Japanese detective back on Chinese screens

Sporting his signature black-framed spectacles, Conan Edogawa — the iconic figure in the enduring Japanese manga and animated series Detective Conan, which is also known as Case Closed — is scheduled to make a return to Chinese cinemas on Friday.

As the 27th film in the franchise which started in 1994, in Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram, master thief Kaito Kid sets his sights on two valuable swords, kicking off a tangled web of mystery and intrigue. As Conan, Hattori Heiji, and their friends become entangled in the perilous quest for hidden treasure, they unravel a darker truth involving a ruthless arms dealer and a long-lost family legacy.

Five cities, namely Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu, held promotional events on Qixi Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day, that attracted nearly 2,500 fans, some of whom were dressed as characters from the series.

The movie premiered in Japan on Monday and currently has a rating of 7.1 out of 10 on China's popular review site Douban, based on feedback from over 2,500 netizens.