Two anime characters have finally become a couple after 28 years of “will they/won’t they” moments, and Japan is celebrating their long-awaited relationship with advertising trucks and a boat showcasing their romance.
Slow-burning relationships are nothing new for anime fans, just look at the likes of Naruto and Hinata. However, fans rarely have to wait nearly three decades for characters who clearly love one another to become Facebook official.
For fans of Detective Conan, that’s exactly what has happened as one of the show’s longest-running romances has finally taken a major step forward. On October 10, Heiji Hattori and Kazuha Toyama officially became a couple after 28 long years of waiting.
The couple getting together has proven so huge that trucks and a boat are now touring around Japan’s streets with artwork celebrating their relationship.
Detective Conan characters finally become a couple
Osaka high school detective Heiji Hattori and his childhood friend Kazuha Toyama have spent decades dancing around their feelings for each other. In fact, Kazuha first appeared in the anime in 1998, and ever since then, the pair have left viewers patiently waiting for their romance to blossom.
If you’ve seen any anime, chances are you’ve seen how painful it can be for characters to get to a stage where they can even hold hands or go in for that big first kiss. Combine this with the fact that it’s taken 28 years to reach this moment, and you have something that is on par with Ross and Rachel’s relationship from Friends, but just with even more waiting.
According to a translated report via Livedoor News, advertising trucks celebrating the pair are currently traveling through Osaka’s Umeda, Shinsaibashi, and Namba areas until October 17. Meanwhile, a boat carrying ads celebrating the couple will be cruising along the Dotonbori River from 4 pm each day until October 13.
While Detective Conan fans have been rejoicing over the long-awaited romance, Heiji’s voice actor, Ryo Horikawa, also reflected on how the confession finally unfolded after years of failed attempts.
“At first, I imagined all sorts of ways he might confess. I wondered whether he would look Kazuha straight in the eyes and tell her he loved her,” he said. “But after so many failed attempts, his feelings just slipped out, and Kazuha happened to overhear him. It became something like, ‘Is that really true?’ followed by, ‘It’s true!’”
Horikawa also had a message for his character: “Heiji Hattori, you lucky guy! Take good care of Kazuha. Oh, and Ryo Horikawa is rooting for the two of them too. After all, I’m Heiji.”
Kazuha’s voice actor, Yuko Miyamura, was equally pleased to see the two characters finally become a couple.
“Finally!! Heiji’s confession was a success, and their feelings for each other have finally been confirmed!” she said. “Everyone around them already knew they liked each other, but he had to go looking for a spectacular spot to rival Big Ben. Honestly, it took so long!”
Despite the decades that have passed for viewers, Miyamura noted that considerably less time has elapsed within the story.
Detective Conan fans in Japan can also relive the confession at Osaka’s Abeno Harukas, the real building that inspired its setting. Starting October 11, the Harukas 300 observation deck features footprints marking where the characters stood, alongside audio from the anime.
An exclusive conversation never shown in the anime or manga will play in the elevator on the way down, which will reveal what Heiji and Kazuha said after the confession. It’s all rather wholesome stuff. Now we just need to see what stunts Japan will pull when protagonist Shinichi Kudo finally ties the knot with Ran Mori. Maybe a national holiday?
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
