The staff of the Detective Conan anime announced on Saturday several projects to commemorate the anime's 30th anniversary. The anime is getting its first new two-hour special in 10 years, since the Detective Conan - Episode One: The Great Detective Turned Small special in 2016. Detective Conan 30th anniversary announcement represents a significant milestone for the long-running franchise, bringing major specials and collaborations to celebrate three decades of the beloved mystery series.
The new special's title is Detective Conan: 30-gō Satsujin Jiken (#30 Murder Case). Takeharu Sakurai (Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback, Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet) is writing the script. The special will have an original story. Detective Conan 30-gō Satsujin Jiken special marks the return of the extended format, with Takeharu Sakurai's scriptwriting expertise ensuring a compelling original narrative that honors the series' legacy while delivering fresh mystery content.
The anime is also getting another collaborative episode with Japan's J-League for soccer with actress Yūka Kageyama appearing in the episode, and is getting a collaborative episode with the "Japan International Birdman Rally" contest, with Takahiro Ōkura penning the episode. Detective Conan collaborative episodes demonstrate the franchise's continued engagement with real-world events and organizations, bringing unique crossover content that blends the series' mystery elements with sports and cultural events.
These newly announced specials are different from the one-hour Episode "ZERO" The Shinichi Kudo Aquarium Case (Meitantei Conan Episode "ZERO" Kudō Shinichi Suizokukan Jihen special that will will air on January 3, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m. EST, which is 90 minutes earlier than the television anime's regular 6:00 p.m. JST or 4:00 a.m. EST timeslot). The staff revealed a new trailer for the special on Saturday. Detective Conan Episode ZERO special provides fans with a prequel story set before Shinichi Kudo's transformation into Conan Edogawa, offering insight into the character's past and the events leading up to the main series.
Crunchyroll will stream the one-hour special on January 3. The special's plot is set a little bit before the start of the main story, before high schooler Shinichi Kudō becomes Conan Edogawa. Shinichi and Ran Mōri go to the aquarium to figure out a plan to reconcile the characters Kogoro Mōri and Eri Kisaki, who have separated. A murder happens during their aquarium visit, and Shinichi works to find the culprit. The special will also depict one more investigation as a prologue that ties into "that fateful day." The special is based on the television anime's episodes 772-773, which originally aired in March 2015, and the corresponding case from the original manga. Detective Conan Episode ZERO story provides crucial backstory for the series, exploring Shinichi's relationship with Ran and the events that shaped the characters before the main narrative began.
Additionally, the main anime is getting a new ending theme song starting on January 10. Mai Kuraki is performing the new theme, titled "TOWA: Eikyū ni Kaze ni Noru" (TOWA: Riding on the Winds for Eternity). Detective Conan new ending theme by Mai Kuraki continues the long-standing collaboration between the artist and the franchise, with "TOWA" providing a fitting musical tribute to the series' 30th anniversary milestone.
The franchise will also get a concert to be held in Kanagawa on April 17 and 18 and in Hyogo on May 23 and 24. Detective Conan 30th anniversary concert brings live performances to multiple locations, allowing fans to celebrate the milestone with musical tributes to the series' extensive soundtrack and theme song history.
TMS Entertainment revealed on December 18 "Rivals of the Great Detective," the second specially curated collection of episodes from the Detective Conan anime, will begin streaming on January 1 on Netflix and Crunchyroll in Japanese with English subtitles and with a new English dub. TMS Entertainment began streaming a specially curated selection of episodes from the Detective Conan (Case Closed) anime on Crunchyroll and Netflix on July 3. The episodes are streaming in Japanese and with a new English dub, which marks the new dub's first appearance on Crunchyroll. The first selection of episodes is titled "Conan vs. The Black Organization" and features episodes with the titular antagonists, including episodes that have never before been available in the U.S. Crunchyroll and Netflix added more episodes to the first collection on August 21, and again for a second collection on November 1. Detective Conan curated episode collections provide international audiences with access to previously unavailable content, with the new English dub making the series more accessible to English-speaking viewers while highlighting key story arcs and character rivalries.
