Conan and the Detective Boys

[Quiet Lurker]

Why does Conan tolerate the "Detective Boys"? Namely Yoshida Ayumi, Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko and Kojima Genta.

They are his friends, but how good friends are they if they view him as the lowest member of their group? They often gang up on him to get free goods and services.
- They designate him as the "villager" during the Haunted Mansion case. (Vol 2 File 8)
- They forced Conan to provide them with Detective Badges. (Vol 6 File 6)
- They forced Conan to take them along in the Haunted School Case by threatening to smash a school window. (Vol 16 File 4)
- They insist on getting in on the action during the Movie Theater Murder Case, despite the fact that they weren't necessary for the demonstration. (Vol 23 File 3)
- They get annoyed at Conan for just asking which episode of Kamen Yaiba they are watching.
- They are more concerned with Conan getting all the credit and not realizing that he is looking out for their safety and this all too often gets Conan into trouble that he could easily avoid alone. (See examples below)

They constantly blow Conan's cover and/or land him in a difficult position.
- Ayumi tipped the broom in the Haunted Mansion Case, exposing Conan and her position to the woman in the house (Vol 2 File 10)
- Ayumi's hysteria at a stage prop forced the group to stand in for an actor (they incapacitated) in a play. (Vol 9 File 3)
- When Conan was using Dr. Agasa as his "front" in solving a case, they kept talking to Conan, which almost blew his cover. (Vol 13 File 10)
- They blow their own cover when stalking an arsonist, forcing Conan and Ai to come to their rescue. (Vol 27 File 6)

They incompetence has endangered his life more than half a dozen times. They never listen to Conan's instructions to keep them out of trouble, forcing him to rescue them when they invariably land in hot water.
- Genta assaulted the Italian thieves in the Coded Map of the City case, which ended up having the entire group tied up to be executed. (Vol 4 File 10)
- Genta called Conan on his transmitter despite Conan's instruction NOT to, revealing his position to a murderer. This forced Conan to defend himself against a full grown man with a golf club (Vol 6 File 8)
- Ayumi turned on the lights in the library, which alerted the murderer librarian to their presence. Thus instead of just informing the police they had to fend off a murderer. (Vol 10 File 7)
- Their glory-hogging in the Two-Mix Kidnapping case ended up having the entire group trapped in a burning building by the murderers (Vol 15 File 6), which could have been easily averted if they had listened to Conan and given the tracking glasses to Inspector Megure. (Vol 15 File 5)
- In the first case with Ai, the group insisted on confronting a group of counterfeiters instead of letting the police handle it which resulted in a hostage situation in which Conan nearly got killed. (Vol 18 File 7)
- Genta's excitement/panicked hysteria alerted a gang of murderers during a cave exploration. This ended up getting Conan shot and nearly killed. (Vol 25 File 9)

They stick with him mostly because he has better connections to people who would babysit them or give them free stuff. (Ran, Dr. Agasa, Yukiko etc.) In this respect, they are no different from Tendo Hakura's "Friends" in the Torn Friendship Case (Vol 39 File 8).
Fortunately for Conan, Ai's arrival has introduced a great deal of competence in the "Detective Boys," at the very least she tends to keep them out of trouble while Conan solves cases.

However, the may point is clear: why does Conan bother associating himself with the "Detective Boys"?
- Conan is not ruthless or stupid enough to use them against the Black Organization. (They are more likely to get him killed than help him in any case.)
- They are a hazard to his personal safety. They only saved Conan's life once, and that's AFTER their incompetence got him shot.
- They are all too eager to attract attention to themselves despite their lack of ability, and thus indirectly endangering both Conan and Ai. Due to their thirst for attention, they are not very good camouflage to hide from the Black Organization.
- Finally, they are not really good friends: they exploit Conan for his connections with Dr. Agasa and Ran then accuse HIM of being selfish.

[Juansmarts]

Well, this is a well researched topic on your account, especially since you didn't use any anime originals like the Movies (aka fillers).

Well, I guess he doesn't have much of a choice. In both the anime and manga, when they are first introduced, they kinda assert their "friendship" on Conan (episode 3 for the anime, and Volume 2 for the manga), and if he just coldly cuts off ties with his friends, Ran and Kogoro might see Conan as more adultlike.

I think the main reason they still hang out with him is to help Conan keep up the facade of being a kid in front of others, instead of letting his ego cause him to solve a case completely on his own, bringing the suspicion that he is more than just a simple child.

[mitsuhiko2]

Also, I think he sees them as sort of his Baker Street Irregulars.

[Juansmarts]

I think Conan is already his own Baker Street Irregulars, since most people let their guard down in front of him.

[Rellik]

well, the Detective Boys are useful in some situations. Even though they are kids, Conan thinks them as friends, and as friends u must tolerate each other.

And Conan won't just go: 'get lost, i'm not being friends with u ppl anymore' would he?

