About DC's current status quo, Heiji (and Sera), and if they

[El Huesudo II]

I pretty much said it all in the topic title.

So. We've left the Mystery Train arc behind us, and we have a nice little change of pace... ...wait no, we don't. Now Bourbon is saying he wants to stick around, and we all can see how this is not a good thing for Conan. There's no need to point out all the spoilerific things going around about chapter 827. Whether you've already spoiled yourself or not, you'll get what I mean in this topic.

So this is the usual time in the series when Hattori Heiji arrives with a case of his own and stuff. This also usually means that there's a little bit of talk about the character development - last time, as we recall, Heiji got wind of Shinichi confessing to Ran, and he wants to know more, obviously. That would be a lot of fun for sure...

...if we weren't in full steam main plot mode right now.



As I said before, the train arc is over, and it took with it most, if not all, of the series' tension with it - the Sherry hunt is officially over. Vermouth was outsmarted and the BO think Sherry is DEAD. Congratulations, Conan!

Afterwards, everyone was thinking we'd get a DB camping case, as some form of denouement or "calm before the storm". I was with the ones who thought that. Then it came to my attention (and to the attention of some others) that Heiji hadn't appeared in quite a while, and that it was the usual time of the year when there was a Heiji case. And I liked the idea, because I rather like Heiji's character.

But then Aoyama-sensei decided to hit us over the head with a tennis racket. Lo and behold, Bourbon was back for more, and as he said, he's here to stay. Yes. A BO member. Frighteningly near Conan. Back when people thought Okiya was Bourbon, someone (was it Chek?) said that Conan couldn't afford to have a BO member that close for investigation purposes, that it was a rather dangerous thing to try. Well now he has no damn choice, seeing as Bourbon will be right there taking an "internship" with Kogoro. Things are getting REALLY interesting.

But then we go back to the other thing. Hattori Heiji.

Don't get me wrong, I like Heiji, he's a pretty funny character and he serves as a reminder of what Shinichi used to be before becoming Conan. He's a valuable asset on DC, sure. But he kind of doesn't add anything to the main plot. I said in another topic that I get the feeling that DC, right now, is casting off everything that doesn't help to advance the plot further (save for the obligatory cases) and focusing as strictly as possible on the main confrontation. And sadly, I have to admit that Heiji fits the bill as "doesn't help to advance the plot further". A Heiji case right now would either be too much of a burden, or a nice rest from all the main plot craziness - though a rest that would surely last too long, in my opinion. I'd even dare say that a Heiji case would feel as cumbersome as a DB camping case (and I say this as someone that likes the DB).



...Well, I'm not being fair here. There's a way to make Heiji advance the main plot further - simply have him in the same place as Amuro at the right (or wrong?) time. How does this work? Simple. Heiji simply won't learn not to call Conan "Kudo". To do this in front of a BO member would equal to blowing his cover. Let's remember that the one who "confirmed" Kudo Shinichi's death was Sherry, and let's also remember that up until now, Sherry had been pursued as a traitor and the BO thinks she had received help from a man. Bourbon would likely put 2 and 2 together there, wouldn't he? He'd just need someone to remind him of the existence of Kudo Shinichi to make him suspicious (could Sherry really be trusted to confirm his death? Hadn't she investigated his house? What if... WHAT IF...).

And who would that person be but Hattori Heiji himself? He's the one who's most likely to mess up big here - even though Ran, Sera, and Sonoko just can't shut up about Shinichi (there goes the Bechdel test), they can at least be trusted not to have much of a speaking role when plot mode is on (wait, this is also a pretty depressing thing to say). Heiji is 100% likely to mess up the very first moment he's around. Therefore, he could be a catalyst for plot advancement... but not in the right direction. Don't you think so?



But anyway, now that my huge wall of text is done with, a little tl;dr: IMO, even though I like Heiji (as I said before), I wouldn't like a Heiji case right now. I wouldn't be surprised or bothered if Heiji's next appearance is delayed for a while (hell, even for a year or 2 is alright), for the sake of the main plot. If a Heiji case would make the main plot stagnate, then let's not have one.

But what about you? Would you like a Heiji case? Or would you not? (Or would you prefer it if Heiji simply vanished forever? I think I've stumbled upon a few people who think that way around the web. LOL.)

[Wakarimashita]

I would like a Heiji case because those are usually some of the best cases and it would be 'a nice rest from all the main plot craziness' which is currently being shoved down our (or at least my) throat. Besides, overall I prefer the classic episodic pace of the series to what has been happening for around 30 files.

[El Huesudo II]

As I said in "Is Gosho losing his touch?", this is pretty much like what happened in the last half of season 3 of The Mentalist.

