Hyoue Kuroda

Kuroda is calm, authoritative, observant, and difficult to read. His physical appearance and tendency to scrutinize people closely make him intimidating, but he generally behaves as a disciplined senior police officer rather than an unnecessarily aggressive superior.

He takes Conan seriously in a way few adults do upon first meeting him. Kuroda quickly recognizes that the child contributes substantially to Kogorou's investigations and openly describes him as the detective's source of wisdom.

Kuroda is also highly secretive. He can discuss ordinary police matters freely while revealing almost nothing about the deeper intelligence work in which he has participated.

Kuroda is an experienced investigator and police commander with strong deductive, observational, and leadership skills. His positions in Nagano and Tokyo place him in charge of seasoned homicide investigators, and he can evaluate complicated cases without relying entirely on deductions supplied by Conan.

His right eye is prosthetic, but the impairment does not prevent him from continuing active police work. His years of experience also include areas outside ordinary criminal investigation.

Kuroda has a background in Japan's security police and is the superior to whom Rei Furuya reports. His knowledge consequently extends into intelligence operations and matters involving the Black Organization.

Kuroda first appears in Nagano following his transfer from the National Police Agency, succeeding Takaaki Morofushi as chief of the prefectural First Division. His prosthetic eye, white hair, age, and mysterious past subsequently make him one of several characters considered possible candidates for the identity of Rum.

He later transfers to Tokyo and succeeds Kiyonaga Matsumoto as managing officer of the Metropolitan Police First Division, bringing him into more regular contact with Conan and the Tokyo police.

Kuroda is ultimately established as an enemy of the Black Organization rather than Rum. He is connected to the Public Security Police and serves as Rei Furuya's superior. He was also present during events surrounding the still-unsolved Koji Haneda case seventeen years earlier.

Conan Edogawa interests Kuroda because of the child's unusual investigative ability. Kuroda recognizes Conan Edogawa as the intelligence behind many of Sleeping Kogoro's deductions.

Rei Furuya reports to Kuroda through their connection to Japan's security police, establishing Kuroda as one of the officials directing Furuya's covert work.

Kansuke Yamato, Takaaki Morofushi, and Yui Uehara work under Kuroda during his period as chief of the Nagano Prefectural Police First Division.

Kiyonaga Matsumoto precedes Kuroda as managing officer of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police First Division.