Detective Conan Movie Guide 5 Hidden Masterpieces You Missed

February 28, 2026

There is always only one truth! AnimeOshi uncovers 5 hidden Detective Conan movie masterpieces you can't miss. Start your Conan journey with us today!

The famous long-running anime series, Detective Conan, has over 20 movie titles to its name. In 2026, the 29th movie will be released, bringing the total in the Conan "movie-verse" to 29. It is quite a challenge to watch all of them! Since these are full-length films rather than standard episodes, finishing the entire collection takes a significant amount of time. Therefore, knowing which movies are "must-watches"—or simply knowing where to start—will help everyone save a lot of time.

Detective Conan is an amazing series, and there are many reasons why it is so beloved in Japan. With the 29th movie, ハイウェイの堕天使 (English translation: Highway no Datenshi), releasing on April 10th, this is the perfect chance for newcomers to start their journey with Conan. As a fan, I’m happy to share that most of the movies have great reviews on AnimeOshi; however, there are five specific titles I must share with everyone that will definitely change how you view the Detective Conan movies.

These five titles have the highest number of reviews, and all of them earned a 100% score on AnimeOshi. As a Conan fan who has watched some of these movies multiple times, I can say these titles are truly the best way to start your journey. To ensure everyone has the best possible viewing experience, I will only share the basic data from AnimeOshi and the minimum amount of information needed for each title.

Don’t worry, I won’t reveal any "truth" (spoilers) in this post! The best way to watch the Detective Conan movie verse or any suspense work, is to find the "truth" for yourself. Once again, these are the five titles that received high praise and 100% scores on AnimeOshi, making them the absolute best choices to begin your Detective Conan movie marathon!

Source: 劇場版名探偵コナン【公式】 Official X account

Detective Conan: The Anime vs. The Movie verse

Before we dive deep into the films, allow me to share some important context. The first thing you should know is that the Detective Conan series is divided into the "Anime verse" and the "Movie verse." Although they share the same characters and world, the movies can largely be viewed as independent works. This means that even without extensive knowledge of the anime, you can start your movie journey anytime, anywhere.

If you haven't watched Detective Conan before, you might be worried that you'll need years of anime knowledge to understand the films. However, that simply isn't true! While there may be a few characters you aren't familiar with if you haven't seen the main series, almost all the movies can be enjoyed independently. This is especially true for Movies 1 through 15. These earlier films don't heavily involve the main overarching plot of the series, so you can watch them freely without any concerns about missing important details.

Furthermore, the production teams understand what new viewers might be worried about. Every Detective Conan movie includes a short opening sequence that provides the basic information you need for that specific film. For example, if a movie features Kaito Kid, the beginning will explain his character and his relationship with Conan before the main story even starts.

The second thing to keep in mind is that although the movies are numbered, those numbers don't strictly dictate the order in which you must watch them. Since the movies exist in an independent universe, skipping around or watching them out of order won't negatively affect your experience. It is perfectly fine to start with a specific title and skip others if you choose.

The biggest difference among the 29 movies is simply who Conan teams up with and which cases they solve. The Conan universe is full of interesting characters, but they rarely all appear at the same time—and the same rule applies to the films. To release a new movie every year, the production team focuses on different characters for each installment, which is what makes every movie unique.

Source: 劇場版名探偵コナン【公式】 Official X account

Movie Guide No. 1: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital

Based on the data from AnimeOshi, the first title I strongly recommend is Detective Conan Movie 07: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital. This movie focuses on Heiji Hattori and his childhood friend, Kazuha Toyama. Even though they live in different cities, Heiji is actually Conan’s best friend and rival.

The main story of Crossroad in the Ancient Capital involves solving a series of complex mysteries while also helping Heiji find his "first love." Years ago, as a child, Heiji saw a beautiful girl playing under a cherry blossom tree; she was so charming that he fell in love with her instantly. Heiji has always believed this girl was a stranger, and he has spent years hoping to meet her again.

This movie is truly amazing and beautiful. Personally, I find the most beautiful part of the story to be the revelation that Heiji’s first love never actually left his side. To avoid spoilers, I won’t reveal her identity here, but she has been by Heiji’s side and supporting him since the very day he fell in love with her.

