Yusaku Kudo
| Yusaku Kudo | |
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| |
| Japanese name: | 工藤 優作 (Kudou Yuusaku) |
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| English name: | Booker Kudo |
| Age: | 37-38 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Relatives: | Yukiko Kudo (wife) Shinichi Kudo (son) |
| First appearance: | Manga: Chapter 49 Anime: Episode 43 |
| Appearances: | Chapters: 59 Chapters: 3 Episodes: 38 Movies: 3 OVAs: 3 Specials: 1 Openings: 12 Closings: 3 |
| Keyhole number: | Volume 22 |
| Japanese voice: | Hideyuki Tanaka |
| English voice: | Randy Tallman |
Yusaku Kudo (工藤 優作 Kudou Yuusaku) is the father of Shinichi Kudo and, along with his wife Yukiko, is one of only a few characters to know he is Conan Edogawa. He is also a world famous novelist and the creator of the popular Night Baron series.
Background
Yusaku Kudo was already noted for his sharp intellect and deductive abilities at a young age. He met Inspector Juzo Megure and became a good friend and valuable adviser to him in solving very difficult cases.[1] While he often assisted the police, Yusaku's primary aspiration was that of a writer. As a young novelist quickly attracting acclaim in his early twenties, he encountered the girl whom he resolved to marry: Yukiko Fujimine, an already famed and beautiful actress. While taking her out in an expensive restaurant to make his proposal, he was involved in a murder case which he solved brilliantly, and right afterward made his proposal to a startled Yukiko - a proposal which was eventually accepted. (Twenty years later, his son Shinichi would become involved in a follow-up of the exact same case, but unlike Yusaku he wouldn't be able to profess his feelings to his own love.)[2]
Instead of pursuing a career solely with the police or as a detective, Yusaku's detective stories have won international acclaim, especially his novels involving the character called Night Baron, who has become a popular cultural item. He prefers to be known as a novelist, despite multiple demonstrations of a Mycroftian tendency to solve a case before Shinichi reaches the same conclusions. In the course of his career, he also encountered the first Kaitou Kid and struck a sort of competitive friendship with him; it is implied that Yusaku knew Kid's identity, but chose to chase Kid only during heists in order to foil the theft and no further.[3]
After Shinichi becomes Conan, Yuusaku learns from Agasa what occurred and stages an elaborate false kidnapping to drive home to Conan what the stakes are if he is caught by the Black Organization. He offers to take Conan to a new life in America, but understands when Shinichi refuses due to a desire for independence and feelings for Ran - though Yuusaku doesn't expect that resolve to last. He and Yukiko occasionally check up on Conan, but seem content to respect Shinichi's wishes to pursue the Black Organization without their help.
Personality
Yusaku Kudo possesses a very sharp intellect and observation skills, traits which he has passed on to his son. His success as a novelist is to a large part based on his keen understanding of the criminal mind. His less tolerable personality traits include a certain cockiness and a very bad touch at making humor.[4]
Name origin
Yusaku's name comes from Shunsaku Kudo (protagonist of the TV Drama Tantei Monogatari (Detective Tales) and actor Yusaku Matsuda (who portrayed Shunsaku Kudo).
