The Splendid Rivals

"The Splendid Rivals" (華麗なるライバルたち Kareinaru Raibaru-tachi) is an animated special for Magic Kaito based on the second and third chapters from the third Magic Kaito volume. It aired in August as part of the 2012 Kaitou Kid's Summer Festival (夏の怪盗キッド祭り Natsu no Kaitō Kiddo Matsuri) event.

Story
Kaito, Aoko, and Akako are enjoying Gunter Von Goldberg II's illusion show. During the show, he creates an illusion of a beautiful field while selecting children from the audience, raising them to the sky, and turning them into cherubs. Meanwhile, Jii is talking with Kaito's mother. It seems she is doing some sort of research, but without progress. After the show is finished, Aoko is so surprised that she couldn't figure out the illusionist's trick. Kaito thinks it's probably a mixture of digital effects and hypnosis, while Akako says that he used illusion and magic to do his trick. Kaito then glances around, sees Saguru Hakuba standing on a platform, and wonders who he is.

That night, Kaitou Kid announces that he will steal the large bronze statue with the purple-eyed gem at Ekoda Natural History Museum.

The police inspector from the Kaitou Kid task force Ginzo Nakamori prepares his team of police officers for Kid's arrival. There are eight helicopters flying around and over two hundred officers guarding from the tower. Furthermore, there are laser sensors in the basement. The site is now airing on television. Everyone is watching, including Aoko and Keiko. Back at the museum, when Nakamori wants to synchronize watches, Saguru Hakuba, who has high attention to detail, interrupts him with the time. Nakamori recognizes him from the news but being provoked by his arrogance, dismisses him as an amateur until Superintendent General Hakuba, the head of the Tokyo police force and Saguru's father, persuades Nakamori to show to his son the ropes of real police work. Convinced to work with Saguru, Nakamori offers to answer any questions, only to be interrogated for details regarding Kid that no one has answers to. However, Saguru apparently has no interest of catching Kaitou Kid.

At 20 minutes to before 8 o'clock, Saguru finds a yellow thread or hair near the bronze statue, which proves to him Spider's presence in the place. The detective's goal becomes clear: capturing Spider.

Meanwhile, Kid comes out of the vent in the basement and uses infrared goggles to see the laser security grid. He then uses a suction cup gun to shoot at the ceiling and climbs up carefully so he can evade the laser, until suddenly, the great detective Saguru Hakuba appears. He releases anesthetic gas and is about to put the gas mask on, but Kid prevents him from doing so by shooting with the Card Gun on the mask. Kid tries to get it but Saguru struggles him while the time is counting down for Kid's appearance.

Inside the museum where Nakamori is located, smoke comes from the floor and Saguru appears wearing the gas mask. He declares that Kid has been caught by him, leaving everyone shocked, including the TV viewers. Saguru then tells Nakamori that Kid is sleeping in the basement so that the inspector orders his officers to go there and arrest him. The news reporter asks Saguru about the way he feels when he captured Kid. After Saguru answers that it was easy, a balloon appears on his back. At this moment, the police report to Nakamori that the real Saguru has been found unconscious in the basement. The fake Saguru now reveals himself as Kid. He goes on top of the statue, holds it with his legs, and tries to get away with the balloon. Unfortunately, the statue is linked with the chain to the floor. However, Kid now has a chance to check the purple gem for whether it's Pandora or not before the moonlight. After making sure it isn't, Kid declares he will be returning the gem back. Thus, he lets the statue go, shoots at the vault, and flies away with the balloon.

The police on the top tower open the door to go back inside, but are knocked out with anesthetic gas by Kid. Suddenly, Spider, the suspicious three red-eyed character with strange illusion powers, appears. He uses his illusion generating machinery to create a nightmarish realm from which Kaitou Kid cannot escape. Meanwhile, Akako uses her magic to know what is happening with Kid. Afterwards, Saguru comes and manages to snap Kid out of Spider's trance before he could finish him off. Spider then turns his attention to Saguru, makes him float, and attempts to murder him by throwing a needle. However, Kid deflects it with his card gun expressing his gratitude to Saguru. The distraction gives Kid the chance to destroy Spider's illusion generating machinery. Seeing this, Akako admires Kid's heroic deed. The latter asks Spider who he is and why he is after him. Saguru answers the question saying he is an assassin. When the police finally figure out where Kid is, Spider promises he will meet Kid again and vanishes immediately before Nakamori and his assistants come. After Kid flees, Saguru decides to stay in Japan.

Resolution
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The next day, at Ekoda High School, to Kaito's complete and utter shock, it turns out that Saguru Hakuba has just transferred into Kaito and Aoko's class.

Later at night, Spider and Snake are talking about Kaitou Kid through video chatting. Snake disagrees with Spider about the fact that Kaitou Kid isn't the one from eight years ago. When Spider goes offline, the boss tells Snake, "Leave it to The Spider!!" At the end, Gunter Von Goldberg II is revealed to be Spider.