It is a weird thing to realize that a movie about a Sherlock Holmes simulation released in 2002 predicted the future of gaming and AI better than most sci-fi films of that era. Case Closed Movie 6 Phantom of Baker Street isn't just another annual spin-off for the Detective Conan franchise. Honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle it even exists in the form it does. Most fans think of the series as a repetitive loop of "small child finds a body, tranquilizes an old man, and solves a murder." This movie, however, threw all those tropes into a VR blender and added a layer of social commentary that feels uncomfortably relevant in 2026.
You’ve got Conan Edogawa trapped in a virtual reality game called "Cocoon," developed by a tech prodigy who—spoiler—takes his own life in the first ten minutes. It’s dark. It’s gritty. And it swaps the bright streets of Beika City for the smog-choked alleys of 1888 London.
The stakes were actually high here. If the kids didn't solve the game, an AI named Noah’s Ark would fry their brains. That’s a massive jump from the usual "stolen jewel" plots.
The Script That Changed Everything
Most people don't realize why this movie feels so different from the others. It’s because the late Hisashi Nozawa wrote it. He wasn't a typical anime screenwriter; he was a renowned novelist and TV drama writer known for deep, psychological narratives. He brought a "prestige" feel to the production that frankly hasn't been replicated since.
Nozawa’s script didn't just focus on the mystery. It attacked the Japanese social structure. There is a specific, biting scene where the villainous AI explains that the children of corrupt politicians and CEOs will only grow up to be corrupt politicians and CEOs. It calls for a "reset" of Japan. That is incredibly heavy stuff for a movie marketed to kids. It’s probably the reason why, despite the technological inaccuracies of 2002, the emotional core of the film still hits like a truck.
The dialogue isn't your standard "I'll save you, Ran!" fare. It’s cynical. It’s tired. It’s brilliant.
London Through the Lens of Sherlock Holmes
For Holmesians, The Phantom of Baker Street is basically fan service at the highest level. Conan is a massive Sherlock geek, so seeing him navigate a simulated Victorian London is like watching a kid in a candy store—except the candy store is full of Jack the Ripper murders.
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The movie manages to weave together real history with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fiction. You see Professor Moriarty and Irene Adler, but they aren't "real" in the context of the movie; they are NPCs generated by a computer based on the memories of Yusaku Kudo (Conan's dad). This layer of meta-narrative adds a level of complexity that keeps you on your toes.
Is the mystery solvable? Sorta. If you know your Holmes lore, you’ll see the clues. If you don't, you're just along for the ride. The way the movie handles the identity of Jack the Ripper is actually quite clever, tying it back to the real-world murder of the tech mogul in the "real" world.
Why the Animation Still Holds Up (Mostly)
Let's be real for a second. Early 2000s CGI was often a disaster. The "Cocoon" pods in the film look like giant shiny eggs, and the digital transitions haven't aged perfectly. But the hand-drawn London? That’s where the art shines.
The atmosphere is thick. You can almost smell the coal smoke and the damp cobblestones. TMS Entertainment clearly put a massive budget into the background art for this one. The contrast between the sterile, blue-lit real world and the sepia-toned, gritty London creates a visual storytelling device that tells you exactly where you are without needing a subtitle.
It’s also one of the few times we see the "Detective Boys" actually being useful. Usually, they are just there for comic relief or to get into trouble. In The Phantom of Baker Street, their "elimination" from the game feels meaningful. Each sacrifice carries weight because it brings Conan one step closer to the final showdown on the top of a moving train.
The Social Commentary That Shocked Fans
If you look at the YouTube comments or Reddit threads about this movie today, everyone talks about the "reset" speech. It’s the scene that defines the film. Noah’s Ark, the AI, isn't really a "villain" in the traditional sense. It’s a manifestation of a dead child’s desire to see a better world.
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Hiroki Sawada, the child prodigy who created the AI, was driven to suicide by the pressures of the corporate world and a lack of freedom. His AI decided that the only way to fix Japan was to eliminate the "legacy" children who were guaranteed success regardless of their talent or morality.
- It critiques the Japanese education system.
- It mocks the hereditary nature of power.
- It questions whether the "bloodline" determines your fate.
This wasn't just fluff. It was a genuine critique of the status quo. It’s why the movie feels so much more "adult" than Movie 5 or Movie 7. It had something to say.
The Yusaku and Shinichi Dynamic
We rarely get to see Conan (Shinichi) and his father Yusaku work together on the same case from different dimensions. While Conan is fighting for his life in the simulation, Yusaku is in the real world solving the actual physical murder of the developer.
It’s a parallel investigation. The symmetry is satisfying. You see where Shinichi gets his brains, but you also see how they differ. Yusaku is cooler, more detached. Shinichi is more empathetic, more driven by the immediate need to save his friends. Their silent understanding at the end of the film is one of the most underrated moments in the entire franchise.
The Legacy of the "Cocoon"
Looking back at this movie from 2026, the concept of a full-dive VR system that can hijack your nervous system isn't just a fantasy anymore. We have Haptic suits and high-end VR, but the "Cocoon" represents the ultimate (and terrifying) endgame of that tech.
The film explores the "uncanny valley" long before it was a buzzword. The NPCs in the game are just slightly off, and the way the AI manipulates the environment feels like a precursor to modern procedurally generated worlds.
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Things Most People Miss
There are a few details that even die-hard fans overlook. For instance, the musical score by Katsuo Ono in this film is significantly more orchestral and brooding than the jazz-heavy tracks of the earlier movies. The use of "Amazing Grace" isn't just for sentimentality; it’s a recurring theme throughout the series that signifies a transition between life and death.
Also, look at the character of Jack the Ripper. His character design is intentionally more "monstrous" than the other NPCs. He represents the "glitch" in the system—the element that doesn't belong in the clean, calculated world Hiroki wanted to create.
How to Watch It Today
If you're looking to revisit Case Closed Movie 6 Phantom of Baker Street, you have a few options, though licensing is always a bit of a headache with this series.
- Physical Media: The Blu-ray remains the gold standard. The grain in the hand-drawn sections looks much better than it does on compressed streaming sites.
- Streaming: Depending on your region (especially if you're in Japan or parts of Europe), it pops up on Netflix or Crunchyroll intermittently. In the US, it's often a bit harder to find legally without a specific subscription to a niche anime channel.
- The Manga Version: There is actually a "film comic" version that uses stills from the movie. It’s a great way to catch all the tiny details in the background art that move too fast on screen.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If this movie left an impact on you, don't just let it sit there.
- Read "The Sign of Four": This is the Holmes story that heavily influenced the plot of the film. You’ll see the direct parallels in the mystery structure.
- Watch the Remaster: If you haven't seen the 4K AI-upscaled versions (ironic, given the plot), they are worth a look for the color correction alone.
- Check out Hisashi Nozawa’s other work: If you liked the tone, look for his live-action dramas. They carry that same weight and social intelligence.
Ultimately, The Phantom of Baker Street succeeded because it didn't play it safe. It took a popular kids' show and turned it into a philosophical debate about the future of a nation, all while maintaining the thrill of a Victorian slasher mystery. It’s the high-water mark for the franchise for a reason.
Whether you're a Holmes fan or a Conan fan, the intersection of those two worlds remains a masterclass in how to handle a franchise crossover. It’s a movie that asks: "If the world is a simulation, do your choices still matter?" The answer, as Conan proves, is a resounding yes.