【Why “Ghosts of Baker Street” is so popular (5) Actually! Dr. Agasa’s mecha is not used】
As a matter of fact, in “Ghosts of Baker Street,” the familiar wristwatch-type tranquilizer gun, kick-strengthening shoes, skateboards, and stretchy suspenders are not used. It’s a virtual space, so you couldn’t bring in anything from the real world.
Because of this, we don’t have the usual “Conan-kun, who is a cheat even when he’s alone,” and we see Conan fighting in cooperation with the Detective Boys, who usually keep him away from danger.
Only in “The Ghosts of Baker Street” is he fighting with only the physical abilities and intelligence of a first grader. It’s refreshing to see Conan struggling to lift heavy objects because he can’t use Dr. Agasa’s mecha (lol).
【The reason why “Ghosts of Baker Street” is so popular (6) You can find out the killer first! And Conan’s father is the one who deduces it!】
Since “Furuhata no Tenzaburo,” detective stories in which the culprit is known at the beginning have become not uncommon. However, this is the first time in the movie version of “Detective Conan”. And since Conan is solving mysteries in virtual space, it is Conan’s father, Yusaku Kudo, who actually uncovers the murderer in the real world. The joint front between the father and son, who usually travels abroad, is quite rare and refreshing, as it has not been depicted in the original story as of 2019 (except indirectly, such as the father giving only hints).
【The reason why “The Ghosts of Baker Street” is so popular. There is an enemy among the friends】
The enemy is the artificial intelligence Noah’s Ark. I’m sure many people were able to read the story to the point where they thought, “But I’m sure he’s not an enemy, he’s actually a good guy,” but I doubt many people realized that Hideki Morohoshi was Noah’s Ark.
The idea of having enemy spies among friends has been around since the time of Judas the Christ, but I never imagined that Morohoshi, a naughty boy who played soccer at the party, was taken over by Noah’s Ark before I knew it.
Furthermore, the reason Noah’s Ark joined the game was because he wanted to play with his friends for once, which is a sad ending.
It’s a pity that Morohoshi couldn’t play the game, but I think this setting leaves a lingering impression on the audience and makes them think of “Ghosts of Baker Street” again and again.
Noah’s arc at the end, “Good-bye, Shinichi Kudo,” also has a very significant lingering effect. At that time, only Dr. Agasa, Shinichi’s parents, Heiji Hattori, and Ai Haibara knew Conan’s true identity, so it was a top secret. It was a word that gave a big shock to the fans.
【The reason why “Ghosts of Baker Street” is so popular (8) It was actually banned from the airwaves!】
Despite the fact that it is still popular among fans, it was not aired on “Friday Roadshow” until 2018, 15 years later.
This led to some people saying, “Wasn’t it banned? and “Maybe the part where the child commits suicide in the beginning of the movie tripped the broadcasting code? In fact, it was broadcasted on terrestrial waves in 2003, the year after the movie was released. It is common for TV programs to be aired in the year after the release of a movie, so it is not likely that the program was banned.
The fact that it is still airing on Friday Roadshow after 15 years shows that it is still very popular.
【Summary】
The reason why “The Ghosts of Baker Street” is still popular after more than 15 years can be summed up in one word: freshness. In the long history of “Detective Conan,” this is the first time it has been fused with fantasy, and as I mentioned above, there are many things that are only attempted in “Ghosts of Baker Street. Even without the popular characters Shuichi Akai and Toru Amuro, and without Dr. Agasa’s mecha, it is possible to create a popular work. Perhaps the reason why “Detective Conan” has lasted so long is because of this self-reliance.
