Much thanks to Marshal Victory for not only bringing this show to my attention, but for also throwing the gauntlet down and challenging me to watch it…
And so my piecemeal, out-of-order acquaintance with the LUPIN III franchise continues; making me realize that CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO was actually a bigger departure from the franchise than I suspected. The flick was my introduction to the master thief and, based on it, I assumed that all of Lupin’s adventures were closer to Earth (or, at least, closer to Earth than yarns about immortal clones, super-soldier-fostering owl cults and vengeful re-built cyborgs).
Well, judging by this, it seems like CAGILOSTRO was more of an exception (and I’m sure that’s due to a very conscious artistic choice on Miyazaki’s part). I mean, Lupin and his team basically square off against a bonafide supervillain here. Presumably, the robo-rascal’s coming back from a first season set five years before this episode - - which means that Hulu’s mislabeled the series and further added to the aforementioned “piecemeal, out-of-order” nature of my experience with Lupin.
I really can’t think of any franchise where I’ve encountered the artistically-diverse movie follow-ups and the deconstructionist remake before getting to the actual base material...
And “base” really is the operative word when talking about this episode. No, the nude Fujiko Mine shower sense that earned this a TV-MA isn't really that prurient - - I’m saying “base” in terms of “basic.” As in, this really is like a Saturday Morning cartoon version of some swankier crime serial. It’s entertaining in its simplicity, of course, but there ain’t a lot discuss here aside from saying that the scene where the deadly snake unexpectedly pops out of the pipe (or whatever that was?) was pretty bafflingly random.
Watch this episode, “The Return of Lupin the 3rd” below and decide for yourself.
Tom Pinchuk’s a writer and personality with a large number of comics, videos and features like this to his credit. Visit his website - - tompinchuk.com - - and follow his Twitter: @tompinchuk
Dam i shoulda asked for bonus xp! Some important things to note.
1.It takes up right after the 1971 series ( buying that this month on dvd ) They even have flash backs that realy make the new an old animation stick out.
2. Would anybody have been surprised to Scooby-Doo an the Gang just poped in?
3. Note it is set in the late 70s... an we are spared from disco music!
4. An this is is my take, the flash backs make the older series look better than the 1st episode of the new series.
5. Would it be fair to say it felt like it was a mix of equal parts James Bond an Pink Panther ? Sure we see some Mad magazine nods but it had more Bond villain with a good helping of Pink Panther humor.
Err Tom um the snake from the pipe you found bafflingly random..... but the spring loaded boxing glove from tween the legs of Fujiko seems normal? This may be a sign you have been on the left coast bit to long..That not normal i tell ya :)
Also to give ya idea of 1st series animation quality ( think 6 years older )
Sure if you heard that opening song an did not know the show something was wrong.Also from the 1st manga the art was fairly close in this series .
I remember watching Part 2 in my early teens, loved it, I always enjoyed the dub. Part 2 was also where Yuji Ohno created the iconic theme and the rest of the music for most of the series and since watching Part 2 i collected several of the soundtracks, the songs are wicked :D
I always saw the Lupin series as more Oceans Eleven, and Pink Panther hybrid rather than James Bond and PP, If you think about it Lupin and his crew are very much like the anti-3 Musketeers with Fujiko playing Milady de Winter.
I'd recommend anyone watch the TV special 'Missed By a Dollar', it's one of my favourite. It really shows how clever Lupin is plus the soundtrack is great and excluding the gliding car (yeah, I know) pretty grounded, it also has one of the more interesting villains and plot.