#essential case

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.

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."

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

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.

Essential: This is an interesting case because it starts halfway through chapter 96. The conclusion to the Diplomat case and this case are part of the same chapter. And then at the end of this case, Shinichi drinks the Paikaru again and discovers it doesn't work. So it's really sort of... part of the Diplomat case? And therein, it's essential because that case is essential.

Essential? Yes, Hattori gets involved in Black Org cases later. The Paikaru is relevant later. Ect. None of this is a surprise to anyone for me to say.

Notes: We learn Gin and Vodka's names here, we meet the listening bug here. This is the first proper "Black Org Case" and the first bombing. I really think Shinichi here gets his first real taste of how dangerous Gin and Vodka are, even though it's not enough to really dissuade him from his investigation. But they literally want to blow up a whole train for ??? reasons, and that's kind of scary.

... I think this is important to Shinichi's character arc. There's something in this case that he missed. So I think I'm going to call this essential just on its own merits. I do expect if I didn't, I'd have to double-back and re-evaluate anyways.