Case Closed: The Raven Chaser

Detective Conan: The Raven Chaser
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Yasuichiro Yamamoto
Written by	Kazunari Kochi
Music by	Katsuo Ono
Distributed by	Toho
Release date(s)	April 18, 2009 (2009-04-18)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Case Closed: The Raven Chaser, known as Detective Conan: The Raven Chaser (名探偵コナン 漆黒の追跡者, Meitantei Konan: Shikkoku no Cheisā), is the thirteenth movie installment of the manga and anime series Detective Conan. The movie was released in Japan on April 18, 2009. This movie earned 3.5 billion yen in the domestic Japanese box office, making it the highest-grossing movie in the Detective Conan series. The movie involves active members of the Black Organization, making this the Black Organization's second appearance in a movie since Countdown to Heaven. A special preview to the movie aired in Japan on Animax. A new member from the Black Organization that shrunk Shinichi's body manages to find out about Shinichi's transformation into Conan. This discovery starts to put those around him in danger as Gin and the other Black Organization members start to take action.

Plot

A man driving down a hillside road suddenly realizes that his car's brakes do not work. Traveling at a high speed, the car crashes into a toll booth. The man dies but leaves a mysterious dying message: "Tanabata kyo.”

A mysterious Mahjong tile next to the body links this case to six others in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Nagano and other places in Japan. Because of the Mahjong tiles left beside each victim, the police conclude that the same person or organization committed these murders. The police of prefectures across Japan unite to find the murderer.

After a police conference about this case, Conan discovers a police officer walking out of the building and entering a black Porsche 356A owned by Gin. He concludes that a Black Organization member is disguised as a police officer and has infiltrated the meeting.

On the day of Tanabata, Conan corners Vermouth in the underground parking lot of a shopping mall and interrogates her. She says that the Black Organization needs a memory chip, which was taken by the murderer, and a new member, "Irish."

Conan employs the help of Heiji Hattori and tries to solve the serial murder case by following the dying message lead. He and Heiji find out that two years ago, there was a fire accident in a hotel in Kyoto, and a young woman named Nanako Honjou died. The elevator could only hold seven, but eight people needed to escape. Nanako was not on the last elevator and could not escape. Conan tracks down her neighbor, Shun Sawamura, and asks him some questions.

Conan finds out that Nanako and her boyfriend, Kousuke Mizutani, often went stargazing together. Conan realizes that the crime scenes are ordered like the star constellation Ursa Major, making the last crime scene Shiba Park. The police also figure out the pattern of the crime scenes and leave for Tokyo Tower.

On the way, Officer Satou and Takagi make a detour to Beika Woods after receiving a call from Professor Agasa. The Detective Boys find Matsumoto inside a small house in the woods.

Conan confronts Mizutani, who is about to commit suicide in Nanako's memory and to avoid being arrested by the police. Mizutani thought one of the seven must have pushed Nanako out, but Nanako's brother, Kazuki Honjou, shows up and testifies that he had overheard a conversation from two of the victims saying that Nanako voluntarily stepped out. Conan reveals that the real murderer is Kazuki and not Mizutani because Mizutani would never commit murder to stain the memory of Nanako. Kazuki tricked Mizutani to create a scapegoat. Conan tells Mizutani that all of the victims appreciated Nanako's sacrifice and sent flowers to her memorial and that Kazuki lied to manipulate Mizutani into avenging Nanako but did it himself after realizing that Mizutani would not. Mizutani realizes that Nanako would not have wanted him to commit suicide and returns the victim's belongings to Kazuki, who would have used the evidence to convict Mizutani. Kazuki threatens Conan and Mizutani with a knife. Matsumoto appears and shoots the knife out of Kazuki's hands.

Conan realizes that Matsumoto is Irish in disguise. Irish claims that he does not want to kill Conan. He says he discovered Conan's true identity, having matched his and Shinichi's fingerprints, and wants to turn him in to the "boss" alive. Thus, the "boss" would know of Gin's mistake and punish Gin, satisfying Irish's revenge against him for killing his friend Pisco. Conan wants the memory chip, but Irish refuses to hand it over.

