Would You Kill for Karuta? note
"Thank ya for yer concern…but I’m perfectly safe. Because the Great Detective of the West, Hattori Heiji-kun, is by my side!"
— Momiji Ooka
Detective Conan: The Crimson Love Letter is the 21st Detective Conan Theatrical Film in the franchise. It was directed by Kobun Shizuno, written by Takahiro Okura, produced by Michihiko Suwa and scored by Katsuo Ono. It was released on April 15, 2017
In Kyoto, a Karuta tournament is about to take place. The one with the best odds of winning is Momiji Ooka, a rich girl who calls herself "Heiji's future bride". Events spur Kazuha to join the tournament and face Momiji, with the winner getting to ask out Heiji first. However, a serial bomber is on the loose and the Great Detectives of the West and the East must join forces to bring them down.
Trailer
The Crimson Love Letter provides examples of:
- Big Bad: Kensuke Achiwa is the mastermind of these crimes, while Togo Kaieda is the one carrying out the plan. Unbeknownst to the latter, Kensuke planned to kill him as well, in order to make it look like Nagoro accidentally killed himself. Nagoro, who had been missing for five years, had actually been killed by Kensuke's wife Satsuki Achiwa, who was shocked and afraid after losing to Nagoro one day before the scheduled match. Kensuke witnessed the murder of Nagoro, and decided to hide it so that no one knew.
- Career-Ending Injury: Nagoro was suffering from deteriorating eyesight, and thus challenged Satsuki Achiwa to a karuta match a day before schedule to show his full skill before it fades away - simply so that Satsuki, his first love, would compliment him on them. Unfortunately, neither of the Achiwas knew this until it was far, far too late.
- Childhood Marriage Promise: Momiji claimed this is what Heiji promised and even has photographic proof. However, when Heiji defeated Momiji, he said "next time, I'll be even stronger (tsuyome)", but Momiji misheard it as "yome" (bride).
- Compete for the Maiden's Hand: Both of Heiji's potential girlfriends, Kazuha and Momiji, are proficient in a card game called hyakunin issha garuta, and will compete against one another and many other students in a karuta tournament. This coincides with Momiji being Heiji's Self-Proclaimed Love Interest, confronting both Heiji and Kazuha on their potential love triangle, and Kazuha deciding to challenge Momiji both in love and karuta...
- Driven to Suicide: Achiwa's final plot is to blow himself and the two Satsuki Cup finalists on Satsuki Hall.
- He Knows Too Much: Why Achiwa murdered Yajima - he had figured out that Nagoro had been murdered five years ago and that the Achiwas were responsible.
- Love Triangle: Momiji Ooka’s introduction creates one. While Heiji and Kazuha are mutually infatuated, with each other, Heiji does find himself attracted to Momiji’s personality.
- The Rival: Momiji and Kazuha become rivals in Karuta and more importantly, Heiji’s affections.
- Red Herring: Shikao Nagoro is set up as the film’s main antagonist, but is revealed he is not and he has been dead for five years.
- Sore Loser: Satsuki Achiwa murdered Nagoro after he beat her in a private Karuta match before their public one the next day. Downplayed because it was more of a fear of losing in the big match and Nagoro’s skills.
- Sequel Hook: After all the credits, we see a 5 to 1 countdown finishing with a very familiar voice ending the countdown as a way to hype of the 22nd film, Detective Conan Film 22: Zero The Enforcer.Tōru Amuro/Rei Furuya: Zero.
- Taking the Heat: Satsuki’s husband Kensuke pretends to be Nagoro’s murderer after he finds his wife over Nagoro’s dead body.
- Tournament Arc: There is a Karuta tournament . Momiji and Kazuha make it to the finals. It’s a kind of tie, but Momiji wins. However extenuating circumstances prevent her from claiming her reward.
- Try Not to Die: Heiji states this to Kazuha before they jump over a waterfall on his bike.Heiji: Hold on tight, Kazuha! If ya let go of my hand…I’ll kill ya!
