A thorough review of the Detective Conan spin-off "The Criminal Hanzawa-san"!

Detective Conan: The Criminal Hanzawa-san - Review and Recommendation

Overview

Detective Conan: The Criminal's Hanzawa-san is a TV anime series based on the manga illustrated by Mayuko Kanba, a spin-off of Gosho Aoyama's masterpiece Detective Conan series. It aired for a total of 12 episodes from October 4 to December 20, 2022, on TOKYO MX, Yomiuri TV, and BS Nippon TV, and was also distributed on Netflix. The series is set in the crime-ridden city of Beika Town and follows the struggles of the protagonist, Hanzawa-san, who dreams of becoming a criminal.

■ Story

Beika Town, a city of crime. A jet-black figure (Black Shadow) descends upon this town, which boasts one of the highest crime rates in the world. His (her?) goal is to kill "a certain man" -- he is an indispensable character in "Detective Conan"! He looks like a tights but has a pure mind. His name is... the criminal Hanzawa-san (pseudonym)!

■Explanation

Beika-cho is a place known among fans as the setting for "Detective Conan." At the same time, it is also famous as the city with the highest crime rate in the world. This is because, due to the mystery genre, violent crimes are bound to occur every day. "It's all to kill that man..." Fukazawa-san, the protagonist of this work, came to Tokyo to live in Beika-cho, dreaming of becoming the culprit of an undiscovered crime.

■Cast

・Fukazawa-san/Shouta Aoi・Fukazawa-san's mother/Megumi Urawa・Fukazawa-san's grandfather/Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi・Narration/Heitarou Daichi・Pometaro/Inori Minase・Edogawa Conan/Minami Takayama・Ran Mori/Wakana Yamazaki・Kogoro Mori/Rikiya Koyama・Professor Agasa/Kenichi Ogata・Ai Haibara/Megumi Hayashibara・Ayumi Yoshida/Yukiko Iwai・Genta Kojima/Wataru Takagi・Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya/Ikue Otani・Tooru Amuro/Toru Furuya・Kinosuke Terai/Akio Nojima・Kaito Kuroba/Kaitou Kid/Kappei Yamaguchi・Jiro Suzuki Yoshi/Masaharu Sato, Sonoko Suzuki/Naoko Matsui, Inspector Nakamori/Yasushi Ishii, Real estate agent/Yorimitsu Sakamoto, Tsutomu Hanbayashi/Junya Enoki, Inspector Megure/Chafurin, Hiroki/Rei Takano, Hiroki's mother/Hana Sato, Caretaker/Hibiki Aoi, Haruki Mogi/Kenyu Horiuchi, Saguru Hakuba/Akira Ishida, Shujiro Okami/Minoru Inaba, Ikumi Yatsuda/Emi Shinohara, Kenji/Ryota Suzuki, Nana/Kanon Fujimura, Yuika/Aya Endo, Rika/Megumi Urawa, Shota/Katsuya Fukunishi, Anna/Hibiki Aoi, Rikio/Kouki Nakamura

■ Main staff

・Original story ("Detective Conan: The Criminal's Fukazawa-san") by Kanba Mayuko (serialized in Shogakukan's "Shonen Sunday S")
・Original work (Detective Conan) by Gosho Aoyama (serialized in Shogakukan's Shonen Sunday)
・Director: Heitaro Daichi ・Character design: Fuu Chisaka ・Art director: Mayumi Nakajima (Studio Kokoro)
・Art supervision / Chieko Nakamura ・Color design / Hiromi Miyawaki ・Director of photography / Akemi Sasaki ・Editing / Ikuyo Fujita ・Sound director / Yasuyuki Urakami, Keiko Urakami ・Sound effects / Kaori Yamada ・Music / Jun Abe, Seiji Muto ・Sound production / AUDIO PLANNING U
Animation Production: TMS/Studio 1 Production: Shogakukan Shueisha Productions, TMS Entertainment Production: "Detective Conan: The Criminal's Fukazawa-san" Production Committee

