新宿少年探偵団 ▫️1998 ▫️Info

I had never even heard of this series or film so I had no idea what to expect. What a blast it was!!

I’m someone who appreciates strange and surreal stories, like sci-fi and fantasy, so finding out this was a cyberpunk futuristic robot anime magic adventure got me hyped to watch it. I loved the edgy and late 90s tech vibes that start right from the opening scene and fluidly mixed with the magic/fantasy elements later on.

I felt I finally got to see Aiba in his element, since he is kind of the main character. He was so cool! I loves his lil scooter that he rides around. Jun also did a great job playing a semi-dorky but lovable friend. Their relationship was very endearing–a bit different from when they were in Bokura no Yuuki together. I tend to enjoy friend adventures where young people grow and learn how to face challenges together, even when the pacing of similar stories can be generic. I’m not a teen anymore but those stories still interest me–maybe because of nostalgia or unresolved feelings from my own youth. This film did a nice job of appealing to a wide audience even though it is clearly a young adult film overall.

The visuals were great and I was very happy to come across an HD version because the first one I found was like 160p and hardsubbed in Chinese…. I ended up ordering the VHS of this movie as well, which of course is so cozy despite it not being HD. You can tell from the cinematography and directing that the team put their full creative effort into this one. I love encountering a movie that could have easily been a super cheap made for tv trash and it turns out to be a rich and creative piece.

Because the story is a bit odd and it is very manga coded, some people might not enjoy this film but I just had a really fun time. I also loved the practical effects–there is something so special about this era of Japanese film. I think as an Arashi fan I got extra invested because I have so much respect for how talented they are. Being so young!! yet so talented!!People might find the performances and story a bit cheesy in this, but like I said I was really swept away by its entertainment value. It is a unique and special product of its time, something that probably can never exist again. As a special treat you get to see a moody Yokoyama Yu from Kanjani-8 and the actors who played the young girls were also great.

I will give a FLASHING LIGHTS warning for certain scenes, especially near the end. So be careful if you are sensitive to that (like me).