There are so many incredible scenes in this film. The mystery is excellent, using pictures as hints and Japanese wordplay as riddles, which makes it very engaging. When I first watched it, I tried to solve everything myself, but since the "Conan language" (the complex riddles) was so difficult, I couldn't quite figure it out in the end! Even though it was released in 2003, the animation quality is so high that it remains a masterpiece in the Detective Conan movie-verse today.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

On AnimeOshi, two Scouts have rated this movie as "Great," leading to a perfect 100% score. Both of them strongly suggest that you give it a watch!

Movie Guide No. 2: Magician of the Silver Sky

Based on the data from AnimeOshi, the second title I strongly recommend is Detective Conan Movie 08: Magician of the Silver Sky. This movie focuses on Kaito Kid, a super-talented phantom thief and magician. For those who haven’t watched Conan before: although he looks exactly like Shinichi Kudo, they are actually two different people!

It is just a coincidence that Kid looks like Shinichi; they are completely different individuals and aren't related at all. Since this is a Kaito Kid movie, the main plot naturally follows Conan as he tries to stop Kid from stealing a specific treasure. By the way, Kaito Kid is an incredibly famous character, he even has his own spin-off anime series, which is very funny and definitely worth a watch.

Unlike the beauty of Crossroad in the Ancient Capital, Magician of the Silver Sky is packed with danger and explosions. Personally, I think the part that makes this movie so incredible is that Conan knows how to pilot a plane! Even though Conan Edogawa is just a young child, and Shinichi Kudo is only a high schooler, he surprisingly knows how to fly a plane.

In the Conan movie verse, we know he can operate many different vehicles, but a plane is something you just don't expect! The movie also has some great "flavor" in the character drama. As viewers, we know that Kid is not Shinichi, but for Ran Mouri, it’s completely different. While we aren't fooled by Kid’s disguise, Ran is, and her emotional reactions are deeply moving. It is always a bit painful to watch her miss her childhood friend so much.

As you may not believe, but this is a super Kid movie you definitely don’t want to miss!

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

On AnimeOshi, two Scouts have rated this movie as "Great," and again leading to a perfect 100% score! You might not believe how intense it gets, but this is a "Super Kid" movie you definitely don't want to miss!!

Movie Guide No. 3: The Raven Chaser

Based on the data from AnimeOshi, the third title I strongly recommend is Detective Conan Movie 13: The Raven Chaser. Unlike the previous titles I mentioned, this is a truly "serious" film. While every Conan movie involves a crime—making them all somewhat heavy—the movies featuring Heiji or Kid usually include many funny moments to lighten the mood.

However, just like in the anime, while there are often characters providing comic relief, things become much darker whenever the Black Organization is involved. For those who haven't watched Conan before, the Black Organization is the series' primary antagonist and Conan's ultimate enemy. Furthermore, as you will learn during the opening sequence, the Black Organization is also responsible for the incident that turned Shinichi into Conan.

The Black Organization is comprised of serious and ruthless criminals; they don't just kill people, they are constantly plotting something truly evil. Just like in the anime, whenever the Black Organization appears, the story becomes much more intense and high-stakes. Their presence makes The Raven Chaser a movie defined by deception and danger.

Even though the Black Organization is Conan’s primary enemy, their involvement in the movies doesn't usually move the main anime plot forward. This means that even if you don't know all the details of their history, you can still have a great viewing experience. As I mentioned before, the "Movie-verse" is mostly separate from the main story; similar to the Kaito Kid movies, no matter how intense things get, the villains won't truly fall into Conan's hands by the end.

In the Conan universe, the Black Organization has immense resources and deep connections to powerful people. This allows them to use any means necessary to reach their goals—including using a military helicopter to shoot up an entire building! While we all know Conan is the main character and often acts like a "superman" in the movies, he always finds a way to overcome the odds. Even if the ultimate outcome is predictable, the journey is the most exciting part. Watching exactly how he foils the Black Organization's plans is something you really have to see for yourself.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

On AnimeOshi, The Raven Chaser has three Scout reviews rated as "Great," and unsurprisingly, it earned a perfect 100% score once again! Trust these reviews—the battle between Conan and the Black Organization is a must-watch!