■ Main Characters

・Hanzawa-san (Hanzawa Makoto)
He looks like a tights-clad criminal, but has a pure mind. He came all the way from Izumo to Tokyo, vowing to "kill that man" but was frightened by the horror of the crime-ridden city of Beika-cho and lives a steady life.
Pometaro is Mr. Hanzawa's pet Pomeranian. He was looking for a faithful and capable accomplice (murder partner), but he was seduced by the fluffy and cute Pometaro and ended up taking him in. He is the only soothing presence in Beika Town.
Conan Edogawa is a great detective with a child's appearance and an adult's mind. On the other hand, he is said to be called the Grim Reaper in the shadows because of the explosive increase in the number of properties with accidents in Beika Town.
Ran Mouri is the daughter of Kogoro Mouri, otherwise known as Nemuri no Kogoro. She is a high school girl who is the captain of the karate club and excels in both academics and sports, but her martial arts skills are just as outstanding as the horns on her head, as she can grab a bullet and bend a blade with her bare hands.
-Hanzawa Hitoe Hanzawa's mother. She continues to send food and clothes to Hanzawa, who has moved to Tokyo. When she starts speaking, she is surprised by her strong Izumo accent.
A resident of the share house where partygoer Hanzawa lives. In Beika Town, where there is no guarantee of survival, he risks his life to party every day in order to enjoy the "now."

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: The Criminal Arrives (2022/10/04)
Episode 2: People's encounters are mysterious (2022/10/11)
・Episode 3: Antlion (2022/10/18)
・Episode 4/Jet Black Bathing (Shower Scene) (2022/10/25)
・Episode 5: Rhapsody of Beikacho (2022/11/01)
Episode 6: Countdown to Eviction (2022/11/08)
・Episode 7: Requiem for the Biters (2022/11/15)
・Episode 8/Next Conan's Hint "Hairball" (2022/11/22)
・Episode 9: Dress Up Tonight (2022/11/29)
・Episode 10/Visitors from Another Dimension (2022/12/06)
・Episode 11: Oh! Mikuji (2022/12/13)
・Episode 12/The First Target (2022/12/20)

■ Related works

・Detective Conan TV series

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Catch it tonight.
Lyrics: EARSY
・Composition: Koji Makaino, Toshiya Kamata ・Arrangement: Motoki Funayama ・Singer: Leon Shinhama

・ED1
・Secret, voice of my heart
Lyrics: Mai Kuraki Composition: Koshiro Honda Arrangement: Akihito Tokunaga Singer: Mai Kuraki

■Review

Detective Conan: The Criminal's Hanzawa-san is a TV anime series based on the manga illustrated by Mayuko Kanba, a spin-off of Gosho Aoyama's masterpiece Detective Conan series. It aired for a total of 12 episodes from October 4 to December 20, 2022, on TOKYO MX, Yomiuri TV, and BS Nippon TV, and was also distributed on Netflix. The series is set in the crime-ridden city of Beika Town and follows the struggles of the protagonist, Hanzawa-san, who dreams of becoming a criminal.

Fukazawa-san is a character with a tights look and a pure mind who came to Tokyo from Izumo but was scared by the horrors of the crime-ridden city of Beika-cho and lives a steady life. His goal is "to kill that man," and the story depicts his struggle to achieve that goal. Fukazawa-san's character is humorous, yet somehow relatable. The contrast between his purity and life in the crime-ridden city will make viewers laugh and be moved.

Another important character is Pometaro, Mr. Hanzawa's pet. He was looking for a loyal and capable accomplice, but was won over by Mr. Hanzawa's cuteness and was taken in by him. Pometaro's presence provides the only healing and comfort in the harsh environment of Beika Town. The combination of Pometaro's cuteness and Mr. Hanzawa gives the story a warm feeling.

Characters from "Detective Conan" also appear, including familiar characters to fans such as Edogawa Conan, Mouri Ran, Mouri Kogoro, Professor Agasa, and Haibara Ai. Conan Edogawa in particular is an appealing character with a childlike appearance and an adult's mind, and he struggles to solve the cases in Beika Town. On the other hand, there are rumors that he is secretly called the Grim Reaper in relation to the explosive increase in the number of properties with accidents in Beika Town, and he also has a mysterious side.

