Detective Conan/Case Closed’s 56th opening sequence summarizes various storylines throughout the series’ 1,000+-episode run, but only three of these recaps emphasize a crucial object for the storyline in question.
When recounting one of the scenarios in which Ran suspects that Conan is actually Shinichi (Episode 96), the object in question is the camellia flower that links the deaths of two women.
When recounting the first encounter between Conan and Kid the Phantom Thief (Episode 76), the object in question is the Black Star that Kid intends to steal.
And, when recounting the introduction of Heiji (Episodes 48-49), the object in question is the alcohol that returns Shinichi to his original body.
Conan (internally): I turned back by drinking that alcohol!
It’s 110% an overanalysis, absolutely, without a doubt, but of the three objects prominently featured in this OP, it’s notable that only Heiji’s alcohol possesses any relevance beyond its initial appearance. More than that, the alcohol is crucial to the plot—it’s the first thing providing Shinichi with any real evidence that his predicament isn’t permanent, it saves Ai’s life when she’s held captive by Pisco (Episode 177), and because it saves Ai’s life, it allows her to successfully retrieve the APTX 4869 drug data from the Black Organization, which then allows her to develop a more powerful antidote.
Heiji as a character is maybe odd within the Detective Conan canon. He’s introduced as a rival to Shinichi only for this role to quickly be claimed by Kaito instead; he’s a friend and confidant, a holder of Shinichi’s secret identity, but he’s only allowed to appear periodically because of his geographical distance. There’s certainly the question of why he’s even here—Ai provides the partnership Shinichi needs to not feel so alone whilst trapped in a body he does not consider his, Kid provides the battles of wit that excite and motivate Conan, Masumi provides the companionship of a fellow teen detective, and she’s far more integrated with the overarching story.
But this opening’s focus on Heiji’s alcohol underscores exactly why he’s here: he’s hope. He’s the initial push to what Shinichi desires, the key that unlocks what the Organization’s poison had forcibly hidden away, the proof that you can inspire others to be better and improve, just as Heiji does when Shinichi swears to him that there’s “only one truth.”
…or, you know, I’m looking waaaaay too deeply into, like, three seconds of footage from an opening animation drenched in nostalgia.
Still, I appreciate the focus on the alcohol. It feels like Heiji is often viewed as little more than comic relief or a splash of variety in a sea of Sleeping Kogoro or Detective Boys cases, but he’s played an immense role in this story. It’s Heiji’s presence that assured Shinichi of an eventual end to his imprisonment when he had hardly any leads at all, and it’s Heiji’s presence that’s played a tremendous role in helping that end come to fruition. No matter how far away he is, Heiji is a hope and comfort that Shinichi can always rely on, and the 56th opening wordlessly communicates as much.
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