The Kindaichi Case Files is a Japanese mystery manga authored by Yōzaburō Kanari (earlier series) and Seimaru Amagi (later series) and illustrated by Fumiya Satō. The first two series (File and Case series) were serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine[1] from 1992 to 2000. The New series, which was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine between 2004 and 2011, was published at irregular intervals. The regular serialization resumed in 2012 to celebrate the 20th anniversary. In 2013 the series title changed to The Kindaichi Case Files R (Returns) (金田一少年の事件簿R, Kindaichi Shōnen no Jikenbo Ritānzu) and the regular weekly serialization continues as before. A spin-off manga titled Takato Case Files (高遠少年の事件簿, Takatō Shōnen no Jikenbo), which centred on the primary antagonist Yoichi Takato, was serialized in the webcomic mobile app Manga Box between December 4, 2013, and March 26, 2014. One tankōbon volume of Takato Case Files was released in Japan on May 9, 2014. Another spin-off manga titled The Akechi Files (明智警部の事件簿, Akechi Keibu no Jikenbo) started serialization in the June 2014 issue of Magazine Special and it is illustrated by Yūki Satō.
The entire series is divided into File series (FILEシリーズ, Fairu Shirīzu) (27 volumes), Case series (Caseシリーズ, Kēsu Shirīzu) (10 volumes), Short File series (Short Fileシリーズ, Shōto Fairu Shirīzu) (6 volumes), Akechi File series (Akechi Fileシリーズ, Akechi Fairu Shirīzu) (2 volumes), New series (新シリーズ, Shinshirīzu) (14 volumes), 20th Anniversary series (20周年記念シリーズ, Nijū Shūnenkinen Shirīzu) (5 volumes), The Kindaichi Case Files R (Returns) (8 volumes) and spin-off series (1 volume). As of January 15, 2016, 73 volumes in total have been released in Japan.
A manga omake titled Unusual Case Files of Young Kindaichi: Kaijingyō Legend Murder Case (金田一少年の怪奇事件簿 海人漁伝説殺人事件, Kindaichi Shōnen no Kaiki Jikenbo Kaijingyō Densetsu Satsujin Jiken) is only included as a bonus feature in The Kindaichi Case Files DVD Collectors Box which was released in Japan in 2007.
In 1995, the manga received the 19th Kodansha Manga Award (shōnen section).[2] The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Tokyopop.[3] The English volumes are published under separate titles which are different from the original Japanese titles. The chapters contained in the English volumes are also different from the Japanese counterparts. While many of the original Japanese volumes contain two mysteries in one book, the chapters in each English volume form a single mystery story and different mysteries are published in separate volumes. Various bilingual (Japanese-English) volumes have been released.[4][5][6][7]