Customer Reviews

Lupin the 3rd - Missed by a Dollar

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I like Lupin so I wouldn't miss a movie. This one has all the basic plot points covered yet again. Nothing new, Lupin's dead yet again, Fujiko rips off the team, yet again.

Truthfully if you miss this one you aren't any worse off. Everything felt half hearted, including the ending. There isn't really any fan service in this movie. While never needed for the story, it was still a slight disappointment. Likewise the music, which is normally a highlight for me, was mundane at best.

If your looking for a "off into the sunset" movie where things get wrapped up, this is not it for the series. I doubt they will ever do that for Lupin.

The voice acting itself, (English dub) was on par with recent Funimation Lupin movies, nothing great but ok.

If you're a fan, buy it cheap, if not pass it up.

What amazes and dismays me most about the entire Lupin III series is how after ( in this case ) over 20 years there has been virtually NO growth or development in any of these characters. It's as if the entire production is on auto-pilot. What changes there have been are both cosmetic and confusing. Of course Lupin's original seyuu is dead, replaced by an adequate substitute; but the changes to other cast members, notably Fujiko, are puzzling: though voiced by the same actress, she no longer looks anything like the original Fujiko. Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon fare better in this respect; and Zenegata appears as he has more recently, after his character's alteration for the second TV series. Still, the animation varies widely in this so-called "movie", which was really a Japanese TV special.

Of course all the necessary plot devices are in place: something mysterious to be stolen; a curveacious rival to be tricked; Zenegata-Keibu likewise; impossible car chases and near-death experiences for our hero; lots of bad guys to be offed; an implacably evil villian; what are supposed to represent various "exotic" settings; etc., etc. Basically, if you've ever seen ANY version of Lupin, then you've seen all of this before; I found myself looking at the time more than once as I waited out its all-too-inevetable conclusion. The only part of this I actually ENJOYED was the over-the-top reaction of Zenegata to this latest "death" of Lupin; but even that's nothing really new. I suppose when you have a franchise that's as popular in its native land as this one is, you don't DARE change ANYTHING.

It's not that it's really SO bad; there's just very little in it to arouse interest, and certainly nothing new. In an attempt to be "hip" with its New York City location, including lots of signage and secondary dialogue in English, it is thereby dated with several unfortunate views of the pre- 9/11 Twin Towers. Of course this is no fault of the 2000 production; but I found myself most amused by watching for other various legitimate audio-visual bloopers. For example, it's quite obvious that Sandy, the "great" torch singer that Lupin has the hots for this time, though represented as an American singing in a New York lounge, is singing phonetically - and poorly at that - having NO command of English. Also, she has her name boldly displayed outside the club: "SUNDAY"! These are perfect examples of the great care that was lavished on this production!

Lupin is on the trail for another priceless piece of art. As if he doesn't get enough of stealing. This happens when an unassuming antique becomes the key to world domination.

A former KGB thug is in this movie