Rivals of the Great Detective continues to showcase some of the stronger elements of the Detective Conan franchise. I can continue to question the release order or overall plans for the franchise's global release until the sun explodes, but instead, I'll channel all of that energy into reviewing these batches of episodes as they come out. While I still think they fall a little bit short of being the completely accessible means of introducing new fans to the franchise, what we get here is still an incredibly engaging show. At worst, things might feel a bit predictable, but at best, I was watching an engaging and creative crime thriller with plenty of human drama.

While the first part of Rivals of the Great Detective focused on introducing a lot of the mainstay cast, this batch of episodes seems to focus on actually giving them a lot more breathing room to showcase their relationships. It's surprising how much of the extended cast actually gets to do these episodes, considering that most of this batch is one long overarching story that spans roughly six of these eight episodes. That arc is titled Risking Life For Revival, and it basically ties together three cases in a short period of time, with the resolution of each case involving a major character decision that needs to be made. It's this span of episodes in particular that showcases what I think makes Detective Conan so great.

First, there's a case involving the Detective Boys, the elementary school kids Conan has formed a strong friendship with, as they all try to solve the mystery involving adult criminals in a cave. Conan actually ends up getting hurt, which means there is plenty of opportunity for these kids to showcase that they have a solid head on their shoulders, even if they're not on the same level as the protagonist. However, the fallout from that case leads to an opening where Shinichi Kudo himself can make a stronger appearance, which ends up being capped with a rather tragic love story between him and Ran.

Come to think of it, Shinichi is showcased just as much, if not more than Conan, during these episodes, which was rather bold. Granted, the first episode in this batch feels like a cheat since it is largely a flashback special showcasing him solving a case with Ran on a plane. But the rest is dealing with that struggle of being Shinichi in the modern day. It sucks because this guy is doing everything he can to make sure everybody is safe, but right now, it's not the time for him to have his happy ending. There's a tragedy in the idea that he gets so close to getting back the life that he's had ripped away from him for so long, only to revert right back to the way things were.

That is terrible, but it also sucks for Ran, who continues to be gaslit regarding her suspicions. This is a running plot point that, as far as I can tell, continues to this day, so I'm sure it's not going to be the first time I bring it up, depending on what episodes get adapted, but there is a part of me that feels the “secret identity” plot line can only go so far. As more people become aware of Conan's secret identity. The emotions of this arc are a bit of a double-edged sword because they are believable and do hit hard, but there is a part of me that wonders why things still need to be the way that they are. It's probably the biggest narrative issue of the franchise, but I needed to bring it up here since it makes up the emotional crux of Shinichi's drama.

The creative cases are probably some of my favorite cases that have been adapted in this format so far. There are cases of linguistics, cases that involve betrayal, and almost every case is presented in a unique location. One minute, Shinichi is solving a murder that happened in the middle of a plane that is flying over the ocean, the next minute, he's solving a murder that happened in front of a crowd of people during the school festival with potassium cyanide. I think the episode that this batch ends on was perfect in that regard because not only does it capstone on another confrontation between Shinichi and Kid, but the set piece of a large abandoned mansion with an unsolved murder that could lead to a mysterious treasure is classic detective novel stuff. It's also where the show looks the best with more digital art and brighter colors. While the season isn't on the level of the movies visually, the final special does get close at times to its atmosphere.

The cases don't give the audience all the information, so they can fully piece together the cases themselves. Unlike the others, these cases at least leave enough breadcrumbs for the audience to hone in on the perpetrator. Maybe one of their actions seemed off or didn't make sense in retrospect. There were one or two instances where Shinichi explained how he suspected somebody, and it was a normal observation that wasn't even being hidden, but it was so casual that a reasonable observer could've pointed it out. I like the proper balance between keeping the suspense while also involving the audience.

The dub continues to do an amazing job of translating the logic and appeal of these cases to an English-speaking audience. Few linguistic puzzles or references are solidly adapted, and the acting continues to be top-notch. Special shoutout goes to Mauricio Ortiz-Segura, who was able to showcase his acting not just as Shinichi, but also as Kid the Phantom Thief, who we find out is named Kaito. The final episode of this batch is an extended special that includes a flashback of Kaito being in school with other students. It's the most I get to see of that character, and it really makes me wonder if I will eventually see Kaito Kid get adapted if these episodes continue to grow in popularity. If I do, the final episode of this batch could be seen as a sneak peek into what that can sound like, and I very much would love to hear it. Ortiz-Segura does a good job of not only sounding imposing and mysterious as Kid, but I also get to see a little bit more of Kaito's goofball side when he's not wearing the white hat. This cast continues to showcase that they understand the material and the characters despite the unorthodox release.

If you enjoyed the first batch of Rivals of the Great Detective, then I think you will love this batch just as much, if not more so. Again, I won't beat that horse anymore unless we get an even weirder third season in the future. There's a lot that can be done with this franchise, and I still commend TMS's effort. I'll never stop having questions, just like how the characters in the show do, but I think I can hope to be entertained by the level of quality on display while I am asking those questions.