Heiji Hattori

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Heiji Hattori (服部平次)
Alias(es)	“Kudo of Kanto, Hattori of Kansai”; famous high-school detective from Osaka 36
Gender	Male 36
Occupation/Role	High-school detective operating primarily in the Kansai region 36 134
First Appearance	Chapter 36

Appearance

Heiji is a dark-skinned young detective who strongly resembles Shinichi Kudo; the resemblance becomes especially pronounced with makeup. He is first introduced wearing a baseball cap. 36 134 195

• Dark complexion 36
• Introduced in a baseball cap 36
• Facial resemblance to Shinichi Kudo, particularly when disguised 134 195

Personality

Heiji is direct and self-critical. After failing to notice Mrs. Ikemura’s murderous intent, he openly admits that Jiang Hang outperformed him and apologizes for having doubted him. 39 He prefers evidence he can personally observe and reason through, stating that he trusts only his own eyes and brain. 39

His admiration for Jiang Hang develops into a persistent competitive drive. Repeatedly being surpassed frustrates him, but each setback reinforces his resolve to improve rather than making him withdraw from detective work. 52 141 146 He is also notably impatient, rushing to pursue new leads even after others have spent the night resolving parts of a case. 141

Heiji dislikes being defined by his father’s position as Osaka’s police chief, even though he occasionally relies on the access and support that connection provides. 134 169

Abilities & Skills

Deduction and Case Analysis

Heiji is a highly capable deductive detective whose skill is considered comparable to Conan’s. 134 177

• Analyzed the isolated Holmes gathering as a potential “Snow Mountain Villa” murder scenario alongside Conan. 51
• Identified Kanatani Hiroyuki as the person most likely to be central to a hypothetical murder, either as culprit or victim. 51
• Investigated Shinichi Kudo’s disappearance by tracing attendees at a Holmes gathering and monitoring Tokyo’s newly prominent detectives. 37 49
• Connected the Osaka serial murders to a driving-school class from twenty years earlier and continued revising his theories as new evidence appeared. 150 151
• Can acknowledge when a deduction is incomplete or wrong, treating failures as motivation for further training. 39 146

Field Investigation and Police Access

Heiji combines conventional investigation with informal access to Osaka police resources through his family background.

• Noticed a frightened woman fleeing an Osaka crime scene and recorded her vehicle’s license-plate number. 148
• Receives case-related information from officers subordinate to his father. 138
• Can obtain police documents and materials that ordinary civilians would struggle to access. 169
• Has Osaka’s streets and landmarks effectively memorized, allowing him to act as an unusually knowledgeable local guide. 147

Kendo and Physical Combat

Heiji is a skilled kendo practitioner with greater raw combat ability than Conan. 39 139

• Is described as a master of kendo and was willing to serve as bait for the Genji Fireflies, expecting to confront their swordsman directly. 139
• His familiarity with katana construction allowed him to notice that two Star Prism Blades lacked mekugi and even the corresponding mekugi-ana. 265
• Has practical experience confronting dangerous criminals through his detective work, giving him more real-world combat exposure than ordinary tournament swordsmen. 266

Relationships

• Jiang Hang — Rival, mentor figure, and the detective Heiji most wants to surpass. Jiang’s ability to prevent crimes before they occur fundamentally changes Heiji’s view of detective work. 39 52 146
• Conan Edogawa — Fellow investigator and suspected identity mystery. Heiji works with Conan on deductions but repeatedly tests whether Conan is actually Shinichi Kudo. 51 52 78
• Kazuha Toyama — Childhood sweetheart. Heiji’s long-running search for his supposed first love ultimately points back to Kazuha’s visit to Sannō Temple eight years earlier. 143 146
• Yusuke Sakata — Longtime friend and trusted Osaka police officer. Sakata’s exposure as a serial murderer devastates Heiji, who vows to find him personally. 154 157
• Heizo Hattori — Father and Osaka police chief. Heiji resents being introduced through his father’s status, but later seeks Heizo’s guidance after being repeatedly outdone by Jiang Hang. 134 146

Story Role / Major Arcs

Tokyo Investigation and the Ikemura Incident

Heiji arrives in Tokyo seeking information on Shinichi Kudo’s disappearance. He meets Jiang Hang during the Ikemura case, where Mrs. Ikemura surrenders before Heiji can conduct a standard investigation. Confused by Jiang’s preemptive intervention, Heiji follows him afterward, learns how much he missed, and vows to refine his detective skills. 36 38 39

Sherlock Holmes Fan Gathering

While still searching for Shinichi, Heiji attends Kanatani Hiroyuki’s Holmes gathering after learning Jiang and Conan will be present. He and Conan jointly analyze the attendees and correctly identify Kanatani as likely central to an impending incident. 49 51 After Jiang stops Tojū Kenjin’s attempted murder, Heiji realizes that Jiang had anticipated danger from the beginning and adopts him as the standard he intends to reach. 52

During this period, Heiji becomes increasingly suspicious that Conan is Shinichi Kudo. His evidence includes Conan’s abnormal literary knowledge, non-prescription glasses, timing of Conan’s arrival at the Mouri household, and Jiang’s unusual protectiveness toward him. 52 53

Genji Fireflies Case

In Kyoto, Heiji investigates the serial killings of members of the Genji Fireflies, a thief group specializing in cultural relics and antiques. He also pursues the girl he remembers as his first love from eight years earlier, carrying a crystal bead that he believes she left behind. 135

The bead is eventually revealed to be part of the stolen Yakushi Nyorai Buddha statue. Heiji offers himself as bait to force the Genji Fireflies into revealing themselves, trusting his kendo skills if a confrontation occurs. 139 Jiang resolves the criminal side of the case before Heiji can act, then finds the statue as well, leaving Heiji feeling that he contributed little. 141 146

Heiji later recognizes that his “first love” was likely Kazuha, who had gone to Sannō Temple in a new kimono on the same day he remembered meeting the mysterious girl. He chooses not to reveal this realization to her. 146

Osaka Serial Murder Case

After inviting Jiang’s group to Osaka, Heiji becomes involved in a series of murders tied to a driving-school incident from twenty years earlier. He notices Okazaki Sumie’s suspicious flight from a crime scene, develops several theories surrounding Numabuchi Ki’ichirō and Sōji Munetaro, and coordinates with Osaka police during the search. 148 150 151

The real killer is revealed to be his friend, Yusuke Sakata, acting to avenge his father. Heiji is horrified by Sakata’s actions and particularly disturbed when Sakata disappears after killing Sōji. 154 Though Jiang warns him against probing the criminal organization connected to Sōji Munetaro, Heiji remains determined to continue pursuing Sakata. 154 157

Later Investigations

Heiji receives a cryptic commission concerning the Takeda family’s “Spider Mansion” on Puppet Peak and continues exchanging case information with Jiang’s group despite his rivalry with Jiang. 164 169 Later, Conan consults him on the Star Prism Blade mystery, where Heiji’s swordsman’s knowledge identifies the missing mekugi as a crucial irregularity. 265

Notable Quotes

“I only trust my eyes and my brain.” 39

“From today onward, I'll work hard to chase after you until I catch up to you.” 52

Trivia

• Heiji personally prefers Ellery Queen to Sherlock Holmes, despite attending a Holmes fan gathering to search for Shinichi Kudo. 39 49
• He repeatedly plans periods of “seclusion” or intensive training after being surpassed by Jiang Hang. 146 157 233
• His first-love search lasted eight years before he connected the shared misremembered Kyoto children’s song to Kazuha. 135 144 146