What is the most baffling recent development in Conan?

[irishock]

For me it's a no-brainer: Shuuichi and Shiho are actually cousins.

[MeiTanteixX]

ShinRan becoming as official as Subaru=Akai.
(I feel like I'm still dreaming)

[K.O.R.N]

Development of Wakita, as he's framed as one of the Rum suspects.

[blackmoon]

Well, this is hardly considered 'recent' but maybe this theme would become a comeback again? (And besides, I know of no other suitable discussion to discuss this...)

In the Special Volume 26 released on December 24, 2005 in Japan (File 11 - 12)

Haibara recalls her memory at the time she was working for Black Organization. From there, Haibara and Conan conclude the only possible person having knowledge about that is Black Organization member Generic, who has knowledge about APTX 4869 and works together with Sherry in a few times.

Honda is revealed to be Generic. It turns out he escapes the Black Organization using the same method as Sherry. Along the way, Generic develops a mind control drug and a memory erasure drug. Using the mind control drug, he alters the thinking of a couple whose their son died and takes over the role as their surrogate son. He researches on the effect of APTX 4869, in which he finds Haibara as Sherry in the shrunken form, and kidnaps Haibara on the way.

Honda confesses to Haibara, hoping they could be together and escape the Black Organization. When Haibara objects, saying she will fight the Black Organization, Honda threatens her and Conan with the memory erasure drug. However, Genta shoots a slingshot to Honda, causing the drug backfire on Honda.

In the end, Conan and Haibara forgive Honda, hoping he could find peace with his new childhood life."

Gosho introducing in the special edition about mind control drug and a memory erasure drug. Isn't that baffling enough? Fuu fuu... what if one is given both a memory erasure drug and a mind control drug and become another person with another memory and identity? Basically then BO can 'revive the dead' by brainwashing another person into thinking what BO want him\her to be. Karasuma can then live on forever simply through kidnapping another person's body and 'revive' Karasuma again and again.

[MoonRaven]

Umm, you do know that the Special Volumes are written by Gosho's assistants? Nothing in them is canon even though some cases have gotten and AO episode.

[jimmy_kud0_tv2]

What is the most baffling recent development in Conan?

The dying message meaning from the Kohji case

First we hear about the case
we are told that someone name Asaka was present
we are told that the message means Asaka Rum by the main character, Conan
later we are told that Rum was present by the longest recurring antagonist, Gin
then we have Wakasa Rumi, whose fake name uses the same letter split

but then the message ends up meaning something else
none of our main arc characters seem to have figured it out and ulimately
it was up to Yusaku to come and spoil it.

[blackmoon]

What is the most baffling recent development in Conan?

The dying message meaning from the Kohji case

First we hear about the case
we are told that someone name Asaka was present
we are told that the message means Asaka Rum by the main character, Conan
later we are told that Rum was present by the longest recurring antagonist, Gin
then we have Wakasa Rumi, whose fake name uses the same letter split

but then the message ends up meaning something else
none of our main arc characters seem to have figured it out and ulimately
it was up to Yusaku to come and spoil it.

Yes I agree. Nobody really figured it out and it is baffling. I think it would be even MORE baffling if it turns out that RUM is actually another new character yet to be introduced rather than the 4 possible candidates of Wakita, Rumi, Kuroda, and Iori.

[MeiTanteixX]

Yes I agree. Nobody really figured it out and it is baffling. I think it would be even MORE baffling if it turns out that RUM is actually another new character yet to be introduced rather than the 4 possible candidates of Wakita, Rumi, Kuroda, and Iori.

Spoiler:

Nobody figured out that it could be rearranged as CARASUMA?
Actually, many were already aware of this possibility, because the anagram was discovered since the first time the mirror message was established, but especially in DCTP, many didn't want to believe that Renya was relevant.

[jimmy_kud0_tv2]

Yes I agree. Nobody really figured it out and it is baffling. I think it would be even MORE baffling if it turns out that RUM is actually another new character yet to be introduced rather than the 4 possible candidates of Wakita, Rumi, Kuroda, and Iori.

Spoiler:

Nobody figured out that it could be rearranged as CARASUMA?
Actually, many were already aware of this possibility, because the anagram was discovered since the first time the mirror message was established, but especially in DCTP, many didn't want to believe that Renya was relevant.

I think they meant that no one in the manga figured it out. There were already two clear suspect names and the message could be used to display both names which made the characters not look into it any further. Since they assumed that Asaka was a fake name and knew that Rum would be a code name, they made the jump to believing that it was two names for the same person.

Having a second solution to the same dying message that ultimately still points at the BO as the perpetrator of the crime feels a bit redundant. And with Karasuma still being a family name and not a given name, we don't know if it points to the "Karasuma Group" or an individual like Renya or possibly one of Renya's descendants, which could be Rum.

