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When ace high school detective Jimmy Kudo is fed a mysterious substance by a pair of nefarious men in black—poof! He is physically transformed into a first grader. Until Jimmy can find a cure for his miniature malady, he takes on the pseudonym Conan Edogawa and continues to solve all the cases that come his way.

In this exciting volume:

THE MERMAID VANISHES

While Conan tries to prove that a corpse found deep in the woods was the victim of more than just a hunting accident, the Junior Detective League gains a new member: a curious bear cub! Then Detective Moore's office is graced by a very traditional lady with very traditional—and very deadly—sword skills. And at a place called Mermaid Island, a woman is found hanged under a waterfall. It seems the legendary mermaid's curse has struck again...unless Conan and Harley Hartwell can find an all-too-human culprit!

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2000

29 people are currently reading
316 people want to read

About the author

Gosho Aoyama

981 books1,207 followers
Gosho Aoyama (青山剛昌) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known as the creator of the manga series Detective Conan (known in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom as Case Closed).

Aoyama made his debut as a manga artist with the work Chotto Matte which was published in the weekly magazine Shōnen Sunday on winter of 1987. Shortly after that, another work by Aoyama, Magic Kaito, was published on the same magazine.

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5 stars
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223 (15%)
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25 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Aitor.
294 reviews4 followers
July 19, 2021
Caso Animalistas al Rescate (sale mal): aunque el caso sea algo flojo y cosas como Conan tirando la prueba de las setas parezca demasiado conveniente, hacia el final plantea un debate moral interesantísimo sobre las acciones del asesino con respecto al oso de la montaña. Además, ver a Haibara interactuando a solas con alguno de los niños tiene su aquel.

Caso ¿Esa Tipa Era la Madre?: me gusta como introducción del nuevo personaje de la familia Hattori, pero la verdad es que el caso en sí es más bien normalito. Como siempre, está bien planteado y bien resuelto, así que tampoco puede achacársele mucho negativo más allá de cumplir.

Caso "Oigo Sirenas, Pero No Son la Pasma": de los mejores casos de la serie y la razón que eleva la nota final del tomo. Tenso hasta el final, verdaderamente misterioso y con momentos emocionales catárticos; además, juega con el folclore japonés sin excederse.
Profile Image for Mahra.
311 reviews46 followers
February 10, 2017
Conan Vol.28

*HEIJI AND KAZUHA OMG*

1. My prediction in the bear hunting case was right!
2. The old man was the killer, but the flashback story was touching about the Jubie bear
3. and that was cruel and heartless when the hunter (who was murdered) hanged the cub!
4. The next case about the mermaid island was ALL FIVE STARS!
5. The cliff scene was omg so touching
6. The mermaid ritual that the family had was insane!
The next case includes Sato and the investigator, so I'M ALL EXCITED AND ITS A SERIAL KILLER CASE TOO!

All in all, 5 star volume.
Profile Image for Darcys_Lesestuebchen.
379 reviews2 followers
February 16, 2025
Es droht höchste Gefahr, aber ausnahmsweise mal nicht von den Männern in schwarz, auf die es zurzeit keine Hinweise gibt. Nachdem im Nationalpark eine Leiche gefunden wurde, schweben der Professor, Conan, Ayumi und Co. in Gefahr. Aber auch nachdem dieser Fall gelöst ist, wird es für Conan nicht ruhig, als Kogoro einen neuen Auftrag erhält und für eine Kundin ihren Jugendfreund finden soll. Ein Mord, Lügen und eine Maskerade wirbeln alles durcheinander. Und zum Schluss gilt es den Fluch der Meerkungfrau zu brechen und im ersten Teil des letzten Falls geschieht eine Mordserie an jungen Frauen in speziellen Outfits.