But that was just a phase. Save for 1 or 2 episodes in Season 4, that show went back to "regular case-solving" as soon as season 3 ended, but that section of season 3 was pure plot, and it was rather long and intense.

It's likely that this Bourbon thing might be just a phase, too - it certainly isn't a plotline that can last forever. I really don't expect Bourbon to appear all the time in almost every case until the end of the series, and I really wouldn't want that to happen. So yeah, I say people who don't like the main plot craziness might just need to wait it out.

But I LOVE THE MAIN PLOT CRAZINESS. I SIMPLY LOVE IT. And I really think Heiji doesn't fit in this arc. Yes, cases with him are usually the best (save for the showdown before the last Heiji case we had - the comedy was brilliant, but the case and its resolution were simply atrocious), but right now... I dunno.

[Wakarimashita]

As I said in "Is Gosho losing his touch?", this is pretty much like what happened in the last half of season 3 of The Mentalist.

But that was just a phase. Save for 1 or 2 episodes in Season 4, that show went back to "regular case-solving" as soon as season 3 ended, but that section of season 3 was pure plot, and it was rather long and intense.

It's likely that this Bourbon thing might be just a phase, too - it certainly isn't a plotline that can last forever. I really don't expect Bourbon to appear all the time in almost every case until the end of the series, and I really wouldn't want that to happen. So yeah, I say people who don't like the main plot craziness might just need to wait it out.

But I LOVE THE MAIN PLOT CRAZINESS. I SIMPLY LOVE IT. And I really think Heiji doesn't fit in this arc. Yes, cases with him are usually the best (save for the showdown before the last Heiji case we had - the comedy was brilliant, but the case and its resolution were simply atrocious), but right now... I dunno.

Well, the people who are in this series only for the plot (which is absurd IMO but that's a matter of personal preferences) waited years and years so I think people like me can endure a few dozen files of plot, even if it does get annoying at times since I'd like to see other characters as well (Heiji and Kazuha, Sato, the Nagano inspectors, Eri etc.). As long as it's a phase, and I think you're right when you say it is, I can take it. ^^

[Cider]

Conan did ask for Heiji's help before when he was investigating Jodie in Vermouth arc, and again with Kir. If Heiji shows  up now, more than likely he and Conan will think of a way to lure Amuro out.
I love the plot craziness though. and all the fanservice lately

[secretbeauty101]

Same, I also love the plot craziness and I love it when Heiji is involved, conan needs as much support as he can get Heiji can help provide some of that. What's more is that he did help with the vermouth arc so if his participation in this arc is anything like that then I say bring him in. However, if Heiji's next appearance is Gosho's way of again slowing down the plots craziness then I say we don't need that, not when we were progressing so well and only to have a minor case from the DBs or Heiji then I vote for not to have Heiji participate in the Bourbon Arc. 

[Conan-chandesune]

I love the fact Gosho's finaaly advancing the plot after some 2 years of stalling. If Heiji is also involved, Christmas would come waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too early. Maybe we could get a Heiji + Amuro + Okiya case???.....

[Feb914]

out of everyone in supporting character, actually Heiji is the best candidate to be Shin/Conan's sidekick to fight BO..

your saying that they're getting rid of non-story-arc cases is sad, because it means that we won't see metropolitan love story that much again (or Agasa's first love, or Chiba's)

[Borealis]

I hope Heiji comes soon, he helps untangle many plot strings and personally I have the feeling that it is necessary right now.
However, I am ok with him coming later on if KID gets involved.

[KnightusMaximus]

out of everyone in supporting character, actually Heiji is the best candidate to be Shin/Conan's sidekick to fight BO..

your saying that they're getting rid of non-story-arc cases is sad, because it means that we won't see metropolitan love story that much again (or Agasa's first love, or Chiba's)

Well, I think we've had story arc developments integrated into all sorts of cases since File 768.

We had a very good Police Love Story case between Files 804 and 808, which was also combined with the plot and gave insight into Amuro's background.

Heiji was the centerpiece of another plot-related case in Files 778 to 780, which happened to star Sera and the FBI.

And the romance/confession subplot regarding Shinichi and Ran is a very important aspect of the main plot, too. And so the last long Heiji case in 781 to 786, while not directly related to the Org subplot, was still important in the overall development of the story.

So really we can get all sorts of cases while still pushing forward the plot. The police love story has been integrated with the plot in other instances in the past, too (like when Ran spotted Akai during one of them and realized that she knew him from somewhere).

