Detective Conan
A teenage detective is shrunk by an experimental poison and solves cases while hunting the organisation that did it.
Introduction
Detective Conan has been running since 1994 and remains the definitive mystery manga. Its structure is unusual: hundreds of self-contained cases threaded onto a slow-burning conspiracy, and it works.
Plot Review
The case structure is the point. Each mystery is a fair-play puzzle with clues, a solution and a motive that the manga takes seriously, and the variation across three decades is remarkable. The overarching plot advances rarely but meaningfully, which gives long-term readers a second thread to follow.
Character Review
The recurring cast is enormous and functional: a genius detective in a child's body, a childhood friend who does not know, a rival detective, a scientist ally and a genuinely menacing criminal organisation. The series is good at letting characters be competent in different ways.
Art Review
The art is clean and readable, built for clue visibility: the detail a reader needs to solve the case is always drawn distinctly. Over decades the style has modernised without losing that clarity.
Pros
- Fair-play mysteries with genuine variation
- A long-running plot that pays off when it advances
- A cast with clearly differentiated competencies
Cons
- Extremely long — over 1150 chapters
- The overarching plot moves very slowly
- Case quality varies across three decades
Score Breakdown
| Story | 4.8 |
| Characters | 4.7 |
| Art | 4.6 |
| Pacing | 4.4 |
| Enjoyment | 4.8 |
Recommended For
- Mystery readers who like fair-play puzzles
- Anyone who wants a very long-running series to follow
- Readers who enjoy episodic structure with a slow-burn plot
You Might Want to Skip If
- Readers who need plot progression every chapter
- Anyone intimidated by an enormous back catalogue
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Detective Conan finished?
No, it is still ongoing after more than 1150 chapters.
Can I read it out of order?
The cases are largely standalone, but the main plot requires continuity. Most readers start from volume one.
Where should a new reader start?
Chapter one. The premise is established in the opening case and everything builds from it.
Final Verdict
The best mystery manga ever serialised, and it shows no sign of stopping. Read it for the cases; stay for the conspiracy and the cast.