OldCityBoy’s Moive Review — Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine(2023) →It is categorized as New Cinema, but I believe it is also the originator of modern action films.
I went to see a movie with my fourth-grade daughter, at her request. It had the usual Conan-like mystery plus romantic comedy elements, and it seemed to incorporate various influences like Mobile Suit Gundam, Lupin the Third, Space Battleship Yamato, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Evangelion, and more. Though subtly, there might have been a hint of “Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water” (though just a bit). The director, Yuzuru Tachikawa, born in 1981, seems to have experienced these influences firsthand, which made it quite nostalgic, even though I watched it in real-time. I leave the finer details to the experts.
https://www6.nhk.or.jp/anime/program/detail.html?i=nadia
What surprised me most about this movie was the audience. Perhaps because it started at 5:30 PM, but the audience was mostly young couples, even though families were the assumed target demographic. After watching the movie, I realized that it was just right for them!
In Japan, it’s already recognized that anime movies like Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, and Conan are established entertainment platforms. As long as the basic concept of these anime is not violated, directors are allowed to experiment within those boundaries. This setup benefits both the business and the creators, essentially reducing the risk of business failure and enabling experimentation with new ideas.
Sometimes, I’m surprised that the business side approves such bold approaches in Crayon Shin-chan movies, which sometimes delve into philosophical themes. However, the competition among these three platforms, each trying to outdo the other, results in a proliferation of quality entertainment, which I think is a very positive thing.
In this Conan movie, the love triangle between Conan, Ran, and Haibara was highlighted, making it enjoyable for both young men and women. Reflecting on what constitutes a wholesome movie for today’s teenagers, it struck me how rational it is to use “Detective Conan,” a franchise they’ve been exposed to since childhood, as a platform to achieve that. From start to finish, it seemed like such a logical choice!