[El Huesudo II]

The police love story, at least Sato and Takagi's side, is really connected to the plot right now. Having a person in common between Takagi and Amuro is a gold mine, it would be nice if the detective couple got involved in the BO plot. Both of them already suspect Conan isn't what he seems, and if they do get involved in the plot their suspicions will most likely be confirmed. And that means MORE ALLIES! YAY~

I had forgotten Heiji aided in the investigation of Jodie, though it was pretty obvious Jodie was one of the good guys - Amuro is a BO member, not to mention a detective at the same level as them. Not the same, and too risky. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm almost absolutely sure Vermouth will end up getting Conan out of trouble because of reasons we all are familiar with already, I'd say that the only sane thing Conan could ask of Heiji right now is to hide him in Osaka for a while, or something.

And, well, Heiji already has a few points against him in the BO, I mean, let's remember he appeared disguised as someone who was supposedly assassinated by Gin right in front of Gin's partner, Vodka. I doubt Vodka would forget that.

[irishock]

I doubt we'd see him in the same arc as Bourbon/any BO member anymore. Nowadays Heiji just comes in with his girl and it sets off a big case, 5-6 chapters and not as a plot development.

[zek]

I wouldn't be surprised if he was to appear and possibly help investigate Amuro.
Although it is true that Heiji has a bad habit of calling conan Kudo...but i think Amuro will start looking into Kudo eventually anyway since it would'nt take much searching to notice Conans sudden appearance less then a day after Kudo 'died'.

[El Huesudo II]

Although it is true that Heiji has a bad habit of calling conan Kudo...but i think Amuro will start looking into Kudo eventually anyway since it would'nt take much searching to notice Conans sudden appearance less then a day after Kudo 'died'.

I doubt it. Without additional information, that kind of data has no logical connection.

At most, Amuro might think Shinichi and Conan are siblings/cousins/etc. after hearing Heiji call Conan "Kudo". What I'm worried about is that Amuro decides to look into the Kudo household, as he might stumble upon Akai one way or the other; giving him perfect reasons to go against Conan and his friends for being in cahoots with his nemesis.

[El Huesudo II]

Spoiler: file 830

So.

830 has almost come and gone (only available in Chinese at the time of this post, lol!), and with this we've seen a fully non-plot case after quite a while. (Well, OK, there's a small reference to the plot at the very ending. But it's too small.)

While it wasn't a bad case (IMO, I've encountered others who'd wish to forget all about this case), it can't be denied that it's rather lackluster. Very feeble mystery, very lacking in the deduction department, and with rather shaky logic all around. (Not to mention beating a dead horse.)

The last time I remember having a case like that, though, was when Heiji and Conan had their little showdown at the restaurant. The mystery was almost non-existent, and as for the deduction, it felt like every single character had dropped lower than even the DB's level. As I already stated before in this topic, it was ATROCIOUS. At least it had the Design of Poison and Illusions case right afterwards, so that was a relief.

There are 2 things that these 2 instances have in common:
a) Not a plot case.
b) Sera's involved.

Sera feels as if she was an Eisuke proxy - she's the little sibling of a plot-heavier character. However, Eisuke has an advantage over Sera: It was established from the very beginning that Hidemi had a younger brother, however, Sera basically CAME OUT OF BLEEPING NOWHERE and there's no previous alert that she both existed and mattered for the plot. Not to mention that Sera's only purpose as of now seems to be a second Ran. Everything she's done in the series, save for her sleuthing in her introductory case, could have been done by Ran. EVERYTHING. Why do we need ANOTHER CHARACTER to do what she does, if we already have a perfectly good one right there warming the bench?

However, this only feels that way because Sera's character development has been pretty much brought to a halt. She could have had more cases as a detective instead of as part of the peanut gallery, for one; she could've had more scenes devoted to her backstory and her relevance to the plot (kind of like what Eisuke had...). But no, right now she's just there to make Ran look bad and to look bad herself.

I really like Sera and I think she has potential, but unless she gets more time in the limelight, LIKE WHAT EISUKE HAD, I feel like she's gonna be a burden to the plot and a smudge on the series's quality.

Now we go back to a).

Right now, we've had a barrage of plot-related cases, or at least cases with a lot of plot-related content, and the tension is going up steadily. I once thought we needed a little bit of denouement, but now that I see what kind of denouement we'd be having...

And next case is a Heiji case. Finally! This should have happened 2 cases ago! ...Or not? Now that I've seen how non-plot cases are gonna be like, I seriously think it shouldn't be the case. I would have hoped that the arc went by steadily, especially because the Mystery Train arc and the Tennis Meetup arc brought the tension really high and promised to take it higher... And then Kid? And now Heiji? This is going all sorts of cold!

In Aoyama-sensei's shoes, I would have postponed Kid and Heiji appearances indefinitely until the arc was over, or at least limited them to plot-relevant occasions (Heiji has helped with the BO plot before; and Kid is now with one foot in on it too anyway). But alas, I'm not Aoyama-sensei, and I don't know if this would actually be his intention but his employers think otherwise? Maybe this is what's happening. I dunno.