Shinichi Kudo(Jimmy Kudo) is highly famous for being the best teen detective of East Japan. His knowledge on mystery novels & soccer skills has made him a modern Sherlock Holmes. And has helped out the police on the toughest cases. Life was going smooth with Shinichi. On one night however, he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Where 2 men in black clothes were about to get their cover blown by Shinichi. One of them knocked him out cold and forced a poison pill that was meant to end his life. However instead of killing him. It made him shrink from a teen to a kid.
Still have the brains of a sleuth, but no longer in the full grown body of Japan's favorite teen detective. Shinichi had to go under the alias of Conan Edogawa. A combination of 2 of his favorite mystery novelists. And can't reveal his real identity, as it'll endanger the people he knows and will get chased by the 2 men in black who'll come to finish the job. Shinichi now lives with his friend Ran(Rachel) who is the daughter of third rate detective Kogoru Mohri(Richard Moore). Pretending to be a smart ordinary kid, Conan uses the gadgets provided by his Mad next door scientist, Dr. Asawa. To help him solve the crimes and help Kogoru out without being noticed. Conan hopes to make Kogoru famous so that way he can get some leads and info on the 2 men responsible for his condition.
As the series progresses, Conan does what he can to become Shinichi Kudo again. And will encounter many cases on Homocide, Suicide, Robbery, Child abduction, salvage, & terrorism. Once he does find the 2 men in black, Conan will try to obtain the pill that changed him and get Dr. Asawa to make an antidote to make him Shinichi again.
For more than a decade this anime has been widely successful in Japan. And an international hit in many countries. I never heard of it till 2005. And very surprised to learn how long this series is. With almost 500 episodes, several movies, and a handful of OVAs. Detective Conan(Case Closed) should deserve to be a highly acclaim cartoon in any category for Anime.
Problem is very few American Anime fans, don't know how great it is or don't know it's existence. If you like Anime with action, comedy, mystery, or just something that'll keep you busy. I guaranteed Detective Conan is unlike the other mystery anime out there.