Meine Meinung:
Es hat wieder etwas gedauert, bis ich wieder einen Band von Detektiv Conan in die Hand nahm, aber bei gut zehn aktiven Mangareihen, die ich zurzeit lese, auch kein Wunder. Aber ich hatte keinerlei Probleme, mich wieder an die Fälle zuvor zu erinnern und hatte mit dieser bunten Mischung von Lügen, Scharaden und Legenden keinerlei Probleme und wurde wunderbar unterhalten, was auch mal wieder an Kogoro und seiner besonderen Art lag, um es mal so zu sagen. Dieser Mann ist manchmal einfach nur peinlich....arme Ran :D

Im ersten Fall wurde der Mordfall aus dem Vorgänger zuende gebracht. Die Detective Boys und der Professor gerieten in Gefahr und es ging um Leben oder Tod. Mir gefiel die Auflösung sehr gut und es wurde zum Schluss sehr emotional. Irgendwie konnte ich den Täter verstehen, auch wenn es dennoch keinen Mord rechtfertigte.

Im zweiten Fall erhielt Kogoro von einer neuen Mandantin einen Auftrag, der schließlich in einen Mord endete und ein Wiedersehen mit Inspektor Yokomizo bescherte. Lügen, Maskeraden und einige Ungereimheiten unterhielten mich bestens, obwohl ich den Anime noch gut in Erinnerung hatte. Der Fall war interessant und ich mochte die Wendungen, sowie die tolle Auflösung sehr gerne. Highlight war mal wieder Kogoro, der echt zum Fremdschämen einlud. Zum Ende hin gab es noch ein unerwartetes Wiedersehen, was ich prima fand.

Im dritten Fall machen sich Conan und Co. mit Kazuha und Heiji zu der Insel der Meerjungfrau auf, auf dem zu Ehren der Meerjungfrau ein Fest stattfindet. Kogoro hat einen neuen Fall; er hat eine mysteriöse Nachricht erhalten, in der ein Mord angedroht wird, verübt durch eine Meerjungfrau. Als dann tatsächlich nach und nach junge Frauen sterben, zweifelt nicht nur Conan, aber ein Fabelwesen, das mordet ? Mir gefiel der Fall sehr gut und anscheinend habe ich doch das eine oder andere Detail vergessen und fand es spannend, Conan bei seinen Ermittlungen zu begleiten, die sehr turbulent verliefen und ein überraschendes Ende nahmen. Der Mysterie-Flair gefiel mir sehr gut und schaffte eine tolle Atmosphäre, die durchaus für den einen oder anderen Schauer sorgte.

Im vierten und letzten Fall, der geteilt wurde, wurden junge Frauen, die einen bestimmten Kleidungsstil tragen und sich schminken, überfallen. Alle drei bisherigen Opfer kamen mit dem Leben davon, bis es das erste Mordopfer gibt. Das war ein sehr intensiver Fall, der vor allem Inspektor Migure sehr nahe ging und ihn völlig aus dem Konzept brachte. Nach und nach erfuhr man wieso und wieder einmal fieberte ich mit ihm mit. Der erste Teil gefiel mir sehr gut und war sehr spannend.

Der Zeichenstil gefiel mir wieder sehr und ich hatte keine Probleme, dem Geschehen zu folgen. Toll war es, wie genau die Mimik der Charaktere dargestellt wurde und man immer ein gutes Gefühl für den Fall hatte.

Fazit:
Dieser Band gefiel mir richtig gut. Die Mischung war klasse und unterhielt mich bestens. Kogoro war wieder in seinem Element, genau wie Conan, der doch jeden Täter überführte. Gerade der Fall mit den Meerjungfrauen gefiel mir sehr gut und es war schön, wieder auf Heiji und Kazuha zu treffen, die sich wie eh und je kabbelten. Man sollte am besten den nächsten Band parat haben, da auch ihr wieder ein Fall geteilt wird, der sehr spannend ist und Migure näher ins Rampenlciht rückt. Von mir gibt es:

5 von 5 Sterne
Profile Image for Sam.
405 reviews19 followers
February 15, 2025
*Note this volume ends in a cliffhanger!

Lots of strong cases in this one. Loved the conclusion from the last volume, and it's always a blast when certain characters pop in to surprise us every now and again ;)

Case 1: Continues where the previous volume left off.