The Detective Conan television anime premiered on January 8, 1996, and will celebrate its 30th anniversary on January 8, 2026. The series has aired more than 1,100 episodes. Detective Conan 30th anniversary milestone represents an exceptional achievement in anime history, with over 1,100 episodes making it one of the longest-running anime series and demonstrating its enduring popularity across three decades.
Gōshō Aoyama launched the manga in Shogakukan's Weekly Shounen Sunday magazine in 1994. The manga has spawned a television anime that has been running since January 1996, as well as an accompanying anime film series. Viz Media publishes the manga under the name Case Closed, Funimation's original localized title. The English manga release uses the same English names from the original Funimation dub when applicable, and it uses the original Japanese names otherwise. Detective Conan manga history demonstrates the franchise's comprehensive multimedia presence, with the original manga serving as the foundation for the long-running anime series and extensive film franchise.
The manga series centers on Conan Edogawa, the alias of detective Shinichi Kudo, whose body shrunk after being poisoned at the beginning of the story. Together with detective Kogoro Mori and his daughter Ran, Conan helps the police solve difficult mysteries. Detective Conan story premise presents a compelling mystery narrative centered on the transformed detective, exploring themes of justice, deduction, and the pursuit of truth while maintaining the series' signature blend of mystery and character development.
Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi (Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway), the franchise's 29th film, will open in Japan on April 10, 2026. Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback (Meitantei Conan: Sekigan no Flashback), the 28th film in the franchise, opened at #1 at the Japanese box office on April 18. Detective Conan film franchise continues to deliver successful theatrical releases, with Movie 29 scheduled for 2026 and Movie 28 achieving box office success, demonstrating the series' continued appeal to audiences.
Detective Conan 30th anniversary announcement represents a significant milestone for the franchise, bringing major specials, collaborations, and events to celebrate three decades of the beloved mystery series. The combination of extended specials, curated streaming collections, new theme songs, and anniversary concerts demonstrates the franchise's comprehensive approach to honoring its legacy while providing fans with exciting new content.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Detective Conan 30th anniversary two-hour special?
The special is titled "Detective Conan: 30-gō Satsujin Jiken" (#30 Murder Case). It is the first new two-hour special in 10 years and features an original story written by Takeharu Sakurai.
When does the Detective Conan Episode "ZERO" special air?
The one-hour special, titled "The Shinichi Kudo Aquarium Case," will air in Japan on January 3, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. JST. It will also be available to stream on Crunchyroll that same day.
What is the Detective Conan Episode "ZERO" special about?
Set before Shinichi Kudo was turned into a child, the story follows Shinichi and Ran Mōri at an aquarium. While trying to help Ran's parents reconcile, they become involved in a murder investigation. The special also includes a prologue that leads into the "fateful day" the series began.
What is the new Detective Conan ending theme song?
The new ending theme is titled "TOWA: Eikyū ni Kaze ni Noru" (TOWA: Riding on the Winds for Eternity), performed by Mai Kuraki. It debuts on January 10, 2026.
What collaborative episodes are planned for Detective Conan?
Two major collaborations were announced: a soccer-themed episode with the J-League (featuring actress Yūka Kageyama) and an episode centered on the "Japan International Birdman Rally" contest.
When is the Detective Conan 30th anniversary concert?
The anniversary concert series will take place in Kanagawa on April 17–18, 2026, and in Hyogo on May 23–24, 2026.
Where can I watch Detective Conan with English dub?
Specially curated episode collections featuring a new English dub are available on both Netflix and Crunchyroll. The "Rivals of the Great Detective" collection begins streaming on January 1, 2026.
When did Detective Conan anime premiere?
The television anime originally premiered on January 8, 1996. It officially celebrates its 30th anniversary on January 8, 2026.
What is the next Detective Conan movie?
The 29th film in the franchise is titled Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi (Fallen Angel of the Highway) and is scheduled to open in Japan on April 10, 2026.
Who created Detective Conan?
The series was created by manga artist Gōshō Aoyama, who first launched the manga in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 1994.