Imagine receiving a WeChat message from Detective Conan, the popular Japanese manga detective. It can happen, and he'll lead you into a mystery on the Detective Conan Exhibition Tour, a special exhibition at Takashimaya to mark the 20th anniversary of the Meitantei Konan (Detective Conan) series.

Gosho Aoyama's animated series first aired in 1996 in Japan, and it was introduced in China in the late 1990s with a huge welcome, becoming a shared childhood memory of a generation.

The story begins with Shinichi Kudo, a 17-year-old master detective, when he's spying on a pair of men in dark coats and he ends up poisoned by an experimental substance and shrunk to the size of a 7-year-old.

Detective Conan Exhibition Tour is a special exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of the Detective Conan series. Photos: Qi Xijia/GT

When he comes to, he takes on the alias of Conan Edogawa, inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

He hides his real identity from everyone, including his childhood friend Ran Mouri and her father, private detective Kogorou Mouri.

He moves in with them and, secretly, starts solving Mouri's cases from behind the scenes.

All the while, he's investigating the organization responsible for his shrinking, hoping to reverse the drug's effects someday.

The exhibition, scattered on several floors of the department store, is wrapped in a detective's puzzle, allowing visitors to follow and solve the riddles and mysteries while exploring the world of Detective Conan.

At the entrance, visitors can scan a QR code and get a message from Conan. He tells you there's a case he wants to pass on to you, and asks for your help.

The familiar theme song plays on your device and immediately inserts you into the world of Detective Conan.

The clues lead you to different places of the exhibition. Solve the riddles and complete the task, and upon exiting you'll get a stamp and a small gift. The case is fun, but simple compared with those in the manga and anime.

The exhibition also features life-sized statues of Kudo and Conan, recreations of classic scenes and original illustrations by Aoyama.

Also on display are the covers from all of the released volumes, and a wall of major and minor characters, with brief bios and the characters' likes and loves, offering the history of the series.

Classic scenes are recreated, mostly as billboards and wallpaper for viewers to take photos with.

But you can also step into the amusement park where Kudo was poisoned, and Kudo's father's studio.

The big draw is the faithful replica of Mouri Detective Agency, where Mouri and Conan get their cases.

Exhibits on display at Detective Conan Exhibition Tour

Every inch of the agency is reproduced: the sofa, telephone, desk, revolving chair, bookshelf, not a tiny detail is left out.

Leaving the display booth, you can see Aoyama's beautiful original drawings of popular scenes.

There are not only black-and-white images from the manga, but also color ones from calendars and book covers. Many of them are on their first exhibition in China.

Below each illustration is a label explaining the Aoyama's technique and composition. Different combinations of color and framing reflect the role's character.

The area also discloses tricks used by the manga's criminals, allowing visitors to experience the riddles that Conan figured out in the past.

A number of interesting tricks and magic mirrors are there to challenge visitors.

Date: Until June 1, 10 am to 8:30 pm

Venue: Takashimaya

Address: 1438 Hongqiao Road

虹桥路1438号

Admission: 80 yuan ($12.31)

Call 2223-2688 for details