Hello all! Unprecedented crossovers mean quicker-than-usual turnarounds on interview translations! (Helps that this was short, sooo) But all jokes aside, I couldn't not post about this legendary collaboration! I remember joking around when the two characters photobombed each other during Anime Japan back in March that they should cross over, and it'd be a shame if they didn't. I mean, the "meitantei" is in both titles (in Japan), so why not?
Little did I know that I had manifested something amazing into the universe (you're welcome), and now here we are, a few days away from part one of the crossover happening May 31st. This interview feels complete as is, so I assume that the next part, whenever it hits, will be with the cast or other staff...? I'll try my best to have those out as soon as they drop, but like this crossover's existence, having this out so soon is a miracle.
Either way, the normal rules apply-don't repost this without our permission, and I'm only a semi-pro translator, so if there are mistakes, be kind and uh, dm me.
Now let's deduct some magic!
Originally posted here
How did the Detective Conan and Precure collaboration happen? Drawing back the curtain and unravelling the story of how this unusual crossover came about (Part 1)
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! Collaboration Visual © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
Detective Conan and Star Detective Precure were never meant to cross over, and yet now they stand back to back on the same stage. How this unlikely team-up began came from one producer's overflowing love for Detective Conan. However, overcoming the nearly insurmountable walls that came from crossing broadcasting stations (Editor note: Detective Conan airs on YTV, while the Precure franchise airs on TV Asahi) was no small feat. The crossover as we see it now was born from the trials, tribulations, and, most of all, passion of all involved and can truly be called a miracle. Now, in this article, let's explore the circumstances of this crossover's inception, the common points between the two series, and the difficulty and eventual joy of this collaboration through the eyes of the directors and producers.
An unprecedented collaboration that transcends the barrier of broadcast stations.
Conan Team
- Director: Yatsuichiro Yamamoto
- Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1961 and raised in Saitama. He is an animation director, producer, and animator. He has been involved with the Detective Conan TV anime since it began in 1996 and has directed the series since episode 119. He has also been a part of the theatrical film releases since the first film and directed movies eight through fourteen. He has been the director of the series since 2012.
- Producer: Masataka Todo
- Born in Kanagawa in 1983, and joined TMS Entertainment in 2005. He is engaged in the production of both TV and theatrical releases, with his standout works being Detective Conan, Zero's Tea Time, and Hanzawa the Criminal. He also worked on the McDonald's Chicken Tatsuta and Detective Conan commercials
Precure Team
- Series Director: Koji Kawasaki
- Born in Saitama in 1990, he is a series director and producer who works at Toei Animation. He joined the company in 2013, after which he made his directorial debut with Majin Bone. Along with directing individual episodes of the Precure series, he has also been a director on One Piece Film Red and Tōsōchū: Great Mission (Run for the Money: Great Mission)
- Producer: Masaya Aramaki
- Born in 1990 in Chiba. A producer who worked for ten years at an animation production company after graduating from school and who joined Toei Animation in 2023. After serving as an assistant producer on WANderful Precure he took on the lead producer role for Star Detective Pretty Cure.
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
Q: What was the reason behind the unusual collaboration between Detective Conan and Star Detective Precure?
Aramaki: This project started essentially from my love for Detective Conan. So that's why, from the moment we added "Detective" to the title of this Precure season, I started thinking it'd be awesome if we could have the two series connect in some way. Though, to be quite honest, it was a real pie-in-the-sky idea to execute.
Precure is a series that is produced over the limited span of a year. I wanted to avoid feeling like I had left something behind within that time, so half jokingly but with just as much seriousness, I consulted with people and said, "It'd be really fun if we could do this, right?" And many of the people I spoke to took that initial inquiry seriously.
After that, the parties involved were all enthusiastic to get this going, and the gears started moving. TMS was also really behind the idea, agreeing that "It'd be fun!" which swiftly got the ball rolling. In addition, Yorimuri TV (YTV) also agreed that it'd be interesting to transcend the limits of the broadcasting stations, and that's when this idea really took flight.
Todo: It's not unprecedented for studios and production companies to have collaborations, but a collaboration that surpasses the high "broadcasting station" barrier is a huge ask. Nevertheless, this was successful because of the tireless efforts of many related parties.
Q: Now, to the directors, Mr. Kawasaki and Mr. Yamamoto, what were your thoughts when you first heard of this project?
Kawasaki: I had heard some rumblings about the desire to work with Detective Conan back when this was in its proposal stages, but I was skeptical as to whether it'd actually get off the ground. A collaboration with a series that I've watched since I was a child and with a work I'm currently directing...at first, I was just surprised, but then when the path forward slowly started taking shape, I remember being hit with a strong wave of "Oh, is this really happening?"