Ran Mouri is the daughter of Kogoro Mouri, also known as Nemuri no Kogoro, and is a high school girl who excels in both academics and sports and serves as the captain of the karate club. Her strength and kindness add depth to the work. In particular, the scene where she grabs a bullet and bends a blade with her bare hands, where her barometer of "martial arts" is as high as the horn on her head, leaves a strong impression on the viewer.

Another important character is Hanzawa's mother, Hanzawa Hitoe. She continues to send food and clothing to Hanzawa, who has moved to Tokyo. Her strong Izumo accent adds humor to the work. Another character who adds vibrancy to the work is a party animal who lives in the shared house where Hanzawa lives. In Beika Town, where there is no guarantee of survival, she risks her life to throw parties every day in order to enjoy the "now."

Each episode of this work depicts a different case, and while Mr. Hanzawa is caught up in the case, he struggles to achieve his goal. In particular, episode 1, "The Criminal Arrives," depicts the scene where Mr. Hanzawa arrives in Beika Town and encounters his first case. Episode 2, "Meeting People is Mysterious," depicts the scene where Mr. Hanzawa meets a new friend and deepens his relationship with that friend. Episode 3, "Ant Trap," depicts the scene where Mr. Hanzawa gets caught in an ant trap, which is a mix of tension and humor. Episode 4, "Pitch Black Bath (Shower Scene)," depicts the scene where Mr. Hanzawa is taking a bath, providing viewers with a relaxing time. Episode 5, "Beika Town Rhapsody," depicts the rhapsody of Beika Town, giving viewers a musical impression. Episode 6, "Countdown to Eviction," depicts the scene where Mr. Hanzawa is in danger of being evicted, which increases the tension. Episode 7, "Requiem for the Biters," depicts a requiem for the workers, moving viewers. Episode 8, "Next Conan's Hint: Furball," depicts a hint for Next Conan, providing viewers with the fun of solving mysteries. Episode 9, "Dress Up Tonight," depicts a scene in which Fukazawa dresses up, providing viewers with the fun of fashion. Episode 10, "Visitors from Another Dimension," depicts visitors from another dimension, providing viewers with a sci-fi feel. Episode 11, "Oh! Fortune Telling," depicts a scene in which Fukazawa draws fortune-telling slips, providing viewers with the fun of fortune-telling. Episode 12, "First Target," depicts a scene in which Fukazawa aims for the first target, providing viewers with tension and excitement.

The production staff for this work is also impressive. The director is Heitaro Daichi, the character designer is Fuu Chisaka, the art director is Mayumi Nakajima (Studio Kokoro), the art supervisor is Chieko Nakamura, the color designer is Hiromi Miyawaki, the director of photography is Akemi Sasaki, the editor is Ikuyo Fujita, the sound directors are Yasuyuki Urakami and Keiko Urakami, the sound effects are Kaori Yamada, the music is Jun Abe and Seiji Muto, the sound production is AUDIO PLANNING U, the animation production is TMS/First Studio, the production companies are Shogakukan Shueisha Productions and TMS Entertainment, and the production company is the "Detective Conan: The Criminal's Hanzawa-san" Production Committee. These staff members worked together to complete this work.

The theme songs are also great. The opening theme, "Catch Me Tonight," is sung by Leon Shinhama, with lyrics by EARSY, music by Koji Makaino and Toshiya Kamata, and arrangement by Motoki Funayama. This song expresses the gap between Fukazawa-san's purity and his life in a crime-ridden city. The ending theme, "Secret, voice of my heart," is sung by Mai Kuraki, with lyrics by Mai Kuraki, music by Koshiro Honda, and arrangement by Akito Tokunaga. This song expresses the voice of Fukazawa-san's heart.

"Detective Conan: The Criminal's Fukazawa-san" is a work packed with many elements, including a humorous yet moving story, attractive characters, a luxurious production staff, and a wonderful theme song. It is a work that fans of "Detective Conan" especially cannot miss. It is also recommended for those who like mysteries and comedies. Please watch this work and support Fukazawa-san's struggle.