Ai leaving a clue for Conan to figure out the killer, trusting his knowledge and expertise, and Conan giving that on-brand hard core concentrating stare, only to turn the page and see him toss it like it's trash ;o; omg I laughed so hard. I also greatly enjoyed the little black bear baby that tags along. The faces it makes, my heart ;o; <3 I loved the uniqueness of this case though, the story is really bittersweet.

Case 2: Richard gets hired by a prestigious looking client looking for an old friend. All seemed well enough, until they found the friend, lying face down on the floor of his apartment--murdered.

I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before, but it was funny when the client asked for Jimmy's input, having heard he was floating around Richard's office. Conan panicked at the rumor, thinking of what could happen if the Black Organization finds out, but like...he never faked his death? There's no obituary? ...shouldn't they already have clues he's still alive? LOL

Anyway, I did find it fun to figure out some clues myself, and I loved the interaction of Rachel intervening with her dad's flirting x'D The case itself was okay, but the characters made it worthwhile.

Case 3: Harley and crew head out to The Island of Mermaids, invited to sus out a potential case. They learn the legend of the island and participate in the annual festival, however the festivities are interrupted with a dead body dangling in a waterfall.

Very much an intricate case with a lot happening! And jeez, like all in one night? xD Lots of twists and turns with this one, and of course I love Conan/Jimmy and Harley team-ups! (Of course Harley and Kazuha are so cute. The cliff scene, my heart ;o; ) The ending will likely surprise you! Definitely enjoyed re-reading this one.

Case 4: Woman after woman are being attacked, and it's up to Conan to figure out the connection. But all the while, something weighs heavily on Megure's mind.

We just get the start of this case here, as this volume ends in a cliffhanger, but it's a banger of a start. A lot happening all at once, and Conan has to piece it all together before another person shows up dead.

Really enjoyable volume for me, another great add to the series :) Can't wait to read the next one ^^

For Japanese Learners:

Check my previous review on book two for more info. This is a series, so things are gonna be consistent.
Profile Image for Stephen.
1,487 reviews3 followers
January 13, 2024
The Junior Detectives are in a race against time as Detective Conan tries to prove that a body found in the hunting grounds was murder and not a hunting accident. This story to me I found refreshing and while still follows the formula of previous missions…somehow seemed more real to me. The first full case of this volume finds a what on the service appears to be a simple case of an old school mate looking to track down and reconnect after many years. But it is never that simple, and murder isn’t far behind! The next story within this volume deals with a tropical island by the name of Mermaid Island! There is a murder that occurs while Detective Conan and Harley are on the island. This case is somewhat like others, but the reveal was a little clever and I found it enjoyable. The final story of the book is so short…I believe it should have been kept for the next volume but of course the story begins….with murder. The police are trying to lure out the killer. We shall see how it goes….next volume!
Profile Image for Gateway_to_Wonderland.
361 reviews1 follower
July 15, 2025
Salapoliisi Conan on päässyt 28:een osaansa. Tässä kirjassa saadaan päätökseen edellisen osan päättänyt tarina. Sen lisäksi kirjassa on kolme muuta tarinaa, joista viimeisen ratkaisu kyllä jä seuraavaan osaan.

Tarinat ovat edelleen todella laadukkaita ja hyvin luotuja. Tarinat rakennetaan hienosti ja lukija itsekin pääsee ratkomaan arvoituksia. Tässä osassa vierailee aiemmista osista tuttuja hahmoja, mutta ei haittaa vaikka heitä ei tuntisi. Sinänsä nämä kyllä kannattaa lukea ilmestymisjärjestyksessä, sillä tuolloin saa paljon enemmän irti.

Nämä ovat todella mainioita dekkareita mangan muodossa. Kuvitus on selkeää ja siksi juonta sekä vihjeitä on helppo seurata. Nämä ovat mitä mainiointa ajantappoa 😁
Profile Image for endeavoursofvic.
865 reviews5 followers
June 3, 2020
Metantei Conan #28: 4 Stars
[6.10 - really great ]

Everything was good/great - but nothing... incredible in this one. This mainly featured two cases and started a third one.

