After more than 1,100 episodes and 28 feature films, Detective Conan continues to prove that its mix of mystery, action, and emotion can still evolve and remain relevant while maintaining its signature charm.
The 28th film of the series, Detective Conan: The Movie – One-Eyed Flashback (隻眼の残像; sekigan no furasshubakku), shifts the spotlight away from the usual boy genius to give more attention to a very iconic supporting characters, that is Mōri Kogorō.
While the previous installment, The Million-Dollar Pentagram, leaned heavily on action spectacle, One-Eyed Flashback takes a more introspective route. It’s not just about solving a crime, it’s about memory, regret, and redemption.
The story opens with a flashback to ten months ago in the snowy Yatsugatake Mountains of Nagano, where Detective Yamato Kansuke pursues fugitive Mikuriya Sadakuni. During the chase, Kansuke is shot near his left eye and buried in a snow wave. He survives but loses both his memory of the incident and the sight in one eye.
Back in the present, Kansuke and Detective Yui Uehara are investigating a break-in at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Kogorō Mōri receives a call from his old friend, Sametani Kōji (nicknamed “Wani”), now a police detective. Before the two can meet, Wani is fatally shot by a mysterious murderer.
Devastated by the death of his friend, Kogorō joins the investigation in Nagano, teaming up with Kansuke and Conan to connect the dots between Wani’s murder, the observatory break-in, and an eight-year-old gun shop robbery. What begins as a typical Conan-style mystery soon grows into a story about vengeance, guilt, and national security, involving secret agents and buried truths.
For decades, Kogorō has been both the butt of the joke and the lovable fool of the franchise. He is an alcoholic private detective living in the shadow of a child prodigy who secretly solves all his cases. But One-Eyed Flashback turns the tables, the movie is giving him a dignity rarely seen in the series.
After his friend’s death, Kogorō is driven not by ego but by loyalty and justice. He insists on joining the investigation despite being a civilian, confronting not only the killer but also his own past failures. The result is one of the most emotionally resonant portrayals of Kogorō to date, a reminder that beneath the slapstick exterior lies a man who once took pride in his badge, his profession.
One-Eyed Flashback is Katsuya Shigehara’s second directorial effort after Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos: The Movie, and his first major theatrical release. His background in key animation is evident throughout. Every chase, explosion, and quiet emotional beat feels deliberate and fluid. The snow-capped setting of Nagano adds cinematic tension, and the film’s pacing keeps the viewer engaged, balancing introspection with action.
Visually, the film mixes 2D and 3D animation with varying success. The climax is a spectacular chase scene featuring Conan snowboarding on a block of ice, a totally breathtaking animation directing. There are few visual inconsistencies, but still the film’s emotional sincerity overshadows it.
More importantly, the mystery serves the film’s emotional arc rather than overshadowing it. The interplay between grief, justice, and moral responsibility gives the story unexpected depth, making it more than just another case in Conan’s long list of adventures. It makes a movie special compared to the anime series.
Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback isn’t the best film in the franchise, but it’s one of the most heartfelt. It’s a solid murder mystery with strong emotional grounding, an engaging focus on Kogorō, and enough action to satisfy even the most casual viewer.
For longtime fans, it’s a rewarding evolution of familiar characters. Meanwhile for newcomers, it’s a surprisingly accessible entry point that introduces the world of Detective Conan without demanding encyclopedic knowledge of its history. It’s beginner friendly.
In a franchise nearly three decades old, One-Eyed Flashback proves that there’s still soul to be kept and case to be solved left in the memorable case file of this 90s frenchise.
Our Score (9/10)
Title: Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback
Director: Katsuya Shigehara
Screenplay: Takeharu Sakurai
Storyboard: Katsuya Shigehara, Iwao Teraoka, Jiro Kanai
Production: Cygames Pictures, Studio Hibari