■Recommendation

Detective Conan: The Criminal's Hanzawa-san is a TV anime series based on the manga illustrated by Mayuko Kanba, a spin-off of Gosho Aoyama's masterpiece Detective Conan series. It aired for a total of 12 episodes from October 4 to December 20, 2022, on TOKYO MX, Yomiuri TV, and BS Nippon TV, and was also distributed on Netflix. The series is set in the crime-ridden city of Beika Town and follows the struggles of the protagonist, Hanzawa-san, who dreams of becoming a criminal.

This is a work that fans of "Detective Conan" cannot miss. In particular, the appearance of familiar characters such as Edogawa Conan, Mouri Ran, Mouri Kogoro, Professor Agasa, and Haibara Ai will evoke nostalgic feelings for fans. In addition, the addition of a new character, Hanzawa-san, allows you to enjoy the world of "Detective Conan" from a fresh perspective.

It is also recommended for those who like mysteries and comedies. Each episode of this work depicts a different case, and while Mr. Fukazawa is involved in the case, he struggles to achieve his goal. In particular, episode 1, "The Criminal Has Arrived," depicts the scene where Mr. Fukazawa arrives in Beika Town and encounters his first case. Episode 2, "Meeting People is Mysterious," depicts the scene where Mr. Fukazawa meets a new friend and deepens his relationship with that friend. Episode 3, "Ant Trap," depicts the scene where Mr. Fukazawa gets caught in an ant trap, which is a mix of tension and humor. Episode 4, "The Black Bath (Shower Scene)," depicts the scene where Mr. Fukazawa is taking a bath, providing viewers with a relaxing time. Episode 5, "The Rhapsody of Beika Town," depicts the rhapsody of Beika Town, giving viewers a musical impression. Episode 6, "Countdown to Eviction," depicts the scene where Mr. Fukazawa is in danger of being evicted, which increases the tension. In episode 7, "Requiem for the Biters," the workers' requiem is depicted, moving the viewers. In episode 8, "Next Conan's Hint: Furball," the Next Conan's hint is depicted, providing the viewers with the fun of solving mysteries. In episode 9, "Dress Up Tonight," a scene of Fukazawa-san dressing up is depicted, providing the viewers with the fun of fashion. In episode 10, "Visitors from Another Dimension," a visitor from another dimension is depicted, providing the viewers with a sci-fi feeling of excitement. In episode 11, "Oh! Fortune Telling," a scene of Fukazawa-san drawing fortune-telling slips is depicted, providing the viewers with the fun of fortune-telling. In episode 12, "The First Target," a scene of Fukazawa-san aiming for the first target is depicted, providing the viewers with tension and excitement. These episodes are enjoyable for those who like mysteries and comedies.

In addition, this work is also attractive for its luxurious production staff and wonderful theme song. The director is Heitaro Daichi, the character design is Fuu Chisaka, the art director is Mayumi Nakajima (Studio Kokoro), the art supervision is Chieko Nakamura, the color design is Hiromi Miyawaki, the director of photography is Akemi Sasaki, the editor is Ikuyo Fujita, the sound directors are Yasuyuki Urakami and Keiko Urakami, the sound effects are Kaori Yamada, the music is Jun Abe and Seiji Muto, the sound production is AUDIO PLANNING U, the animation production is TMS/First Studio, the production is Shogakukan Shueisha Productions and TMS Entertainment, and the production is the "Detective Conan: The Criminal's Hanzawa-san" Production Committee. These staff members worked together to complete this work. The opening theme "Catch Me, Tonight" is sung by Leon Shinhama, the lyrics are by EARSY, the music is by Koji Makaino and Toshiya Kamata, and the arrangement is by Motoki Funayama. This song expresses the gap between Fukazawa-san's innocence and his life in a crime-ridden city. The ending theme "Secret, voice of my heart" is sung by Mai Kuraki, with lyrics by Mai Kuraki, music by Koshiro Honda, and arrangement by Akito Tokunaga. This song expresses the voice of Fukazawa-san's heart. These theme songs move the viewers.

"Detective Conan: The Criminal's Fukazawa-san" is a work packed with many elements, including a humorous yet moving story, attractive characters, a luxurious production staff, and a wonderful theme song. It is a work that fans of "Detective Conan" especially cannot miss. It is also recommended for those who like mysteries and comedies. Please watch this work and support Fukazawa-san's struggle.