1 | 6.17
2 | 6.19
3 | 6.43
4 | 6.13
5 | 6.21
6 | 6.61
7 | 5.81
8 | 6.21
9 | 6.17
10 | 5.67
11 | 5.91

[5 stands for good. 6 for really great]


[my checklist of relevant-y] Characters featured: Shinichi, Ran, Kogoro, Megure, Midori, Takagi, Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, Genta, Ai, Heiji, Shizuka, Kazuha, Yokomizo, Sonoko, (Makoto), Agasa, Sato, (Yukiko), (Tsujimura?)
Profile Image for Cecillie.
1,130 reviews15 followers
August 15, 2025
Yeah, the case with the kids ended up like I kind of expected. I thought it was boring. I also wish the real kids wouldn't get crushes on the shrunken teenager and grown woman. It's so weird. The second case had promise, but it ended up being meh. The only thing I liked was the art of the first victim, it looked so disturbing! Aoyama really has a talent for creepy panels.
The only really point of hope is the last case. It seems interesting... but that's only based on a single chapter, so there's a chance it'll be a dud like the other cases in this volume.
Profile Image for Susanne.
398 reviews
December 25, 2018
Case 1: The case in the woods where Mitsuhiko and Ai flee from a hunter is solved.
Case 2: The mermaid island case: one of my favourite anime cases. Conan and Hattori are called to an mysterious island where a woman lives who seems to not die because she ate mermaid meat. Meanwhile a lot of young people on the island die.
Case 3: Woman are being injured in hit and run accidents on the street. They all look similar though noone knows for sure what connects them.
Profile Image for Mana traverse les Pages.
458 reviews7 followers
March 19, 2022
Un tome toujours très sympa.

La troisième affaire approfondit les liens entre Kazuha et Heiji, que l'on retrouve le temps d'une excursion sur l'île aux sirènes. Le jeune enquêteur est plus en retrait et moins extravagant que dans ses précédentes apparitions laissant la place à Conan pour scénariser les révélations.

La dernière affaire est tout juste entamée à la fin du tome et elle promet des révélations sur l'un des personnages secondaires... à suivre ! ^^
Profile Image for Akaigita.
Author 6 books238 followers
July 15, 2020
Rate: 4.75

Salah satu komik Conan yang paling creepy pembunuhannya. Legenda putri duyung. Serius, serem betul. Kasus perburuan yang melibatkan beruang mata satu itu juga cute. Mitsuhiko nanya ke Ai kenapa Ai kok kalau ngomong sama Conan serasa dunia milik berdua ahcieee~ ❤❤❤

Iya, aku memang ngeship Conan-Ai
Profile Image for Felicia.
782 reviews
January 29, 2024
Ai and Mitsuiko had an amazing time getting to know each other during their forest adventure! And let's not forget about Heiji's mother, who is both beautiful and cunning. It's always so exciting to relive the history of the mermaid island, and I was thrilled to rediscover the detail about the past presence of Shiho Miyano!
Profile Image for Soobie has fog in her brain.
7,192 reviews134 followers
July 27, 2024
E per oggi ho finito il grande recupero per inserire tutti i volumi letti nell'ultimo mese, più o meno. Sono sempre indietro nella mia tabella di marcia: mai stata così indietro da quando sono su GR, a dire il vero. Cercherò di recuperare nella seconda parte dell'anno per raggiungere almeno i 365 libri letti.

-----

Anche la mamma di Hattori non scherza, però.
Profile Image for Bill Fish.
382 reviews1 follower
June 21, 2023
Conclusion of hunters murder case. A woman hires Mori to find a man who of course ends up dead. Heiji and Haruka take/join Conan and Mori to Mermaid Island for a mystery that ends up costing lives. The beginning of the serial assault case involving a man beating women with a metal bat.
Profile Image for Eva.
588 reviews16 followers
December 6, 2025
4/5
Heiji and Kazuha were so adorable! I need more of them, to be honest.
Loved the mermaid island mystery. Had everything there is to love about DC: good mystery, cultural history, character development, the sleeping Mouri...this was top tier.
Profile Image for Firefox.
45 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2019
The old man and bear story is so touching.
However, what is most surprising in this volume is the Mermaid case.
Profile Image for Valerie.
185 reviews8 followers
February 17, 2022
El caso de la sirena y la aparición del nombre de adulta de Ai,,, empiezan las verdaderas dudas acerca del Apotoxin.
Profile Image for Chocotube.
69 reviews
February 19, 2023
Relecture

