The last TV movie in the franchise aired in 1999, and before that, the last theatrical release was in 1990. That's a long time between features, but it wasn't for nothing. The production values in general are a considerable step up from prior iterations, and the animation, specifically, is unquestionably more advanced, pretty well right on par with kindred contemporary fare. The aesthetics are fundamentally the same, but crisper, more vivid, and more vibrant in their color, detail, and texture. From beautiful backgrounds and environments of every stripe, to fetching character designs and other active elements, and from fluid action to dazzling effects, 'City Hunter' has never looked better. The sound design is also unfailingly robust, providing a feast for our ears, too, with the excellent voice acting, sharp sound effects, and Iwasaki Taku's fantastic, dynamic, flavorful original music. From a technical standpoint all the pieces are in place to make 'Shinjuku private eyes' the best presentation to date of Hojo Tsukasa's signature sweeper saga.
However, I don't think it is. The flick is enjoyable, but while we get everything we want out of the franchise, it feels terribly hollow, a soulless simulacrum.
The villain could have been interesting, but he's instead just a dull, unthinking tech bro obsessed with "Might Makes Right" power who flies off the handle with regards to any personal matter. Protagonist Saeba Ryo has never been more untouchable or unflappable, and he's never been less interesting - neither where action is required, nor where he is required to interact with his friends and allies. We see once again that Falcon is a tough guy with a heart of gold, but there is no development in the script for illustrating his inner softie; when at the climax he declares with all due machismo that "this one still has to pay," it's in reference to a henchman that neither he nor the audience has actually met, and we're no more than glimpsed him. Our heroes cause untold destruction while mostly barely breaking a sweat, while the antagonists are lucky to ever inflict a single paper cut. Too much of the dialogue is empty rubbish, whether invoking unconvincing dramatic lines or employing tiresome meta humor (i.e., "that's what's supposed to happen in fiction, so why isn't that happening now?"). From the characterizations, to dialogue, to scene writing and the narrative at large, it comes across not that scribe Kato Yoichi was revitalizing these characters and this setting for an earnest new installment of 'City Hunter,' but that they were working from a checklist of what 'City Hunter' should include. The dramatic components are wanting or flimsy, the comedy is surprisingly sparing, and there are never any stakes felt in the action.
Maybe I'm being overly kind by saying that I don't think 'Shinjuku private eyes' is altogether bad. Maybe that's the label it truly deserves. But for as light as this is, and passively entertaining - the full-length, adult-oriented equivalent of a "Saturday morning cartoon" - it's still entertaining. I would speak more highly of it if the movie didn't put me to sleep, but all the same I can't say I actively disliked it. It's just that this is simply not the best representation of the characters, and the action-comedy, that we know and love. I'm glad for those who get more out of it than I do, and it's decent enough to warrant checking out on a lazy day, yet if ever I were to revisit one of the CH films, I wouldn't be particularly inclined to rewatch this one.
