In real-life, Shinobu is a private investigator and a magical girl with the ability to talk to buildings. From a young age, Shinobu was captivated by detective fiction and would spend hours watching detective anime and reading detective manga and her father's collection of mystery novels. By kissing a building's wall, Detec Bell can commune with buildings to gather information, although the building will not share anything that could incriminate its owner. Her magical girl outfit consists of a magnifying-glass and a deerstalker, resembling a stereotypical depiction of a detective. In cyberspace, she is the leader of the "Team Bell" party, consisting of herself, Lapis Lazuline, Cherna Mouse and Melville.