# Detective Conan: The Fourteenth Target
**Detective Conan: The Fourteenth Target** (*Meitantei Conan: Jūyon Banme no Tāgetto*, 名探偵コナン 14番目の標的（ターゲット）) is a 1998 Japanese animated mystery film, the second theatrical feature based on Gosho Aoyama's manga *Detective Conan*. It was released in Japan on April 18, 1998, directed by Kenji Kodama and written by Kazunari Kouchi, and distributed by Toho.[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html) • [2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) Unlike the manga and television series, the film tells an original story, and it centers on the past of Kogoro Mouri, the private detective who serves as Conan Edogawa's guardian.[3](https://lp.p.pia.jp/event/movie/1769/index.html) • [4](https://jfdb.jp/title/6960)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | April 18, 1998, Japan; distributed by Toho[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html) |
| Series position | Second *Detective Conan* theatrical film, following *The Time-Bombed Skyscraper* (1997)[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) |
| Staff | Director Kenji Kodama; screenplay Kazunari Kouchi; music Katsuo Ohno; character design Masatomo Sudo[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) |
| Runtime | 99 minutes by most Japanese databases; TMS lists 95 minutes[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) • [1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html) |
| Box office | ¥1.85 billion gross; ¥1.05 billion in distributor income[5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target) • [6](https://www.eiren.org/toukei/1998.html) |
| Theme song | "Shoujo no Koro ni Modotta Mitai ni" by ZARD; insert song "KIZUNA" by Iori[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html) |
| English release | FUNimation DVD, November 20, 2007, as *Case Closed: The Fourteenth Target*[5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story opens with a series of attempted murders around Kogoro Mouri. Inspector Megure is shot with a crossbow while jogging; poisoned chocolate sent to Eri Kisaki, Ran's mother and a lawyer, puts her in the hospital; and Dr. Agasa is attacked in front of Conan.[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) Playing-card face cards are left at the scenes, and Conan notices that the three victims share two things: all are connected to Kogoro, and all have a number hidden in their names. The attacks proceed like a countdown, following the card values from 13 downward.[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/)
To protect Sawaki Fair, an old friend of Kogoro whose name contains the character for "eight", Conan and the others travel to the marine entertainment facility Aqua Crystal, where they meet four more people with numbers in their names.[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html) The police suspect Murakami Jo, a former card dealer whom Kogoro once arrested and who is now out on parole, but a victim is eventually found.[4](https://jfdb.jp/title/6960) The final card, the ace of spades standing for 1, points to Shinichi Kudo himself.[7](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/pdf/153528)
The film also reveals the event that ended Kogoro's career as a police detective and the truth behind his separation from Eri, material the manga had not previously covered in detail.[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) • [8](https://mangapedia.com/%E5%90%8D%E6%8E%A2%E5%81%B5%E3%82%B3%E3%83%8A%E3%83%B314%E7%95%AA%E7%9B%AE%E3%81%AE%E6%A8%99%E7%9A%84-28wwhao2w) In the climax, Kogoro's marksmanship and the incident from his police days both become decisive.[9](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/review/)
## Production
Kenji Kodama, who had directed the television series and the first film *The Time-Bombed Skyscraper*, returned as director, with Kazunari Kouchi writing the screenplay and Katsuo Ohno composing the music. Masatomo Sudo handled character design and chief animation direction, and animation production was by Tokyo Movie (credited as Kyokichi Tokyo Movie).[2](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/) • [4](https://jfdb.jp/title/6960) The main voice cast carried over from the series: Minami Takayama as Conan Edogawa, Wakana Yamazaki as Ran Mouri, Kappei Yamaguchi as Shinichi Kudo, Akira Kamiya as Kogoro Mouri, and Chafurin as Inspector Megure.[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html)
The ending theme, "Shoujo no Koro ni Modotta Mitai ni" ("As If Returned to My Girlhood"), was performed by ZARD with lyrics by Izumi Sakai; the insert song "KIZUNA" was sung by Iori.[1](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html)
## Release and reception
The film earned ¥1.05 billion in distributor income in 1998, placing it among the year's top Japanese films, and a total box office gross of ¥1.85 billion.[6](https://www.eiren.org/toukei/1998.html) • [5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target) [Home video](https://www.edgepedia.org/home-video) followed in stages: VHS on April 14, 1999 at ¥5,040; DVD on March 28, 2001; a low-priced DVD re-release on February 25, 2011; and Blu-ray on June 24, 2011.[5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target) When broadcast on Japanese television on March 22, 1999, it drew a 21.3% rating.[5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target)
In North America, FUNimation released the film on DVD on November 20, 2007 under the *Case Closed* branding.[5](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target)
## Legacy
The device of characters with numbers in their names proved influential: later reviews note that characters with number-bearing names were subsequently introduced into the original manga as well.[9](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/review/) The film is also remembered for fleshing out the Mouri family's backstory, particularly the reason Kogoro and Eri live apart, and for its compressed suspense structure in which the audience can guess the next target while the characters race to stop the attacks.[8](https://mangapedia.com/%E5%90%8D%E6%8E%A2%E5%81%B5%E3%82%B3%E3%83%8A%E3%83%B314%E7%95%AA%E7%9B%AE%E3%81%AE%E6%A8%99%E7%9A%84-28wwhao2w) • [9](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/review/)
## References
1. [名探偵コナン 14番目の標的(ターゲット), TMS Entertainment](https://www.tms-e.co.jp/alltitles/conan/087302.html)
2. [名探偵コナン 14番目の標的（ターゲット）, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/)
3. [名探偵コナン／14番目の標的〈ターゲット〉, ぴあ映画](https://lp.p.pia.jp/event/movie/1769/index.html)
4. [名探偵コナン 14番目の標的, Japanese Film Database](https://jfdb.jp/title/6960)
5. [The Fourteenth Target, Detective Conan World Wiki](https://www.detectiveconanworld.com/wiki/The_Fourteenth_Target)
6. [過去興行収入上位作品 1998年, 一般社団法人日本映画製作者連盟](https://www.eiren.org/toukei/1998.html)
7. [名探偵コナン １４番目の標的（ターゲット）, allcinema](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/pdf/153528)
8. [名探偵コナン 14番目の標的（アニメ映画）, マンガペディア](https://mangapedia.com/%E5%90%8D%E6%8E%A2%E5%81%B5%E3%82%B3%E3%83%8A%E3%83%B314%E7%95%AA%E7%9B%AE%E3%81%AE%E6%A8%99%E7%9A%84-28wwhao2w)
9. [名探偵コナン 14番目の標的（ターゲット） レビュー, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/39688/review/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Animated and short films › Japanese anime features › Released 1932 to 1998*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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