The "Detective Conan" anime series, better known as "Cased Closed" around these parts, is very popular in Japan as in many parts of the world. And a good number of fans are excited now that the chibi-fied detective is coming to the Nintendo Wii.

For those who are not familiar with the series, it revolves around a brilliant detective named Conan Edogawa, who was shrunk into a kid (or 10 years got shaved off his age) by a mysterious criminal organization. Marvelous Interactive's Detective Conan: Tsuioku no Mirajiyu for the Nintendo Wii will surely be coming to Japan (keep your fingers closed, fans everywhere else). Here's a new TV spot - sweet but awfully short.

Detective Conan: Tsuioku no Mirajiyu is set to hit Japan on May 17. While we wait for other release announcements, might as well watch the video.

 

Marvelous Interactive's upcoming "Case Closed" Wii game is coming along nicely, with its Japan release just around the corner (next month; May 17 to be exact). Fully titled as Detective Conan: Tsuioku no Mirajiyu, the game will playing much like what some would imagine a Phoenix Wright on the Wii would be like. Hey, when you're talking about investigation, it's usually a toss-up between Nick and Conan.

Anyways, you'll be using the Wiimote to find clues and solve the case at an amusement park on an outlying island. As the backdrop for the game is an amusement park, you know what to expect: mini-games! So today, we've got a bunch of screens that show just that (among others).

Take for example what you see above: it's a whack-a-mole type of mini-game, with you using the Wii remote to point and click the moles back into their pipes. Here are the rest of the screens, and make sure you got that magnifying glass ready - thumbnails won't do any good, so just click to enlarge them!

   

Unfortunately, this will not be a report of a possible North America release for Namco Bandai's Detective Conan: Case Closed game that's being scheduled for Japan's Nintendo Wii. What it is, however, is an update to the game's expected characters, courtesy of Famitsu magazine.

Now, for the non-anime viewers wondering what the buzz is all about, "Detective Conan" is a hit anime and manga series created by Gousho Aoyama. It stars Conan Edogawa, a 17 year-old detective genius (real name Shin'ichi Kudo) shrunk down to a 7-year-old kid due to some mysterious circumstances. The series' premise revolves around the various bits of detective work Conan pulls off, and this Wii game scheduled for a May 17 launch is no different.

These early game screenshots show the typical murder scene Case Closed fans have grown accustomed to, and the game's amusement facility setting should provide for a wealth of places to look as Conan-kun goes on his latest deduction spree. To add flavor for the whole bit, we also managed to pick up some of the series' lovable characters making it to the (crime) scene. See if you can spot Heiji Hattori, Kazuha Toyama, Ai Haibara, and Shin'ichi Kudou (aka Conan Edogawa):

More images follow at full article.

A pair of Japan-only Wii games that aren't too likely to get a U.S. release have just been dated. You guys better put these down on your imports calendar.

First off is Case Closed, the latest addition to the Detective Conan videogame franchise. This game is based on the popular manga and anime, and will feature Conan and his friends as they try to solve a case (what else?) on a huge amusement facility on an artificial island.

Players will use the Wiimote to explore their surroundings and examine objects. Yeah, kinda like Phoenix Wright, although Conan's got him beat by a good few years existence-wise. Case Closed is slated for a May 17 release and carries a price tag of ¥7,140 (US$ 60).

The second title is sure to be a must have for Ippo fans. Or Takamura fans. Heck, Wanpo fans! Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting Revolution is slated for a June 21 release in Japan. You can grab a copy for ¥6,090 (US$ 51).

This title's controls borrow a bit from Wii Sports Boxing - holding the Wiimote and Nunchuck in separate hands, you punch directly into the air, with your on-screen counterpart replicating your moves. In addition to punches, players will also be able to perform defensive moves, including a duck (not the bird).

Gosho Aoyama fans may recognize the bespectacled kid above as none other than Conan Edogawa, the lead protagonist of the hit series Detective Conan (aka Case Closed). And of course, there's Ran and Kogoro Mouri, who will be accompanying him on this latest case.

Based on our Engrish translations, the game will be taking place in a massive amusement facility on an artificial island. Players can use the Wiimote to explore their surroundings, and examine objects to look for evidence - like a certain spiky-haired attorney we know.

The game is set to be released in Spring (in Japan), with no news on a US release yet. Given just how popular the series is there and overseas - 100+ million copies of the manga sold - we just might be getting this pint-size gumshoe. For the anime-oriented gamer who does not fancy gloved fisticuffs or fish-cake shinobi, this is your news of the day. Enjoy the game screenshots.

And guess what? If Pheonix Wright for the DS got you psyched with your investigative skills, there's going to be more than just touchpad-blowing-to-get-fingerprints in the future. It's just been announced in Japan that local hit anime Detective Conan (titled "Case Closed" in the US) is heading for the Wii.

Those familiar with the TV show and are fans of it (myself included) might already be thinking of all those various uses for the Wiimote in this game. If Pheonix Wright can do touchpad-blowing, then the Wiimote possibilities of a Case Closed game on the Wii are endless.

Sadly, there doesn't seem any info about a release date for North America; much less any details whether they're bringing it over at all. That doesn't stop us from hoping though! We'll bring you guys more updates as soon as the case file opens up some more!