The latest Detective Conan film just shattered every franchise record on its opening weekend. "Fallen Angel of the Highway," the 29th theatrical installment, earned over ¥3.5 billion ($22 million) in just three days, drawing 2.31 million moviegoers to become the biggest opening in the series' 29-year history. With Japan's Golden Week holiday still ahead, expectations ran high for another blockbuster run.

The Numbers: A Monster Opening

"Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway" opened on April 10, 2026 across a record-breaking 526 theaters nationwide, the largest-ever rollout for a Conan film. By April 12, just three days later, the film had recorded 2,318,009 admissions and ¥3,502,137,800 (approximately $22 million) in box office revenue.

That opening figure represents 101.8% of the opening performance of last year's "Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback," which went on to earn ¥14.74 billion ($93 million) in total. In other words, "Fallen Angel" is running slightly ahead of the pace set by a film that earned nearly $100 million domestically.

With Golden Week, Japan's biggest holiday period, just around the corner, the film's final gross could challenge or surpass the franchise record of ¥15.8 billion ($99 million) set by 2024's "The Million-dollar Pentagram."

Update: The film crossed ¥10 billion on May 4, making Detective Conan the first Japanese franchise to top ¥10 billion four years running. By June 7 it had drawn 8.83 million viewers for ¥13.03 billion (about $82 million), though it fell short of the series record of ¥15.8 billion.

What Is "Fallen Angel of the Highway" About?

Set in Yokohama, the story follows Conan and his friends as they attend the Kanagawa Motorcycle Festival, only to encounter a mysterious rampaging "black bike." In pursuit is Chihaya Hagiwara, a traffic police motorcycle officer from the Kanagawa Prefectural Police, a woman Ran once called the "Goddess of the Wind."

The film pits Chihaya's cutting-edge police motorcycle "Angel" against the shadowy "Lucifer" in what the franchise bills as its fastest battle mystery ever. Chihaya is making her first appearance as a lead character in a Conan film. She is the younger sister of Kenji Hagiwara, a beloved character from the "Wild Police Story" arc who died in the line of duty, and her story is deeply connected to the memories of both Kenji and his fallen colleague Jinpei Matsuda.

The film is directed by Takahiro Hasui (known for the "Yaiba: Samurai Legend" remake and "Mob Psycho 100 III"), with a script by Takahiro Okura and music by Yugo Kanno. The ending theme is "Last Dance Anata to" by MISIA. It also marks a commemorative work for the 30th anniversary of the Detective Conan anime.

An Unprecedented Launch Strategy

In a bold move, the production committee held no advance press screenings. Instead, the film debuted at midnight on April 10 with special "Limit Break! World's Fastest Wind Screening" events at 25 theaters across 10 prefectures. This created an immediate wave of social media buzz from fans experiencing the film simultaneously at the earliest possible moment.

The following day, a stage greeting featured the voices behind the film, including Minami Takayama (Conan), Miyuki Sawashiro (Chihaya), and guest actors Ryusei Yokohama and Mei Hata. In celebration of the record-breaking opening, a teach-in stage greeting with nationwide theater live-streaming has been announced for the Golden Week period.

The film is also available in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos at Dolby Cinema locations, a first for the franchise, made possible by TOHO Studios' newly established post-production facility that supports both formats.

The Conan Franchise: A Box Office Juggernaut

To appreciate how remarkable this opening is, it helps to understand the trajectory of the Detective Conan film series.

The franchise launched in 1997 with "The Time-Bombed Skyscraper," which earned ¥1.1 billion ($6.9 million). That was considered a solid debut, but modest compared to what would follow. Every single one of the 29 films has earned over ¥1 billion ($6.3 million), an astonishing streak of consistency unmatched in Japanese cinema.

The real explosion has come in recent years. The top earners in the franchise tell a story of exponential growth: "Black Iron Submarine" (2023) earned ¥13.88 billion ($87 million) and became the first Conan film to break the ¥10 billion ($63 million) barrier. "The Million-dollar Pentagram" (2024) shattered that with ¥15.8 billion ($99 million), surpassing 11 million admissions. "One-Eyed Flashback" (2025) continued the streak at ¥14.74 billion ($93 million), three consecutive years above ¥10 billion.

The cumulative audience for the theatrical series surpassed 100 million in 2024. Only the "Doraemon" and "Godzilla" franchises have achieved this milestone in Japan, and Conan did it fastest, in just 27 films.

International Release: When Can Overseas Fans Watch?

No official international release dates have been announced for "Fallen Angel of the Highway" as of mid-April 2026. However, recent Conan films have followed a pattern of rolling out to international territories in the months following their Japanese premiere.

Asian markets, particularly China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, have been the strongest international territories for Conan films. In recent years, theatrical releases have expanded into North America, Europe, and Latin America as well, reflecting the franchise's growing global fanbase.

On the streaming front, Netflix has been aggressively building its Detective Conan library. In April 2025, the platform launched a surprise same-day streaming premiere of "The Million-dollar Pentagram" and made all 27 theatrical films available. "Fallen Angel of the Highway" is widely expected to follow a similar path after its theatrical run concludes.

Japan's Reaction, and Your Turn

In Japan, the annual Conan film has become something of a national event, with families, couples, and longtime fans all converging on theaters every April. Three consecutive years of ¥10 billion-plus grosses, a new all-time opening record, and a franchise celebrating its 30th anime anniversary, Detective Conan shows no signs of slowing down.

Japanese fans are buzzing with reactions ranging from excitement over Chihaya's debut as a lead character to analytical discussions about whether the franchise can sustain this growth trajectory indefinitely. Some fans are already looking ahead to next year's 30th film.

How popular is Detective Conan where you live? Can you see the films in theaters, or do you rely on streaming? We'd love to hear about your Conan experience, share your thoughts in the comments!

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