Yamamoto: Initially, I was only told it was a "project between producers." (Laughs) At the time the details hadn't yet solidified, so my first thought was, "It'd be really fun if we could make this happen." But I had serious doubts as to whether it was truly possible, and all I could do was leave it to the higher-ups to decide. That aside, what really concerned me was the difference in setting and worlds between the two series. Detective Conan and Precure have vastly different tones and widely different contexts, so reconciling those differences was something I felt would be a huge challenge in this production.
Kawasaki: One is a mystery action series, the other about transforming heroines....it became about how to fuse these two very different works together. I thought it would be intriguing to build into each one together while using different approaches that take advantage of each work's setting. Also, it wasn't enough for the characters to meet each other; they needed to be intrinsically involved in each other's stories. That's why a highlight of this collaboration is that these encounters are one-off, standalone stories. Plus I think the intersection and differences between cool and cute is something viewers will enjoy.
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
What do Detective Conan and Pretty Cure have in common? The production teams explain the reasons behind the final product.
Q: Both works are in different genres, but what "commonalities" did you notice while working on them?
Aramaki: The major commonality would be the core themes of "detectives" and "deduction," which is what we built the scenario around. In addition to that, both works have action in them. When examining the stories themselves, there are more similarities than we thought. I think a major influence on us is that we've been familiar with Detective Conan since we were children.
In reality, when I was presenting the programming guide for Star Detective Precure internally, I kept repeating to them, "Just imagine Conan" (laughs); a mystery is presented before the commercial break, and then afterward in the second half, it's solved. Furthermore, it's the girls of Precure who take charge of the action. It's through conveying the plan this way that I was able to convey the image I was going for.
Kawasaki: Additionally, apart from each individual case, there's a major central focus. Similar to the Black Organization in Detective Conan, the Phantom Thieves in Precure give off an enigmatic vibe of "who are they really?" that runs through the entire story. Individual cases are built upon that major foundation, and I think it's that structure that acts as a characteristic both series have in common.
Aramaki: To add to that, one of the major draws of Conan is a major event that kicks off the series—to be specific, when the protagonist's body shrinks. That impact is strong and leaves an impression, which is why in Star Detective Precure, I wanted there to be a similar major event at the beginning of the series. This is what inspired the setpiece in the series where the protagonist Anna Akechi time-travels. A story that, from the beginning, clearly defines what it is. We created this setpiece in deference to Conan.
Todo: In a sense, the characters also share a commonality in being burdened by constraints. Conan has to deal with being stuck as a child, unable to return to his original body, while Anna is stuck in a different time period in her efforts to return to her own time. To sum it up, in both cases the protagonists have something that is holding them back, and the story unfurls with others in their surroundings supporting them through their respective situations. I believe in that way the essence of both series is similar.
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
Q: So, on the contrary, did you run into any problems translating the differences in setting into the scenarios?
Yamamoto: The greatest difficulty was the rules of the Conan universe. When we showed the premise to Gosho Aoyama, the creator of Detective Conan, he had it in mind that in the world of Conan, things such as magic and fantasy do not exist, and that was difficult to manage in this crossover.
Aramaki: Precure, on the other hand, is relatively free-form, unlike Conan, which emphasizes realism. So, for example, we had a tough time handling the transformation aspects of Precure in Conan's worldview, as well as how far we could take incorporating fantasy. Ultimately, we all worked together and explored options, and what took shape from this is pretty fun, I think.
Meanwhile, on the Precure side, we placed little things here and there to make viewers feel, "This is Conan," out of respect for the series. I think when watching, you'll be able to understand our intentions from just a glance, as well as how much work and enjoyment the staff had when working on the episodes.
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
Q: Please give fans of both series who are looking forward to these episodes going on air a message.
Yamamoto: I hope that this will provide an opportunity for fans of each work to discover something new and interesting about them. I would be overjoyed if Precure fans were to watch, understand, and, most importantly, feel the enjoyment of Conan and, conversely, if Conan fans felt the same way about Precure.
Todo: I believe this is one of a kind project we've been able to realize, and I'm not sure if one of its type will come again in the future. It was a special and wonderful opportunity for us, so I hope fans will enjoy the crossover.
Kawasaki: To think Conan and Precure will share the same spotlight! I think that the episodes will be packed with elements fans of both series will enjoy, as it's a special, one-of-a-kind spectacle. It's going to be filled with appealing charm that'll make fans think, "This is it!" so please enjoy watching these.
Aramaki: We've ensured that these episodes are packed with surprises that viewers will be able to enjoy from start to finish. Really, the fact that we've been able to create these episodes where both works stand side by side, united by the theme of "great detectives," is a miracle in its own right. I hope that fans will tune in and experience the excitement for themselves.
Detective Conan & Star Detective Precure! © Gosho Aoyama/Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, TMS 1996 © ABC-A, Toei Animation
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