerberus of legend. Then the medical students begin dying one by one, their deaths accompanied by vicious claw marks! Is the ancient Greek guardian of the underworld the killer? Will it matter if Kindaichi can't get himself and his friends out alive?
- The Murderer From Screen: The head of the movie club at Fudo High, grandson of Japan's king of cinema, offers Miyuki a starring role in his latest project. But when the other participants start dying, the crew notices a resemblance between their deaths and scenes from the club's previous film, Scorpion. The case seems solved when the director apparently kills himself, clutching the only keys to not one, but TWO locked doors separating him and the suspects. But Kindaichi isn't so sure the case is closed. Who is making life imitate art?
- Divine Treasure of Kotousu is a long lost treasure belonged to Catholics in ancient Japan, guarded by a White Hair Ghost. Not caring much about the legend, Kindaichi — who desperately needed the money and by invitation — went to Kotousu to hunt for the treasure. However, the treasure hunters start dying, one during a time when all the hunters have rock-solid alibis! Will Kindaichi be able to find the murderer, and get some money for himself too?
- Ghost of Yukikage Village: One of his childhood friends has died in the remote Yukikage village, so Kindaichi goes to pay his final respects. However, the death isn't all it appears to be, and soon more of Kindaichi's friends are dropping dead. Who is the killer, and what does the original death have to do with these new murders?
- The Plot of Russian Dolls: Ryuji Saki asks Kindaichi, Miyuki, and Kenmochi to help him solve a puzzle that leads to the inheritance of a famous mystery writer. But the puzzle deepens when the heirs start losing their heads... literally! Usually, Kindaichi would have enough problems figuring out how the killer got into a locked room with the only key also locked away, but to make things worse, a figure from Kindaichi's past -— his nemesis, Takato -— returns with a bet: if Kindaichi finds the murderer first, he will let the killer face justice. Otherwise, Takato will allow the killer to continue his bloody work... then will execute him! Can Kindaichi protect both the future victims and the murderer?
- Circus du Murder: Miyuki, Kindaichi, and his know-it-all cousin, Fumi, are invited by Kenmochi to join him and his wife Kazue at an inn located on a tropical island. There, they meet a circus troupe named the Goblin Circus, who live near the resort. When a storage room is found wrecked, along with mysterious gigantic footprints and a message on the wall that reads "MONSTER IS BACK", the troupe members are suspiciously quiet. However, some members have been secretly discussing a 2.3 m tall performer who disappeared a year ago, nicknamed "Monster". With the storm which prevents them from escaping the island and two clowns found dead, Kindaichi must find the culprit: is it really the "Monster", or someone else with an axe to grind?
- Judgment of Gankutsuō: Looking over a traveler's brochure, Kindaichi discovers that his old nemesis is in Hong Kong
Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
, and up to no good. Indeed, Takato's latest scheme involves assisting a murderer who calls himself the Gankutsuō ("The Count of Monte CristoThe Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It is often considered to be, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas' most popular work. The writing of the work was completed in 1844...
"). Ultimately, Takato manages to frame Kindaichi for the murders, just to prove he is the smarter man! Now, Kindaichi must prove his innocence by finding Gankutsuō, and make his nemesis pay for his crimes, once and for all!
- Legendary Vampire Murders: A month after Kindaichi went on his bicycle riding vacation, he sends a letter to Miyuki, inviting her and Kenmochi to a themed inn
A is a type of traditional Japanese inn dating from the Edo period , when they served travelers along Japan's highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner.Ryokan are difficult to find in Tokyo...
named "Ruins", where one of their former classmates has a part time job. The inn is located in a virtual ghost townA ghost town is a town or city that has been completely abandoned by human inhabitants, usually because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as flood, government action, uncontrolled lawlessness or war...
due to rumors regarding vampirism that sprung up a few years past. The rumor comes to life when guests of the inn are found dead, their bodies drained of blood, with two puncture wounds on their necks—which appear to be vampire bites. Worse, the murders are impossible, unless the killer really is a vampire... or one Miyuki Nanase...
- The Third Opera House Murders: Kindaichi, Miyuki, and Kenmochi return to the island Opera House Hotel for the third time (the second was detailed in the first of a series of Kindaichi novels by Seimaru Amagi
Tadashi Agi is a Japanese manga storywriter, novelist and screenwriter. His original name is Shin Kibayashi . He was born in 1962 in Tokyo, blood type O, and graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Musashi Senior High School and Waseda University School of Economics & Political Science. The penname...
), this time after the death of the hotel's owner, Kurosawa. The hotel and island has been bought by an old friend of Kurosawa, who wishes to honor his memory with a final performance of The Phantom of the Opera, before tearing the place down for good. Along with Kindaichi and gang, the new owner has invited members of Kurosawa's old theater troupe. However, tragedy strikes again when murders occur before the performance can take place.
- Jail Gate Private School Murder Case: Back from his bicycle riding and applying for a top quality but extremely hellish school, Kindaichi once again encountered a murder on the day of his application exam... but Kindaichi kind of expected it. The exam site and the school itself were two of the locations on a "crime site tour" list compiled by his nemesis Takato — who, in his twisted mind, believed that these locations could be used to plan murder (thus Kindaichi's bike tour around Japan). To make it worse, Takato has recently escaped prison, and initiated his list of murder. Now, also sending the list to Akechi, Takato (disguised as an English teacher, unknown to them but revealed to readers) silently challenged them to figure out the common point among the murders and find his client... or is he planning something else for them? And lastly, is he going to make all the possible murder sites a reality?
