Comics / Manga

Case Closed: Volume 55 manga review

By Leroy Douresseaux
July 30, 2015 - 12:02

Case Closed Volume 55 cover image

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

Jimmy Kudo was trailing two suspicious men in black (Gin and Vodka).  The nefarious duo attacked the ace high school detective and administered a mysterious substance that physically transformed the teen into a first grader.  While searching for a cure, Jimmy adopts a new identity, becoming elementary school student, Conan Edogawa.  Acting alone and sometimes with his friends, the Junior Detective League (JDL), Jimmy/Conan continues to solve criminal cases and mysteries.

Case Closed, Vol. 55 opens on the remote island where Japan's top teen detectives have gathered for the filming of a reality show.  Now, they must use their skills to solve a murder, and the competition turns unfriendly because one of them may be the killer.  Everyone is wondering where Jimmy Kudo, a top teen detective is, but they don't know that he is there – as Conan Edogawa.

Next, Dr. Herschel Agasa and the JDL are out for cheesecake.  When one of their own, George, is accused of assault, Conan has to discover the truth.  Plus, in a flashback story, see young Jimmy Kudo and young Rachel Moore chase a series of riddles and clues left for them by a man they meet one full moon night in the school library.

THE LOWDOWN:  Anyone who is a regular reader of my reviews knows that I love the Case Closed manga.  Known as Detective Conan in Japan, this cozy mystery will cozy up to any mystery fan, and has certainly cozied up to me.

Case Closed Volume 55 finishes a mystery that began in Vol. 54, and the resolution was a surprise to me, at least.  There are two quite interesting stories in this volume.  The first is a story of a young Jimmy Kudo, years before he would be transformed into Conan, who chases riddles with his future girlfriend, Rachel Moore.  In fact, in this flashback, Jimmy and Rachel seem to be the age that Conan is in the “present day” stories.  I kept getting confused by the fact that Jimmy was not yet Conan, but was Conan-like.  It is a nice twist.

The second story involves Eva Kaden, the divorced wife of Richard Moore and mother of Rachel.  It is another nice change of pace, and shows that Conan can figure things out even when he is not involved in a murder case or mystery.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for fun mystery fiction will want to investigate the “Shonen Sunday” detective manga, Case Closed.

Rating: A+ /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12