Crayon Shin-chan, also known as Shin-chan, is a popular slice-of-life Japanese manga and anime series that has been running for over three decades (yes, you read that right). Yoshito Usui, the creator of the series, has brought to life the misadventures of a mischievous little boy named Shinnosuke “Shin” Nohara. Shin-chan’s escapades involve getting involved in various antics with his family and friends. The series captures the youthful energy and playful nature of Shin-chan as he navigates through his daily life, often causing trouble but always managing to bring laughter and joy to those around him.

With over a thousand episodes and 31 movies for 33 years, the popular series finally premieres its first 3D movie worldwide starting on 4 August in Japan. Now that the movie, Shin Jigen! Crayon Shin-chan The Movie finally hits Malaysia cinemas, let’s find out if it is worth watching for fans and even for those who aren’t familiar with the Shin-chan series.

Day & Night

The movie starts with the usual anime series scene where Shin-chan and his sister, Himawari are playing in the living hall while the mother, Misae is busy handling the house chores and keeping the house under control. Soon after, the movie introduces the villain, an adult man, showing scenes of him having one misfortune after another on the streets of Tokyo. Though the tragedy befalling him was shown relatively shortly, it is enough for audiences to grasp his sad backstory. To compare with Shin-chan, who is a go-lucky character, the comparisons between the two are like night and day.

Afterwards, two rays of light flashing out of the sky, flew towards these two titular characters. Gaining supernatural powers, Japan became chaotic when the villain set out for revenge on the people of Tokyo (pretty cliche), while Shin-chan used his ability to get closer to women and do mundane chores to keep Misae from lecturing him.

Having watched one of Shin-chan’s movies released in 1993, the Nohara family and even the kindergarten’s characters; Shin-chan’s friends and teachers are pretty much the same: the personalities, the appearances, and even the voices. Several new characters are introduced at the beginning of the movie and it blends well with the old cast as well. There’s comedy, action, and drama throughout it and the pacing is perfect for audiences to catch on.

Shin-chan Verse

I prepared myself to be disappointed with Shin-chan’s battle with the villain (three battles in total), however, it was surprisingly entertaining. Though the movie is shown with a Japanese dub and English sub, the subtitles made sense and not once was I lost in any of the translations. The highlight of the movie is Shin-chan himself, using his new superpowers by rubbing his bum. Although it seems inappropriate for children, the scenes were made family-friendly and no unpleasant nudities were shown (You can’t remove Shin-chan with his signature bum display).

A variety of positive themes was shown, emphasising family teamwork and mental health. The Nohara family captures the essence of the average working family with quality morals of supporting one another. The mental health theme gradually builds during the second half of the movie and Shin-chan gracefully ends it with the villain.

Shin-chan the 3D movie has no major flaws for me to pinpoint. But if I were to point out one thing, I wish the action scenes were made much longer and for Shin-chan to use his supernatural abilities to the fullest, giving the extra oomph utilizing the 3D format. Nonetheless, it was entertaining from start to finish. If you’re a fan of the series or planning to bring your kids to the theatre for a great family movie time, then the movie is a go. Otherwise, it is just a great popcorn flick option to spend your weekend with your loved ones.

FINAL SCORE: 60/100

We attended the fan screening of Shin Jigen! Crayon Shin-chan The Movie courtesy of Muse Malaysia. Shin-chan 3D Movie is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 9 September 2023.

*Thank you to Muse Malaysia and TGV Cinemas for the cool fan screening merchandise, including a movie poster, tumbler, keychain, and fridge magnet!