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I saw this on an airplane, and this is the first Detective Conan anime I have seen, so my review may seem myopic. This review is of the movie as a standalone film, which I admit may seem unfair because it is part of such a longstanding and successful franchise.

Overall, the movie was enjoyable but did not leave me completely satisfied. Perhaps this was because the whole time the story felt like a side story. The characters keep alluding to "them" (Black Organization) throughout the film and there are far too many characters that split up the story. It is hard to really know who ... the main character is, as Conan is often on the sideline and has all of his allies show up conveniently throughout the story. The main story is actually about who appear to be all-new characters altogether, though their motives and cheesy American accents do not fit in well with the veteran characters. All of this ended up making the film quite confusing. The mystery itself is not very exciting, though the action sequences and gadgetry were enjoyable.

The art style is unique and a little reminiscent of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, something I do not see often in anime but was able to enjoy. The quality is not stellar, considering it is a movie, but passable.

The sound, on the other hand, was exhilarating during the action sequences. Conan's skateboard skidding across pavement and bullets whizzing through the air were positively thrilling and edge-of-your-seat fun. Background music was not bad either.

The characters introduced for the film were entertaining caricatures of Americans (something that also reminded me of old Hanna-Barbera cartoons), but ultimately none of the characterization really stuck with me. I liked Conan but he was rarely on screen, an opportunity I think the film missed out on. As I mentioned before, there were far too many characters in the film, and no one was able to stand out.

While I enjoyed the film, the story and characters were not able to hold it up. What the film did do is get me interested in the character of Conan and the rest of the franchise. In this sense, I believe the film was quite successful.

I saw this at Otakon 2013 for the worldwide premiere with author Tsukasa Fushimi, director Hiroyuki Kambe and editor Kazuma Miki. Being in a theater meant deafening applause and laughter at times, but it was still a great experience.

Story: 7

While these OVAs were absolutely hilarious and entertaining, the story left off on a very abrupt note. Without a satisfying conclusion, I can't say the story was that great. That being said, the ride up until that point was lightning-paced and thoroughly enjoyable. It was fun to see where all of the characters ended up.

Art: 8

Art style is the same as the rest of the series, ... with realistic backgrounds and well-drawn characters firmly set in modern-day Japan. Might even see some familiar Tokyo landmarks when you watch. Very well done, nothing remarkable.

Sound: 8

The OST and theme song remained the same, so there is nothing to complain about. The endings were okay at best. Given the dramatic nature of the story, I believe the voice actors really gave it their all, especially Yuuichi Nakamura (Kyousuke).

Character: 8

Once again, it was wonderful to see where everyone ended up. Kyousuke and Kirino's relationship reaches a dramatic climax, while other characters stepped out of the limelight. Sadly, Ayase is practically forgotten. Realism may have been thrown aside too much for the sake of entertainment. Speaking of which...

Enjoyment: 10

This was the most fun I have ever had watching anime. While the ending was a bit of a letdown, every episode was humorous and dramatic enough that I enjoyed every minute. Think the creators wouldn't go there? Think again. Nearly everything you wanted to see happen by the end of this series did.

Overall: 8

After sticking with these characters for two seasons, these OVAs were a real treat. While the regular series was pretty evenly paced, these episodes were laugh-out-loud fun right to the end.