Harley Hartwell is a famous high school detective from Osaka, well known as the “detective of the West” who rivals Jimmy Kudo. After learning Jimmy's belief that “there’s no higher or lower in solving mysteries,” Harley becomes inspired and ends up helping Conan Edogawa. He quickly discovers Conan’s secret identity and often works as a trusted ally. He loves his hometown, is an amazing swordsman, and shares hilarious—and sometimes embarrassing—moments with his childhood friend Kirsten Thomas. His adventures are packed with danger, teamwork, and a lot of Osaka pride.
Harley has tan skin, sharp dark eyebrows, and a spiky front hairstyle that stands out.
He’s about the same build and size as Jimmy Kudo.
Harley’s face resembles his mother’s more than his father’s.
He is considered handsome; Serena Sebastian once called him “a pretty cool guy.”
He often wears his favorite “sax” logo cap, usually with the brim turned backwards.
Harley only turns the cap forwards when he’s in serious “detective mode.”
He is often seen in casual clothes, ready for action.
Harley speaks in a strong Osaka dialect and is very passionate about his hometown.
He is bold, friendly, and very outgoing, even using casual language when talking to adults.
He loves jokes and doesn’t hesitate to tease his friends.
Harley is very loyal and values his friendships deeply.
He’s a bit dense when it comes to romance, especially toward Kirsten Thomas, but he truly cares for her.
Despite his tough image, he’s actually sensitive and thinks deeply about the value of life.
He is very competitive and hates to lose, but knows when to admit his mistakes.
Harley is a second-year student at Kaifō Private High School.
His father, Heizo, is the chief of the Osaka Police Headquarters.
His mother is Shizuka, an excellent cook and swordswoman.
Even though Harley has a famous father, he became well-known for his own detective skills, not because of his family.
Detecting Skills
Harley is a famous detective in Osaka and rivals Jimmy Kudo in solving tough cases.
He’s skilled at finding clues and has strong logical thinking.
Kendo
Harley is a talented swordsman and part of his school kendo club.
He is skilled enough to fight outstanding opponents, sometimes even in wild ways!
Motorbike
He has a motorcycle license and owns an off-road bike, often giving Kirsten or Conan rides.
English
Harley can speak English well, as shown in the episode “The English Teacher vs. The Detective of the West.”
Jimmy Kudo / Conan Edogawa
At first, Harley was determined to challenge Jimmy Kudo, the “detective of the East.”
He comes to Tokyo to meet him, but after losing a mystery-solving contest, Harley quickly respects Jimmy’s view on detective work.
He’s the first person to figure out Conan’s true identity as Jimmy Kudo.
They become not just rivals, but also close friends and reliable partners.
Harley helps Conan solve cases, keeps Conan’s secret, and often covers for him.
They have great teamwork and sometimes banter about who’s the better detective.
Kirsten Thomas
Kirsten is Harley’s childhood friend and his first love.
Her family and Harley’s family have known each other for years.
Their relationship is full of playful arguments like a comedic duo.
Harley deeply cares about Kirsten and gets jealous when other boys approach her.
He tries many times to confess his feelings but always ends up in another mystery or silly situation.
Family
Heizo Hartwell
Harley’s father and Osaka’s police chief.
He’s strict but trusts Harley’s abilities.
Shizuka Hartwell
Harley’s mother, known for being a great cook and loving mother.
She fusses over Harley, but he loves her food.
Other Characters
Goro Otaki
A police inspector who trusts Harley and often teams up with him.
Rachel Moore
Harley thinks of Rachel as the “girlfriend of my buddy (Jimmy/Conan).”
She is used to his visits to Tokyo.
Richard Moore
Harley is not impressed by Richard’s detective skills and sometimes calls him silly nicknames.
But he understands Richard is famous and sometimes pretends to be his assistant.
“Life is precious because it’s limited. That’s why we try our best.”
“Someone said this… A detective can’t push someone to their death with the truth.”
Early Rivalry and Inspiration
Harley was first introduced as Jimmy Kudo’s rival, wanting to prove he was the better detective.
He traveled to Tokyo, challenged Jimmy, but lost and learned that solving cases isn’t about competition.
Discovering Conan’s Secret
On their second meeting, Harley figures out Conan is actually Jimmy Kudo.
He becomes the first person to discover this secret by himself.
Trusted Ally
Harley becomes one of Conan’s most important allies.
He helps Conan solve mysteries, supports him when others are suspicious, and covers up Conan’s identity slip-ups.
Sometimes he almost calls Conan “Jimmy” when others are around and quickly makes up an excuse!
Working Together in Movies and Cases
Harley appears in several “Case Closed” movies, sometimes being the main hero.
He teams up with Conan to catch criminals or stop crimes.
He has dangerous adventures, getting hurt but always fighting on.
Danger and Growth
Harley faces many dangers, like being attacked or kidnapped, especially in early stories.
Over time, he becomes even stronger and more confident.
Love Struggles
Harley tries many times to tell Kirsten Thomas how he feels but is always interrupted by mysteries or bad timing.
He sometimes gets jealous or messes up when Kirsten is involved in a case.
The Organization
Harley knows about the Black Organization from Conan and helps him whenever he can, even going undercover as Jimmy to protect Conan’s secret.
Still, he isn’t very involved in their biggest battles yet.
- Harley was invented as a rival character at the suggestion of the anime staff.
- His voice actor, Wataru Horikawa, guest-starred in the anime a year before voicing Harley.
- He likes mystery novels by Ellery Queen more than Sherlock Holmes.
- Harley and Jimmy are both popular, but they only like their childhood friends, Kirsten Thomas and Rachel Moore, as girlfriends.
- Harley gets embarrassed if you talk about his feelings for Kirsten.
- He is not good at cooking—once, he tried to cut a cucumber and it stayed uncut.
- Harley’s mother is proud of her special hotpot dish.
- In the special episode “Strangers in 10 Years,” Harley is shown as a national hero with a detective office across from the Tsutenkaku Tower, but still hasn’t made any progress with Kirsten!
- Harley often brings some Osaka flair to the “Case Closed” series, making his episodes especially fun for fans.
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