- la suite de l'affaire de la cueillette des champignons/chasseurs d'ours
- l'affaire de la vieille photo, avec l'introduction de la mère d'Heiji
- l'affaire de l'île aux sirènes, une très bonne affaire
- le début de l'affaire des victimes au style "ganguro", qui s'illustre par une remarque raciste de Kogoro
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Robin.
425 reviews20 followers
July 22, 2017
Proper review to follow

One Word Rec.: READ

Rating: 5 🔍🔍🔍🔍🔍

Aoyama Gosho; DETECTIVE CONAN [Meitantei Conan #28]

e/read online; genre: { manga, mystery, shounen }; shelves: |comics, GN, manga, manhua, manhwa|

General Synopsis:
As mentioned above, I am going to write a proper review for this soon, but I have a few books ahead of this one in the queue, so I cannot stop reading DC NOW! That's sacrilege. I have decided to read all the chapters available up to now (we are almost to 1000!) As you can see, I am totally fangirling over here and I don't care, because this is one of my favorite manga series, ever! But all of this aside, there are a few things I wanted to list so I don't need to go back and look everything up when I do finally sit down and write my fangirl review. ✌🏻

V.28, includes Files 274 - 284

DO NOT click on the spoiler link if you don't want to read all the cases in this volume, because it will ruin it for you. On the other hand, if you're a fan like me or are looking for a certain case (and please note, these are how I have set the cases), etc. click away, that's why it's there.



Another spoiler link, so don't click if you don't want to ruin this manga. I am going to include the characters introduced or as the series continues are in this volume. Personally, I think us DC fans love certain characters more than other (yes, Heiji, I mean you!), so sometimes when we are re-reading this series (like all the time!) you might wish to start at a specific case or start when a certain character is involved.

Characters in this volume:

Personal Opinion:
#1, I never call this CASE CLOSED. If you do, you're not a true fan of this series, so don't even bother reading my review or my personal opinions. I'm sorry if I offend you, but you offended me first by telling me you want to read CASE CLOSED or you just love Jimmy.

#2, as you can tell by #1, I read this online. I would never waste my money buying a manga series in english that cannot get the name correct and mess up the main characters to make it appear more "ENGLISH." I am so happy I don't run a blog and this isn't a review on Sailor Moon, #1, because I have a huge soap box tirade against DiC. I also don't think there is anything against reading something online. Comics, which is what manga are, are meant to be read and shared and sometimes paying over $10 is too much in my opinion. Plus, I read the newest chapters as soon as they are released from Japan, because I would never miss a release of DC. So this is my personal shout out to you translators from me, Thank You!
Profile Image for Samantha.
1,453 reviews12 followers
March 7, 2017
Loved the Mermaid tale. Also the last story was very riveting.
Profile Image for Veronica Ika.
1,415 reviews8 followers
February 7, 2025
THE DEADLY HUNT IN THE MOUNTAINS
The Detective Boys embark on a mushroom-picking adventure in the North-East mountains, but their outing turns perilous when Genta goes missing in a hunting area. As they split up to search for him, Haibara and Mitsuhiko stumble upon a corpse deep in the woods, drawing the attention of a deadly hunter. Now hunted themselves, they must survive until help arrives. With the aid of three hunters, Conan and the others race against time to rescue their friends before it's too late.

THE HIDDEN TRUTH BEHIND A LOST PHOTOGRAPH
A mysterious woman, Shizuka Ikenami, hires Kogoro to locate a man named Shiro Shibata to retrieve an old photograph. However, Conan quickly detects inconsistencies in her story and suspects deception. As they track Shiro to his apartment, they are shocked to find him murdered. What secrets was Ikenami hiding, and how is the murder connected to the elusive photograph?