Soon Ran arrives at Tokyo Tower and finds Irish, who is still disguised as Matsumoto. She uses karate, but a kick to his face tears off part of his mask, surprising her. Taking advantage of her surprise, Irish overpowers Ran.

Irish and Conan move outside near the top, and a helicopter with Gin, Vodka, Korn, and Chianti arrives. Irish shows them the chip, and Gin orders Chianti to shoot Irish and the chip. The bullet seriously injured Irish. Conan tries to drag him to safety, but Gin notices Conan and tries to shoot him. Irish protects Conan and dies.

The Black Organization attacks Conan with a machine gun, damaging the Tokyo Tower. Cornered, Conan escapes by using his expanding suspenders to sling a skylight at the helicopter, damaging the engine. The Black Organization manages to fly away, but the helicopter crashes soon after.

Cast

• Minami Takayama as Conan Edogawa
• Kappei Yamaguchi as Shinichi Kudo
• Akira Kamiya as Kogoro Mouri
• Wakana Yamazaki as Ran Mouri
• Megumi Hayashibara as Ai Haibara
• Yukitoshi Hori as Gin
• Chafurin as Inspector Megure
• Atsuko Yuya as Officer Satou
• Masashi Sugawara as Kazuki Honjou
• Fumiko Orikasa as Nanako Honjou
• Yuko Miyamura as Kazuha Tōyama
• Yuuji Takada as Kansuke Yamato
• Naoko Matsui as Sonoko Suzuki
• Ryo Horikawa as Heiji Hattori
• Ryotaro Okiayu as Fumimaro Ayanokoji
• Seizō Katō as Kiyonaga Matsumoto
• Toshio Furukawa as Misao Yamamura
• Wataru Takagi as Genta Kojima and Officer Takagi
• Yukiko Iwai as Ayumi Yoshida
• Akio Ōtsuka as Juugo Yokomizu / Sango Yokomizu
• Ami Koshimizu as Yui Euhara
• Fumihiko Tachiki as Vodka
• Hiroyuki Kinoshita as Korn
• Ikue Ohtani as Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya
• Isshin Chiba as Officer Chiba
• Kazuhiko Inoue as Ninzaburou Shiratori
• Kenichi Ogata as Professor Agasa
• Kikuko Inoue as Chianti
• Mami Koyama as Vermouth
• DAIGO as Kousuke Mizutani
• Nana Mizuki as Reporter Yoshii
• Nobutoshi Canna as Shun Sawamura
• Tomohiro Nishimura as Minoru Fukase
• Yuji Mikimoto as Irish

Soundtrack

The movie's theme song is "PUZZLE" by Mai Kuraki. It was released along with music for the broadcast anime's 25th opening "Revive" as double A-side singles on April 1, 2009. Along with Countdown to Heaven and Crossroad in the Ancient Capital, The Raven Chaser is the third Detective Conan movie in which Mai Kuraki wrote the theme song.

The official soundtrack was released on April 4, 2009. It costs approximately ¥2857, ¥3000 with tax included; 31.46 USD.^{[citation needed]}

DVD

The DVD was released on October 2, 2009. The DVD is dual-layered with some extras in it and contains 5.1 Dolby Digital HD Surround Sound audio.^{[citation needed]}

Three versions are to be released: the limited DVD version will include 2 discs with the movie, the trailer, Magic File 3, and other extras with 5.1 Dolby Digital HD Surround Sound audio. The regular DVD will only include the movie and the trailer with 5.1 Dolby Digital HD Surround Sound audio. The Blu-ray version includes the HD format of the regular DVD version. The limited DVD cost ¥6720, the regular DVD cost ¥5460, and the Blu-ray version cost ¥6510. The DVD will only be released in Japan, Europe, Middle East, and South Africa.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

The Blu-ray Disc release was awarded the Best Interactivity Award by Digital Entertainment Group Japan.

External links

• Official website
• Case Closed: The Raven Chaser (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia