What is bothering me for a long time...

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

Someone killing Kogoro would make me sad. As for the sleeper agent, it's a character who has been around awhile but doesn't have any lingering suspicions attached to him/her, then out of the blue becomes plot relevant. In this case, after a long period of time where Conan/the readers assumed this person was a normal civilian, he/she is suddenly revealed as a B.O operative which jars everyone's expectations.

[Kor]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

Someone killing Kogoro would make me sad. As for the sleeper agent, it's a character who has been around awhile but doesn't have any lingering suspicions attached to him/her, then out of the blue becomes plot relevant. In this case, after a long period of time where Conan/the readers assumed this person was a normal civilian, he/she is suddenly revealed as a B.O operative which jars everyone's expectations.

I think he leaves that concept for the boss.

[Kumiko]

Lots of good points by the OP, though a rational explanation of why Yoko has a lighter/ashtray could just be that smoking seems to be a lot more prevalent in Japan than in the U.S., particularly when the series was just starting. Looking at other manga, there's far more smoking in public, by both good and bad characters, even teenagers. The kids in Onizuka's class in GTO, or Yusuke himself in the Yu Yu Hakusho manga come to mind. It's not necessarily seen as a good thing (most younger characters who smoke are delinquent types, or at least rebellious), but it doesn't seem to be as demonized as in American family-friendly media. Note that Kogoro smokes heavily throughout the series and other than it being noted occasionally as bad for his health, it doesn't make him a bad person in anyone's eyes. So the lighter and ashtray could have a much more casual significance. Like someone else pointed out, maybe she just has a few friends or acquaintances who come by frequently who she keeps them around for. She's in the industry, so it's quite conceivable some of them are older (probably more likely to smoke), or spend a lot of time out of the country. Someone she knows could've brought the lighter back as a souvenier, though admittedly it would be a strange omiage to bring back for a young, non-smoking woman.

If we assume it has more significance, though (and disregard me if all this has been brought up before, I'm a bit new here ^^')...

My feeling on Okino Yoko is she's something of a red herring. She's popped up enough times to be suspicious on her own, but I think she's truly a good person. I would not discount a B.O. connection, though (besides the obvious one of her knowing Rena). I think she probably knows someone else in the B.O. but isn't aware of their "work"--could be Vermouth, Chris Vineyard's work as an actress make her pretty likely--but it could be someone who we wouldn't immediately suspect. If this friend has enough influence over her, it means that they could manipulate her if it's deemed she's useful enough. Particularly if someone becomes suspicious of Kogoro again, since he's such a big fan. It could be they are already for other purposes, since she's pretty popular.

The Irene Adler connection would be interesting if it was used as a decoy; the original was never a bad person, though, and honestly Yukiko's a better match for her. But I could see Conan suspecting her if the evidence pointed to her being linked to somebody in the B.O. It might bring up memories of the Ding Dong Dash case, and that in turn could start making him see some of the same connections the fans see, down to the lighter in his first case...sort of a "And there was that time...and that...!" situation. Whether he'd discount them or not would depend on the specifics of the case that brought it to his attention, but I'd like to see him focus on her, follow the red herring. And then figure out there's someone else behind it. Wouldn't that be terrible for him, if he knew that this nice girl, one who happens to have quite a bit of influence over Kogoro and who can get inside their lives very easily, could be easily used against them? Once he knows, too, it would be a pretty effective source of tension for him...just have it be a case where Yoko's involved and watch him sweat. Sort of similar to how he gets when he's around Eri, but with more dire consequences in store if Yoko notices anything strange about him. And no one would understand why Conan's suddenly so quiet around Yoko.

I'm probably wrong, of course. It's quite likely she is just a pop star who happens to be good for introducing some situations because she's got connections to other famous people. Still, the fact that a character introduced in the first volume--his first murder case as Conan--reoccurs as often as she does is pretty significant.

[shinichi1977]

The topic has many valid points although I suspect her for other reasons, she really just might be a red herring.

When the plot was conceived, the idol industry had her first baby steps on the road to recognition. The society is very conservative and I would like to be frank: male chauvinistic. In order to start and maintain an idol career, which sucks the life out of one, such actors/singers/dancers need to do and call in huge favors to be on top as long as possible, see Perfect Blue for example. And speaking of which, the reason, their addresses were not made public has a sad, realistic reason: if my memory serves right, in 1988 the Otaku Killer made huge rampage in the country, killing 4 girls and eating from one of them, so if such people were to know where there idols are living... The ashtray can be simply a sign of expecting visitors of higher rank in the industry, men of middle age who smoke and drink, and unique lighters come handy in being noticeable.

That aside, her position itself makes her both unnoticeable among famous people and also valuable. Yes, she can be 22 and still the boss herself that being inheriting the organization, if you think in the Japanese way, it would not be impossible, the BO are not the yakuzas, so yes, Sharon Vinyard could be seen as her favourite/mentor.

[GinRei]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

I've been saying for months now that the BO needs to make an attempt on his life that puts him in a coma.  This would provide a new dynamic as Ran and Conan move in with Eri (or Eri moves in with them, whatever), and it would provide an excuse at the end of the series for why Kogorou can't use "Sleeping Kogorou" anymore.

[kkslider5552000]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

Someone killing Kogoro would make me sad. As for the sleeper agent, it's a character who has been around awhile but doesn't have any lingering suspicions attached to him/her, then out of the blue becomes plot relevant. In this case, after a long period of time where Conan/the readers assumed this person was a normal civilian, he/she is suddenly revealed as a B.O operative which jars everyone's expectations.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the sleeper agent is Makoto or Sanada Kazumi.

[mangaluva]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

I've been saying for months now that the BO needs to make an attempt on his life that puts him in a coma.  This would provide a new dynamic as Ran and Conan move in with Eri (or Eri moves in with them, whatever), and it would provide an excuse at the end of the series for why Kogorou can't use "Sleeping Kogorou" anymore.

Good thought. I would add some dynamism to the series, which is sadly lacking in YET ANOTHER FILLER MURDER. Also it might help with the Eri/Kogoro reconiciliation, which I long to see almost as much as Ran does.

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

I was going over old posts and I realized I never gave this thread the proper consideration that it deserved...

Arguments re: "target"
The door is wide open for the "target" to be a yet-unknown-to-us/unconfirmed-to-the-FBI B.O. member.  
They would be able to link that person to Vermouth, and have that person investigated and watched.  
It would be possible, if Akai still had some sort of inside information, to learn of this planned meeting between Vermouth and the unknown B.O. member.
The FBI's plan was probably to have Jodie meet the person as well (while tagging along with Araide), and Akai would be observing the whole ordeal 1) for him to have eyes-on and make his own determination, and 2) for back-up.
So, who was it?

My explanation is pretty much identical to The Blind’s.

From the FBI's perspective, there were three people they knew Vermouth had her eye on from the pictures on her dartboard: Ran, Conan, and Shiho Miyano. Although the pictures Vermouth had were shown much later (340) than the Bus Jack case (287), Jodie already has copies of them before the Bus Jack case evidenced by her calling Conan "cool guy" at the end of her introductory case. (272) Furthermore, Jodie expounds on the state the pictures were found in when she confronts Vermouth later; when Jodie and her team snuck into "Araide's" hospital room they found the picture of Sherry pinned by a dart on the board with an X through it and assumed that Vermouth was attempting to find this woman. The target Akai was waiting for on the bus was indeed Vermouth's target Shiho Miyano. I assume that something Vermouth did led them to believe that she was going to get close to the target on the bus. Since the target was Shiho Miyano, Shuu's lover's sister, it would explain why he personally might feel the need to go out in the open in order to protect her. Of course Akai would say the target never showed because he didn't know Shiho had decided to drop a decade.

A painfully literal translation:
「ã

[Introuble]

O_O

[xpon]

nice ones

i'll considere this as a new chalange

[kyuuketsuki]

Well, if we are talking arcs where Conan gets caught with his pants down, the locker scene in footsteps of darkness fits the bill. He was saved by dumb luck, plain and simple, unless Gin has something up his sleeve, but Gin hasn't shown any evidence of that yet.
I'm not a fan of villains being sympathetic or giving the hero chances when they are characterized as ruthless. We have a sympathetic chance giver already: Vermouth. If there was another, I would be questioning the boss's hiring decisions/people reading skills. I wouldn't mind though if the villain decided to give the hero a chance if the villain had no way out himself. You could work in the idea that the Conan was completely caught out of the blue, but did just enough so that the boss/Gin knew the mole had messed up. The mole realized they were coming for him and escape was inevitable and thus decided to spit in the eye of the org. by giving Conan a chance to interrupt the plan and keeping Conan's secret. That reminds me a bit of Irish by the way.
I think what DC needs is a sleeper agent. We kind of got one with Akemi and her relationship with Akai, but I want a full blown malevolent sleeper agent.

The BO Boss doesn't seem to make such decisions.... I think this is like a big company.

BO Boss: Meets with only the highest of members, the board of trustees or executive board if you will. That is if he/she meets with anyone at all. For all we know, the boss could be a ghost and give instructions by phone only. Comparable with the president of a company, gets blamed for everything meets with no one and does next to nothing, he/she has minions...er...employees to do that.

Higher members: [Gin, Vermouth (so far as we know thus far)] are possibly the equivalent to executive on the board or at the very least managers. Since there has been no evidence that they have actually met the Boss, I am inclined to think the latter. It is possible that they have met the boss, but that is up in theory which I don't want to stipulate on. However, what does seem to be true is that these members have the ability to test, and induct new members based upon performance (or reinduct). Remember, it was Gin who allowed Rena back in.

Lower members: (Vodka) they are the helpers of the higher ups. It is likely that they are being trained to be in the position of the higher up.

Special members: (Chanti) People that are brought in for special purposes, like sniping, or other special talents like gun variety. I'm assuming that Vermouth's partner was such a person.

Scientific team: (sherry and parents) Seemingly high members due to importance. The org doesn't want to get rid of them and will bend to their whims a bit more because if they lose them they might lose a branch of their research. However at the same time members here are in a position where they may be killed after their task is done.


Things we can assume:
1) The BO Boss gives instruction by phone only
2) Makes final decision on new members based upon the word of the higher ups after tests.
3) The higher ups have pretty free movements. The boss allows them to do things on their own until they mess up.

[soratothamax]

I want to be like these people when I grow up: a person who reads all the manga files from beginning to end AGAIN! 

I don't think Yoko is the Boss, but I wouldn't put it past her if she was involved somehow in some way. But I won't jump into the water with that one. 

This just makes me more excited for more BO episodes/manga chapters! I've watched/read every one, but I have to go back over it all to really get the full picture again....

[ShinRan36]

Wow an interesting thread.
I have to admit that I had to think about what you wrote..
I would have never think about Yoko being the boss, until reading your text. (Respect for the length xD)

But there are facts that dont fit to your theory.
For example: Why would ai be surprised if the boss were yoko? Ai doesnt trust her and yoko isnt dead. BUT if gosho would have said that EVEN Ai would be surprised, than its different. And another problem: How old is Yoko? The boss has to be minimum 55-60 years old, right? Because the BO exists since so many years..  Okay, you can say that Yoko maybe used APTX4869, but isnt it too riskful? However, Vermouth used it, too..I dont know..

You are absolutely right with the theory that the BO has to be someone from the first chapters, because Gosho would have never thought of drawing more about 600 chapters, wouldnt he? So he had to give hints in the first chapters.. And why should yoko be in the first chapters? She isnt important for the case (for now!).
And if she is a friend of vermouth, because they both are artists, than we can assume that vermouth could be her favourite member..

BUT... Would a person like Gin do the things that Yoko, a woman want? I mean, I dont think that gin would listen to Yoko..or that he would be afraid of her because making a mistake..
Well who knows.. )

[soratothamax]

How about this: someone from the B.O. finally offs Kogorou.  Seriously if they don't do it soon, HOW BADASS CAN THEY BE?

Chekhov, what is your definition of "sleeper agent"?

Someone killing Kogoro would make me sad. As for the sleeper agent, it's a character who has been around awhile but doesn't have any lingering suspicions attached to him/her, then out of the blue becomes plot relevant. In this case, after a long period of time where Conan/the readers assumed this person was a normal civilian, he/she is suddenly revealed as a B.O operative which jars everyone's expectations.

That person could be Scar akai, Bourbon, or Okiya...though the evidence is strongly againhst two of the three...

But there are facts that dont fit to your theory.
For example: Why would ai be surprised if the boss were yoko? Ai doesnt trust her and yoko isnt dead. BUT if gosho would have said that EVEN Ai would be surprised, than its different. And another problem: How old is Yoko? The boss has to be minimum 55-60 years old, right? Because the BO exists since so many years..  Okay, you can say that Yoko maybe used APTX4869, but isnt it too riskful? However, Vermouth used it, too..I dont know.

Vermouth using Aptx is only a rumor. Where did that rumor come from?

[Chekhov MacGuffin]

As for the sleeper agent, it's a character who has been around awhile but doesn't have any lingering suspicions attached to him/her, then out of the blue becomes plot relevant. In this case, after a long period of time where Conan/the readers assumed this person was a normal civilian, he/she is suddenly revealed as a B.O operative which jars everyone's expectations.

That person could be Scar akai, Bourbon, or Okiya...though the evidence is strongly against two of the three...

...only none of those make sense as sleeper agents because the both Okiya and Scar Akai are suspicious currently and regardless of who is who, will almost certainly continue to be plot relevant once their identities are revealed. I'm talking about someone like Cafe Poirot waitress Azusa Enomoto for example. (No, I don't think Azusa is a B.O. agent btw.)

Vermouth using Aptx is only a rumor. Where did that rumor come from?

It was probably the result of people making the assumption that APTX4869 is the only thing in the DC-verse that could have caused Vermouth's condition without thinking about the timing of the research.