Detective shows are typically a lot of fun whether or not they are real life or animated. There have been a few anime steeped in the genre but out of each of these Detective Conan has remained my favorite. Well, I suppose I should say Case Closed because that is the English name given to the series by FUNimation to avoid legal issues.

To say that the show has been popular in Japan would be a gross understatement. With an unprecedented number of manga and animated episodes under its belt it's safe to say that this series is a mainstay in the world of anime. Here in the States the show has garnered a decently sized following and has proven itself to be successful with the American audience.

If you haven't seen an episode of Case Closed before you're missing out on a fun experience. On the surface the series looks to be aimed with a young audience in mind. Filled with kids who solve crime and a cute art style the show definitely holds a childish appeal. Surprisingly there is a bit of violence and mild adult themes that trickle into the episodes; after all you can't have a big crime without something bad happening. Not every villain can be like a Scooby Doo goofball who likes to wear a mask.

Case Closed tells the story of 17 year old genius detective Jimmy Kudo who spends his days solving crimes of all sorts. One day he witnesses something that he shouldn't have though and is poisoned with murderous intent. Instead of dying Jimmy wakes up to discover that his body has reverted back to being six years old. He dons a new identity and works closely with friends to solve crimes and such. Needless to say this concept isn't quite as grounded in reality as Sherlock Holmes but this is anime after all. It's a fun idea that works well with the episodic nature of the series and quality of writing for each episode.

While FUNimation has released many DVDs in the franchise so far the latest, Case Closed: Cracking the Perfect Alibi has recently arrived. Once again we get six episodes of crime solving fun in the way that only Conan can do. Fans of the show will most likely appreciate each of these episodes but it's hard to deny that the quality fluctuates.

Take the first episode for instance. In "A Hunting We Will Go", Conan and his buddies go on a wilderness treasure hunt per request of the Professor. The adventure is filled with pitfalls and challenges for Conan to overcome but the inclusion of a pair of thieves feels shallow to say the least. The ending of the episode is also disappointing because it doesn't pay off as well as it should have. The sap is laid on pretty thick and because of that the episode's plot feels forced. This is an example of the weakest moments on this disc but thankfully there are stronger episodes.

The two-part storyline "Mountain Villa Murder" stands out as the best adventure on this release. Conan and Rachel travel to a mountain retreat owned by a friend to meet some people. Along the way they encounter a mysterious bandaged man and somebody dies in the middle of the night. This episode reminded me so much of classic slasher thrillers where teenagers are all stranded in the woods with a crazy murderer looming outside. It was easily the highlight of this volume but other episodes here like "Wrong Place at the Wrong Time" and "Flames of Confusion" are decent as well.

Case Closed is a fun show that I hope FUNimation continues releasing. The adventures of Conan never grow tiresome and these six episodes are proof of that. Sure some of them are stronger than others but the fact remains that each story is enjoyable on some level whether you're a kid or an adult. If you haven't checked this show out yet you'll definitely want to keep it on your radar.

Given the fact that these episodes aired in 1996 it's not surprising to see that the video quality depicts some wear and tear. The 1.33:1 full frame image is covered with a fine layer of grain in just about every scene and in some cases there are small amounts of speckle in the transfer. Aliasing wasn't really a problem though at times the colors appeared to be washed out and not quite as vibrant as they were intended to be. This is still a decent looking show with an average presentation for a Standard DVD but it features some flaws due to the material's age.

Fortunately the audio fares slightly better in terms of presentation merit. The 2.0 stereo tracks for English and Japanese offer clear and crisp audio with no technical flaws to point out. The only downside is that the range of audio just isn't as strong as it could have been with the 2.0 offering. There is little to no diversity on the soundstage and the show sounds flat at times. It's no better or worse than I was expecting.

The only bonus features that you'll find on this disc come in the form of trailers for other FUNimation stuff. Needless to say that's fairly disappointing!

Case Closed has proven to be a fun show filled with an amusing concept and entertaining stories. The six episodes presented here are perfect examples of that. The nice thing about the series is the fact that a person can jump in at any time and appreciate what's going on. Episodes are generally stand-alone though there are two-part arcs tossed in for good measure like the "Mountain Villa Murder" one on this disc. This is a recommended series and this volume presents another fine collection of episodes.

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