The Detective Conan franchise continues its reign over the Japanese box office! The 28th film in the series, titled Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback (名探偵コナン 隻眼の残像), has achieved a phenomenal opening, earning a staggering 1.05 billion yen (approximately $7.43 million USD) on its first day, April 18, 2025. This impressive start smashes previous opening-day records for the franchise, signaling another massive hit for the beloved detective series.
A Record-Breaking Debut
One-Eyed Flashback‘s opening day success translated into a record-breaking three-day weekend, grossing 3,438,626,700 yen (about US$24.15 million) and selling 2,314,690 tickets. This firmly placed it at #1 at the Japanese box office, surpassing Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales, which had held the top spot since its release on March 7, 2025. The film opened on 522 screens, marking the widest release in history for a Detective Conan feature.
To put this achievement in perspective, the previous film, Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram, earned 960 million yen (about $6.26 million USD at the time) on its opening day in April 2024. The Million-Dollar Pentagram went on to become the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning over 15.8 billion yen (about $110.9 million USD). One-Eyed Flashback‘s initial performance indicates that it is well on its way to surpassing that record.
In its second weekend, One-Eyed Flashback continued its dominance, staying at No. 1 and grossing 1.669 billion yen (11.74 million USD) with 1.136 million admissions. While this was a 51.5% drop from its opening weekend, its two-week cumulative total reached 6.3 billion yen (44.33 million USD) with 4.31 million ticket sales.
A Mystery in the Snowy Mountains
Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback takes place in the snowy Nagano Prefecture and centers around a series of mysterious events and murders. The story involves Inspector Yamato Kansuke of the Nagano Prefectural Police, who ten months prior to the film’s present-day events, was shot near his left eye during the pursuit of a suspect. He was caught in an avalanche and rescued but suffered an injury to his left eye and lost his memory of the incident.
Here’s a more detailed look at the plot:
- The Incident: Ten months ago, in the Yatsugatake mountain range, Inspector Yamato Kansuke is pursuing Mikuriya Sadakuni, a suspect in an eight-year-old gun store robbery case who disappeared while on parole. During the chase, Yamato is shot near his left eye and engulfed in an avalanche.
- The Present Day: Yamato and Detective Yui Uehara investigate a break-in at the Nobeyama radio observatory. Meanwhile, Kogoro Mouri receives a call from Koji Sametani, a former colleague from his time in the police force.
- A Fatal Meeting: Sametani, who is investigating the avalanche incident and Yamato’s case, wants to meet with Kogoro. However, at their meeting point, Sametani is fatally shot.
- Seeking the Truth: Distraught by the death of his friend, Kogoro joins Detectives Sato and Takagi in Nagano to search for clues. They meet with Yamato, Yui, Inspector Taka’aki Morofushi, and Detective Hayashi Atsunobu from Yamanashi Prefectural Police. They also encounter Eizo Funakubo, the father of Maki Funakubo, a former biathlete who committed suicide after being injured in the gun shop robbery.
- Avalanche and Revelation: Conan and the officers trigger an avalanche to counter another one, but Yamato is seemingly caught in it and presumed dead. Conan later reveals that Takashi Otomo is actually Takashi Washizu, the escaped suspect from the robbery that led to Maki’s death.
- Observatory and Conspiracy: At the Nobeyama Observatory, the culprit behind the shooting is revealed to be Detective Hayashi. He used the observatory’s antenna to intercept military intelligence, attempting to force the government to suspend deliberation of a certain law. Hasebe, an officer from the Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Center, reveals that Yamato’s death was faked to protect him.
- Capture and Resolution: Hayashi tries to escape, but the combined efforts of Haibara, Professor Yutaka Ochi, Conan, Kogoro, and the police lead to his capture.
The Cast and Crew
Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback features a talented cast and crew:
- Director: Katsuya Shigehara (making his feature directorial debut)
- Writer: Takeharu Sakurai
- Music: Yugo Kanno
- Production Company: TMS/1st Studio
- Distributor: Toho
- Voice Cast:
- Minami Takayama as Conan Edogawa
- Wakana Yamazaki as Ran Mouri
- Rikiya Koyama as Kogoro Mouri
- Megumi Hayashibara as Ai Haibara
- Yūji Takada
- Show Hayami
- Ami Koshimizu
- Yukimasa Kishino
- Takeshi Kusao
- Nobuo Tobita
- Hiroaki Hirata
- Mizuki Yamashita
- Takayuki Yamada
A Focus on Kogoro Mouri
One-Eyed Flashback is notable for giving significant focus to the character of Kogoro Mouri. The film delves into Mouri’s emotional turmoil following the death of a colleague and explores his determination to seek justice. This allows for a deeper understanding of Mouri, who is often portrayed as a bumbling and comedic character. The film showcases a more serious and determined side of him, highlighting his protective nature and his desire to atone for past mistakes.
Critical Reception
While some reviews note that the central mystery is somewhat predictable, One-Eyed Flashback has been praised for its character development, particularly its focus on Kogoro Mouri. Critics have also noted that the film successfully balances action and mystery, providing an entertaining experience for both long-time fans and newcomers to the series.
One reviewer noted, “In giving so much time to exploring Mouri’s turmoil, the mystery he travels across the country to solve is disappointing simplistic and predictable… this year suffers from the opposite issue, where the culprit and motive are predictable to the point of unimportance.” However, they also added, “In that sense, One-Eyed Flashback is one of the best Detective Conan films in years, reminiscent of the film franchise’s heyday.”
Another reviewer commented, “For One-Eyed Flashback, the series turns its attention to Mōri Kogorō. Kogorō’s drunkenness and ineptitude are genuinely played for laughs. In keeping with the more dramatic tone of the movies, however, Flashback gives Kogorō a more sympathetic…”
The Enduring Appeal of Detective Conan
The Detective Conan franchise, created by Gosho Aoyama, has been captivating audiences for nearly three decades. The manga series launched in 1994 and is still ongoing, with a television anime adaptation that has aired over 1,100 episodes. The series follows Shinichi Kudo, a teenage detective who is transformed into a child after being poisoned. He takes on the alias Conan Edogawa and continues to solve mysteries while searching for a way to restore his original body.
The Detective Conan films have become annual blockbuster events in Japan, attracting a wide audience across generations. The films are known for their intricate mysteries, thrilling action sequences, and engaging characters. The use of real-life locations in the films has also contributed to their popularity, with fans often visiting these locations as tourist spots.
Looking Ahead
Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback‘s record-breaking opening is a testament to the enduring popularity of the franchise. With its compelling story, well-developed characters, and stunning animation, the film is sure to be a hit with fans around the world. It remains to be seen if it will surpass The Million-Dollar Pentagram to become the highest-grossing film in the series, but its initial success suggests that it has a very good chance. The continued success of the Detective Conan franchise solidifies its place as one of the most beloved and enduring anime series of all time.