THE CURSE OF THE MERMAID’S ISLAND
Conan, Heiji, Kazuha, Ran, and Kogoro travel to the remote Isle of Mermaids after receiving a desperate letter from a woman fearing for her life. Upon arrival, they learn she has mysteriously vanished, and her past obsession with a sacred Dugong Arrow—a relic said to grant immortality—raises chilling questions. When a festival winner is found hanging at a waterfall, the island’s dark history resurfaces. As Conan and Heiji investigate, they uncover a decades-old mystery involving a burned body, mermaid legends, and a sinister connection between the island’s elder and the recent deaths. As more murders follow, they must unravel the truth before the curse claims another victim.
1,026 reviews10 followers
February 8, 2015
In this volume we get the conclusion of a terrifying mushroom-hunting trip, Mouri tries to help a beautiful woman hunt down an old photo, Conan and Heiji take a trip to mysterious Mermaid Island, which holds a deadly secret, and we get the first part of a case involving a string of young women being attacked.

The mushroom hunting story is cute in that it takes the focus off Conan somewhat, splitting the Detective Boys and forcing Ai and Mitsuhiko to work on their own to leave a code for Conan to find and decipher. The photo hunting story is also interesting in that it introduces us to another new character who's been mentioned but has yet to appear in the story. But the mystery wasn't that solid to me.

The star of this volume for me was Mermaid Island, a small island which allegedly houses a woman who ate the flesh of a mermaid and now has eternal life. When Conan, Heiji and their families/friends arrive, they find a festival just starting up in which arrows with strands of the old woman's hair tied on which are said to grant immortality as well. With something that precious on the line, when murders start turning up, it's clear what's happening, right? Well... maybe.

Part of the fun is that Kazuha wins one of the arrows, and her part in the story gets very tense. She's one of my favorite characters in a series full of characters I love, and her interactions with both Ran and Heiji are great. More her please :)

The final story has some interesting bits, but they don't really show up until the next volume.
Profile Image for Angel.
28 reviews
January 5, 2014
I have been very slowly watching the anime Detective Conan for two years now and the manga for a couple of months. But here are reviews of the series starting at volume 28.

In this volume, the mushroom gathering and bear hunting arc concluded. Mitsuhiko and Ai find a corpse in the woods - shot by a gun. Several suspicious hunters are also in the woods looking for bears and one of them may have been related to the case. The detective boys also must find out about the monstrous bear called Jubei. This case was alright but not the best.

The second case was a client full of lies. This was a typical murder case in a house where the client asked Mouri to find a man from her baseball team. This also wasn't my favourite case but it did introduce a minor character.

The next case was a mermaids curse. Mouri, Ran, Conan, Heiji and Kazuha went to an island to investigate this curse. They took part in a type of ceremony where a few audience member won a lucky dugong arrow. After the event, a woman was later hanged in the waterfall. This was a good case and had some nice character development :D.

Another fourth case started in this volume. A woman is killed in a telephone box. Inspector Megure also has a flashback of his past.
Profile Image for Timothy.
419 reviews10 followers
July 23, 2011
Another volume of Case Closed (aka Detective Conan).

-starts with the second half of a cliffhanger that started in vol 27.
-the next mystery was a bit run of the mill, but made me cringe when accents like Tony Soprano is used to signify somebody 'speaking' like an Osakan. Ya unduh stand? Or yuh sleep wit dah fishies. Capiche?
-the third mystery "The Mermaid's Curse" lasted for 5 chapters. Was long, or it just felt long with its convoluted series of events wrapped in a tale of local legend. Possibly written for a movie adaptation? Also, is it just me does the Dugons look like Manatees? Why not just translate it as manatees then?
-and the last chapter ends with another cliffhanger.

As usual, nothing new, everything status quo, with the usual convoluted crime that would have been more logical for the criminal to just kill the person and dump the body instead of creating a series of events for Scooby Doo and his gang to solve.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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