The recent reveal of the Osaka Expo's main venue, the "Grand Roof Ring," has been causing a stir in Japan, but not for the reasons you'd think. Instead of architectural chatter, it sparked a massive wave of "This looks like a 'Detective Conan' movie" déjà vu among Japanese fans. In an instant, social media was flooded with fans brainstorming entire movie plots, turning the reveal into a massive, collaborative fan-fiction thread.
And it didn't stop there. The fan frenzy has only escalated, with creative netizens now dropping everything from custom movie titles and key art to a nearly complete, crowdsourced screenplay. The whole thing has gotten so detailed that many are joking, "Did this year's movie get an early release?" as the fan theories become a hot topic in their own right.
For instance, one fan scripted a classic interaction between Professor Agasa and the Detective Boys:
Mitsuhiko: "It's so crowded, we can't even get inside!"
Professor Agasa: "Ohoho! Well, while we wait, how about a classic—and highly anticipated—Professor's Quiz Time!"
Conan & Co.: "Ugh... not again..."
Agasa: "You all know about the super-popular Expo, right? But there's another place that's just as popular! Can you guess what it is? ① Port ② Station ③ Airport. Remember, you have to explain your reasoning!"
Mitsuhiko, Ayumi, Genta: "We have no idea!"
Agasa: "Haibara, do you know?"
Conan: "The answer is 2, the station. A popular station attraction is called a 'Station Spot,' or 'Eki-supo' for short in Japanese."
Haibara: "And the official name for the Expo is the 'World Exposition,' which is shortened to 'EXPO' in English."
Conan: "'Eki-supo' and 'EXPO' sound the same, so the answer is ②! ... (What a terrible pun, lol)."
Agasa: "Correct!"
Genta: "What? It's just another one of your lame jokes!"
Agasa: "Hehehe..."
As for the plot, another fan pitched the perfect opening scene:
(Within the first 3 minutes, someone connected to the Expo dies.) ♪Dun dun dun dun~ dun dun~♪ x3 Dun~ dun~♪ "My name is—(you know the rest) the one who solves all the world's mysteries!"
Newscaster: "The Osaka Expo is packed with visitors—"
Genta: "Whoa, this is awesome!"
Ayumi: "Wow, it's so huge!"
Mitsuhiko: "Look, look! That's the [insert pavilion name]! (Starts explaining everything)."
Professor Agasa: "Hey, hey, don't run off! It's dangerous!"
Ai Haibara: "Sigh. Just let them have their fun."
Shinichi (as Conan): "Moron, don't get too carried away."
Kogoro: "Why am I stuck babysitting you brats..."
Ran: "Dad, stop complaining!"
Shinichi (thinking): "Heh heh."
Sonoko: "Ran! Over here! Hurry!" (She's here as a VIP, of course).
Genta: "Hey, hey! Is that food? I wonder if they have unagi bowls!" (Runs off) (CRASH)
Genta: "Owwwww!"
Mitsuhiko: "Genta, you're always so reckless..."
???: "Oh, sorry! Are you okay?" (Voice by: Akira Ishida)
Fans also mapped out the perfect character roster. Since it's in Osaka, Heiji Hattori is a must. If there's a jewel or treasure exhibit, you know Kaito Kid can't be far behind. A potential terrorist threat? That's the cue for Public Security's Tooru Amuro to show up. And if the US Pavilion is involved, you can bet the FBI's Shuichi Akai will make an appearance. The Expo is basically the perfect excuse for a *Conan* all-star brawl!
Tying it back to the "Grand Roof Ring" structure, one fan pointed out the obvious: in a *Conan* movie, the two bridges connecting the venue to the outside would probably be blown up within the first 15 minutes. Classic.
But another fan quickly corrected them, arguing that based on classic *Conan* movie pacing, the explosion would happen in the second half. Just when everyone thinks the case is solved and the culprit is caught, the bridges would collapse, trapping everyone inside. Conan would then dramatically launch himself on his skateboard to save a stranded Ran, ultimately saving the day with a giant, inflatable soccer ball or something. (Wait, that's way too specific and accurate, lol.)
Of course, you can't have a *Conan* movie without a ridiculously over-the-top motive. One fan nailed it, suggesting the villain's reason for destroying the new Expo would be: "There should only be one Osaka Expo! The Tower of the Sun, the Moon Rock! That glorious era must live on forever. To that end... this new Expo is an eyesore!" (Sounds about right for the *Conan* Encyclopedia of Criminal Motives.)
For the climax, another fan laid out the final scene:
Culprit: "I actually planted another bomb. Remember the famous words of Taro Okamoto?" (Taro Okamoto: Designer of the Tower of the Sun)
Conan: "Oh no! Could it be..."
Culprit: "Art is an explosion!" The villain then hits the detonator, forcing Conan to fly in on his skateboard to save Ran, probably while disarming the bomb using some obscure skill his dad conveniently taught him in Hawaii.
Beyond just the plot, fans have been flexing their creative muscles, pumping out professional-looking key visuals for the non-existent movie. Seriously, can you guys not be so talented?
They even made a logo. XD
Someone even went as far as creating a mock ending credits sequence... lol.
While this is all just a massive, hilarious fan-driven fantasy, it's an incredible showcase of the creativity within the *Detective Conan* fandom. They've collectively imagined a complete, feature-length film with a plot that feels genuinely plausible for the series. Hey, Gosho Aoyama, ever thought about hiring some of these fans as writing assistants for a little inspiration?