Directed by Katsuya Shigehara and written by Takeharu Sakurai, as police inspector Yamato Kansuke pursues a certain man in the snowy mountains of Nagano, a rifle bullet grazes his left eye and causes an avalanche accompanied by a roar. Ten months later, Kansuke, having miraculously survived the avalanche, receives a report that a researcher at the nearby Nobeyama National Astronomical Observatory has been attacked. Voiced by Minami Takayama, Kappei Yamaguchi, Wakana Yamazaki, Rikiya Koyama, Yuji Takada, Ami Koshimizu and Show Hayami.
Something that Japanese animation does particularly well is creating standalone features, letting you enjoy the adventure, whether you’ve seen the series or not and Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback is a great example. There are twenty-nine seasons worth of Detective Conan so if you’re unfamiliar, trying to catch up before checking this one out would be an impossible task, and thankfully you don’t need to. Granted, you may get slightly more out of Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback if you’re already a fan but the feature makes for a great entry way into the franchise, with great animation and an entertaining story.
Another thing anime in particular does well is spy stories, live-action spy flicks in today’s cinema can be so very tired and filled with tropes to make your eyes roll for days, and yet anime studios are making it feel fresh and exciting. Especially since Detective Conan is such a long running franchise, being able to still continue to create engaging outings is impressive. There’s a fantastic energy to Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback, it does a wonderful job of making it fit the vast range of ages of its characters, never too young but never too serious.
Part of that is undoubtedly the voice work as this ensemble perfectly create the right tone. They add genuine tension while keeping it feeling fun and exciting. There’s a great deal of personality in the mix and that’s only enhanced further by the charm of the animation style. It holds a wonderful mix of that classic hand-drawn edge with a modern style. Although, it can feel like it’s drawing itself a touch too far and as it is aimed at a wide range of ages, it does fall into the trap of over-explaining itself in the ending.
Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback is entertaining, fun and colourful. It’s easy to dive into even if you’re not familiar with the series, although it might be better if you’re already a fan. It’s got a great story, injects some fresh energy into a classic spy adventure and the animation is charming and engaging. It’s a great film for all ages.
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