Episode 1 - Jet Coaster Murder Case
(Jetto Koosutaa Satsujin Jiiken)
Based On Manga: Volume 1, File 1
Plot Groups: Character Development, Black Organization, Ran & Shinichi
General Summary: (Teaser)
Complete Summary:
Part 1: Murder at the Mansion
The episode opens as a party has been brought to an abrupt halt by the discovery of a man murdered in one of the rooms of a mansion. The victim, Yamazaki, was shot in the heart inside of a locked room. As inspector megure explains the situation, Shinichi brashly enters and begins his deduction show. He explains that the criminal must be someone from within the mansion, as the killer entered from a window ledge next to the room, and left the same way, using rope to cross from one window to the other. He suggests that Yamazaki was called into the room and told to lock it by someone in the mansion, and that the only person who would know the layout and the victim well enough to set this up was the mansion owner himself. As the owner tries to worm out of suspicion by claiming that his leg was too injured to jump between the windows, Shinichi tricks him into standing up from his wheelchair by throwing a globe at him. As his ruse has been uncovered, the owner tries to flee, only to be caught by Shinichi quickly kicking the globe at him.
Part 2: Murder on the Jet Coaster
The next day, as Shinichi is walking to school, he is greeted by his childhood friend Ran, who reminds him of his promise to take her to the amusement park for winning a karate tournament. Once there, they decide to go on the "Mystery Coaster". While in line, Shinichi displays his detective skills by correctly guessing that the woman who is in front of them in line is a gymnast with only a handshake. Then, as their turn on the coaster comes around, the unthinkable happens: someone is decapitated during the ride! The victim's name is Kishida, a man they met briefly while in line. Shinichi quickly jumps into action to solve the case, proclaiming boldly that it was a murder! At this time, the police discover a bloody knife in the purse of the victim's girlfriend, Aiko. When suspicion turns to her, Shinichi declares that she isn't the murderer, and it is actually Hitomi, the girl whose hand he shook earlier. He explains that she used her bag to create more room in the seat so that she could slip out of the seat guard, stretch back over Shinichi's car, and decapitate the victim with a string of piano wire disguised as a necklace. He shows the loose pearls that dropped at the site of the decapitation as proof, and also points out that the tears on her face are sideways from her eyes, a sign that she was crying while still on the ride, making it unmistakable that she was the only one who could have pulled off the murder. Hitomi confesses to the crime, stating that she used to date the victim before he dumped her for a new girlfriend.
Episode Conclusion: Following The Suspicious Men In Black
After the case is closed, Shinichi and Ran are still walking around the park when Shinichi spots the men in black who were also on the ride during the murder. Sensing that they are up to no good, he leaves Ran behind to go follow them. He tails them to a suspicous transaction where he sees one of the men in black exchanging incriminating photos of a businessman back to him for extortion money. However, Shinichi doesn't notice the other man in black sneak up behind him until it's too late. He strikes Shinichi on the back of the head, and then forces an experimental poison down his throat, intending to kill him with it. Shinichi struggles on the ground in pain... and the episode ends.