Last week, I had my complaints about the metadata that was appearing on Crunchyroll’s simulcast page for Detective Conan. I regret to inform you guys that this issue has since gotten worse. I will let my final word on this metadata mess (until next week, that is) be two screenshots: the one I took last week, and what the page looks like this week. You’ll have to see them vertically back to back, as I don’t know how to make these sit directly next to each other horizontally without impacting readability with the smaller details.
With the state that the page is in at the time of writing, I cannot recommend using it to watch Detective Conan unless you’re either incredibly desperate for watching Detective Conan via legal means and/or someone who has the time to go down the rabbit hole and figure out exactly where the episode you want to watch is. Hopefully things get fixed here prior to next week, but I’ll keep you guys updated if things get better (or worse).
I’d also like to apologize in advanced if I don’t go into as much detail as I usually do about the episode, or if I don’t seem as enthusiastic about the episode. Considering the fact that I had to do an extra Sara Watches Detective Conan post that I poured my soul into, my writing battery is running on low. Anyway…
EPISODE 17: The Department Store Hijack
Anime Original or Manga Sourced?: Anime Original
Is this my first time experiencing this story?: No, but it’s been so long since I last saw this episode that it might as well be yes.
The episode begins with Conan and the Detective Boys at a Kamen Yaiba show at a department store. However, while Conan isn’t as into it as the others, once Ayumi notices him not acting like he’s into the performance…
…Conan has to do his hardest to make it look like he actually gives a damn about watching a hero performance. Yeah, those early days of Conan needing to pretend to be a child were rough. Anyway, they get autographs and a selfie with Kamen Yaiba, they get on an elevator to get down to the ground floor of the department store and leave. While walking back to their homes, however, Genta realizes something…he forgot his autograph back at the place the show was going on!
The Detective Boys sneak in after the department store has closed to get Genta’s autograph (which was still safe, thankfully), and head down to the ground floor…only to find that the security system has activated, dropping the shutters and thus locking the Detective Boys inside of the department store.
Conan provides the responsible idea of going to the security office to let them know they’re still inside and need to get out, but as it turns out, the Kamen Yaiba performer has a more malicious reason to be there, alongside other people that are members of a gang, trying to steal from the department store.
The episode then goes from “Detective Boys trying to signal to the outside that they need help” to “Detective Boys evading capture by the gang” to “Detective Boys fighting back against the gang using whatever items they can in the department store”. During these moments, we also get scenes of Ran and Kogoro trying to figure out why Conan hasn’t returned yet, with them even making a discovery that links what the Detective Boys are up against with something Inspector Megure is busy with.
However, the end result does end up with the Detective Boys getting able to get some shut-eye, as well as an award ceremony…all without needing to pay for anything they used to either sustain themselves or fight back against the thieves.
I’m sorry, but I fear that the fun of this episode is in the details that I chose to exclude…which is ultimately what would’ve expanded this post’s word count. In part because I used my weekly “Sara Watches Detective Conan” writing burst earlier this week, but also in part because I feel like the intricate details of the case are less important than the broad strokes of it.
Ah, too bad this is an anime original case, so the kids won’t have this credit in canon…
Speaking of this case being anime original, this is the first case where I cannot find any holiday or collaboration measure that would spark it airing at this specific date. While this title is currently special, alas, it eventually ends up becoming the standard call for anime original episodes in the future.
As for my thoughts on this episode…meh. It’s not as bad as Episode 6, not as good as Episode 14, and unless you were going out of your way to watch every single episode, it’s not one that I’d see myself rewatching anytime soon. While it’s an interesting concept, I think the execution falls flat for me in the present day. Alas, I don’t fully remember the opinions I had on this episode when I was 11, but I think they were leaning slightly more positive? Can’t say for certain, though, as it’s been like 10+ years since I watched Detective Conan for the first time.
Next episode should get me back into my usual swing for these posts, however. Not only should I only have the one post to do, it’s a manga sourced episode as well!
Previous Release Order Post: Episode 16
Previous Anime Original Post: Episode 14
Next Release Order Post: Episode 18 (November 11th at 12 PM [PST])
Next Anime Original Post: Episode 19 (November 18th at 12 PM [PST])
Return to the Sara Watches Detective Conan – Manga Sourced Episodes page
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