A suspenseful ocean battle mystery has begun. The presence of the shadowy Black Organization (BO) triggers unexpected occurrences in a high-tech maritime facility. Will Detective Conan prevail over the overseas challenge that confronts him? In a crime epic of tremendous scale, the Sungkyun Times (SKT) dives into the dark sea where the black iron submarine runs silently.
The Greatest Masterpiece of Detective Manga
-The 26th Detective Conan Film, What Is Different?
Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine is the 26th theatrical edition of Detective Conan manga, a milestone in Japanese detective comics by Gosho Aoyama. It was released in South Korea on July 20th, 2023. Yuzuru Tachikawa directed the film, Takeharu Sakurai constructed the screenplay, and Yugo Kanno composed the soundtrack. The film has exceeded audience expectations, breaking records since its premiere. In Japan, the movie made nearly ¥10 billion at the box office. At the same time, it became a mega-hit, surpassing theater attendance of over 700,000 in Korea, making it the all-time best film among the Detective Conan cinema releases.
-Synopsis (*Spoiler Alert)
Jimmy Kudo is a student detective in high school who has 32 Culture transformed into the body of an elementary school kid after he was forced to take a mysterious drug while following the BO. Since then, he has lived by the name of Conan Edogawa. This time, Conan goes whale-watching with his four elementary school classmates, including Ai Haibara, Dr. Herschel Agasa, Rachel Moore, and her friend Serena Sebastian. While watching a whale, Conan spots Sir Nicolas Santos suspiciously heading away on a different ship and follows him. When Conan arrives at the destination of Santos, he runs into Pacific Buoy, the cutting-edge surveillance marine foundation of Interpol. However, while Conan is there, the critical engineer Naomi Argento gets kidnapped by BO, which also casts a shadow on the fate of Haibara. Will Conan be able to change their destiny?
As Volume Increases, the Real Volume Increases
-An Ethereal Harmony of Illation and Action
The Detective Conan series has delighted audiences for a long time with novel subjects and extraordinary plot development. The use of subject materials that have evolved throughout the period, even inside the universe itself of Detective Conan, stands out. For example, Pacific Buoy's maturation identification technology, which tracks the evolution of facial features from childhood to adulthood, provides insightful information about an individual. Haibara was a scientist who used to work under the BO as Sherry, but after swallowing the APTX4869 drug she developed, she could convert herself into a young child and escape from the BO’s malicious grasp. Haibara could stay under the radar of the BO with APTX4869, but the technology of Pacific Buoy places her in jeopardy of being identified. Likewise, technology has become the key factor in the vast chaos of Haibara. Nonetheless, it also allows audiences to fantasize about what it might be like if unbelievably potent artificial intelligence technology was integrated with investigation tactics. Moreover, the overall quality of the film’s animation is outstanding, as it adds to the thrill of the action. Most importantly, since the tale takes place beneath the water, the distinction between the land and ocean scenes is considered an indicator of professionalism. In a 2023 interview with Screenonline, director Yuzuru revealed that he sought advice from the original author, Gosho, on every word and movement of the characters to pay respect to the original series. As demonstrated by its making process, this theatrical adaptation is an incredible artwork from beginning to ending without missing a beat.
-How Emotions Melt into the Plot
The movie not only exhibits the synergy of logical reasoning and live action but also deals with the exquisite depiction of the emotional thread between Conan and Haibara. While Haibara is at risk of being exposed by the BO, Conan begins to battle on his journey across the sea to save her. This special relationship touches the audience’s emotions with the lovely friendship these two characters have. The film illustrates Conan’s willingness to risk his safety for Haibara whenever her identity is under the threat of disclosure to the BO, impressing the audience. Specifically, the scene where Conan takes a dive into the Ocean of Darkness without much diving gear pulled on the audience’s heartstrings. Haibara, on the other hand, has always supported Conan by assisting him in several criminal cases. The two brilliant geniuses, who find themselves trapped in kids’ bodies for various reasons, sympathize and help one another in moments of crisis, revealing an authentic bond. Furthermore, the film highlights the value of teamwork as all the characters collaborate to save Haibara from the threat of the BO. Rachel fights the BO via her physical abilities in Karate, and Dr. Agasa participates in the phases and develops special tools for Conan. It is not just Conan’s achievement but also that of those supporting Conan, who bring another layer of pleasure to the film with their varying roles and backstories.
-Heartwarming Homage Scenes
In Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine, there are various tributes to previously published theater and book episodes, leaving Easter eggs for the spectators to find. Showing respect through homages, as intended by the filmmaker, cements the connection between the characters created in the original series.
