Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary is out now in theatres across India in Japanese, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubs.
Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary is the first film from the beloved Crayon Shin-chan anime series — more commonly just called “Shin chan” — to release in Indian theatres. Even though it’s the 32nd film in the franchise, this is the first time Indian fans of the mischievous five-year-old can watch a Shin chan movie the way it was meant to be seen on first viewing, just like Japanese fans have been doing for years. I watched the film in both the Hindi dub and the original Japanese version, and I think Our Dinosaur Diary is a fun, classic Shin chan adventure. It’s definitely entertaining for kids, but it also has enough charm for adults who want to relive their childhood afternoons with Shin chan.
Dinosaurs, diaries, and a new park
Like every Shin chan film, this one also takes Shin chan on a non-canon adventure, usually filled with fantasy, adventure, or supernatural elements. As the title suggests, this time it’s about dinosaurs. It’s summer vacation, and Shin chan has to fill out a picture diary with whatever he does during the break. A new amusement park called Dino Island Japan opens, claiming to offer visitors a safari tour with real, live dinosaurs. The park is the brainchild of Vable Odorokey, a self-proclaimed “hyper event producer” obsessed with outdoing himself by creating the biggest spectacles. Dino Island Japan is his magnum opus.
Fortunately, Shin chan and his gang of friends — Kazama, Masao, Nene, and Bo — get the chance to visit the dinosaur park thanks to Ai-chan, whose rich family is one of the sponsors, of course. She manages to get VIP tickets for everyone. Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary kicks off with the group’s visit to the park, but that’s just the beginning. On the side, Shiro, Shin chan’s dog, stumbles upon a baby dinosaur, and the two quickly form a bond. This is where things start to get messy. The baby dinosaur turns out to be important to Odorokey and his son, and chaos follows soon after, with the park being overrun by dinosaurs that eventually spill out into the city — turning it into a full-blown dinosaur escape scenario. All of this sets the stage for a mix of friendship, action, family drama, and plenty of comedy, and enough material for Shin chan’s vacation picture diary.
Plot with punch (and a few stumbles)
Shin chan films usually include some action, and there’s plenty of it here. We see the lovable Nohara family and Shin chan’s friends take on the dinosaurs, and as with other films in the series, there’s more to the story than it first seems, with a twist along the way. Overall, the plot works, but some scenes drag and don’t add much entertainment value. These could have been trimmed down, especially the ones featuring side characters created just for this film and not part of the regular series. That said, the issue doesn’t last throughout, as the second half picks up with action and chaos, and the pacing becomes much faster. Overall, though, this isn’t the strongest plot for a Shin chan movie, and it’s serviceable at best.
Shin chan still brings the laughs
A Shin chan film wouldn’t be complete without his humour, and there’s plenty of it here, most of which lands well. From Shin chan’s slapstick, gags, hilariously bad mispronunciations, and habit of hitting on women, to his dad’s cynical takes on the economy, his stagnant salary, and the future, Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary delivers consistent chuckles and even some laughs. The film strikes a good balance between the action and comedy. There are also emotional moments cantered around family, which have always been a core part of the series and are a big reason it resonates so well with Indian audiences too.
Surprisingly good dino-animation
One impressive part about Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary is its artwork and animation. Shin chan films usually look better than the TV series — cleaner and more polished, thanks to the higher budget — but this one stands out. The animation, especially for the dinosaurs, is smooth and well-drawn, without relying on 3DCG. It was genuinely nice to watch and better than expected. Oh, and there’s plenty of Jurassic Park references in the film, which were fun to spot. Director Shinobu Sasaki, who’s worked on four Shin chan films now, clearly understands what these movies need and delivers on that.
Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary is a good time if you know what you’re signing up for — a mix of silliness, heart, and dinosaur-filled chaos. The plot isn’t the most memorable, and a few scenes could’ve used tighter editing, but the action-packed second half makes up for it. There’s solid humour throughout, with the usual Shin chan flavour that hasn’t lost its charm, and the animation looks cleaner than expected, especially for the dinos. For long-time fans, especially those who grew up watching Shin chan after school, this is just the right mix of nostalgia and entertainment.