Then you can throw the Shogi piece in on top of that since we don't have the manga's explanation of its purpose there could yet still be a third interpretation of the dying message that then could specify more.

[MeiTanteixX]

Yes I agree. Nobody really figured it out and it is baffling. I think it would be even MORE baffling if it turns out that RUM is actually another new character yet to be introduced rather than the 4 possible candidates of Wakita, Rumi, Kuroda, and Iori.

Spoiler:

Nobody figured out that it could be rearranged as CARASUMA?
Actually, many were already aware of this possibility, because the anagram was discovered since the first time the mirror message was established, but especially in DCTP, many didn't want to believe that Renya was relevant.

I think they meant that no one in the manga figured it out. There were already two clear suspect names and the message could be used to display both names which made the characters not look into it any further. Since they assumed that Asaka was a fake name and knew that Rum would be a code name, they made the jump to believing that it was two names for the same person.

Having a second solution to the same dying message that ultimately still points at the BO as the perpetrator of the crime feels a bit redundant. And with Karasuma still being a family name and not a given name, we don't know if it points to the "Karasuma Group" or an individual like Renya or possibly one of Renya's descendants, which could be Rum.

Then you can throw the Shogi piece in on top of that since we don't have the manga's explanation of its purpose there could yet still be a third interpretation of the dying message that then could specify more.

Very true.
Among the many reasons why the Kohji case is standing out to me as one of the most engaging mysteries Gosho has created.

[k11chi]

Seeing Atsushi and Elena in flesh and a real flashback. Nonchalantly just talk about Karasuma group and how they act. Imagine if Haibara was not going to be born, Atsushi would have declined the offer and probably not even created whatever he was going to, APTX or not. The way Gosho did it was cool because it makes the feel too "at home," nothing was wrong in the world before, they didn't know the effects the project would have and it felt so casual for something so big. Also the project was his idea entirely... Elena must have gotten caught up in it. Maybe he got taken as hostage when he finally said he doesn't want to do it anymore.

[blackmoon]

There is one more thing i find intriguing... which is how Gosho suddenly dropped this character 紅葉 Momiji 大岡 Ōoka in a certain file like how a helicopter suddenly flew in from nowhere and somehow landed right on top of the house of someone's roof.

[jason342]

Atsushi being more innocent and naive than i thought originally. Or at least maybe he grew colder the longer he worked for the BO as all members are tested vigorously to determine their loyalty. Also that elena is half japanese, as i was certain that she would be fully british since mary was hinted at being her sister and i assumed that she was definitely fully british (with some mi6 ties).

[shinichi1977]

Let's see... Akai Shuichi being Superman and Batman in one. Despite going to great lengths to hide his real identity, he casually tells it to Shuukichi "offscreen", because somehow he had to save Yumi. He makes 100% correct deductions from the littlest of information, like finding a homeless man in Tokyo, figuring out zero is a nickname, not tied to the surgical precision Mitsubishi Zero fighter jets had, but to Rei, and they were kind enough to store that info offscreen somewhere so he could know it was Furuya (no wonder, Rei thought he killed Scotch, he must have found the locker photos too). Of course, these are powers he gained after dating Akemi (but hey, if Dallas could handwave it away...)

International bestseller authors have a single superfan, Japan doesn't have paparazzi, they don't have publicists and social media managers, because to outsmart a supposedly long-dead millionaire, the Kudos can just move back in secretly to hatch a plan. There are literally no otakus ever camping out at their place. This is a suspense bridge level of disbelief, upon which Kanenori is going through. This comes from there not being a car in file 1008 after he tried to deliver sushi. So, either Beika-cho is so small everything is walking distance, and every character is super lazy, or he can literally speedrun from Mouri's to Agasa. In other words, Kanenori is Professor Zoom, which makes sense, because in that case, Karasuma is an alias for Ra's Al-Ghul, and thus APTX is made with water from the Lazarus Pit.

Okay, I got a bit carried away... but it genuinely baffles me why Shukichi got to learn who Okiya is when his connection to Yumi makes him a liability. It vexes me that Mary and Elena could be sisters, childhood friends would be less incest-y. Finally, it angers me that due to the hiatus, the conversation between Rei, Akai and the Kudos is still months away from the reveal, more than Eisuke being Hidemi's brother was.

MOD NOTE: please don't use such wording here. This is a SFW manga. And no such thing was hinted at or inferred.

[Antiyonder]

Ran being so eager to be Shinichi's girlfriend instead of being a little more distant at the idea, despite knowing that he's been deceptive towards her. Yeah, I get that the ideal girlfriend in Japan is one who's unconditionally patience and doesn't care about being disrespected. Heck the sad thing is that our country (USA) still has some growing to do in that regard, but it doesn't make it any less iffy for such a thing to be romanticized, and factually the best stories can be ones that recognize/acknowledge unhealthy laws/norms of society.