While it’s not quite time yet, if it’s September, it must be Detective Conan. The UK is blessed with the latest instalment in June this time round, arriving during the height of the British heatwave, when any place with air conditioning is a godsend. Twenty-nine films into this long-standing franchise, the series still never feels safe in terms of its scale and ambitions. For Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway, this ambition is a double-edged sword, leading to some of the most thrilling moments in the franchise but lacking the necessary bite to be one of the best.
We open with the Detective Boys and Professor Agasa (Kenichi Ogata) as they enter an abandoned road late at night to take in the sights. Suddenly, a motorcycle appears, and the rider seemingly has no head, terrifying the children as they believe they have witnessed a ghost. The following day, on their way to a motorcycle convention, Conan (Minami Takayama) becomes involved in a traffic accident in which a mysterious black motorcyclist appears and is pursued by police officer Chihaya Hagiwara (Miyuki Sawashiro). As more motorcycle accidents begin to occur, all connected to this black rider, Conan soon realises that there is a greater plot at play and that these incidents are far from a simple string of accidents.
The mystery in Fallen Angel of the Highway feels secondary for large portions of the film, which is not inherently a negative. As this franchise continues, I want it to take risks and break the mould of what we expect from these movies, similar to how The Phantom of Baker Street adopted a more Columbo-esque approach to the whodunnit. The mystery here is nothing to write home about, and, due to the limited number of suspects involved, it is easy to predict the culprit. However, what I did appreciate is that the mystery has multiple layers and a sense of dynamism that allows the third act to become truly nail-biting in its tension.
Where I did wish the film would have expanded and presented a clearer theme is in its use of AI, particularly in relation to the development of the bikes. Early on, we see how Chihaya is able to outdrive and outperform an AI system, demonstrating that her skill surpasses anything a machine can replicate. I just wish the film’s anti‑AI messaging had been stronger, rather than confined to throwaway lines of dialogue. Pegasus 3 covers similar subject matter but showcases it more effectively, illustrating how a driver’s experience and knowledge cannot be replicated by AI, something I wish this film had explored in greater depth.
Fallen Angel of the Highway feels reminiscent of the manga/anime series You’re Under Arrest, which also features significant involvement from traffic police officers. Focusing on traffic police naturally leads to vehicle chases. In Fallen Angel of the Highway, these usually take the form of motorcycle or car pursuits. However, vehicle chases are no easy feat and require a strong budget and top-notch animation to deliver truly thrilling moments. For this film, the results are inconsistent. Certain scenes, where Chihaya Hagiwara rides up the inside of a highway wall, and a later moment, where the same character uses a bike tyre to tap someone’s head before transitioning into the iconic Akira slide, are enthralling to watch unfold and look spectacular.
However, given how many chases there are throughout the film, you can clearly see which moments were given a larger animation budget, as certain scenes lack the dynamism and stellar animation required to truly thrive. Despite this, I cannot help but admire the fact that these films are more than simple fan service and continue to aspire to be bold even after 29 entries. The final action set piece is somewhat stripped back from the over-the-top spectacle of Million Dollar Pentagram or One-eyed Flashback, but instead becomes a thrilling homage to Bullet Train and Speed, with motorbikes instead of trains or buses.
However, while not an homage, the film feels unintentionally like a loving tribute to Ran’s voice actor. Wakana Yamazaki, the long-term voice of the character, recently passed away in April. Although she had already stepped down from the role, making this her final feature, knowing that she will never be able to return, even for a one-off guest appearance, makes every scene she appears in truly heartbreaking. Nevertheless, Ran is given moments to shine, including one scene that should have any fan jumping out of their seat with pure joy.
The rest of the returning cast are also a delight and do a commendable job with the material they’re given. Minami Takayama is, as ever, wonderful as Conan Edogawa, and the new additions allow their respective characters to come to life. What remains consistently fantastic is the score by Yugo Kanno; the way it reimagines the iconic theme is nothing short of stellar. The music that accompanies each scene creates a pulse-pounding energy that makes it irresistible not to bob your head along.
Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway, despite its inconsistent presentation, is a fun time at the cinema for Detective Conan and anime fans. It is filled to the brim with ambition, even if the film is not always able to fully deliver on it. Ambition of this kind feels rare in franchise anime films of a similar calibre, so while it is flawed, it is hard not to commend it for being more than safe fan service and for striving for greatness with each instalment.
★★★ 1/2
In UK Cinemas from 12th June / Minami Takayama, Wakana Yamazaki, Rikiya Koyama, Ikue Otani, Yukiko Iwai / Dir: Takahiro Hasui / Trinity CineAsia / 15
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