Jimmy Kudo, also known as Shinichi Kudo (工藤 新一, Kudō Shinichi?) in Japan, is the protagonist of the anime and manga Case Closed, known in Japan as Detective Conan (名探偵コナン, Meitantei Conan?). He later takes on the alias Conan Edogawa (江戸川 コナン, Edogawa Conan?) after Arthur Conan Doyle and Edogawa Rampo.[1] Jimmy Kudo was a well known High School Detective who helped solved cases which the police could not. One day, he investigates a suspicious man. Later he is attacked and forced to swallow a a poison called the APTX 4869 which turns him back into a child. Now he lives with his friend and love Rachel Moore as Conan Edogawa who helps her father Richard solve cases, hoping that they will run into a case involving the strange men from the Black Organization who forced him to take the poison.
At the beginning of the series, Jimmy is a 17-year-old student at Teitan High School. He was already well-known as a brilliant young detective who closed many difficult cases that the professionals could not, and known as the savior of the police force[2]. Jimmy was born to Booker Kudo, a mystery writer and Vivian Kudo a former movie star.[3]. He is extremely intelligent, and even from a young age, was very intuitive and observant. Due to the influence of his father, and the generally laissez-faire environment at home, he has long been an incessant and persistent reader, especially of mystery novels.[4] Booker started taking Jimmy to crime scenes since sixth grade which inspired him to be a Detective.[5].Besides for Jimmy's intelligence, Jimmy is an extremely skilled soccer player. At first, it was to hone his reflexes but he grew fond of the sport.[6][7] Jimmy is also known for his inability to sing, but was revealed to have perfect pitch. [8][9] He is also a skilled violinst, taking after his idol Sherlock Holmes. He apparently can speak English, as he once conversed with and translated for an American diplomat.[10]
Jimmy is a good friend to Rachel Moore whom he has known since kindergarten.[4][11] Jimmy has not found any interest in other girls.[12]. After changing into Conan, Jimmy sometimes calls her over the telephone and imitates his normal voice with the voice-changing bowtie, so that she is not worried about him.[13]. He convinces her that he is off solving a very difficult case and will return once the investigation concludes.[13] Jimmy/Conan is not without sexual fantasies regarding Rachel; the most obvious example being his getting nosebleeds or blushing--manga shorthand for lust-- when he sees her in a bathing suit, or when Rachel pulled him into an onsen with her. Jimmy is actually in love with Rachel but he's not good at expressing his feelings towards her.[14]
Jimmy also has a strong sense of justice as he constantly tries to arrest the Black Organization as well as blaming himself when a murder occurs before him. His sense of justice can however sometimes cause him to be sceptical as he was initially with Anita Hailey.
