Today's theme is Monkey Punch's beloved gentleman thief Lupin III (grandson of Maurice Leblanc's gentleman thief Arsène Lupin) featuring films by Takashi Yamazaki, Hayao Miyazaki, Sōji Yoshikawa, Seijun Suzuki, Shigetsugu Yoshida, Shunya Itō, Takeshi Shiratoand, and Monkey Punch.
The Mystery of Mamo (1978)
Master thief Lupin III has been executed, which comes as something of a surprise to Master thief Lupin III. As he searches to uncover the truth of his doppelganger, Lupin finds himself drawn into the schemes of a mad scientist named Mamo to achieve immortality by acquiring the Philosopher's Stone. The first Lupin III movie, which was produced following the success of the second TV series, is just completely all over the place. It's like the production team had several different ideas for what this film should be about, couldn't decide which to go with, and so just said "screw it" and did them all. It's mad and chaotic, sometime stunning to look at, not always good, but overall mostly fun.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
After discovering the cash they just stole is fake, Lupin and Jigen travel to the small European nation of Cagliostro to find this master counterfeiter, and eventually come to the rescue to a young heiress. Featuring gorgeous animation that is several levels above everything that came before and after, The Castle of Cagliostro is the best of all the Lupin III movies, but not really the greatest representation of the franchise as a whole. Hayao Miyazaki, who had worked as a writer and director on the first television series alongside Isao Takahata, had a more family friendly take on the series than what Monkey Punch originally envisioned. His Lupin is a more honourable and romantic character, not the horny skirt chaser he often is in the manga or TV series.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Legend of the Gold of Babylon (1985)
Lupin and his team, with the help of a drunken old woman named Rosetta, go up against the mafia in search of a lost Babylonian treasure. Made by the same team who produced the third Lupin III television series (generally considered the black sheep of the franchise), this is like a typical TV episode that has been stretched out to near breaking point and then just goes completely batshit insane in the last twenty minutes. It is, by far, the weakest of all the movies. The animation isn't all that great, the Zenigata subplot is painfully unfunny, and some parts are just shockingly racist.
Rating: ⭐⭐
Farewell to Nostradamus (1995)
Lupin's plan to steal the lost book of Nostradamus from a billionaire running for president is complicated when an apocalyptic cult kidnaps the billionaire's daughter along with Fujiko. This was the first theatrical film in a decade after the franchise shifted to annual TV specials in the late 80s. In terms of animation and storytelling, this is a considerable step up from the previous film, but lacks much of the series' madcap energy. Although the action takes places in gigantic high tech skyscraper, this is a more grounded and conventional adventure for Lupin and company.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Dead or Alive (1996)
In ordered to steal the treasure hidden on the mysterious Drifting Island, Lupin and the gang become involved in a revolution in the small nation of Zufu. This was the last theatrical animated film until The First was released in 2019 (and the last 2D one until Lupin the IIIrd: The Movie later this year). It was the only one directed by Monkey Punch himself, although he later admitted that it wasn't a great experience and it put him off ever directing another movie. This is a more fantastical film than Farewell to Nostradamus, but still can't help feeling like a typical TV adventure that has been gifted a bigger budget.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
The First (2019)
Lupin and the gang team up with aspiring archaeologist Laetitia to steal the Bresson Diary, a treasure that even the original Arsène Lupin could not steal, before it falls into the hands of a group of aging Nazis. Monkey Punch had long wished to see Lupin III in 3D animation, but sadly passed away before the finished film was released. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One), this is basically every single Indiana Jones movie ever made mashed together into one (the three tests scene is lifted almost directly from Last Crusade), yet manages to be a lot more enjoyable than the last two Indiana Jones movies. The film is a mixture of elements from throughout the franchise's history (the look and sound of the Red Jacket era, the car and tone of Miyazaki, etc) creating what feels like a Best of Lupin III experience to give newbies a taste of what the franchise is like.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011 More Mark Greig
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