- Snow Spirit Legendary Murder Case Kindaichi Hajime was offered to receive a portion of a rich man's wealth as it written in his will. Seduced by money, Hajime along with Miyuki to the top of snowy mountain where all of the recipient of old man’s wealth gathered. As Hajime discover more about the legend of a snow spirit, the recipients of the wealth begin to die one by one.
- Futo High School Festival Murder Case Kindaichi attended a “maid café” hosted by the school’s photo club only to discover a mysterious death. This case lasts only for four chapters, making this the shortest Kindaichi case (besides from the short stories) thus far.
- Chidamari Murder Case kindaichi is forced to join "japanese chess" club of his school..by then,they go for a friendly match with a school..then,one of the player has been killed at a place called "chidamari"-(the bottom of the chess table)..Is it related to the legendary chidamari story??..kindaichi must find out who is the real culprit despite all the alibi they have..this short case has been published together with Futo High School Festival Murder Case.
- Black Magic Murders Kindaichi's old friend from Karuizawa telling the truth behind the death of a company director, due to the curse of the puppet by using 'black magic'. Therefore, there's a tragedy lies behind the series of the black magic murders...and the mask of the 'Puppet from Hell', Youichi Takatoo. Is is really a black magic murders, or just an illusionist murder?
The short cases of Kindaichi
- Murderous Intent of Below Freezing 15 Degrees
- Who Killed the Goddess?
- The Twin Murderer
- Christmas Eve Murder
- The Murder in the Mirror Labyrinth
- Fumi Kindaichi's Kidnapping
- The Adventure of Fumi Kindaichi
- Lost Ransom
- Alibi in the Film
- The Homicide Restaurant
- Homicide of the Blood Dyeing Pool
- Departed Spirit School Murder Case
- Puzzle of Instantaneous Disappearance
- The Challenge from Mysterious Gentlemen Thief
- Morning Sound of Gunshot at 4.40 am
- The Bee Poison Sword Murder Case
- The Strange Intrigue of the Female Doctor
Manga
As of May 2008, 17 volumes have been published in America, all except 2 with a complete story. New readers are recommended to read the volumes in order, since later stories sometimes reference killers or characters from previous tales, especially Kindaichi's arch-nemesis, who will reappear in at least one of the mysteries not yet published. In general, all the mysteries followed a certain theme (such as a famous legend/story), or have a certain
modus operandi. In Japan, there is a total of 54 volumes with 34 cases, 17 Kindaichi's short cases and 7 Akechi's short cases as well as 2 CD-books. Together, the volumes have sold over 60 million copies in Japan, making it one of the best selling manga of the 1990s. There are currently 9 Volumes in the new re-run after serialising of Detective Academy Q.
Novels
The novels were written by Seimaru Amagi and illustrated by Fumiya Satō. 9 volumes were released in Japan between September 22, 1994 and April 20, 2001.
Anime
Produced by
Toei Animationis a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
and directed by
Daisuke NishioDaisuke Nishio in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He is a Japanese animator. He joined Toei Doga as animator in 1981. After doing several TV series, was promoted to assistant director with "Dr. Slump" in 1982. Debuted as film director with "Dragon Ball: Secret of Dragon God" in 1986...
, the anime adaptation of the original manga aired on
Nippon Televisionis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan owned by the Yomiuri Shimbun. It is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV".-Offices:...
between April 7, 1997 and September 11, 2000, spanning 148 episodes plus one special episode. In addition, two animated films were released on December 14, 1996 and August 21, 1999 respectively. Seven years after the conclusion of the TV anime, two new animated episodes were aired in Japan on November 12, 2007 and November 19, 2007 respectively.
Live action series
NTVis a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan owned by the Yomiuri Shimbun. It is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV".-Offices:...
aired three live action series in 1995, 1996, 2001 and a 2005
specialA television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a special TV telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, as opposed to the...
.
Tsuyoshi Dōmotois a Japanese singer, composer and lyricist. Domoto, along with Kōichi Dōmoto, form a popular group in Japan. Their group, KinKi Kids, was formed in 1993, and they debuted with their first single Glass no shounen in 1997....
of the
Kinki Kidsis a Japanese group consisting of Koichi Domoto and Tsuyoshi Domoto under the talent agency Johnny & Associates. Although the members share the same surname, they are unrelated and the only relation they have to each other is that they both hail from the Kinki region, hence their group...
and
Rie Tomosakais a Japanese actress and pop star from Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, born on October 12, 1979 in Nagano-shi, Nagano.She belongs to Ito Company.-Profile :She is 168 cm in height.Her father is a beautician.Her hobby is skiing....
starred as Kindaichi and Nanase Miyuki in the first two series. In season 3, Matsumoto Jun of
Arashiis a Japanese boy band consisting of Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya and Jun Matsumoto under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates. The group was officially announced on September 15, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Arashi covers a wide range of music, including R&B,...
starred as Kindaichi and Suzuki Anne starred as Nanase Miyuki. In 2005, a special based on "The Legendary Vampire Murders" was aired featuring Kamenashi Kazuya of
KAT-TUNis a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates in 2001, released on their own label, J-One Records. The group's name is an acronym formed by the members' surname initials...
and Ueno Juri as Kindaichi and Nanase Miyuki.
External links