It's been a yearly staple for countless fans, and now Detective Conan is celebrating a massive milestone: 30 years on air! But a recent re-broadcast of the classic "Episode 'ZERO' Shinichi Kudo Aquarium Case" remake has unexpectedly sparked a wave of negative feedback from fans.
Comparing the original animation to the new remake, many fans are arguing that the older version boasted superior detail and character designs. They believe the current animation team's character quality has taken a nosedive, and this sentiment has really resonated online.
One fan's post, in particular, went viral. After watching the "Episode 'ZERO' Shinichi Kudo Aquarium Case" remake and comparing it to the original art style, they pleaded with the production team to stop remaking old episodes. They pointed out how the new version features distorted character proportions and a noticeable drop in quality, begging, "Please don't ruin our childhood memories!"
A side-by-side comparison of character proportions clearly shows the difference: in the remake (top image) versus the original (bottom image) of the same scene, Shinichi appears noticeably shorter, lacking the commanding presence he once had as the "dark horse prince."
This post ignited a firestorm of discussion among fans, with many agreeing that the animation quality for numerous characters has steadily declined over time. Both their expressions and proportions, they argue, are a far cry from what they once were. It's truly baffling, they say, how in an era of technological advancement, the show's artistic quality seems to be regressing.
Especially after the 2026 broadcast, the gap between past and present quality became glaringly obvious. While the plot remains unchanged, the visual discrepancy has left many fans deeply dissatisfied.
Even Shinichi's character design shows a clear facial difference compared to his past iterations, particularly when stacked against Gosho Aoyama's original manga art.
Other characters, too, seem to have benefited from the older art style, especially when it comes to their facial features.
Of course, remaking classic episodes is always met with anticipation from many fans. However, these comparisons have led to widespread complaints, with fans wishing classics weren't remade at all. They argue that the original magic can't be replicated, and instead, these remakes are now seen as evidence of the animation team's declining skill and "ruined" characters.