Movie Guide No. 4: The Lost Ship in the Sky

Based on the data from AnimeOshi, the fourth title I strongly recommend is Detective Conan Movie 14: The Lost Ship in the Sky. This movie is a Kaito Kid film, making it quite similar in style to Magician of the Silver Sky. Kaito Kid is such a great "spice" for the Conan universe that he has appeared in many movies, and The Lost Ship in the Sky is definitely one of the best.

Just like in the anime, whenever Kid appears, the story usually shifts its focus from "murder" to "theft." In the Conan universe, Kaito Kid is a world-famous, magician-like "phantom thief"—he doesn't kill; he steals. It might sound strange to say, but stories involving Kid are usually more "peaceful" because there isn't nearly as much violence or blood.

Don’t assume this will be a boring movie just because there is less violence. While the Black Organization provides ultimate terror, Kaito Kid always delivers a spectacular magic show. Kid is so talented that no matter who you are—even if you are Conan—everyone gets fooled by his ultimate magic. His performances always seem to outsmart everyone!

Once again, I want to clarify: Kid is not related to Conan or Shinichi. Although they look alike and even share the same voice, they belong to two different families and have absolutely no relationship with each other. Personally, the best part of The Lost Ship in the Sky is that "Shinichi" actually appears. If you are familiar with the series, it is quite funny to see "two Shinichis" on screen at once—but even if you aren't, you can have fun guessing who the real one is!

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

The Lost Ship in the Sky has two Scout reviews rated as "Great." Even if you've already seen other Kid films, trust the reviews: a Kaito Kid movie never disappoints, and he will put on his best magic show as usual!

Movie Guide No. 5: Quarter of Silence

The final movie I want to share, based on data from AnimeOshi, is Detective Conan Movie 15: Quarter of Silence. Unlike the previous titles I mentioned, this film doesn't feature other famous guest characters like Heiji or Kid. In the Conan movie-verse, there are several titles that focus primarily on Conan himself, such as the legendary Movie 06: The Phantom of Baker Street and Movie 16: The Eleventh Striker.

While movies centered solely on Conan might not have as many funny moments as a Heiji/Kid film, or feel as intense as a Black Organization plot, they excel at storytelling. Because the focus stays on the mystery at hand, these movies often provide a more complete and immersive experience, using their runtime to deliver a truly well-developed story.

Because this movie takes its time to deliver a more complete story, the culprit also has plenty of time to set their plan in motion. In Quarter of Silence, the antagonist uses a massive amount of explosives, causing incredible damage to the characters' location. Every scene in the movie is breathtaking; it truly feels like you are taking a trip to Japan through the characters' eyes, even as a great danger approaches.

Among all the scenes in Quarter of Silence, I personally love the finale the most. There is a deep meaning behind why the title is "Quarter of Silence." I don’t want to spoil anything, but the final scene is truly beautiful and reveals the true significance of that "Quarter." While the ending is the highlight, the entire movie is so gripping that you will be completely focused until the very last second. I am certain you will love the ending as much as I do.

★★★ AnimeOshi Real-Time Data Corner ★★★

On AnimeOshi, Quarter of Silence has three Scout reviews rated as "Great." Since the movie is so incredible, it holds another perfect 100% score! It might be hard to believe they are all so highly rated, but it's true. As the reviews on AnimeOshi say, this movie is beautiful—please believe me, you really don’t want to miss it!

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading this post! Before you go, I want to share some exciting information about the upcoming release. The latest Detective Conan movie is ハイウェイの堕天使 (English translation: Highway no Datenshi), which focuses on Chihaya Hagiwara, the beautiful and talented Assistant Inspector from the Kanagawa Prefecture.

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Detective Conan Movie Guide 5 Hidden Masterpieces You Missed

Detective Conan: The Anime vs. The Movie verse

Movie Guide No. 1: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital

Movie Guide No. 2: Magician of the Silver Sky

Movie Guide No. 3: The Raven Chaser

Movie Guide No. 4: The Lost Ship in the Sky

Movie Guide No. 5: Quarter of Silence

Conclusion:

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