[Shinran]

Well, they're his "protection" for his identity. Without him, it'd only be him and Haibara, and that isn't really a good idea and would make people suspicious of him more often. Even though him getting shot did allow him to turn back though.

And I agree of Juansmarts on this one. :]
Or else - game over for Conan, I guess.

[Quiet Lurker]

Well, this is a well researched topic on your account, especially since you didn't use any anime originals like the Movies (aka fillers).

Well, I guess he doesn't have much of a choice. In both the anime and manga, when they are first introduced, they kinda assert their "friendship" on Conan (episode 3 for the anime, and Volume 2 for the manga), and if he just coldly cuts off ties with his friends, Ran and Kogoro might see Conan as more adultlike.

I think the main reason they still hang out with him is to help Conan keep up the facade of being a kid in front of others, instead of letting his ego cause him to solve a case completely on his own, bringing the suspicion that he is more than just a simple child.

Thanks, I didn't use the anime and movies since this IS after all the manga section of the forums. 

Conan can solve cases discreetly without the Detective Boys:
- There's Sleeping Kogoro and Deduction Queen Sonoko covers in many cases.
- Dr. Agasa can cover for him in a pinch.
- Hattori Heiji will always cover for Conan when he is around.

Most importantly, both Takagi Wataru (Since Tokyo Tower Bombing Case Vol 36 File 11) and Satou Miwako (Since Vol 24 File 1) are pretty much certain that Conan is not who he claims to be, but respect his privacy enough to not be so inquisitive.
Conan doesn't even have to act like a child around them anymore if no other inspectors are around.

Which is more discreet: Solving cases with Officer Takagi and Satou or a bunch of brats who burst on the scene with transmitter badges shouting "We are the Detective Boys"?

In many cases the Detective Boys are in fact Conan's Achilles Heel, it is only a matter of time before their incompetence reveals Conan and Ai's secret to the Black Organization.
- If Okiya is really a Black Organization member instead of Akai Shuichi in disguise, their "Whee! Let's go visit the professor!" in Vol 60 File 5 may have already betrayed Conan and Ai's secret.
- Even if Okiya is not a Black Organization member, their interaction with Okiya proves that they will just as easily spilled the beans to a real Black Organization member.

[LymphatusDjarno]

I feel worse for Dr. Agasa.

He's the one who always has to take them on trips and pays for their food. They never seem grateful. Just look at the most recent manga case. And they always bitch whatever he gives them a quiz, which they never can solve by themselves. Then Conan winds up with any of his inventions that are actually useful. Poor guy.

[mitsuhiko2]

He enjoys being with kids though, from the looks of it.

[DarkStar]

I agree with Lymphatus. He enjoys it because he never had children.
And it's not the first time children using him to drive them to different places (think of the case with Shinichi and Ran being children XD).

Back to topic:
Looks like there is someone who really hates them. Well, yes they are annoying but if everything is going by plan, wouldn't it be a little bit boring? They are sometimes funny and they help Ai to cheer up (Vol. 24), but it would be helpful if they don't appear every second case! (Which appeared to be at the moment). And there have to be a life of Conan Edogawa. I also agree with that. No friends in school? That would be eye-catching!

[Rellik]

well no friends and Shinichi never work together.

[Juansmarts]

well no friends and Shinichi never work together.

Umm, I'm confused by that statement. Does that mean "well 'no friends' and 'Shinichi' never work together" or "well no 'friends' and 'Shinichi' never work together"?

And about Conan with the kids, he just has to tolerate them. In a way, they are like Conan's little siblings. They can act selfish, simple-minded, and clumsy sometimes(or most of the time ) but they are just kids.

[Rellik]

well obviously the first option, u don't see Shinichi crouching in a corner of his classroom talking to himself do u?

[Shakura]

Just as everyone else has said, he puts up with them because of his kid cover...and they are companions somewhat, even though they have tendencies to get in the way.

As for their annoyance to Conan and how easily they let things slip and all, I think it just comes down to this: they're little kids.  Most little kids get into trouble/danger, inadvertantly let secrets and important things slip out, vocalize dissatisfaction right when they feel it, engage in self-gratification, forget their manners at times, and can be--overall--a big pain in the ass when they want to be.

It's all immaturity and lack of ability to understand most things because they're young and not able to wrap their minds around things that Ai and Conan worry about (given that those two are about 10 years older than they are).    To some credit, they seem to understand certain things to a mature level, but at heart and at the core of the aforementioned behavior, it's all typical 7-year-old behavior.  My brother acted in a similar way when he was their age.

As annoying as a lot of the tendencies are, they make things a little more exciting.  I have a hard time seeing the supporting cast of DC not having the Detective Boys.

[kat1214young]

"The best place to hide a leaf is in the forest" - Haibara Ai

That's what she said on episode 436 News on the Detective Boys (Part 2) where Conan used the kids to cover him from the teacher. Besides I only like the Detective Boys episodes if Ai's around 
It's way more interesting that way