Tottori: ‘Case Closed' Character Statues Installed in Creator's Hometown; Ran Mori, Sonoko Suzuki
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Statues of 'Detective Conan' characters Ran Mori, left, and Sonoko Suzuki stand on a street as participants in the unveiling ceremony strike poses in Hokuei, Tottori Prefecture.
HOKUEI, Tottori — Colorful statues of two characters in the global hit manga series 'Detective Conan,' also known as 'Case Closed,' are now on display in the town of Hokuei, Tottori Prefecture, the hometown of the manga's creator Gosho Aoyama.
The town is also home to the Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory, a museum which introduces visitors to the world of the manga and its creator through exhibits such as a collection of original drawings of Detective Conan.
The new statues, depicting characters Ran Mori and Sonoko Suzuki, stand on Conan Street, which connects the museum with JR Yura Station.
The manga's protagonist, Conan Edogawa, is a detective who appears to be a child but is actually a teenager named Shinichi Kudo. Ran and Sonoko are childhood friends of Shinichi. Since the two girls are best friends, they are represented as strolling side by side, and the installation is titled 'Kawaranu Kankei' (An unchanging relationship).
Aoyama's father Hiromichi, 92, and his mother Michiko, 86, attended the unveiling of the statues in early April. A large number of fans, including locals and people from both inside and outside the prefecture, gathered for the event.
'All the little details are there. They look so cute!' said an 11-year-old girl who came to the unveiling in a T-shirt featuring characters from the manga.
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