The Dinner Table Detective
A butler solves mysteries for his heiress employer.
The Dinner Table Detective (謎解きはディナーのあとで, Nazotoki wa Dinā no Ato de; literally "The After-Dinner Mysteries") is a Japanese mystery novel series by Tokuya Higashigawa, with illustrations by Yūsuke Nakamura. Shogakukan released three volumes between September 2010 and December 2012. A manga adaptation, drawn by Aya Kawase, ran in Shogakukan's josei magazine *Petit Comic* from April to November 2011, collected into two tankōbon volumes. A sequel series, *Shin Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de*, also by Higashigawa and Nakamura, was published by Shogakukan in two volumes from March 2021 to September 2024.
A 10-episode television drama aired on Fuji TV and its affiliates from October to December 2011. An anime series by Madhouse was announced for the Noitamina block, though its exact airdate has not yet been confirmed.
The plot follows Reiko Hosho, the wealthy heiress of the Hosho Group, who secretly works as a rookie detective at the Kunitachi Police Department under Inspector Kyoichiro Kazamatsuri, himself heir to Kazamatsuri Motors. At home, Reiko dines in an elegant dress. When she asks her butler Kageyama for help with a difficult case, he first questions her inability to solve it, then solves it for her.
Characters include Reiko Hosho (voiced by Kana Hanazawa in Japanese; Celeste Loots and Nicole Malcomson in English), Kageyama (Yuki Kaji; Jock Kleynhans), Kyoichiro Kazamatsuri (Mamoru Miyano; Conradie van Heerden), Kuninyan (Yui Horie; Nicole Malcomson), Yaho Ranger Red (Satoshi Nakao; Luke Bollman), Yaho Ranger Blue (Taichi Takeda; Rob Coutts), and Yaho Ranger Yellow (Kōsuke Echigoya; Gavin Gomes).
The 2011 drama starred Sho Sakurai as Kageyama and Keiko Kitagawa as Reiko. Koda Kumi and Arashi performed the opening and main theme songs. A special and a movie followed in 2012. A stage play ran at The Galaxy Theatre in Tokyo from August 31 to September 9, 2012, featuring Daigo as Kageyama, Maki Nishiyama as Reiko, and Eiji Wentz as Kazamatsuri. A musical adaptation was announced in June 2025, running at the Nippon Seinenkan in Tokyo from September 9 to 23, 2025, and at Sky Theater MBS in Osaka from September 27 to October 1, starring Tatsuya Ueda as Kageyama, Shiori Tamai as Reiko, and Ryosuke Hashimoto as Kazamatsuri.
Quick Facts
- Ja Romaji
- Nazotoki wa Dinā no Ato de
- Genre
- Mystery
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series was created by author Tokuya Higashigawa with illustrations by Yūsuke Nakamura. Shogakukan published three volumes from September 2010 to December 2012. A sequel series, Shin Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de, was published in two volumes from March 2021 to September 2024. A manga adaptation illustrated by Aya Kawase ran in Petit Comic from April to November 2011, collected into two tankōbon volumes.
A 10-episode television drama aired on Fuji TV from October to December 2011, starring Sho Sakurai as Kageyama and Keiko Kitagawa as Reiko Hosho. A stage play ran in Tokyo from August 31 to September 9, 2012, with Daigo as Kageyama. An anime television series produced by Madhouse was announced for Fuji TV's Noitamina block, with Kana Hanazawa voicing Reiko and Yuki Kaji voicing Kageyama; its airdate has not yet been confirmed.
Reader's Guide
The Dinner Table Detective is significant as a multimedia mystery franchise that blends classic whodunit elements with a distinctive premise: a wealthy heiress detective relies on her butler to solve cases during dinner. The series' popularity led to adaptations across multiple media, including a 2011 drama, a stage play, a musical announced in June 2025, and a 2025 anime. The anime, produced by Madhouse and directed by Mitsuyuki Masuhara, aired on the prestigious Noitamina programming block, indicating the series' cultural reach. The sequel series Shin Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de, published from 2021 to 2024, shows continued interest in the property. The series' legacy lies in its formula of combining social class dynamics (heiress and butler) with detective fiction, and its successful transition from novels to live-action and animated formats.
Did You Know?
- The series was originally published as three novels from September 2010 to December 2012.
- A sequel novel series titled Shin Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de was published from March 2021 to September 2024.
- The anime adaptation aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block from April to June 2025.
- The opening theme song 'Montage' was composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and performed by Kento Nakajima.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Dinner Table Detective?
It is a Japanese mystery novel series centered on a butler who solves puzzles and crimes on behalf of his heiress employer. The title is a playful nod to mysteries being unraveled after a meal.
Who created The Dinner Table Detective?
The novels were written by Tokuya Higashigawa and illustrated by Yūsuke Nakamura, with Shogakukan publishing the three-volume run from September 2010 through December 2012.
What is the core premise of The Dinner Table Detective?
A dedicated butler applies his keen deductive abilities to crack mysteries for his wealthy heiress, who takes on the detective role while he handles the investigation.
Was The Dinner Table Detective adapted into other media?
Yes; manga artist Aya Kawase drew a serialization in Shogakukan's josei magazine Petit Comic from April to November 2011, later collected into two tankōbon volumes.
Is there a sequel to The Dinner Table Detective?
A follow-up series, Shin Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de, returned to the same Higashigawa-and-Nakamura team and was released by Shogakukan in two volumes between March 2021 and September 2022.
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