The new Kid arc that kicked off in File 1119 delivered plenty of fireworks: Kaitō Kid swooped in, and—after an eternity away from the main manga—Saguru Hakuba finally returned.
Where will File 1120 pick up, and how might the plot unfold?
Below is an early look at Detective Conan File 1120 “Stand-In,” scheduled for Weekly Shōnen Sunday issue 51.
Detective Conan File 1120 “Substitute” – Spoiler
At the end of the previous chapter Kid and Conan struck a temporary truce: Kid would impersonate Shinichi Kudō to keep the police occupied while Conan hunted the real murderer.
Shinichi (Kid’s disguise) begins the file by briefing Hakuba, Nakamori & Co.
on the crime scene and claims that the phantom thief departed empty-handed once he realised the gem on display wasn’t the real target.
File 1120 Spoiler ① – How Kid Fooled the Security Camera
Hakuba reveals that the “blank” camera feed was created with a loupe-lens (also called a “looper lens”), a thin prism that slips over the CCTV and makes the door look permanently shut.
Kid-as-Shinichi then walks the police through exactly how the break-in was staged—decoding the keypad by sound, lifting prints to guess the pass-code—essentially confessing to his own method while pretending it’s deduction.
Hakuba Starts to Doubt “Shinichi”
Hakuba admits the entire camera trap was designed to bait Kid into using the loupe-lens.
He even ordered staff to make noise at the keypad to lure Kid.
After hearing “Shinichi’s” too-perfect reconstruction, Hakuba quietly notes that only the real Kudō could know the intruder’s every move.
File 1120 Spoiler ② – Shinichi & Hakuba Reconstruct the Murder
Post-forensics, three puzzling points remain:
Body repositioning: The victim was shot in the doorway yet ended up posed on the Azure Throne.
Toe scuffs: Both shoes have fresh scrapes on the tips.
Blood spatter: Droplets on the curtain to the corpse’s right contradict the entry wound.
Until those are explained, the case can’t close.
File 1120 Spoiler ③ – Ran Confronts “Shinichi”
Watching from the monitors, Ran charges in to greet her “boyfriend.” Put on the spot, Kid improvises: he apologises for not calling and gently says,
Shinichi「If I saw your face, Ran… I’d never want to leave your side.」
Those lines come straight from Conan via ear-mic—part of the deal for keeping Kid’s cover intact.
File 1120 Spoiler ④ – Hakuba’s Final Test
Before interviews begin Hakuba asks casually, “Who do you think the killer is?” “Shinichi” hedges; Hakuba presses.
Kid slips, suggesting suicide—even though the silenced pistol on the floor rules that out. Hakuba pounces, points out the contradiction, clamps a hand over Conan’s mouth (to block any rescue prompt) and whispers:
Hakuba「Tell me… are you really Shinichi Kudō?」
File 1121 will open with Hakuba’s showdown and the inevitable reveal.
Detective Conan 1120 “Substitute” – Review & Theories
The Chapter That Finally Brought Shinichi & Saguru Hakuba Face-to-Face.
The closing pages delivered a shocker when Hakuba openly questioned “Shinichi.” Here are the hot takes and theories that sprang to mind.
File 1120 Review & Theories ① — Hakuba Never Stopped Probing “Shinichi”
From the very first panel Hakuba treated Shinichi like a prime suspect, nudging him with carefully chosen questions and waiting for cracks to appear.
He’d already laid a tailor-made trap to funnel Kaito Kid into the Sky Exhibit; finding Shinichi inside that trap rang every alarm.
Throughout Hakuba guided the “detective” into slip-ups—something even Conan’s whispered prompts could barely cover—culminating in the now-iconic line:
Hakuba「Are you really… Shinichi Kudō?」
Reminder — Hakuba Knows Kid’s True Face
Long-time readers will recall that Hakuba uncovered Kid’s identity as Kaito Kuroba back in Magic Kaito.
He also knows Kaito and Shinichi are near-lookalikes, so even an unmasked Kid could pass for the teenage sleuth at a glance.
That background frames Hakuba’s relentless doubts in this file—and sets up a likely unmasking next week.
File 1120 Review & Theories ② — Signs Point to a Rare Four-Week Arc
We still haven’t reached the full round of witness interviews, something Gosho usually covers by the second instalment.
That pacing hints we’re in for four straight chapters—great news after the recent hiatuses. Get ready for at least two more weeks of Conan × Kid × Hakuba fireworks!
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