#37 year old kindaichi case files spoiler

[kindani-case-files]

KIND OF A SPOILER BECAUSE I saw the raws!

What do you think of Miyuki's recent appearance in Kindaichi 37 year old case files?

I saw this ask so I had to get the raw lol.

Spoiler below... Well not really a spoiler but just in case.

Miyuki did appear in the newest volume, but aside from talking about wanting to meet Reika and how not solving cases doesn't suit Kindaichi, there was not much info there. I kinda expected her to appear in the middle of a case to help Kindaichi (or get dragged into one instead), but here she just casually appeared lol. There's a new case but she doesn't seem to play a role there so at this point I don't really have anything to say. Fingers crossed she'll have a major role soon.

On a related note, Kindaichi 37 was on hiatus for a while (I think the authors worked on the 30th Anniversary series first before continuing 37). I haven't read the 30th Anniversary series, but Kindaichi is wearing his school uniform in the covers and there's a panel of Takatoo in one of the snippets, which makes me kinda more interested in that at least until something big is happening in 37. I'll probably write something if/when the 30th Anniversary series is released here 👀

[kindani-case-files]

It's kind of funny to see how in the past Kindaichi usually were the one asking around for info about past cases when something happened but now he's the one withholding Utajima's bloody history from people, the irony.

Anyway I need Kenmochi, Itsuki, Fumi, etc. to appear (even as cameo is fine!) and of course for my murder child Takatoo to take the main stage again (he's like, what, 43 in current timeline?) But seeing how Kindaichi and Akechi literally don't change at all he probably will stay the same.

[kindani-case-files]

Random thought: saw a theory on pixiv encyclopedia about the one who admired Phantom and created the Opera House was Takatoo's real father.

While so far there's no indication of it (though thematically fitting, I guess? Masks are associated with Takatoo after all), I had a wild guess about Utajima Resort Murder Case (Phantom of the Opera 4th murder) as something used by someone who personally knew Kindaichi (as challenge, for example) so that he would go back to solve cases (wilder guess: Takatoo). Evidence to refute this is that Takatoo wasn't responsible for all murders in that Opera House (if I recall correctly) so he shouldn't have any connection to this case either.

BUT

If the first one who built the Opera House was Takatoo's father, and if during the 20 years gap Takatoo and his father become an important plot point that makes Kindaichi refuse to solve cases, the Phantom of the Opera murder cases can be connected to him. Or maybe he figured out about those three cases and tries to create a fourth one just to spite on Kindaichi. Or maybe it was just coincidence that Kindaichi got involved in the fourth one, but Takatoo takes it as "fated encounter" anyway (that kind of case has actually appeared in the series after all). My point is, even though so far we haven't seen any sign of Takatoo yet, there's still very small possibility that the case was indeed orchestrated by him actually I just want him to be alive and well because after Akechi is confirmed to appear he is the last of my precious genius trio to take part in the new series.

[kindani-case-files]

Takatoo’s Real Father (Part 1)

(Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3)

While we know that after Rosenkreuz case Takatoo seems to think that the guy we were shown as his father all this time was his “step” father, we haven’t heard anything about him again even with 5 chapters into Kindaichi 37 Year Old Case Files. With Returns series inconclusive ending and massive 20 years old time skip, I can’t help but think this plot point have to be addressed sooner or later. Based on what we know about Takatoo’s timeline and facts from the manga/anime, here are some points to consider:

Takatoo’s “step” father was a trader and lived in England for some time (Rosenkreuz Murder Case, Magical Train Murder Case).

Takatoo lived with him since childhood until 17, his death (Magical Train Murder Case).

He had a diary about Reiko being Takatoo’s real mother (Magical Train Murder Case).

At some point during childhood, Takatoo was told by his “step” father that he has one half-sister from different mother (Rosenkreuz Murder Case, Young Takatoo Case Files).

His “step” father called his mother “Reiko” (Young Takatoo Case Files) and brought him to her magic show once (Magical Train Murder Case).

He thought that his strict and perfectionist “step” father isn’t similar with him at all, and apparently so did his father (Rosenkreuz Murder Case).

Takatoo thinks his house in England when he was a child felt like a jail (Magical Train Murder Case).

His “step” father didn’t trust him, always suspected him to be the cause of troubles, and often seen to be drunk (Young Takatoo Case Files).

His ��step” father claimed Takatoo to be “unlike his mother” and “look more and more like that demon” (Young Takatoo Case Files).

Giselle’s dad (whom Takatoo assumes was his real father) seemed to be knowledgeable about roses and gave two rare rose plants to Misaki Renka (Giselle’s mother) and Takatoo (Rosenkreuz Murder Case).

He also gave Rosenkreuz mansion (with all those tricks, I presume) to Takatoo (Rosenkreuz Murder Case).

He was also presumably rebuilt the ruins in Ghost School Building Murder Case, again, with all its tricks, which was found by Takatoo (and along the way, received huge wealth from it) (Ghost School Building Murder Case).

Akechi and Kindaichi think that whoever rebuilt the building has “similar personality” with Takatoo (Ghost School Building Murder Case).

So far those are what I can confirm in the manga/anime. I’m well aware that the time gap between Takatoo’s debut and his spin-off so there might be some inconsistencies, but I haven’t really found ground-breaking discrepancy.

Which leads me to the point of this post: who is the “real father” Takatoo was talking about?

There are several questions I want to be addressed:

Who is Takatoo’s real father?

Who is Takatoo’s step father?

What is the relationship between those two and Reiko?

Does “the demon” really refer to Takatoo’s real father?

What is the objective of Takatoo’s real father?

Let’s start from the first question.

Who is Takatoo’s real father?

Actually, we never got exact confirmation that Takatoo’s “step” father isn’t his real father - it’s all implied, though it got pretty strong evidences. First, both Takatoo and his “step” father believe they don’t resemble each other, and that there’s this “demon” that Takatoo took after. That, and those tricky buildings his “real” father supposed to give - we can be certain that there’s this one person with Takatoo’s wickedness going around making weird buildings - which we presume to be his and Giselle’s real father. I guess since Giselle was technically the owner of Rosenkreuz mansion, it’s pretty much confirmed that Giselle’s father = our mystery man. Now that it’s confirmed that Giselle and Takatoo have the same biological father, the most logical conclusion would be Takatoo’s real father = Giselle’s father = our mystery man… for now, at least. I believe Giselle’s father had died when she was young, so it would mean our mystery man is dead as well, but… I still have this nagging feelings about him. Mainly regarding his obsession to roses and how Giselle’s father seem different with Takatoo’s “step” father’s description of “that demon”.

Assuming the previous theory is right, we can now ask these questions:

Has Takatoo’s real father appeared in the series?

Is he really Takatoo’s real father, without any twists?

Personally I think he’s a new character not yet introduced, but I can’t be so sure. Takatoo’s father page in Pixiv Encyclopedia listed some of people that has appeared in the series that could be Takatoo’s real father, you can check that if you want to (it’s in Japanese). My personal take is here.

Moving on, second question: is he really Takatoo’s real father without any twists? Personally I think the theory is already satisfactory enough to say yes, but this series has attempted to mask one’s lineage/give red herrings on people’s real blood relations, so to be on the safer side, we miiiiiight get some twists in the end - like, Giselle’s father is actually different with our mysterious man (thus destroying the whole premise), or he’s actually only the relatives of Takatoo’s real father, or even our mysterious man != Takatoo’s real father - I don’t know. Maybe I’m simply just thinking too much.

Since it has been quite long, I’ll divide this into several parts: I’ll try to speculate about the second point onwards on another post.

Until next time.