Detective Conan: The Raven Chaser (2009) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Kazuki Honjou killed to avenge his sister Nanako, who died two years earlier in a Kyoto hotel fire. When eight people escaped via elevator, Nanako was left behind and couldn't get out. Kazuki believed those present were responsible for her death and orchestrated a revenge plot targeting anyone he blamed for the tragedy.

Foreshadowing: Conan uncovers the Kyoto hotel fire incident early in the investigation, revealing Nanako's death as the catalyst for the murders.

• kazuki honjou
• nanako
• revenge
• kyoto hotel fire
• serial killer

The Mahjong tiles were a deliberate misdirection planted by Kazuki to throw off police investigation. He used them to redirect suspicion toward Kosuke Mizutani, Nanako's boyfriend, making it appear Mizutani was the killer. The tiles were never the real clue, Kazuki designed them to protect his true identity.

Foreshadowing: Conan initially treats the Mahjong tiles as significant evidence before realizing they were a deliberate false trail.

• mahjong tiles
• misdirection
• crime scenes
• evidence

Conan connected the cases by tracing the Big Dipper constellation pattern of the crime scenes back to Nanako and Kosuke Mizutani's past stargazing sessions in Kyoto. He learned that Nanako died in the hotel fire two years earlier, and the celestial clues pointed toward someone seeking vengeance for her death.

Foreshadowing: The timeline explicitly mentions the Kyoto hotel fire as the starting point that led Conan to investigate Nanako's death.

• kyoto hotel fire
• big dipper
• nanako honjou
• constellation
• crime scenes

Irish is a Black Organization operative who infiltrated the police force by disguising himself as Superintendent Matsumoto. He reveals himself to Conan during the confrontation at Tokyo Tower and explains he hates the Organization because they murdered his friend Pisco. Irish ultimately sacrifices himself to protect the memory chip from Gin and the Organization.

Foreshadowing: Conan spots a suspicious police officer entering a black Porsche after the police conference, hinting at an infiltrator.

• irish
• matsumoto
• black organization
• undercover
• pisco

Mizutani was manipulated by Kazuki Honjou into confessing. Kazuki used Mizutani as a scapegoat, convincing him to take the blame for the revenge killings. Mizutani's guilt stemmed from surviving the hotel fire while Nanako died, and Kazuki exploited this emotional vulnerability to make him an unwitting participant.

Foreshadowing: During the Tokyo Tower confrontation, Mizutani confesses readily, which surprises Conan given the inconsistent details.

• kosuke mizutani
• confession
• scapegoat
• manipulated

The memory chip is a crucial piece of data the Black Organization desperately wants, revealed during Vermouth's confrontation with Conan. The Organization will kill anyone who possesses it. Irish protects it at great cost, ultimately dying to prevent Gin from seizing it. Its exact contents remain mysterious, but it's clearly tied to the Organization's larger plans.

Foreshadowing: Vermouth mentions the Black Organization's need for the memory chip during Conan's interrogation on Tanabata.

• memory chip
• black organization
• vermouth
• data

The crime scenes across Japan were arranged to form the Big Dipper constellation with Polaris (the North Star) as the final target, Tokyo Tower. This celestial pattern was Kazuki's signature, connecting the murders to his sister's death and the stargazing trips she shared with Mizutani in Kyoto. Conan decoded this astronomical code to trace the killer's movements and predict the next location.

Foreshadowing: Conan pieces together the stargazing connection between Nanako and Mizutani early in the investigation.

• big dipper
• polaris
• constellation
• tokyo tower
• celestial clues

Irish helps Conan because he despises the Black Organization after they murdered his friend Pisco. Though still technically an operative, Irish has turned traitor. He protects Conan and the memory chip as an act of personal revenge against the Organization, ultimately sacrificing his life to prevent Gin from obtaining the data.

Foreshadowing: Irish's reveal comes when Conan realizes Matsumoto is suspiciously knowledgeable about the Organization's movements.

• irish
• betrayal
• pisco
• revenge
• black organization

Conan deduces Matsumoto's true identity as Irish when the Superintendent intervenes during the confrontation at Tokyo Tower. Irish's actions and knowledge are too detailed for a normal police officer, he demonstrates familiarity with the Organization's methods and members. His willingness to protect Conan despite being a known operative confirms his disguise.

Foreshadowing: During the police conference, Conan notices someone entering a black Porsche, hinting at organization ties.

• matsumoto
• disguise
• irish identity
• tokyo tower

The hotel fire trapped eight people, and the elevator could only carry seven. The 'seven-in-elevator rule' meant one person would be left behind, Nanako Honjou wasn't on the final elevator and died as a result. This tragedy became the foundation of Kazuki's revenge plot against those he blamed for her death.

Foreshadowing: Conan interviews Nanako's neighbor Shun Sawamura, who mentions the elevator incident.

• seven in elevator
• kyoto hotel fire
• nanako
• tragedy

The dying message 'Tanabata kyo' (meaning 'Tanabata today') left at the first crime scene was the initial clue linking all the murders. It connected the case to the Tanabata festival and hinted at a larger pattern. Conan used this message as a starting point to investigate the string of killings across multiple prefectures.

Foreshadowing: The first timeline event explicitly shows the dying message as the case's opening clue.

• tanabata kyo
• dying message
• crime scene
• clue

When the Organization opened machine gun fire, Conan used his expanding suspenders as a makeshift bungee cord. He attached them to a nearby light fixture and jumped off the tower, using the recoil to sling himself away from danger. The light fixture then rebounded and struck the Organization's helicopter, damaging its engine and causing it to crash.

Foreshadowing: Conan's gadgets have been established throughout the series as crucial escape tools.

• conan escape
• tokyo tower
• expanding suspenders
• helicopter
• black organization

Irish's dying words were 'Kudo Shinichi… Keep… Coming After Us…' By using Shinichi's real name, Irish acknowledged Conan's true identity. His final message was a plea for Conan to continue pursuing the Black Organization, passing the torch of resistance to the young detective.

Foreshadowing: Irish's death occurs immediately after he protects the memory chip from Gin.

• irish death
• last words
• kudo shinichi
• promise